Industrial Mass-Gilding?

Did you know, that there is a way of “gilding” that is a lot handier than the traditional hand-gilding?
The metallic lustre you see on books, packages, clothes… they are gilded with industrially metallised films.

This technique of mass-gilding paper, cloths, and resins including plastics with metallised films was originally developed based on the traditional technique of making golden thread.

Shizendo started working with this kind of foils in 1964 as the making of things started to industrialise.

This exhibition was held to physically showcase the attractive metallic expressions, featured in “Design no Hikidashi issue 46.”

Desigh no Hikidashi, literally, ‘Drawers of Design’ is a popular series of magazine by Graphic-sha Publishing that introduces up-to-date printing techniques and materials for graphic designers.

These eye-catching pieces of paper are some of 1000 verities of cover pages of the issue that went viral on social media.

The venue was “SUPER PAPER MARKET” in Tachikawa, Tokyo, operated by Fukunaga Print Co.,Ltd.

Having had the privilege to be featured in the magazine, Shizendo/ Horikin exhibitted gilding kit (not the industrial, but the ones for traditional crafts) and the sample booklet of Sailing Paper.

There were also diversity of kits, notebooks, postcards, offered by other metallic-printing-related companies lined-up.
It was truly inspiring and insightful to see the unique identities and strength of each firm through the modern and sophisticated products. 

*The duration of the exhibition was Jul 2-31, 2022

The magazine Design no Hikidashi by Graphic-sha Publishing Co,ltd shares about the printing techniques for the graphic designers. Design no Hikidashi 46 is still on sale, featuring specifically about metallic expressions.

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Reference

Graphic-sha Publishing, [Drawer of Design] Design no Hikidashi 46 (in Japanese),

Fukunaga-Printing “SUPER PAPER MARKET”