San Francisco Center for the Book

We will be learning the art of gilding (applying gold) and decorative painting by copying medieval samples. These finely-detailed medieval illuminations allow us to practice multiple skills: raised gilding, flat gilding, color washes, highlighting, outlining, and more.

We will be using modern gilding size (glue), paints, and paper. Modern materials are not just time saving and easier to source but also less dangerous, which enables you to easily transfer these medieval skills to your modern artwork. Medieval materials and differences will be discussed for those who want to delve deeper into history.

Prerequisite:
None

Materials to Bring:
None

About the Instructor:
Katie Leavens is a freelance illustrator & calligrapher here in San Francisco with a degree in Design. Her art explores the relationships between tradition & modernism through techniques, mediums, & subject matters. She has been studying calligraphy since 2015 and teaching since 2020. Katie is a member of IAMPETH and on the Friends of Calligraphy council. In 2025, Katie received the Certificate of Proficiency from IAMPETH in Illumination & Borders.