Sinopia : Clay Bole For Water Gilding

Water-gilding is the craft of adhering gold leaf onto a surface which has been prepared with traditional chalk gesso and clay bole. Sinopia Clay Boles are designed for use in water-gilding, and are available in a wide range of colours, including some historical colours (Classic French Red and Classic French Yellow) which are designed to emulate the standard Red and Yellow clay boles used by French gilders up to the late 1960s. After this date, the standard French bole changed colour and bole of a traditional hue could no longer be purchased.

All Sinopia Clay Boles must be thinned with water to the consistency of cream, and mixed 1:1 with warm rabbit skin glue solution before use. This mixture then needs to be applied in several layers to a surface which has already been prepared with at least three layers of traditional chalk gesso ground (the Sinopia Casein Gesso is perfect). Once the bole solution has dried, the surface can be polished with a soft cloth ready for the application of the gold leaf. The advantage of water gilding is the fact that the gold can be burnished to a high gloss finish after it has been glued to the soft poliment ground.

Please note that Sinopia Boles have been tested in freezing conditions and are not affected by being frozen. Make sure you thaw them 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.