Restoring Old Frames - Additional Technique 

No need for camera crew or fancy cameras! This post proves you can film informative and worthwhile videos just with your phone! Bravo!

You don’t need a fancy camera or crew or microphone to capture our interest. It’s YOU we come back for over and over. And that big ole intelligent, ever curious brain of yours that encourages us to be curious ourselves. ☺️💕 and believe me, without your instruction I would’ve never known the difference. But I see it.

I adore that you streamed this for us. The video is just as informative as your regular videos and your enthusiasm shines through effortlessly even without any editing.

You stopped what you were doing to share with us! My gosh, thank you!😊I would never think to tackle such a project wearing any white clothing!

I have large gilded mirror from Newport-about 5x5 feet- that has been overwhelmed with gold paint. Both of your recent videos will be an enormous help to get me started on patching the plasterwork and approaching the problem with the paint. Thank you, Rajiv!

I so enjoy learning from you. Yours is a life well-lived. Thanks for all!

Nice job on that painting Rajiv! When I started my life career has a painter, gilded frames where my preference and really all kinds, but until I came across modern simplistic dark wood frames like granadillo or Brazilian rose wood I never went back. Absolutely gorgeous!!

I have a booklet that I asked my dad if I could keep it. It has my dad’s calligraphy; beautiful skill. He was born 1915, he was in the third or fourth grade when he wrote it. I enjoy watching your writing on the board; it reminds me of my dad. You have a beautiful skill. Thank you.👏💯🏆🎈🌹🆒🥰

I know it's awkward to record by yourself, but I quite like this style, when you're showing us how to do stuff. It's kind of like it's a rainy day, I've brought coffee over under my big umbrella, and you're showing me how you do this skill. It's homey and comfortable.

Thank you for this. You're giving me picture frame aspirations, {laughing}... I'm the keeper of 150 years of family photographs, dating all the way back to tintypes and daguerreotypes. There's even a picture of my maternal Grandad arriving in a moving cart, with his family, age of six, fresh off the boat from Scotland, sitting in a horse-drawn moving cart parked in Northern Ontario at the turn of the last century (frame your family arrival photo, your grandchildren/godchildren will thank you!). Now that my parents gone I can give place for these pictures to see the light (in a careful, light sensitive way). So many of them have been tucked away in my Granny's old cedar chest for so long - I need to see my family on the walls. Vintage/antique wooden picture frames - it's such an elegant solution, thank you for sharing the tools to make that happen. Miigwech. - Cathy (&, accidently, Steve), Ottawa/Bytown/Pimisi {by-the-by - you can have a UV filter plastic film added to the glass covering a framed photograph, most frame shops will do it for you.}

Fwiw, the uncovered gold showed up surprisingly clearly in this. I'd be delighted if you did more of these spontaneous diy videos to supplement the regular ones. Blessings to you, sweet person. You are gold.

Thanks, Rajiv! You are wonderful even without the film crew!

That portrait os exquisite. I love how the background makes the image stand out. I would love see it once it's framed.

I love this stripped-down (no pun intended) style of impromptu video!

I love your joy at uncovering the beautiful gold. And I love your painting too, please show the end result :)

i simply adore your 'simple phone' videos, too! i hope you show us your frame restored with your cropped painting later.

Rajiv…thats so awesome! I have some of my Mothers old frames. They need cleaning and care repair. Thank you for showing us “How To…” do everything! You are so fun! I’d luvv to kick around, do these projects and antique shop with you! You are incredible!🤍☃️

I'm a dog lover, the Chihuahua is so sweet. Your paintings are beautiful.

tears for Rajiv and me and the person who painted his golden picture frame tears like rain tears of both pain and joy of passing time but, a labor of love leaves beauty where once was beauty, now restored Joy!

Thank you for sharing, it’s like a treasure hunt, Find the Gold! 😊

I'm so grateful for the swab trick! When I do things like this, I wind up with piles of used cotton swabs. This is so much better.

The little black cracking and wear on the original surface really looks wonderful with the coloring and shading of the subject matter in the painting❤

Thank you so much for your beautiful videos. You have gotten me through some sad times in my life and filled me with inspiration.

Thank you for stopping your day to help us! Could you do a video on making your office supplies pretty? I’m in love with your kitchen video

Thank you, Rajiv! This was fantastic, and I loved the casual presentation. No need for a full film crew. Your videos are just as valuable and informative without it.

This makes me think of how buddha statues are painted. Their faces are painted with real gold, but the body is painted with gold colored paint, and the difference is very apparent. It's too expensive to paint the whole statue with the real gold, but the face/head is the most important part of the statue. I have a statue I bought and got a Nepalese artist who specialized in Buddhist art to paint it and it looks amazing. I have a vintage reclining Buddha made of wood, from Thailand, and the artist painted the face for me. The quality of the glow of real gold is noticeable and it is similar to what Rajiv is showing with these frames.

Yes, I could see what you were showing us. Thank you, Rajiv, for making my mind peaceful again.

Is there anything this man cannot do? Not only can he do it, but it's always near perfectly done.

Loving your study of Clayton! Excited to see your painting in that beautifully restored frame!

Can you also show how to clean the linen portion of vintage frames?

Gosh a bonus video. I just ordered my paint to fix my picture frame from your last video ❤❤

Watching your video gives me so much joy. Thank you, Rajiv for sharing your knowledge and experience with the world. You are so talented. Sending hugs your way!

Aaahhhh bonus! More frame content that I am attempting. Love you Rajiv ❤❤

Are you going to make a video of the finished frames and everything?

Your videos are so beautifully made. Thank you for sharing.

Absolutely love the spontaneous post sharing your enthusiasm, excitement and reveal of the frames secret hidden lining. So dynamic in its sincerity and thrill. Personally engaging. Hope you might consider to do more of these without the fancy, structured film crew, and editing. I’m looking at all my thrifted frames over the past 35years with curiosity and respect now. It is remarkable that a person of your many talents and precious gifted hands is doing this tedious dirty work -without an assistant, a host of minion apprentices speaks quite loudly. Love this relaxed casual bonus format thank you. Hope it didn’t threaten your frames gilt integrity. Absolutely adore your channel.

Dude! I just watched the og Mean Girls. I had no idea you were in that!! Your character is the exact opposite of you irl 😂. It was awesome to watch.

Thanks for sharing an informal impromptu video. I appreciate learning from you!

_You are so talented and creative._ 💗

Thank you for taking the time to add this. It’s really helpful.

Wow! That was amazing how shiny it became.

love the natural, unadulterated Rajiv -- you know what I mean

I love these little vlogs!

Thank you, Rajiv...

Thank you for the video!

Thank you, lovely to see your name pop up first thing in the morning.

We can see it - and your enthusiasm! Thank you so much for sharing :)

very nice painting! and good info!

Your painting is beautiful! I cannot wait to go antiquing and thrifting for frames.

You are truly inspiring me

Thanks for thinking of us!

Wow! That was awesome!!! Thanks!!!

That was interesting , thanks for sharing Rajiv!❤

Thank you for your pursuit of beauty and technique.

Thanks for this extra video on this topic, Rajiv. Really helpful and I enjoyed the simple nature of its spontaneity.

Yayyyyyyy another Rajiv video

Wow!! Amazing to watch!! Thanks for sharing! Cant wait to find an old frame on naschmarkt in Vienna and try!!

It might be silver or a mixed metal, since the poliment is black. There may be a patina to make it look gold. Traditionally black poliment is for silver, & red and yellow for gold. Cool portrait! :)

Beautiful❤

I like seeing the gesso

you are amazing and i adore u

Thank you

Great video! I see the internet swamped with people (mostly women for some reason) slathering any vintage piece with chalk paints, milkpaints, faux gold, stencils and waxes and whilst it's healthy to have hobbies and great to reycle furniture that may be otherwize destined for landfills, unfortunately there's alot of pieces similar to your frame, entirely ruined hand made items being "revamped" to the most hideous suburban "decor". Painting old gilded frames with spraypaint etc to look "new" or even re-gilding them with faux gold leaf is still popular and such a shame. I'm sure those so inclined don't care about the actual cultural, historic value or the genuine gold being ruined if they got their piece at a low cost, bc even those who say they like a distressed look, paint over actual ware, to make faux antiques with a clearly fake "distressed look" they've been taught by their peers is "nicer". When these trends become so popular, huge values are lost to future generations, examples of old techniques become rare, and beloved handmade and naturally worn heirlooms from the lower classes, equally soulful and perhaps more so, more cherished than opulent high class antiques, are lost forever. I know nothing is holier to Americans than "expressing onesself" in any way one feels like, nomatter how. And ownership is another holy cow that always trumps any collective value. But it's ironic that actively trashing ones own limited history for online likes and fleeting trends is such a popular form of "self expression". I saw something the other day Rajiv, that made me think of you. An item at auction that I'm sure you would have loved! 5 Welsh wooden Love Spoons. Absolutely beautiful. Do you know about them? I'm guessing you do. If you don't, you should definately look them up, because the tradition is unique, each piece a literal labour of love, and they sometimes go at European auction for bupkes, if you're lucky (as did the lot I viewed). If I hadn't been so slow to realize the reserve price was that low, the bidders so few, I'd have bid on them and gifted them to you. These were on Auctionnet . Something for a person with your aesthetics and insights, and true appreciation for craftsmanship.

Thank you.

Anyone else not a fan of gold frames? Guy has great taste in the rest of his room so perhaps I’ve an odd association to old frames and pictures.

Very cool, thank you! Have you ever tried to reapply gold leaf to frames? Gold leafing paper is fairly simple as lon as you follow certain rules (I am sure you are familiar with the process.) I have never done a three dimensional surface, though. Traditionally I use polished hematite to make the gold leaf conform to the surface. I wonder if people used specially shaped smoothing tools in various sizes and did the whole frame feature by feature?

You are a little treasure.

So cool! You really did show examples well with just your cell phone video! Is there ever a time where you may consider reapplying gold leaf in some areas or is that just not done?

For those of you wondering yes we tamil people have a slight obsession with gold.

wow! That's really revealing! so simple with the acetone- is that 100% acetone or a dilution? I have a massive mirror from Spain that is gilded and would love to restore. Your videos are so helpful and inspiring.

Gorgeous subject! Any more of him?😏

Hello Rajiv, After completing the removal of the radiator paint with the acetone, do you neutralize the frame with anything, or just lightly go over it with slightly damp swabs? Thank you. Crystal

RAJIV! Please make an asmr calligraphy video!!!!

nice

I can see the difference!

Love your vids bro. I’m a actor as well

❤❤❤

So interesting ! Please, may we see the finished result?

💖

Hi Rajivvvv. Will you ever weld something? Coat hanger or pot holder maybe.

Great spur-of-the-moment video. You are a Jack of all that is creative and cool dude!

👍👍👍👍

I was trying to clean some copper pots today and after seeing this video I wondered if you could discuss the best way to do this. I tried ketchup and salt with vinegar but I'd love to hear your ideas.

Dearest Rajiv 💞 Please, please, please - As you take Acetone in hand &:Before remiving its cap - Immediately crack open multiple windows within room assuring cross ventilation - Taking Time to Take Care - Sincerest Gratitude for All Your Precious Sharing and Caring, Ann 💞

And next, you must talk about the cropping by the stretcher maker….and painting a live model, and that plaster foot sculpture…..and…

⭐This is fascinating and I have an old frame (somewhere ) out in our garage , so now I am inspired to have a go too ! ⭐⭐Will you re-gold leaf the parts that are down to the bole ? ⭐⭐

When will you do thrifting again @rajiv surendra??

😲

I see 'old' frames in all the antique booth malls. How do I know if a frame is really old or just made to look old. Are there any clues to determine how old a frame might be?

I follow a conservator on RU-vid, Baumgartner Restoration, he makes the most interesting videos!

Your painted cavas of Clayton is lovely. I think it would be a shame to crop him because he is lovely as is and at present, he looks in proper proportion. The gold frame is too small for the Clayton canvas. I would save the frame for another painting that you will be doing soon. You can learn to make picture frames. It looks like a great business to be in.

Anyone know where his white t shirt is from??!!

Is it possible to purchase and replace the missing gold leaf?

First

when the radiator paint is removed the gold leaf appears to have silver highlights.

Do you ever re-gild the frames?

what is the style of blanket on your bed?

Warning a ventilation mask N95/ OV should be used when using Acetone and an exhaust fan .Acetone substances produces strong vapors that can give headaches , Hurt lungs, etc and put your health in Danger. Check with your physician beforehand if this is something you should work with.

Are you moving to an Ethiopian style ? Your ground seemed moving on that point.

@Dicastania love you canal brasil