POLIMENT Umbrian white paste

 Poliment or bolus is a clay-like substance used as a base in gilding. It is applied to a surface prepared with gesso or chalk. Then, gold or silver leaf is applied. Poliment enhances the color and shine of gold when polished. Poliment works best when working with gold, white gold, silver, and platinum. 

Poliment is a natural product used in traditional gilding with gold and silver leaf. It is available in red, yellow, blue, black, gray, pink, and white colors. Poliment is available in dry form or as a paste. The paste is similar to dry poliment, except it does not need to be dissolved. There are many methods of using poliment; we will describe only one of them: 

Poliment is applied to a surface pre-prepared with gesso. It is mixed with water and glue. The following formula shows approximate volume proportions of the mixture: 

Poliment paste        60 %

Rabbit glue                2.5 - 3 %

 water                        37 %

Rabbit glue is dissolved in water. It is heated (below boiling point) until the pellets dissolve. The warm glue is mixed with poliment and water in the ratio described above. Mix well, and when the mixture is uniform, strain it through cheesecloth to remove any undissolved particles. 

Apply several layers of the mixture to the surface: 2-4 layers provide a good base for gold or silver leaf. Different colors of poliment emphasize different final tones of gold. Each layer should dry well before applying the next one. 

The dried surface can be carefully smoothed with a polishing brush or a soft cloth dampened with a 50% / 50% solution of water / alcohol. 

Apply gold or silver leaf to the smooth surface. Traditionally, a mixture of water, alcohol, and a few drops of dissolved skin glue is used for application. After a few hours of drying, the leaf can be polished with agate.