How To Water Gild a Crackle Gesso Panel

Dates: September 17, 24; October 1, 2025

(The Live Online Zoom Class is Once a Week for 3 Weeks)

*Students attending the Live Zoom Water Gilding Class may choose to add Optional Previously Recorded Classes on making and applying Gesso and Clay Bole. See below for information.

Live Zoom How To Gild a Water Gilded Panel:

11am - 12:30pm PST

2:00pm - 3:30pm EST

(Adjust for Local Time Zone)

*Note: Daylight Savings Time:

Nov. 2, 2025 (Clocks Go Back 1 Hour)

All Levels Welcome!

Traditional Water Gilding was the method used on 13th - 18th century Florentine and Sienese Water Gilded Egg Tempera Panel Paintings. As the underlying gesso ground ages through humdreds of years it often develops stress cracks from fluctuating humidity and movement of the wood panel. This intriguing-looking crackle pattern can be reproduced and to a degree, controlled from light to heavy through the use of additional ingredients to the standard gesso formula and with alternating applications of hydration and heat.

How To Water Gild a Crackle Gesso Panel is a new class for this Fall which offers students several choices:

• Students may sign up only for the Live Zoom Class where we focus on laying genuine gold leaf on a Birchwood Panel Board that has been previously gessoed and a red over yellow clay bole has been applied and ready for gilding.

• For students who are interested in learning how to make this particular form of crackle gesso, students may sign up for both the Live Water Gilding Zoom Class Plus receive the Previously Recorded Class Links from the Class Archives: How To Make and Apply Crackle Gesso.

• The third option is to sign up for the Live Zoom Water Gilding class and receive the Previously Recorded Class Links : Preparing and Applying Clay Bole. This can be helpful for those who have already taken the Crackle Gesso class but are interested in gaining greater understanding in properly preparing Clay Bole to achieve the proper consistency and avoiding brush marks under their gilding.

• The fourth option is to sign uo for the Live Water Gilding class and receive all the Links for both the previously recorded Zoom Classes on Gesso and Clay Bole which will take students through the entire process, from preparing the board, making the gesso and clay bole, water gilding and burnishing and includes a special Student Discount..

Here is a Summary of what students will learn:

How To Make and Apply Crackle Gesso (Pre-Recorded)

Thiis is a previously recorded 3-Part Zoom Class on the Making and Application of Crackle Gesso on a Birchwood Panel.

• Prepare a Custom Mixed Crackle Gesso Recipe

• Size a Birchwood Panel with Rabbit Skin Glue

• Sand and adjust the appearance and Depth of the Crackle with a full deacription of the process

• Includes the Question/Answer Period from the class.

  Preparing Clay Bole For Traditional Water Gilding (Pre-Recorded)

Thiis is a previously recorded 2-Part Zoom Class on the Preparation and Application of Clay Bole.

Clay Bole is a silky smooth clay comprised of aluminum silicate and iron oxide and applied to the surface of the gilder’s gesso which plays an integral role in Traditional Water Gilding. It provides a cushion on the underlying hard gesso and offers a sympathetic color under the thin gold leaf, affecting the overall tone of the gilding, from warm to cool.

Here is a Summary of what students will learn:

• Preparing the 10% glue binder,

• Hydrating the clay bole for the proper consistency before combining it with the glue binder

• Mixing and straining the ingredients of glue, water, and clay, properly applying Red over Yellow Clay Bole to a Pre-Crackle Gessoed 12”x12” Birchwood Panel

How To Water Gild a Crackle Gesso Panel (Live Zoom Online and Recorded)

This Live Zoom Online 3-Part Series takes the student through each step of the process in gilding a Crackle Gesso Panel in genuine 22k Italian Gold Leaf. The Panel has been previously gessoed with the Crackle Gesso formula with yellow and red Clay Bole applied and is now ready to be Gilded.

Here is a Summary of what students will learn:

• Smoothing the Clay Bole Surface

• How to handle the delicate 22k Gold Leaf with the gilder’s Pad, Knife, and Tip

• How to Gild the Crackle Gesso Panel in genuine 22k Gold Leaf

• Burnishing the Gold Leaf with the Agate Stone

• Discuss the various treatment options for future Study for toning and an overview of the techniques of Punchwork, Gesso Incision, and Sgraffito with a selection of brief Demonstrations.

Note: Question and Answer periods are included in each Live Zoom weekly session. The Live Zoom Class is also Recorded. Recordings remain viewable for six months after the series ends.

A Materials List will be provided upon Registration. ~

CANCELLATION POLICY: Although No Refunds are available, a Full Credit to Any Future Available Class of equal or lesser value will be provided if you need to cancel. Or if you prefer, you may receive the full Recording Series from the class you joined or from a previously recorded series of your online class. Go Here to View the Complete Cancellation Policy.