Gilder's Clay Base Charbonnel - Lefranc & Bourgeois - Red, 1l

Charbonnell is a brand dating back to 1862, trusted by artists throughout history - from Renoir, Degas, Lautrec and Picasso to modern masters Rauschenberg, Hockney, Diebenkorn and Thiebaud.

Charbonnel continued to create and develop his business. Formulations were continuously enhanced, taking in artists' feedback while incorporating new advances in chemistry. New materials were developed for new reproduction techniques. Located in a traditionally artistic quarter, close to the Ecole des Beaux Arts and the Louvre, the Charbonnel shop became a popular meeting place for artists. Picasso, Chagall, Dali and Klee were dedicated customers and used Charbonnel products in their practice. In the 1930s, a new photomechanical process, offset printing, emerged. Traditional lithographic print techniques, however, continued their popularity in the fine art world. The fine art print remained the preferred way to edition original artworks and continues to hold a position of high status.

Gilder’s Clay – Red is a red tinted bole. When mixed with rabbit skin glue it forms a flexible surface for the application of gold leaf or precious metal leaf.

A Red Gilder’s Clay Bole gives your gold leaf an antique dark red look. Gilder’s Clay is very finely ground, guaranteeing you a stable and consistent paste. This product is binder free. To use it as a surface, it must be mixed with a rabbit skin glue solution ahead of application.

How To Prepare Gilder’s Clay?

To prepare your Gilder’s Clay for the application of gold or metal leaf, use the following instructions. Mix one measure of gilders’ clay with two measures of warm rabbit skin glue solution. Without rabbit skin glue, gold leaf will not stick to the surface. Heat the mixture in a water bath at 60°C. Carefully apply the mixture to the prepared support. Three to four layers should be applied with a special brush. Each layer should sit for two hours, or when the mixture is completely dry, before the next layer is applied. Once the layers are applied, leave the surface to dry for 24 hours. Once dry polish it with a Calcutta Silk Brush. Apply the gold or metal leaf.