Black Red Moon

22ct Moon gold on red bole with black painted sections.

Gesso, paint and gilded finishes

We are getting close to closing up for the end of the year, so just a few more jobs to finish off. Here are a few finishes done yesterday. The top frame is obeche with layers of gesso, it was painted with acrylic primer undercoat, then a couple of coats of Farrow and Ball paint, lastly came some wax and a brush over with some pigments. The middle frame is from around the 1950's, it was a plain bronze colour so the first step was to paint the whole frame in Zinsser BIN primer, next came a coat of red/brown Plaka, then a coat of black Plaka. The whole frame was then distressed and finished with wax. The bottom frame is a typical water gilded and painted frame, the likes of which are often posted on the blog.

Oak with black wax

This oak box frame is joined together with aluminium dovetail keys, it was then given a good sand, and has been finished with a coat of black wax.

Black and white gold

In the top photo I have gilded the inner and outer edges of this frame in 12ct white gold which was lightly distressed to show the red bole. The gilding was then masked off, and the middle panel was painted with black Plaka. Once dry the next stage was to add some speckles/splatters in watered down grey/black and the whole frame was then sealed with a semi gloss varnish.

Black over red distressed

This post just fills in some missing photos from an earlier one, where I intended to do a step by step but missed out this stage. The other photos in the process are here: Paint finish

Paint finish

An obeche bolection profile which is painted with red/brown Plaka casein paint, then a browny black Plaka mix, it was then distressed and polished with 0000 wire wool. 

Black bole-ction

This frame is made from a bolection moulding, the term originated in the 17th C and is used to generally describe raised mouldings used around doors, fireplaces, and paintings.
It has been sprayed with gesso and was then given a few coats of black bole, which is fine clay mixed with glue. The bole was lightly rubbed with 0000 wire wool, and next it will be gilded.

Next stages

The frame at the top, a wide scoop profile was seen being sized in an earlier post here. It has now been sanded and the inner and outer painted with red brown Pelican Plaka paint. The ripple moulding was seen gessoed here. It has now been sanded and sprayed black.

Black box

These two box frames are made from tulip wood which has been gessoed and then finished with black Pelikan Plaka paint (a water based casein emulsion), they have then been finished with wax. It's a simple but nice looking finish, and I do love frames with covered mitres.

Black and gold

A black and gold frame with red base colour.

Another hand made finish

Gilding with a heavy patina and burnished black bole over red.

Black Pelikan Plaka paint

The flat panels and sides are painted with black casein based emulsion paint.