Large Gesso Frame

Water Gilding in White Gold

Gesso Frames

Making up a batch of gesso, which will keep in the fridge for a week or so. In England gesso is traditionally made from whiting (calcium carbonate) and rabbit skin glue (animal hide type adhesive) other fillers such as gypsum - calcium sulphate, and adhesives such as parchment size and gelatin can also be used. There are also a number of non-traditional recipes, but in my opinion the best material for creating a smooth surface on frames is whiting and RSG. It is such a simple material to make and work with, and is very versatile.

Gesso coated frames drying, only a couple of coats were needed to fill the wood grain on these two frames as they were finished with paint and bronze powder gilding.

A gesso frame with low relief pastiglia stars (pastiglia decoration is made from building up layers of gesso)  

A very wide frame profile which had 5 coats of gesso applied, totally filling the wood grain, covering the corner mitres, and providing a very smooth surface for gilding. 

Freshly sprayed on gesso, this is just one coat.

Small frame with heavily textured gesso surface, created by using a brush and just by applying gesso thickly and unevenly, this frame had about 6 coats of gesso. 

Gesso Wash Frame

A really simple frame finish, with a couple of coats of gesso, two paint colours, a paint wash, and finally a coat of wax.

Competition Prize Progress

This frame I am making for a Halloween competition prize is coming along nicely. It is completely over the top, but it is fun doing creative and unusual projects sometimes... as a change from the usual antique frames, water gilded and painted frames, and regular orders.

Gesso Everywhere

Paint Finish

A simple finish on a gesso frame; sponged on red and black paint, then bronze powder is sponged on top. Distressed a little with an abrasive pad, a sealer coat of shellac, and then a wax/wash finish.

A Simple Black and Gilded Frame

Gesso Frames

20th Century Master Framemaker

Here is another example of a Robert Sielle frame, I posted about this framemaker some time ago here: Gesso Consolidation

This frame is typically bold and interesting in shape and design, a reverse profile with flat inner section and deep scoop outer. It's in need of some filling and tidying up around the edges. I think it's really good that the original frame is being kept with the painting it was made for, and not discarded for something else. I dread to think how many of Sielle's frames have been removed in favour of something more fashionable, which is a great shame.

Black Gesso Frame

A frame with textured gesso that has a red base paint colour with black on top. The sight edge is dark gilt bronze powder.

Canvas Frame

A water gilded 23.5ct gold leaf frame with painted middle scoop and sides, on a large canvas by Jeremy Houghton.

Paint Finish Frame

Here are a few of the stages involved in making this distressed paint finish frame.

Thin Gesso Frames

The two outer frames seen here will be used to make a cassetta frame, with a walnut stained wood flat used in-between them. The outer section will have an egg and dart ornament applied, with some acanthus leaves at the corners.

Gesso Trays

A couple of tray frames coated with gesso. The inner sections only had 3 coats, but the face and sides had 7. Next comes sanding and smoothing, probably the least enjoyable aspect of making handmade frames.

Watts frame

A reproduction Watts frame that I am working on at the moment, next it will be painted with bole, and then gilded with 23.5ct gold leaf. The wood grain of the central oak flat is typical of Watts style frames.

Gesso Painted Frame

 Gesso frame with distressed paint finish, the mdf panel is floated on black backing.

The frame after it has been painted with gesso, and was then painted with a number of different colours.

Gesso Frame

Just another frame that has been coated with gesso, this is one of my favourite profiles. I am making two frames from this moulding at the moment, one will be gilded with 23.5ct gold and the other with 22ct moon gold.

Small Gesso and Bole Frame

A small gesso frame that has been painted with grey bole, it will be gilded with 22ct Moon gold leaf.

Reeded Frame

A simple reeded frame profile that has had a thin coating of gesso sprayed on to fill the wood grain. Reeded frames are generally known as 'Whistler' frames after the artist.