Water-gilding is the craft of adhering gold leaf onto a surface which has been prepared with traditional chalk gesso and clay bole. This is a 4oz tub of Black Sinopia Clay Bole for use in water-gilding; traditionally, Black Bole is used under silver leaf or white gold leaf in order to show off the cool color of the metal.

This product cannot be used straight from the jar. Once the bole has been thinned with water to the consistency of cream, it should be mixed 1:1 with warm rabbit skin glue solution. This mixture then needs to be applied in several layers to a surface which has already been prepared with at least three layers of traditional chalk gesso ground. Once the bole solution has dried, the surface can be polished with a soft cloth ready for the application of the gold leaf. The advantage of water gilding is the fact that the gold can be burnished to a high gloss finish after it has been glued to the soft poliment ground.

Please note that Sinopia Boles have been tested in freezing conditions and are not affected by being frozen. Make sure you thaw them thoroughly before use.