Gelatin Size Information & Instructions

 

Gelatin Water Size is made from gelatin dissolved in water.  It is used for water gilding on glass, where it is the most popular type of size for glass gilding.  Our gelatin is sold in sheets marked with roughly 80 one-half-inch square shaped pieces, which can easily be cut or broken off individually.

 

It is best to make gelatin water size in small batches, as it does not keep well.  Old size may cloud, which will reduce the brightness of the finish.

 

Instructions

To make 1/2 pint of size use 2 to 3, 1/2" squares.  For one pint, use 4 to 6 squares.  A weak mixture can result on the gold loosening or peeling from the glass.  An overly strong mixture can make it hard to remove excess leaf, and could become hazy with time.

 

Soak the squares in clean water for 20-30 minutes.  Distilled water is recommended, as contaminants may cloud the gelatin size.

 

Heat the mixture slowly, and stir with a clean utensil, until the gelatin has completely dissolved. DO NOT BOIL, as this will degrade the gelatin size.

 

While still hot, the mixture can be filtered through a fine sieve to eliminate any un-dissolved gelatin.

 

Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly before use.  Gelatin size works best when warm.

 

Optional:  To help break the surface tension of the size, so that it will totally wet the surface of the glass, some gilders add one drop of dish washing liquid for every half pint of gelatin size.