Journaling

Someone came up with this nonce idea of journaling my workdays in so that I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice. I thought it was pretty stupid, until I made the same mistake a fourth and fifth time, making it pretty hard to progress further with work. It got me thinking- since I only have £18 left in my account this month and can’t afford to go out- I might as well give it a whirl. Either way, I like writing.

Topic of journal: Gilding a console

Subtopic- Applying affect/ distressing of console

I am writing this having reached a conclusion as to what to to. But trust me; it’s been a wild ride. And I truly thought I was on the right and only path for far to long. But denial is an ugly thing, and it took stepping back from it and listening to the child within (ie the other person in the house) before I realised that.

I spent far too long applying Rambouillet Gilt Cream to the entire console before realising that this was the wrong way forward. I was doing it to match it with a gilded lamp I was supplied by the customer, with a distinctly contemporary although distressed feel.

The problem was, the Rambouillet shone as the gold and simply darkened the overall effect.

While I was loking for something to darken the edges and parts of the exterior, I didn’t need it to flatten the entire surface.

It was also difficult to distinguish. When it had been applied to the entire leg (for example) the crucial part which I was trying to highlight ie the edges, became difficult to pick out, therefore I kept having to apply more and more. Which quite simply was not going to be the look I wanted. It looked ok but not great. It finally sunk in that the Rambouillet Gilt Cream would do a magnificent job applying an aged effect on an 18thCentuary mirror. But not a contemporary Gold cast Iron table.

Difficult as it is to think about- I started to apply black boot polish. It was soon clear that this was exactly the look I needed (suprising as it sounds).

The next step was to use white spirit to take of the majority of the gilt cream and put on a 3rd layer of leaf and start almost ‘fresh’ with the leaf, and very minimal use of boot polish, and even less use of the Rambouillet.

Halfway through the transition and I’m excited to say that I am already seeing the change that I have been looking for.

I think I need a break.

Feeling Excellent

End of Excerpt.

Journaling: The Pain and Benefit of Admiting You Were Wrong