The carving is supurb. That plaque is a great way to display it.  But the wait is killing me. I'm really anxious to see it gilded. 

Gene, thank you for the gracious complement. Not to spoil the completion of this shell, I'll show you something similiar that I did from a 3-week trip to Spain/Portugal. The original shell was photographed, high up on a wall, in a Synagogue in Toledo, Spain. The first photo shows the gold leaf applied but not "set in". The third photo shows the gold leaf "brushed" onto the surface. The second photo shows everything completed. You can also get an idea of how the plaque/shell will go together.

Edited February 4, 20206 yr by FrederickH

This is really nice Frederick.  I hope you will take a few more pics of the gold leaf application.  I have done one mirror with gold leaf; my results were less than I had hoped.

4 hours ago, Cal said:

This is really nice Frederick.  I hope you will take a few more pics of the gold leaf application.  I have done one mirror with gold leaf; my results were less than I had hoped.

Me to, Cal. On both counts. I too hope to see the process. My only attempt was a disaster. Glad I used the faux stuff. 

4 hours ago, Cal said:

my results were less than I had hoped.

 

10 minutes ago, Gene Howe said:

My only attempt was a disaster. Glad I used the faux stuff. 

 

 

Same, it was Epic even.  

 

But I am looking forward to seeing the process here, maybe pick up some tips on where I went wrong.  

Here's the first coat of gesso for the plaque and the shell. I'll apply a second coat and let everything dry well before attempting the gilding.

 

 

I've started to gild the shell/frame and realized that I shouldn't have given the shell a second coat of gesso. You can see the brush marks through the gold leaf..... no way to reverse this unless I wanted to strip everything away and begin again. The photos show how the gilding process goes, from laying down the gold leaf to pressing it down into the sizing. I'm doing this in stages because I'm not sure of how much gold I can lay before the sizing sets.  I'll try to "burnish everything when the sizing is completely dry. The plaque is done except for some needed touchup to the paint.

Looking pretty darn nice from where I sit Frederick.  Your technique with the gold leaf into the smaller details.  Are you simply laying it in and then rubbing off the excess?

35 minutes ago, Cal said:

Looking pretty darn nice from where I sit Frederick.  Your technique with the gold leaf into the smaller details.  Are you simply laying it in and then rubbing off the excess?

Thank you Cal. My technique for the smaller details is to lay down a sheet/partial sheet of leaf and then use a soft brush to "push" everything down. This is repeated as necessary to fill the details. I try to keep the "crumbs" in the applied area so that they may do some more filling in. My next step is to carefully brush/tamp down the leaf. I really don't do much rubbing, except the flat surfaces, because that will remove the leafing from the high spots.

Painting/gilding completed. Tomorrow, I'll attach the shell to the plaque and hang it on the wall.

Absolutely gorgeous! Thanks so much for bringing us along. 

Frederick, that looks super, super something.  I don't want to use up all my superlatives and have nothing to give when you've mounted it to the plaque

Project is finished. I've got it up on a wall at about the same height that you would see it in the chapel. I've got another carving project in mind!!!

Wow Frederick, that is simply superb!   

In all the pip's that were posted I never got/thought about the size of this.  Seeing it up on the wall brings the scale home.  Hope you will take us along on the next project also.

Magnificence personified. Your work is superb. Truly amazing.

Not to mention, it shore is purdy!

Yep, your work is tops.  Just get right back on building another so we can see more...Its good to see something different.

Well,...that room is pretty much overwhelming. Thanks for the pics and the link. Stupid question,............are the white figure carvings that fill that room stone or wood?    Thanks -Aaron 

1 hour ago, aaronc said:

Well,...that room is pretty much overwhelming. Thanks for the pics and the link. Stupid question,............are the white figure carvings that fill that room stone or wood?    Thanks -Aaron 

He worked primarily in stucco and that's another story!

 

http://www.wondersofsicily.com/sicily-giacomo-serpotta.htm

1 hour ago, FrederickH said:

He worked primarily in stucco and that's another story!

 

http://www.wondersofsicily.com/sicily-giacomo-serpotta.htm

 

Thank you,...did a quick glance.....I am into things like this  .    I'll spend some time on that and looking at his work on the net later tonight or tomorrow with my coffee. His stuff is amazing.