Course Description

Glass gilding has received a huge resurgence in the last ten years. This art form was particularly prevalent in the eighteenth century, with the craft being resurrected by Jean-Baptiste Glomy in France.

The idea of glass gilding, or verre églomisé, is to have a design that can be transferred onto the glass to combine both gold leaf and painted finishes together.

In modern times, the technique has developed into contemporary signwriting on glass in an assortment of ways, incorporating many different styles of glass gilding – blending the gild, drawing in the gold, the addition of mother of pearl and many more styles.

Whether your interest is in signwriting on glass, general mirror making or perhaps you would like to try creating art on glass, this course will provide you with the necessary guidance and training to open up a whole new world of decoration. Celebrate this relaxing craft by learning these techniques and incorporating them into a design of your own.

By the completion of the course, you will have learned a variety of skills that will teach you how to decorate clear glass with pure gold, white gold, silver, mother of pearl and painted finishes. You will also learn how to blend, draw and provide texture onto the surface.

You will be provided with all materials needed to complete a glass project, as well as a tester panel. This course includes all metals, paints and real gold leaf. For those who wish to develop their skills further, materials are available to purchase through the tutor.

You may also bring along your own glass pieces to work on if you wish.

Our February themed week of short courses for 2023 focuses on GLASS, led by talented artist-tutors Emma Biggs (mosaic), Freya Pocklington (self-portrait drawing), Jessica Turrell (enamelling), Sasha Ward (stained glass), Richard Walker (glass gilding).

Each course explores a different quality of this versatile material, which is integral to our lives in so many ways; its ability to transmit light and colour, create unique and patterned surfaces, or reflect our own image.

Timetable

Arrival Day - this is the first date listed above

Courses start early evening. Residential students to arrive from 4pm, non-residential students to arrive by 6.45pm.

6.45pm: Welcome, followed by dinner (included).

8 - 9pm: First teaching session, attendance is essential.

Daily timetable

Classes 9.15 - 5pm, lunch is included.

From 6.30pm: Dinner (included for residential students).

Evening working - students may have access to workshops until 9pm, but only with their tutor's permission and provided any health and safety guidelines are observed.

Last day

Classes 9.15am - 3pm, lunch is included.

Residential students are to vacate their rooms by 10am please.

(This timetable is for courses of more than one day in length. The tutor may make slight variations)

Course Materials

Included

• On this course, the college will supply some gilding tools and brushes for use on the course, while the tutor will supply many of the materials required, including:
• Glass practice sheets
• Glass framed panels
• 23.5 carat gold-leaf, 12 carat white gold, Dutch (fake) gold, pure silver sheets
• Drawing/scribing tools
• Gilding oil size
• Masking tape
• Craft knives
• Selection of paints - acrylic/oil
• Abalone/mother of pearl
• Fish glue
• Glitter

What students need to bring

• Sketch pad and pencils
• You may bring along any framed glass you would like to create a design on, although the College will provide glass for you to work on.
• Please bring along anything that has inspired you to work on glass, or that you would like to emulate. Any pictures, designs or stencils may be brought along for guidance and inspiration for your work.

Available to buy

• Available from shop:
• A selection of gilding tools and materials if desired
• Available from tutor:
• Extra gold leaf
• Extra metal leaf
• Extra frames/glass available

Please wear appropriate clothing/aprons for the workshop or studio; this includes stout covered footwear (no sandals or open toes).