Date: December 5-6-12-13

Time: 8PM Hanoi time GMT+7

Online class via Zoom, recordings will be provided.

Zoom class link and handouts will be sent by email on November 30, 2026.

This workshop is open to all level artists and calligraphers.

Traditional water gilding with gesso can produce a brilliant, mirror like finish, but it also comes with certain limitations. In humid climates such as those found in many parts of Asia, the gesso is susceptible to cracking. It can also be challenging to apply on flexible surfaces, and achieving a polished finish requires the use of agate burnishers and specific burnishing techniques.

Instacoll, on the other hand, opens up exciting new possibilities. Its versatility allows us to gild on a wider range of surfaces and build up multiple layers, creating fascinating three dimensional effects.

In this workshop, I would like to share my explorations with this modern gilding size, focusing on its application to parchment and fine art paper. We will learn how to create a gilding sample chart, develop gilded artworks featuring mythical and sacred beasts or other motifs, and explore techniques for gilding intricate geometric patterns.

Materials
This workshop does not include materials, please prepare by yourself as following list

• Instacoll High Gloss Base CLEAR

• Miniatum Ink

• Instacoll Tissue (alternatives: pure cotton/Chamois leather/glasses cloth) to polish gold

• Synthetic Watercolor brush 00 and 01

• Transfer Gold leaf 23K and some silver leaf or 14K White Gold
  If you want to learn how to use Loose Leaf, please also buy gilder’s pad (gold leaf cushion), gilder’s knife and gilder’s tips

• Some sheets of Goat pachment and fine art paper
  UNPREPARED Goat parchment from Pergamena BUY HERE
  Handmade paper can be any paper with texture 100gsm or above , I like a slight rough surface. If you’re not sure what to buy, please hold on until the first lesson, I will explain in detail.
  See fine art paper options from Talas BUY HERE

• Pencil, eraser, ruler

• Compass

Cirriculum

Session 1: Preparation

• How to mount and stretch parchment and paper on wood panel

• How to transfer a design on delicate surface

• How to prepare the background for gilding

• Practice the gilding chart

Session 2: Gilding Size Application

• How to mix colors into gilding size

• How to build up layers using Instacoll to create 3D effect

• Practice to apply Instacoll on the gilding chart and preferred designs

Session 3: Gilding & Polishing

• How to cut gold leaf and handle gold leaf

• How to gild and polish to luster

• How to gild silver or white gold on gold

Session 4: Gilding geometric pattern

• How to apply precise pattern with Instacoll

• How to gild with different leaves

• How to paint on gold