Katherine Barr — Discovering the Beauty of Gold

After creating scrolls for many years, I wanted to improve my techniques for applying gold.  This led to a study of the forms of gold used as well as the historical recipes for the materials used to apply the gold to the parchment. 

I conducted experiments in raised and flat gilding techniques to compare the historical materials to the modern materials now widely available. The comparison to modern materials and techniques allows artisans in the SCA to explore materials which closely approximate those used in period which are easier to use and acquire, without undue expense and health hazards. 

I also prepared a chart of all of the modern gold paint in my inventory as well as shell gold that I made. All of the commercial paints are fairly easy to use and yield an excellent result.  Gold paints provide a more economical alternative to real gold, however, in moderation, there really is no substitute for shell gold.  For SCA purposes, I believe that gold paint is an absolutely acceptable substitute for gold leaf.

The testing of the different types of raised and flat gilding and gold paints yielded the necessary data I needed to be able to improve my gilding.  Most importantly, this review of gold reminded me that you can select from a variety of different methods and supplies to create your final piece.
Please see my paper which is linked in this blog post: https://sdoner2.wixsite.com/my-site-1/post/a-s-champs-display-2025

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