How to use Compo

[@MikeNewland]

A lot off people seem to think if they impart any knowledge they'll lose business. Reality is that gilding is expensive and most won't ever get anything done by a professional and only a minute number of the hardened determined will learn to do their own by watching videos and experimenting. Imparting knowledge creates goodwill and good karma nothing to lose.

[@s.spencertenagodus8051]

I restore 19th century French pendulum clocks most are slate or wood but I have just got a gilt one (mostly "gold" paint) on spelta but I think the standing figure deserves proper gilding. I am going to do so because of your generous advice. Thank you a million, you have made my day and I hope a clock worth restoring for a grandchild.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Your welcome 😊 Thank you for watching. R

[@virginiaval380]

Sorry to ask you this, what gold painting is the best to use for wood? thanks

[@RuthTappinGilder]

@@virginiaval380 sorry I don't know.

[@s.spencertenagodus8051]

@@RuthTappinGilder Virginia, if that question is for me I used to use Leberon La Creme a Dorer for wood, but now having followed Ruth and now been taught to gild by Ruth i would gild it - But - I did try on a spelta clock stand to gild it but got in a right muddle trying to use 6Ct gold on 3 hr size. the stand was very complicated and ornate and it was a dogs dinner so i repainted it with the Leberon Creme and then gave it a coat of shellac (shellac flakes dissolved in Meths) then 24hrs min later i gave it a coat of 3hr Size and left it for another two days. the result was much better than the original state of the clock as the polish and size gave a muted sheen to the awful gold finish of the creme. but as said above, now if i have a wood surface suitable for gilding i would gild it properly. Following Ruth I did this I made the gesso (rabbit glue et al) and used gold leaf applied with kit recommended by Ruth (mostly self made to save cash) and gilded the wood base for the glass dome which looked a million dollars after even my first attempt handy work. the ornate metal spelta stand painted in Leberon Creme holds quite well but compared to proper gilding only looks OK in candle light! So Virginia if you have time patience and a little cash to spare Gild the wood as Ruth explains. It is 100% better But if it is a piece of furniture then Leberon Creme is OK and what i use on clock embellishments and you can experiment with coating with shellac and maybe 3 hr size after wards to add a mellow sheen! good luck and this is my experience so take it with a pinch of salt. kind regards Simon

[@RuthTappinGilder]

@@s.spencertenagodus8051 thanks Simon, I just don't have enough experience with gold paints.

[@EAMONN60]

I am a Restorer in Galway , Ireland. Really appreciate your video's,will definitely be buying your compo.

[@gmonet46]

Actually, Ruth, the package instructions said to allow the compo to "breathe" for 24 hours. I have a small fridge in my studio, but the freezer section is quite small. My fridge is set at 34 degrees F so storing it in that would be great. Loved England, mostly stayed in the southeast, Bognor, Chichester and Brighton doing watercolor workshops for the Chelsea Club of London. Also painted in Manchester just before the tragic bombings. I had to miss the Dutch Black class this past month, just too busy. Maybe we shall "meet' in another of his zooms. Thanks for the tips. Decorator's sent me a 1 lb. fragment of a larger disc-type piece. So, I'll microwave it, as you showed and form it into more manageable balls. Best to you.

[@michaelflint4159]

Superb film Ruth. Every single minutiae of detail both visual and aural completely accounted for. The level of instruction contained in your films means that only hand to eye coordination, practice and pragmatism are required to duplicate the results you demonstrate. Have a good week Mike

[@hilarywhite2953]

Not sure I'll ever use this compo stuff in the context of the kind of work I do, but it's fascinating. And of course, now I'm sitting here thinking of ways I could use it. Hmm... Ideas...

[@simonkramer1866]

Great video. Thanks

[@paulgrandflickshow]

Sublime, i learned so much from this video, thank you, Ruth!

[@Tabletsculptingtips]

This is so great. I was wondering whether compo could be heated in microwave - now I know! Much more convenient.

[@simonnoble6243]

Subscribed and found a treasure trove of videos! My mother learnt to gild off a master like you but I didnt sit and learn from her. Now trying learn but my teacher is more for furniture - my first frame was is not for close inspection! - so your lessons are a godsend. Excited to try your compo as making gesso/stucco pieces is slow and a bit hit and miss and epoxy is a poor surface for gesso and bole. Also looking forward to cleaning with Vulpex. I am working on a frame with a free standing bow on top with the ends flowing to the sides. Do you have suggestions for buying a mold or a ready made piece? Again many thanks

[@RuthTappinGilder]

@@simonnoble6243 ribbon is fairly straightforward to model. Or take a mould of a bit of it and cast pieces in compo. You can buy compo decoration from www.georgejackson.com/compositions/ Hope that helps. R

[@simonnoble6243]

@@RuthTappinGilder thank you

[@drew699]

Another brilliant, informative & relaxing video. Thanks so much.

[@johnbarnette3916]

thank you for your videos

[@DuendeLounge]

Love this video. Immensely helpful. I have a ton of old frames and art pieces with them so I'm going to start using these methods. Thank you. Cheers!

[@melissal7984]

Thank you so much for making this informative and helpful video!

[@paulmaryon9088]

Brilliant,fascinating, and as always inspirational ,thank you, Started on my first mirror frame today, heavily painted early Victorian semi oval, found the curves had canvas on them!?!, might have bitten off a bit too much, still worth a go, great vid as always thank you, stay cool!

[@L_Holland5]

Fantastic video, Thank you!

[@paulneuhausen-neuhausengro615]

Wonderful Advice! Love the accent!

[@heartwormskillcats8357]

Awesome, thanks a lot.

[@eileenjohnston6835]

Thank you soooooo much! Your video is a solution to one of my framing problems.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

😁 well now I have to know what was the problem?

[@MikeNewland]

Brilliant thank you!!

[@gmonet46]

I am amazed that I found your video. I just got a pound of compo from Decorator's Supply in Chicago, USA and want to try doing molding with it. Thanks to you I feel confident on a process to mold, clean and attach both my molded pieces and some pre molded they sold me. I am happy just to help support your sharing with us "beginners" to compo. I am, incidentally, concerned about the mold issue. The instructions said to allow it to settle from the packaging for about a day or two. My frame restoration mentor (Charles Douglass) says that he freezes his compo decorations. What say you? Again, it's nice to be a new subscriber and supporter.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

😊 Thank you for the super thanks. Not sure what it means by let it settle. I keep my compo balls in the fridge. Once I've press out the compo I let it air dry for around 4 days just because it has a 2% shrinkage and I want it to do it off the frame. Compo will go mouldy if keeped in a plastic bag out of the fridge after about 2 weeks. It won't go mouldy unless in a bag where the moisturiser can't go anywhere. Charles is a great teacher. I did his Dutch black frame class as that's something I haven't tried before.

[@Schnickelg]

Ed. Did they sell you just a pound? Did you pick it up there? I asked via email and they told me the minimum purchase was $200 which would be much more than I could use while learning.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

@@Schnickelg I've started vacuum sealing the compo for Gold leaf supplies to send around the world, the balls are 200gm. www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=Compo

[@gmonet46]

@@Schnickelg Well, I did get a selection of compo elements for future frame repairs that were missing too much to make a mold from. Yes, it came to $200. I also wish to tell you, that pound was just enough to do some experiments, so next time I will likely buy 2-3 lbs. Not sure how long it will keep in the refrigerator though. I am in NC, so pick up is not possible. Maybe we might "pool" buy some to make the $200. Where are you?

[@Schnickelg]

@@gmonet46 I'm just outside Chicago, so that's why I asked about pick-up. I have ordered some of Ruth's, so hopefully, in a few weeks, I'll be able to learn more about it. I have a collection of frames from around 1860-1910 many of which have pieces of decoration that needs replacing.

[@lenny108]

The difficulty is that you cannot estimate in advance how much work it is. However, the customer usually wants a cost estimate. In the end it can happen that you get too little for your work. If you ask the right price, the customer says, oh, that's too much, I don't want to spend that much.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Your right, I got that job wrong by quite a bit 🙄 it's so hard.

[@gmonet46]

Thanks!

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Thank you 😊

[@originalbuzz5618]

Hello Ruth It’s a real pleasure being able to watch and learn from your films. As a painter and art fan, I really appreciate great traditional frames. I am just wondering when you heat the compo pieces in order to adhere them, is the surface you’re adhering them to prepared in any way, or can these be adhered to bare wood please? Thank you for your inspiring videos Andrew Busby

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Thanks 😊. The compo will stick to bare wood.

[@originalbuzz5618]

@@RuthTappinGilder thank you, how can I show my appreciation is the best way to buy you a coffee or is there a more favourable way currently?

[@RuthTappinGilder]

@@originalbuzz5618 thank you 😊 coffee is great.

[@debraryan5744]

Hi Ruth, thank you for your detailed explanations, tips and tricks. I’m amazed at the work you do. I am not a restorer but I am now a little more educated :). I really enjoy your videos. I do have a question though (and may address it as you work through the restoration of this piece), how do you blend the new compo with the old, from a cracking perspective?

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Thanks 😁 Because of the water content of compo it will always dry out a crack over time. So all old frames with compo decoration has crack. I tend to leave these as filling them makes the frame look new. So when you put a new piece of the compo decoration in, its been moulded from an old piece with cracks in, so it blends in.

[@1429376]

Hi Ruth, thank you so much for another gorgeous video. I have a question about rabbit skin glue: is it true that plate glue is more adhesive than grain? Thanks a lot,have a nice weeck

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Thanks. First question I can't answer, sorry don't know. I once went down a how strong is hide glue rabbit hole. Which in the end was only telling me how strong the glue was in the gel stage. Gave up after that!

[@NorwaySau]

Does compo has to be isolated before applying oil size for oil-gilding with metal leaf? And thank you for your amazing videos!

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Compo is porous so it will need sealing before the oil size is applied.

[@paintstorm1]

What is your fill putty made of? Can it be made or does it have to be bought?

[@RuthTappinGilder]

The putty is just thick gesso.

[@gmonet46]

I have a question about removing old broken compo form small frames. I have watched you go at it with great fervor, using a sculpting mallet, and a few chisels. But this small oval frame I have been challenged by has numerous broken parts to the level that there is nothing to mold from, so I am using compo decorations I bought from a major supplier here in the U.S. Now, I must remove those pesky pieces on the frame without doing much damage to the intact gold water gilded areas. Steam or a Dremel Micro Tool? Hope you can help me. Love your holiday posts, and so sorry about your "studio mate". I just lost mine after 17 years. Merry Christmas.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

I use a chisel because the glue in the compo can mean it's very stuck on. Don't use steam it will damage the gesso. Dremel would work or a scalpel. Sorry you lost your dog too, hope you can have a good Christmas.

[@gmonet46]

@@RuthTappinGilder Thanks. I got a wonderful, dog print and memory shadow box from my wife. That got me choaked up for sure. That solution makes sense, though I was both amused and impressed watching you go to town on that mirror frame with a true sculptor's hand and muscle. I have a heat controllable micro tip gun I thought might soften and loosen the compo, with precision but heat on any artwork is a bit "dicey" for my taste and I use it rarely.

[@erinwatkinson6473]

Can compo be frozen to avoid mold? Or would that degrade the animal glue?

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Yes it can be frozen. You just need to make sure you defrost it before heating it up.

[@violent_world]

can Compo be made using a non-animal glue ? ...

[@RuthTappinGilder]

No sorry it can't. You could use plaster instead of compo.

[@irenanikoloriginalart7430]

Please can you share the recepy for compo? I dont have acces to it in my country, I will try to make it, Thank you

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Hi, sorry compo is an income stream for me. You can buy it at gold leaf supplies.

[@kerrypitt9789]

Ruth I tried to google this question and Google kept throwing "Combo," at me. I could not find an answer. Is Compo waterproof after it is dried hard? Btw I bought some Rabbit skin glue. I was surprised I could find it in Canada.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Not really it would dissolve over time. Someone did use my compo as outside decoration on the front of a shop. He painted it. I do wonder how it's doing. I said that's not what it's for.

[@kerrypitt9789]

@@RuthTappinGilder hopefully the paint protects it!

[@milenabragancarodrigues8105]

How to make compo

[@rachelstuckey265]

Where can I buy in the USA?

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Gold leaf supplies ships the compo around the world.

[@user-xn9rc7br6v]

What is whiting?

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Whiting is chalk, calcium carbonate.

[@joevella5860]

Can you please help me from where I can buy COMPO?

[@RuthTappinGilder]

www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=Compo

[@Schnickelg]

Are there any places that sell compo in the US? I have some old picture frames I would like to repair.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

So sorry for the late reply, just found you somewhere www.bomardesigns.com/

[@Schnickelg]

@@RuthTappinGilder Thanks. They are not replying to inquiries. I have ordered some of yours through Gold Leaf Supplies. Hopefully, in a few weeks, I'll be able to start fixing some old photo frames.

[@joevella5860]

Thanks for you reply. Do you have other sellers of compo based in Europe please?

[@joevella5860]

@@RuthTappinGilder do you have contacts of sellers in Europe that sell compo

[@RuthTappinGilder]

@@joevella5860 I'm vacuum packing some of the compo I sell to gold leaf supplies www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=Compo So they can post the compo around the world.

[@Rk14-ly2hq]

I learn a lot from your video's, thanks for the education! My other question was on this video. What is compo and where do I purchase? I thought maybe clay then I realized it's a 2 part (compound's) mix. That's a great idea making all those molds to use later. I started learning in 2018 I think from your video's and got hooked on it..... so I'm having a great time across the pond!!! I still have much to learn, I'll get there!

[@RuthTappinGilder]

You can get my compo from www.goldleafsupplies.co.uk/catalogsearch/result/?q=Compo They post around the world. Glad you are enjoying gilding.