#metallic leaf

Just to share some of the art I've been working on this month!

I hope you like how it's developing.

“All that is gold does not glitter”

(J.R.R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring)

This week an exquisite oil painting, a self-portrait of Artemisia Gentileschi dressed as Saint Catherine of Alexandria, sold at Christie’s New York for $5.69m (£4.18m). The news photo shows it presented in a gilded frame and it seems to include gold paint in some parts of the painting.  

(https://news.artnet.com/market/artemisia-gentileschi-record-nga-acquisition-2743003?amp=1)

On Thursday (5th Feb), a small red chalk sketch on paper of a foot drawn by Michelangelo (1475-1564) sold for $23m (£16.9m) and another small chalk sketch, of a young lion by Rembrandt van Rijn (1606-1669), sold for $17.86m (€15.2m) at auction by Sotheby’s on Wednesday (4th Feb).

(https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c205x5xednlo; https://nltimes.nl/2026/02/05/rembrandt-sketch-young-lion-sells-record-eu178-million )

Though neither sketch contains metallic elements or “glitters”, they certainly seem to be “gold”.

While this was happening, I was working on some abstract art, exploring the textures of bubbles and metallic leaf, in single colours of ink on each piece and the colour gold. The “gold” leaf sheets I was using are comprised of 86% copper and 14% zinc. Over time, as copper is exposed to oxygen, a chemical reaction occurs and the copper develops Verdigris, a green patina. So I will be sealing the pieces with varnish to protect the metal leaf from oxidation. One of the inks I’ve used for this art is Jacques Herbin’s Vert de Gris (Verdigris)!

Whether or not your week to come includes glitter, I’m hoping it’s filled with sunlight, “the most precious gold to be found on Earth” (Roman Payne).

Create gilded and metallic-paint effects with Chalk Paint® decorative paint, gilding waxes, foil leaf, and plasters! Work with classic and exciting color combinations for create truly unique looks for the modern or rustic home.

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The Digit-al Dozen does Autumn: Metallic Leaf Foil #nails #nailart #nailpolish #thedigitaldozen

After three autumn themed manis I was pretty much scraping the bottom of the ideas barrel and so I started searching through the bottom of the bling box for a little help. I found an old pot of metallic leaf and as the colours were very autumnal I figured it would do the job. This was a very simple one: a coat of black (All That Jazz Welcome To After Hours) and sticking the leaf into wet topcoat.…