For this hand carved wooden Buddha from Sri Lanka, we gilded the flesh areas of the statue with imitation gold leaf (also known as Schlag, Dutch Metal or Composition Leaf). Imitation leaf was chosen for not only budgetary reasons, but also to allow for the antiqued and distressed finish of the gold leafed areas of the statue creating an ancient look. The leaf was applied using oil size, which is a varnish-like glue that adheres the gold leaf to the statue. We would typically apply a burnishing sealer on a statue like this before the size, but for the antiquing process we wanted the dark brown wood to show through to the surface in the areas we created breaks in the leaf to emphasize the aged effect. The final step after the antiquing process was to coat the leaf with a clear sealer to protect it from tarnishing. Imitation gold leaf requires a clear coat sealer to prevent it from discoloring since it is made from a brass alloy. Once clear coated, imitation leaf will last for many years.