Secrets of decoupage, materials and work procedure

Translated from French, découper means “to cut.” The art of decoupage is to use ornaments or drawings cut out of paper and glued to the surface of an ordinary household item to give it a new individual image.

What can decoupage be made from?

The technique of performing decoupage is quite simple, which means that anyone can do this type of needlework, even without obvious abilities for other types of creativity. The main thing is to use your imagination to choose a theme and decoration item. Once the new artistic image has matured, you can begin to work.

In stores selling handicrafts, you can buy decoupage kits, which include all the necessary items: special painted paper, paints, varnishes, brushes. However, ready-made kits are quite expensive and do not always suit the artist’s plans, so experienced needlewomen tend to use improvised materials.

• For decoupage, you can use images printed on any paper or fabric. When choosing, only the thickness of the base material matters: the thinner it is, the better and more natural the created composition will look.
• Ordinary paper napkins, which are sold in any hardware store, are also suitable for creativity.
• You can use suitable pictures from magazine pages.Since the magazine sheet is thick, the fragment with the pattern should be thoroughly soaked in water, otherwise waves may form when gluing.
• Images printed on a printer are perfect for work. To make such a picture thinner, you can sand the paper on the reverse side with fine sandpaper. The main thing is not to rub the hole. This pattern sticks well and does not stretch, and the transition to the base is almost imperceptible.

Advice

Instead of regular printing paper, it is better to use photo paper. The image will be clearer and brighter. The cut out picture must be covered with a layer of acrylic varnish, dried and then placed in water for 5 minutes, after which the excess layer of paper will be easy to remove.

To create the intended composition, you can use pieces of wallpaper by sanding the edges of the cut-out fragment on the reverse side with sandpaper. In some cases, even toilet paper will do.

How to do decoupage on glass

Among those who like to create with their own hands, decorating glassware is especially popular: plates, jars, vases, glasses, decanters and other simple household items.

The technique for performing decoupage on glass can be of two types: direct and reverse. In the first case, the design is applied to the front surface of the object, and in the second - to the back. Of course, we are only talking about transparent glass.

The choice of technique depends on the purpose of using the decorated item. For example, it is not advisable to decorate a vase from the inside, since water will quickly blur the design, which means you need to opt for direct application of the decor. When decorating a plate, it is better to use the reverse method. This will prevent food from coming into contact with the varnished surface.

Necessary materials

Before starting work, you should stock up on the necessary materials and auxiliary items and prepare:

• the product on which the image will be applied;
• a napkin or photograph with the selected image;
• PVA glue;
• small and large scissors;
• brushes of different sizes;
• a roller for leveling the pattern when gluing or a cloth napkin;
• acrylic or polyurethane varnish;
• sparkles, beads, rhinestones, stones, paints (depending on the composition).

In order not to stain your work area and, if necessary, to quickly remove excess glue or varnish, you must additionally prepare a fabric or paper towel or a cotton swab.

Decoupage technology

Once the workplace is organized and all materials are prepared, you can begin decorating the selected item. The author of the website purity-en.htgetrid.com figured out how to make decoupage on glass.

1. Carefully cut out the design you like from a napkin.
2. On a glass object, use a marker to mark the location of the picture. Even if the paper accidentally moves, it can be quickly returned to its original place.
   

   Important! When decorating glass surfaces, no preliminary primer treatment is required. It is enough just to degrease the gluing area with acetone or alcohol.

3. The paper with the image is soaked in water for several minutes.
4. The gluing area is treated with PVA glue and, without waiting for the adhesive to completely dry, carefully apply the picture. The image should be straightened with movements directed from the center to the edges. The pattern must fit tightly to the surface of the glass; the formation of folds and bubbles is unacceptable.
5. Using light movements, trying not to damage the thin paper, cover the design with a layer of PVA glue.
6. The remaining space can be painted with acrylic paints.
7. After the adhesive layer has completely dried, the surface to be decorated is varnished and the product is placed in the oven, heated to 150°C.

By following the simple steps described in the instructions, you can get a beautiful, stylish and original item.

Where can you use decoupage?

Having mastered the decoupage technique and finished your first creation, it is difficult to stop; you just want to decorate another chair, box or flower pot. Fortunately, you can decorate anything you want. Notebooks, photo frames and albums, jars and bottles, tableware items, glasses, decanters and much more can be transformed using decoupage.

It is very correct when parents introduce their children to this type of creativity. Diaries, songbooks, valentines, decorated by children's hands, will not leave anyone indifferent.

With the help of decoupage, it’s easy to breathe life into grandma’s long-forgotten chest of drawers or a kitchen cabinet that’s destined for the landfill. Interior items can not only be updated, but also artificially aged. It is enough to apply a special “craquelure” varnish, and the result will be a rare antique item.

Unique, one-of-a-kind items, decorated using the decoupage technique, personify the individuality of the creator and make the interior refined and original.