Tutor - Richard Walker

1-day workshop

Monday 7 December 2026, 10am - 4pm

Gilding has been around for over 4500 years, and is conducted through three disciplines of oil, water and glass gilding. Celebrate this ancient craft by having a taster of two of these, oil and glass gilding, in a single project. You will create an antique-effect mirror in a gilded frame.

In this introduction, you will work on a small frame using various metal (fake gold/copper/silver), and decorated to your own manner. The inset glass will be glass gilded in a Verre Églomisé decorative style in silver. 

The workshop will cover preparing the frame alongside an adjacent A4 piece of wood that will be used as a sample / tester piece to conduct various finishes. You will then select your favourite finish to complete upon the surface of the frame. The glass insert of the frame will also be gilded with pure silver, and decorated in a manner of your choice to create an antique mirror finish.

By the completion of the day, you will have a basic understanding of the oil gilding technique on frames, in a range of different metals, including pure gold, white gold, copper and silver and have an introduction into patination of gold and copper finishes. You will understand the basic principles of applying silver leaf to glass, ways of tarnishing or antiquing the leaf and how to back-up the leaf up on the reverse of the frame. You may also bring small items for discussion about gilding, as well as engage in general conversation about the pedigree of this most beautiful of crafts.

Please wear clothes and footwear suitable for a studio environment and bring a bag or box for taking your framed mirror home.

Buying as a gift?

When buying a course or workshop you will be automatically emailed a confirmation which you can print off and include in a card for your loved one. Gift vouchers can also be bought if you aren't sure which course they would prefer. Please email us the name and email address of the person attending on drawingschool@rwa.org.uk 

Before booking we ask everyone please read our updated Terms and Conditions.

Participants must be 18 or over.

If eligible, discounts must be applied when first purchasing your class and cannot be given retrospectively. Please contact us if the discount code is not working.

If you have a disability, learning difficulty or mental health issue which you feel may affect your participation in your chosen class, please either email drawingschool@rwa.org.uk or call 01179067600, prior to booking, so we are aware of any needs you may have.

Refund/transfer and Cancellation Policy: We are unable to offer full or part cash refunds, but you are eligible for an RWA gift voucher or transfer, minus an admin fee*, provided you notify us more than 14 days before the start of your class with us. If we cancel a course or workshop for any reason, then participants will be offered a different date, course/workshop or RWA gift voucher. 

*Admin fee for courses £25, Admin fee for workshops £15