Goodfellow and Steven are a Scottish craft bakery, as well as a Dundee institution. They’ve made the famous Dundee cake since 1897!
At their flagship store and café in Broughty Ferry, one of the shopfront’s original gold leaf window graphics needed replaced following damage to the glass.
Martin Goodfellow contacted me for advice. We met at the shop and surveyed the project.
Martin asked me to reinstate the window graphic as close as possible to the original. The neighbouring window graphic would be the master copy. It differed slightly from the damaged pane’s gold leaf as it contained thinner lines. I think the thinner lines look better and accentuate the gold leaf.
Martin and I discussed using gold vinyl for the replacement graphic. Metallic and mirror gold options are available in vinyl and cost significantly less than gold leaf. Be that as it may, nothing matches the real thing.
Measurements and photos were taken before I returned to my studio to calculate my quote. Martin chose to replace one window graphic, hand painted and reverse gilded with 23.5ct gold.
To begin with, I had to trace the existing graphic. I visited the shop early on a Monday morning and traced the outline of the gold leaf.
Materials were ordered and I arranged to work on the window out with the shop’s trading hours. This avoided the odour of paint and disruption to the bakery’s customers.
The traced artwork was tacked up in position on the exterior of the replaced window pane. I now had the outline of my graphic which I could replicate in paint.
The outline was steadily painted onto the glass over three sessions. Returning late on a Saturday afternoon to clean and double coat areas which I wasn’t satisfied with. Regular visits outside to look through the glass were essential to ensure the lines’ thickness were even and the pattern was symmetrical.
An early start on a Sunday gave me a whole day in the empty store. I gilded the glass twice with 23.5ct gold leaf. Waiting in between gilds to allow the layers of gold to dry.
Each gold leaf was carefully cut and placed over the painted ornaments and letters. The window graphic was coming alive.
Water gilding gold leaf on glass is a delicate affair. Painting over the gold is necessary to sandwich and seal between the glass and the backup paint. Overall, two coats of backup black were painted.
The excess leaf was washed off before the last backup coat of clear varnish.
Carefully, the edges of the graphic were sponged with soap and water. The glass was thoroughly cleaned inside and out, leaving an altogether sparkling finish.
With the project complete, several days of painting and detailing resulted in a window graphic which will hold its brilliance for years to come.
Are you interested in traditional gold leaf in Broughty Ferry or Dundee?
Contact me to find out more.