Studio Development: Silver Leaf & Canvas Painting

Before - old metal leaf:

Adding Genuine Silver Leaf over the metal leaf, and adding extra leaf into the voids: 

Video of process:

Photos After Completing Silver leaf:

Reflections:

• After my last tutorial with Gerard he said that I should use real silver leaf on this piece, as there's something about the use of real silver that is relevant to my work.  
• The genuine silver really adds a lot to this painting. It is so much shinier, vibrant and glistens. 
• It also adds the value aspect. 
• The process of this piece was very delicate but reminiscent of my other two final pieces. I am physically filling the 'voids' in this painting, with silver leaf. Due to the textured nature of the unprimed canvas, the leaf had to be pressed into the canvas with my fingers as a brush was too heavy, and would flake too much of the leaf off.
• The leftover silver leaf that flaked off towards the bottom of the canvas, I chose to leave there intentionally. It works well with the painting having these extra flecks of silver.