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Oil gilding, also known as size gilding, is a much simpler method of laying gold than the water gilding technique. All that is required is a gold size, a varnish that has been modified so that it provides a predictable dry and working time. In oil gilding one can also use patent gold leaf, which has a piece of wax transfer paper attached to the back of the gold. This allows for handling of the gold without using a gilding tip, a great advantage for beginners or outdoor gilding projects.
 | Before any size can be applied, the surface to be gilded needs to be primed. Traditionally three colors of primer have been used: white, yellow and red. White provides a clean working surface. Yellow is great for high traffic or outdoor gilded surfaces; if the gold leaf chips off, the yellow ground blends with the color of the gold. Red is used to emulate a traditional water gilding bole ground. Sometimes the gold surface is treated with pumice or rotten stone to allow some of the red ground to peak through the gold. |
 | Once the primer has dried, it is crucial to sand the the surface as smooth as possible. Gold leaf is so thin that it cannot hide even the slightest surface imperfections. The smoother the surface, the more reflective the gilded surface will be. |
 | Apply gold size in the area where the gold leaf should go. The gold leaf will only stick to the areas covered in gold size. |
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