The gold will be a little ragged and uneven but not to worry. Once you have finished a section take a large, very soft brush and go over the letters, gently knocking off the excess gold. The brush actually scratches the surface of the gold and these minute scratches make the gold catch the light and sparkle. The effect is dramatic and amazing. Tiny flakes of gold will fall like snow to the floor. Don't sweat it.
The reality is that the gold isn't a big number in the scheme of things. This sign with all its lettering only used 32 sheets of gold. In the quantities I buy (by the box) it worked out to be only about $50 worth of gold in total. A second coat of paint on the lettering (if I had done it with paint instead of gold) would have cost the same or more if you include my labor at my shop rate. With the dollars we can fetch for gold leafing I make a lot more profit for less cost. The gold work also sets our work into a class of its own as so very few sign shops offer gilding these days.
Next installment I'll show the finished signs - sparking out in the sun...
-dan
