BRIEN NICHOLSON LTD, EDINBURGH

With a reputation stretching back over 20 years Brien Nicholson Ltd is one of Scotland's leading providers of professional bespoke framing and gilding services, and Wrights of Lymm have had the pleasure of supplying them with their Gold Leaf for a number of years.  Their clients include many of Edinburgh's best known artists and galleries as well as corporate and private clients.  The team at Brien Nicholson have an instinctive feel for what is the right frame for a given artwork, something that is much appreciated by many of the company's clients.

Brien Nicholson mainly use 23.5ct but they also use various other carats such as red gold or white gold.  These tarnish slowly and the effect can be wonderful, it can also be so unpredictable !  The process involves extremely thin sheets of gold applied to a prepared surface.  First, layers of gesso are used to fill all imperfections in the wooden frame.  After smoothing, bole is applied in many layers.  This helps prepare the gesso surface.  The final layers are hand rubbed to create as smooth as a surface as possible for the leaf to be applied.  Next, the surface is wetted in small areas by "gilders water", a water size alcohol solution which activates the adhesion qualities of the bole.  Gold, white gold, silver, even palladium or platinum in extremely thin sheets are dropped onto the wetted surface; capillary action as well as water soaking into the clay draws the leaf down.  The leaf can be burnished to a brilliant, polished appearance when dry, or can be distressed to reveal the bole underneath.  It can also be toned to adjust the colour.