How to use Kolner Instacoll

[@RuthTappinGilder]

This video needs an update from me. The kolner instacoll looses its shine within weeks, sometimes days. Kolner says it must be how we are using it. But we are using it as directed by them. I know it's not just me this is happening to. Let me know if it's happening to you too.

[@Carniola91]

I have been using this system for gilding for years now, besides the 'normal' water gilding. You actually don't need the activator, we never use it. Just put the base and let it dry for couple of hours, longer you leave it, more shine the gold will have. Also the drying time depends on the temperature and humidity of the room you are working in. For silver, because of its thickness leave it less time drying. We also use a cotton glove and just pick up the gold leaves(or silver) and stick it on. Once you are used to it you can gild very fast and precise.

[@BennyCadillac]

Thanks for the video! As a complete novice, I like to learn about all different methods there are, and what works best on which types of pieces. Simplicity and cost are also important factors. Thanks again, I love your channel!

[@susanmitchell4744]

Thank you Ruth for your in depth demonstration and explanation. Excellent!

[@TheFiown]

Watching this because I might be repainting/restoring a room of 18 th century panelling that has gilded details. The whole room hasn't to look either new or Disneyfied ! I am ok with the actual painting and patina etc but less so on gilding. I looked into the Kölner system, still debating on which one to use. Also given the size of the room the real gold might be prohibitive but as it's not an actual antique as in furniture it might not be a problem. Dpends on the budget. Thank you xx

[@RuthTappinGilder]

The Kölner size will give you a high gloss. If you want something more matt (less bling) then oil size might be best. You might be able to get away with metal leaf if gold is too much.

[@TheFiown]

@@RuthTappinGilder Yes thanks to you I was thinking of the oil size as the panelling is 18 th century, not sure if it has it's original paint but the carved add on details are gilded. I haven't seen it in real life yet, not sure if the original paint is still there or if it has been repainted over time but in any case I doubt that a high shine on the gold will be appopriate. I will know more when I see the panelling which has yet to be installed. If I do the job it won't be until the end of next year. Meanwhile I have to panel my own living room so lots to keep me busy ! No gold on my walls though. Thank you again xx

[@johnbarnette3916]

you are a very remarkable person, thanks for going into such detail, love watching your videos

[@bernadettemccarthy9631]

Ruth, thank you for going into such great detail in your video and for comparing the two pieces. I love the fair comparison, it really helped me see that there really was no significant difference. Love your videos!!❤

[@RuthTappinGilder]

I'm going to be doing an update on this in an upcoming video. It didn't take very long for the kolner to dull, it's no longer shiny like the water gilded one.

[@blindfaith2382]

Thanks for the link Ruth. Yes I've found that while the initial results of the Kolner is a lovely glossy lustre, after a few weeks it dulls down quite significantly. What's strange though is when I've used it to gild external pieces of signage . . it's actually held it's shine much better than any of the interior bits and bobs I've used it on. 🤪

[@AlessioFangano]

I remember finding your channel years ago after watching that tv-show episode where you gilded the chandelier. Went all full-immersion in researching the products you used, since I want to use them for a future art project of mine lol So nice to see a How-To video on these products now :D

[@paulmaryon9088]

Hi Ruth hope your'e well, and thank you for another wonderful video, this seems a little easier for a novice gilder, though I may be mistaken there! I'll try it and see, thanks again, always great to see one of your vids, have a good week and take care.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Thanks 😊 it you try it on somthing flat it shouldn't be that bad.

[@beckycannon4816]

Really enjoyed watching that Ruth, excellent demonstration of your skills again 🌟

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Thanks for getting my watched hours up 😁 xx

[@heartwormskillcats8357]

Awesome seeing your videos. 😀

[@cincy.a.l.w3219]

Ruth, I love your videos ❤ Thank you for making them. I look forward to watching them

[@hanfleet]

Thankyou again for this video and the one before it; good to compare the 2 pieces and their different processes. :)

[@jeronimoroizdelaparra3920]

Muchas gracias Ruth por su demostración práctica del sistema de dorado Kolmer. Se puede decir que se trata de una variante mejorada del dorado al aceite aproximándose al brillo del dorado al agua por un proceso simplificado lo que redunda en la reducción de costes lo que tendrá su utilidad en determinadas aplicaciones.

[@mauriceodonnell7671]

Love your videos Ruth, thank you.

[@josephiantorno3391]

Another great video! Thank you.

[@bdizzle1118]

Thank you for making your videos, I've learned so much!

[@paulpot]

Wonderful video. How durable is the gold using the kolner system compared to water gilding? Does it scratch easily? If you are gilding something that could be scratched, would you apply a sealer? If so, what type of sealer? Thanks in advance for your help.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

The 2 of them have been up on my wall for about a year. The kolner hasn't held up will. The shine has totally gone, I didn't seal either of them but the kolner one has tinted and the water gilding hasn't. I will never use it over water gilding. If you wanted to seal it I would use shellac.

[@michaelflint4159]

Good morning Ruth. Thank you for a much better video than the ambiguous ones provided by instacol. Am i right to be a trifle sad that once again technology has supplanted skill. The finish I've been achieving with instacol is excellent now I've got the timings right, but somehow I'm exercising no more talent than applying a temporary tattoo to my bicep. Guess my Ludite is showing. Instacol have a new product being launched soon. Gold leaf supply told me they demonstrated it to Richard walker an he was blown away. Does feel like dumbing down. I'm going to spray the product to see if the brush stroke issue is negated. Have a good week Cheers Mike

[@RuthTappinGilder]

I tried spraying it but I had to water it down so much to get it through it didn't gloss even with 6 coats. Richard demonstrated some of the kolner products here a few years ago when I hosted a class. All ok even good but wouldn't use one of them on an antique.

[@michaelflint4159]

@@RuthTappinGilder fair enough. I'll not bother spraying. Agree completely with you re not using instacol on genuine antiques. Only the old ways are suitable for those pieces. ATB. Mike

[@cavb748]

Ruth you are awesome! Thank you very much for sharing your experience. Kolner Instacoll: another great tool for the gilding arsenal. I was wondering; do you think that it would be a good idea adding a second layer to give the pieces more durability? In antiques is not OK a perfect finish, that understandable, but what about new pieces. In your opinion which could be the best way to gild a piece of furniture giving it the most durable finish? Is it a good idea two or three layers of gold using water gilding, or oil gilding? Greetings from MÉXICO!

[@RuthTappinGilder]

layering up the gold will give a deeper colour and more thickness so wear slower. But this could depend on the quolaty of the gold. There are basically 3 types the very thin Chinese gold leaf, the a bit thicker italian gold leaf then the dubble think German gold leaf (so expensive) but as it's much thicker it will be slower to wear down.

[@Fineartbycarmen]

Hi! I love your videos, they’ve been so helpful. I have tried searching but I’m unable to figure out if this can be used on canvas? 🤗

[@RuthTappinGilder]

You will need to seal it first but should work. Or Kolner make one for flexible surfaces called Kolner Miniatum

[@barbarathornton5920]

Dear Ruth! Your tutorials are great! My question is….how do you prevent bubbles in the base layer? Thank you.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

You could try a softer bristle brush and slower brush strokes.

[@barbarathornton5920]

@@RuthTappinGilder I have the Instacoll brush. Will go slower. Thank you.

[@barbarathornton5920]

Ruth. I was looking at a flagpole in my church this morning on top is a brass eagle. Was wondering if I could gild that by using the Instacoll system. Thank you for all your help.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

@@barbarathornton5920 you can but it may be a bit of a pain having to press the transfer leaf in detail. I would recommend oil size instead. I will have an update on this video in one of my upcoming videos.

[@jonathanescandonsoto6291]

Thanks for the very instructive video 😄. I need to gild a 12 inch wood figure and have no experience. I was planning to buy the Kölner -instacoll starter kit or there's another technique suitable for newbies?. Do you recommend it? Cheers!

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Oil gilding may be easier just need to get your timings right on the oil. This will give you more of a matt finish. The Kölner is high gloss.

[@barbarathornton5920]

Ruth, I have one last question. I watched your water gilding video several times. When you gave the measurements for the glue, how much rabbit skin glue do you add? I have some but wasn’t sure how to use it. Thank you so much.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

For a small jam jar of liquid it's a pinch of 12-1 glue about the size of your finger nail.

[@davidlawrencekean]

I tried the Kolner Insacoll, it's amazing! I used loose leaf 23.5kt which wasn't too bad to work with Had issues getting in in the the crevices. But since I want to distress and antique they will probably not show. Nexttime I'll try the paper backed gold. The smoother the surface the better the result. Any ding or flaw will show after polishing. I used a very soft cotton flannel fabric to polish the gilding. it worked quite well. Question... What do you use to seal gold leaf? Shellac? Varnish? wax? Was planning to seal, wax, and dust with rottenstone.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

I normally don't seal gold because I mostly use 23.5ct and above which won't tarnish. I have sometimes used a sealer designed for metal leaf or sometimes shellac

[@davidlawrencekean]

@@RuthTappinGilder Great, thanks for the advice.

[@morgannorman7089]

Just a wonderful help for me! But when you use like 6ct white gold for ex, icons or a frame, do you varnish the watergilding? Or will the gold tarnish because of other metals in the leaf? Hope you understand my question? All the best and thank you again!🙏

[@RuthTappinGilder]

The white gold has silver in it, so it will tarnish if not sealed. The supplier of the leaf your buying should have in the discription whether it needs sealing or not.

[@morgannorman7089]

@@RuthTappinGilder what is the best to seal with? platinum shellac or some acrylic varnish? Shellac can be yellow.

[@barbarathornton5920]

Hi Ruth! I am having a hard time with my gilding. I am working on a board that is gessoed. I am trying to put a frame on the board with gold leaf. I did one side of the frame, and it is partly shiny and partly dull. I've watched your videos a few times and they are so helpful, but I can't figure it out. Any ideas? Thank you so much.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

If you are using Kolner then it's that. I need to do an update on this. It was shiny for about a month then went dull. The only way to get a shine that stays is to water gild and burnish.

[@barbarathornton5920]

@@RuthTappinGilder I thought that’s what I was doing (water gilding). I have the gold colored base and the activator. Can I do new layers on top of the gold? How can I fix it? I tried to burnish but it made it dull.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

@@barbarathornton5920 you can't burnish kolner it's like oil gilding. The only gilding you can burnish is water gilding which is a different technique. Unfortunately the kolner will keep going dull. I don't know what is wrong with it but it happens to many people. Water gilding is harder to learn but it's the best finish. Have a look at my water gilding for beginners video. kzbin.info/www/bejne/bXemaGqfatdmY9E

[@danecory1236]

Have you tried their KGGG system? It’s supposed to get the same effect as water gilding that is burnishable but requires less work. I’m struggling with it and gilding in general. I can’t get that smooth flat glossy surface. I always see the brush strokes underneath! I’m trying it on flat wooden art panels. Any advice? I’ve never tried the traditional water gilding. It’s intimidating!

[@RuthTappinGilder]

I've tried it once wasn't that impressed. But I will give it another go. Water gilding is all about the prep. So 10 coats of gesso sanded smooth with no sanding scratches then 6 coats of bole polished with wire wool till there are no brush strokes. Then you should get a good burnish on the gilding. I didn't polish the KGGG As is was a quick test, so next time I will and see how it does.

[@danecory1236]

@@RuthTappinGilder Thank you!

[@HHJoschik1]

Thank you so much for this video! It's my first time doing this, could you please help me out? Do I have to put a layer of bole underneath the instacoll base? I want to use it on glass.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

Glad you liked the video. You can paint directly onto the glass without the bole.

[@HHJoschik1]

@@RuthTappinGilder thank you!!

[@lindsaygilmore1771]

If im Honest with you, this looks very fiddly compared to normal Gilding,so maybe not for a beginner, it obviously has its place in Gilding but I prefer traditional over modern. And it seems thier all about selling you the extra products that go with it. The end result was good and I'm not a gilder, so I can only go by watching you. This system doesn't make me want to go out and try it, where your other traditional Gilding does. Your Great as always but Kolner not for me. Sorry.

[@RuthTappinGilder]

I dont disagree 😁 Would never use this on a frame, but it's an option for high gloss on metal. The gilding is fiddly to say the least. Putting the base layer on thick enough would be easier for someone starting out as they always put the oil size on too thick. They don't yet have that ingrained technique of thinner the better.

[@cablenetworksystems]

To much time 😢