I am painting on gold leaf and after several recent "bad" days of color development, I was wishing I could just "erase" the build-up of "muddy color." Several years ago I tried spraying a coating of spray fixative at the end of each day's work. I did this because I discovered if the next days work didn't go so well I could simply "wipe" it off at the end of the day and get back to an earlier state of the painting. Is this a good idea for my painting on gold leaf?
The removability quality may have repercussions later down the road in terms of archival longevity. However, we do know conservators will use combinations of Polymer Varnish as the isolation layer between applications of our MSA Conservation Colors. The MSA colors are reversible with mineral spirits and Polymer Varnish removes with ammonia, allowing separation of each layer. A layer can be safely removed without as much risk of removing underlying ones.

Is it a good idea for artists to do this? We would say not, because most conserved pieces are kept in controlled environments and frequently looked at for early warning signs that something is wrong. So unless your work is headed straight to the museum, the multiple layers of contrasting materials may be a problem. If you do end up continuing this practice, our best advice is to document it well on the back of the artwork (on the stretcher bars or panel, don't write or attach a note onto canvas).

Artists throughout time have painted on gold leaf, but you will probably need to have the first paint layers mixed with GAC 200 to increase adhesion. Once these layers are established, then the subsequent layers should have better adhesion.