{ a gilty pleasure }

Lately I have been very inspired by accents of gold -  there's nothing like a touch of metallic to make anything that's a bit pretty or special become even more so.  For those who don't know, my passion (and current main vocation!) is illustration, drawing and painting, so in my latest little travels I've started experimenting with gold leaf on some of my pieces. I'm now a bit obsessed.

When I first got this idea I did have a vague idea of what a process this might be, however I don't think I was quite prepared for the amount of patience that it requires. It comes in the thinnest sheets that look like this:

... and literally requires tweezers, needles, brushes with about 5 bristles and the steadiest hand ever to manipulate the little flecks and sheets, without it all crumbling away to nothing. This picture doesn't quite capture it but trust me, it's a labour of love! So I'm still playing at the moment but it just seems to look so pretty whereever it lands, so I thought I'd share some early workings.

In and amongst watercolour.... 

A snippet of a jewel painting I'm working on.... the accent makes it! 

Hard to see, but I tried some little flecks on my bumblebee, will definitely try this again.

Anyway, I'm still very much in the trial stage but I am loving the effect and contrast of this thick and shiny gold on the translucent watercolours. Can't wait to see what else I can do with it, hopefully I'll come back with the next instalment! And all I need is this camera to take the pictures with... how amazing.

Image 1 via Flickr; Image 2 via Mixed Plate and bottom image via The Glamourai 

Pip xx