Rediscovering the Art of Water Gilding with Sinopia Clay Bole

For artists and restorers passionate about traditional gilding techniques, Sinopia Clay Bole offers an exceptional medium to achieve luminous, burnished gold finishes. Available on our website, Sinopia’s clay boles are meticulously crafted to honour historical authenticity while providing modern reliability.

Sinopia Clay Bole is specifically designed for water gilding – a method where gold leaf is applied over a surface prepared with chalk gesso and clay bole. This technique allows the gold to be burnished to a high-gloss finish, revealing a depth and brilliance unattainable by other means.

What sets Sinopia apart is its dedication to historical accuracy. They have reintroduced classic hues like Classic French Red and Classic French Yellow, replicating the traditional colours used by French gilders until the late 1960s. These shades were painstakingly recreated from original samples, ensuring that restorers can maintain the integrity of period pieces. The shade Italian Grey was inspired by walking through museums and noticing that many of the Italian frames from the Quattrocento period were adorned with a deep grey bole underneath their gilded surfaces. Sinopia managed to match the shade and add this colour to their historical bole collection.

Sinopia’s range includes standard colours such as red, yellow, and black, as well as unique hues like Lapis Blue, Green, and White. Each colour serves a specific purpose:

• Red Bole: Enhances the warmth of yellow gold.
• Yellow Bole: Traditionally layered under red for depth.
• Black Bole: Provides contrast for pale metals like silver and platinum.
• Lapis Blue and Green Boles: Offer striking backdrops for white gold and rose gold, respectively.

This diverse palette allows gilders to experiment and achieve desired effects, whether restoring antique frames or creating contemporary art pieces.

Application Process

Using Sinopia Clay Bole involves a few meticulous steps:

• Preparation: Thin the clay bole with water to a creamy consistency.
• Mixing: Combine the thinned bole with warm rabbit skin glue in a 1:1 ratio.
• Application: Apply several layers over a surface primed with at least three layers of traditional chalk gesso.
• Polishing: Once dry, polish the surface with a soft cloth to prepare for gold leaf application.

This process ensures a smooth, receptive surface for the gold leaf, allowing for optimal adhesion and burnishing.

Sinopia Clay Boles are manufactured in-house in San Francisco, undergoing rigorous development and field testing. They are resilient to freezing conditions, making them suitable for various climates. Simply thaw thoroughly before use. Clay bole has an unlimited shelf life. Over time, any water content may evaporate, but even if it dries out completely, the clay can be easily rehydrated and reused without any loss of quality.

You can read a more in-depth history of this product on Sinopia’s blog: www.sinopiaclaybole.com/sinopia-clay-bole-blog

You can purchase Sinopia Clay bole here >

See the rest of our gilding bole range here >