GUM ARABIC SOLUTION

   A.  Materials: Gum Arabic natural whole pieces, Sugar or honey, water, cheesecloth
     1. Crush lumps of gum into crystals.
     2. Add 1 part crushed Gum Arabic to 2 parts water and ¼ part sugar or honey
     3. Let sit over night
     4.   Strain through cheese cloth.

   B.  Materials:    If finely powdered commercially available gum arabic is used increase
         the water to 4 parts
     1. Let gum water mixture sit over night
     2. Solution should be oil like for use, adjust water if necessary. 

GUM AMMONIAC

       Materials: Gum lumps, water, Cheesecloth
       1. Crush gum  
       2. Place in container and cover over with water
       3. Let sit over night or longer, add water if needed to form milky liquid.
       4. Strain

GLAIR

       Materials: Egg whites
       1. Beat egg whites to stiff peaks (as if making Meringue)
       2. Let sit over night
       3. Yellow liquid will separated out, this is the glair, (discard the spent whites.)

HIDE GLUE

  A.  Materials: Commercially available dehydrated glue grains, water

       1. Basic Glue: Soak 1 ounce of dry glue in 14 liquid ounces water over night

       2. Strong glue: Soak 1 ounce dry glue in 4 ounces water over night.

       3. Weak glue: (size) Soak 1 ounce of glue in 28 ounces water over night.

       Directions: To prepare for use choose the desired strength from above. Heat the
       soaked and softened glue in double boiler it will melt in a few minutes.
       DO NOT BOIL!

B.  Materials: Parchment Clippings, water      
      1. Place clippings in pot with enough water to cover the pieces.
      2. Soak over night
      3. Boil until it reduces to about a third
      4. Test by touching a finger with the solution on to palm of other hand it
          should be tacky after touching quickly a few times, but should not be
          really sticky on first touch.
      5. If left to room temperature it should set to a loose jell

GARLIC MORDANT

       Materials: Fresh head of garlic, cheese cloth.
       1. Place cloves onto cheese cloth, crush and squeeze out juice
       2. Collect juice in container and allow to sit for at least a few days, the longer
           the better, stickiness will increase with time.

BOLE

Bole, the preparatory layer beneath gold leaf in gilding, is different for work on panels
and work on flexible surfaces such as paper or parchment.  
For bole preparations when working on parchment and paper see section on
"Gilding on Parchment"

BOLE SOLUTION FOR WATER GILDING ON PANELS
      
      Materials: Gilders clay also called Armenian bole, hide glue of medium strength.
      1. 1 part clay to 2 parts warm hide glue.
      2. Mix or grind together. Be sure mixture is smooth and silky; free from visible particles
          of clay.
      3. Strain through cheese cloth for best results.