There are basically two types of gilding: water gilding and oil gilding. The former is used primarily for picture frames, the latter for just about every other application. What follows is just a brief description of technique.
Water gilding is the process of applying metal leaf (see note 1) to a clay bole and burnishing it with various shapes of agate burnishers.
Oil gilding is the application of metal leaf to a surface which has been coated with gold size or gilders oil. (see note 2)
1.Metal leaf is a very thin foil made from such materials as gold, silver, imitation gold, copper, aluminum, and other materials
2. Gold size is a very slow drying oil which is allowed to dry until it has slight tack. Leaf is then applied.
The example the below is oil gilding over a hand carved wood mantle. The rest of wood the mantle is a painted marbled finish.
