Tonight I added goldleaf for the initial "F" of Psalm 84. It's at this stage of the creative process when I feel the magic happens. The glimmer and shine of gold is such a standout when it's used in illuminated calligraphy, there's nothing like it. The collage below shows part of the gilding process:
The goldleaf looks shiny enough but still has a rough finish, so I need to then polish it with a dogtooth burnisher:
The final step is adding a layer of satin sealer over the polished gold to make it permanent. The sealer has to dry for a few hours. Tomorrow I begin painting the rest of the design with gouache and watercolor.