Gold leaf gilding - need advice

[delta tango]

A few more tips, from a former oil artist who successfully leafed a number of older frames. If you want a brighter gold appearance, the base project surface to be leafed should be painted a glossy, thinned, oil-based RED (Sometimes called VENICIAN or VENITIAN RED - a bright, slightly darker than Fire-Engine Red, a Vermilion Red shade would also work well). The leafing varnish goes over the red paint. The varnish is ready to leaf when it is just slightly tacky to a knuckle touch. A round paint brush is handy to burnish the leaf into detailed moldings.
If you are Silver leafing, a bright BLUE paint base will make the silver brighter.
A final note -- FAUX GOLD LEAF is slightly heavier-thicker, and thus far easier to apply than actual Gold Leaf.
(A friend of mine once SNEEZED AWAY $$$ worth of 22k GOLD LEAF !) Yes, Faux Leaf will fade a bit over time, but this also gives it 'Character', and an antique-like appearance. Initially it will look just like the real McCoy. It's best to experiment with plane wood before applying either to your finished project.
Hope this is helpful.