Aluminium Leaf Booklets (Imitation Silver Leaf)
Loose alumium leaf sits loosely between thin rouged paper sheets in the booklet. It has to be picked up using a gilders knife (sliding underneath the leaf) or your fingertips carefully on the edge of the leaf and is used to gild onto moulded, carved and embellished areas. Also used for water gilding and sometimes glass gilding.
Transfer imitation leaf is the same leaf but pressed onto a backing sheet of acid free tissue paper. It is generally used for gilding onto flatter surfaces, for sign work, walls & ceilings. It is placed face down onto the surface of the tacky size, rubbing over the back of the tissue paper to release the leaf.