Yellow

Charbonnel Gilding Clay is an ultra-fine clay paste that provides a smooth, stable and even base for applying gold leaf. Available in three shades (yellow, orange-red and black), it allows for customised tones and enhances the colour of the gold. Before application, the surface, ideally wood, must be prepared with several coats of whiting and rabbit-skin glue, sanding between each coat to achieve a perfectly smooth finish. Application steps:

1. Preparing the gilding clay: Mix the gilding clay with a rabbit-skin glue solution, which acts as a binder and ensures the cohesion of the layer.

2. Application and drying: Apply several thin coats of gilding clay and allow them to dry completely.

3. Reactivation with water: Lightly moisten the dry gilding clay with gilding water to reactivate the rabbit-skin glue it contains.

4. Applying the gold leaf: Place the gold leaf onto the moistened surface. As it dries, the rabbit-skin glue secures the gold leaf in place.

5. Burnishing: Once the gilding is sufficiently dry, burnish it with an agate stone to achieve a highly polished finish.

In Charbonnel Gilding Clay, rabbit-skin glue serves two purposes: it binds the pigments in the clay and helps secure the gold leaf when reactivated with water.