Glues & Binding Mediums

Traditional gilding, such as watergilding, or other types of gilding such as verre eglomise (reverse glass gilding) require the use of special glues or binding agents during the process.

Watergilding traditionally uses rabbit-skin glue, or other animal hide glue, to serve as the binder for the gesso and the final application of gilding water that is used to adhere the leaf to the surface. 

Reverse glass gilding makes use of gelatin as a size, the gelatin is dissolved in warm water which is then used to wet the glass. The leaf is then floated on the water/gelatin mixture which then dries, 'sucking' the leaf down onto the glass and sticking it there.

We also stock a variety of other binding mediums for mixing with pigments or the bronze powders, or the genuine silver and gold powders, to make paints or waxes to serve as an alternative to traditional gilding.