WieboldConservator Posted August 25, 2018 Report Share Posted August 25, 2018 I am an art conservator based out of Cincinnati, OH, and I work primarily in the repair of ceramic objects. Sometimes, a repair necessitates the use of reversible (non-permanent) fillers and paints to bring the object back to its intended appearance. One of the biggest stumbling blocks I have encountered comes with the repair of pieces that incorporate gold luster. In all of my searching and testing I haven't found anything that even comes close to the beautiful smoothness and reflective quality of a fired gold luster. Have any of you in your work come across anything that mimics gold luster, without being fired? I have tried all sorts of leafing products and paints, and nothing looks remotely close. I hope that someone out there has some leads that could help steer me in the right direction! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yappystudent Posted August 25, 2018 Report Share Posted August 25, 2018 Is there some reason you can't use actual gold leaf? Reversible is the hard part, otherwise I'd say nail polish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WieboldConservator Posted August 27, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 27, 2018 I've attempted to use leaf on a few projects, and it can sometimes look alright, but the major issue there is how delicate it is. Catch-22, I know; it has to be reversible, but durable! I'd never thought of nail polish before, that's definitely something worth looking into! Thanks so much for the suggestion! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
yappystudent Posted August 28, 2018 Report Share Posted August 28, 2018 I wish I could be more helpful. It's of note that nail polish at has some of the nicest and quite durable paints around and technically they are removable if what you're applying them to doesn't react to acetone (nail polish remover). Go for the fancier brands they'll be ground finer. There's also model paints but I've yet to see a metallic model paint better than your average nail polish. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
preeta Posted August 29, 2018 Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 I have not found anything that will match the brilliance of gold lustre. Ive tried nail polish, acrylic and gold spray paint. Does not match the fullness and brilliance of gold lustre. They do well on their own but not next to gold lustre Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rae Reich Posted August 29, 2018 Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 I learned that the best lusters are applied to a perfectly glossy, perfectly smooth surface. Surface prep for gold leaf needs to be just as perfect for a perfect result. Yes, it is very fiddly, but a skill that should be useful in your field. A clear gloss, again perfectly applied, might improve the gloss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WieboldConservator Posted August 29, 2018 Author Report Share Posted August 29, 2018 That's a good point that I hadn't really considered, the quality of the base gloss. Typically I try to avoid doing much work to/around existing gold, since it can mar easily, but maybe if I find a good quality gloss coat that I can apply first to both protect the existing gold and help with the sheen of the new, I'd have more success. Thank you all for your help and suggestions! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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