Decoupage of a suitcase: original ideas and instructions for design

To give the interior notes of a certain style and fill it with a special atmosphere, it is not necessary to buy expensive items in stores. You can create them with your own hands. Today we will talk about a phased master class decor of the old suitcase in the styles of Provence and vintage.

This technique originates in the Middle Ages. Decoupage was popular during the time of King Louis XVI of France. The first mention of this technique as an art form was at the end of the 15th century in China. Later, in the XVII century, decoupage became popular in Europe, it was then fashionable to have furniture in the interiors, decorated with motifs in Japanese and Chinese styles.

The essence of the technique is simple and consists in sticking pictures on various home decoration. Such an application always looks beautiful, gives a special charm to certain things. All necessary materials can be bought in specialized stores.

The variety of pictures is so great that without problems you can choose images for every taste, including those in vintage and provence style.

For decoupage you will need:

• cards for decoupage;
• fine sandpaper;
• acrylic paste;
• stencil;
• acrylic primer;
• PVA glue or special glue;
• acrylic paints;
• narrow roller;
• brushes;
• masking tape;
• scissors;
• ruler;
• pencil;
• palette knife;
• acrylic lacquer.

Before you start decorating an old suitcase, you need to prepare it.To do this, go with a fine sandpaper over the entire surface, paying special attention to irregularities. If a thing is so old that holes have formed over time, it is necessary to patch the surface with an appropriate piece of skin. The patch is attached with glue or self-tapping screws, which are subsequently putty. For this, putty or acrylic paste is used.

Assess the internal condition of the suitcase. If necessary, remove the old cladding inside. To get rid of the musty smell, first wipe the surfaces with soap and water, then with a cloth soaked in hydrogen peroxide, or make cotton bags with soda, tie a thread and leave. The bags should be changed every week until the smell is completely eliminated. For the same purposes, fragrant sachets are also used.

In this master class, we will walk you through step-by-step how to decorate a suitcase in Provence and vintage style with our own hands. To begin with, the entire surface must be covered with soil using a roller; in hard-to-reach places, a brush is used.

If one layer is not enough, it is worth covering the second, having previously allowed the first to dry. Then with fine sandpaper you need to lightly clean the primer in some places to give the effect of antiquity.

Tear the masking tape into strips and glue it on the bottom of the suitcase in order to make an even striped pattern. Mix the main color with whitewash so that the color is not too bright, but seems already faded from time to time. Apply this composition and carefully remove the adhesive tape. After everything dries well, glue the masking tape on the previously designated pencil places and cover with a different color. After drying, go over with sandpaper again, giving the product a well-worn and frayed appearance.

It is not necessary to strip the base. You can cover it with a monophonic layer or harmoniously combine different colors.

For decoration in the Provence style, the most often used is a whitened olive shade, as well as lilac, purple, yellow, pink. If this is vintage, then a muffled chocolate, gray, pale blue tone is suitable. Paints in both styles should not be overly flashy, on the contrary, faded and blurry.

Before sticking the drawings, lay out the napkins to make up the composition. Depending on which napkin you have chosen, you need to cut out the pattern or stick the applique completely on the lid of the suitcase. If the wipes are three-layer, then only the top layer is suitable for work. If rice paper, then such a napkin is ready for use. Put the picture in the right place, take a small amount of glue with a brush and gently apply it over the napkin from the center to the edges, while smoothing it to remove air bubbles.

In order to give an additional effect of antiquity, you can not smooth the surface, deliberately leaving wrinkles. It all depends on the idea of ​​decor and imagination. After the glue has completely dried, you can apply an additional pattern directly to the resulting illustration through a stencil, which will give the visual effect of several layers of design. To do this, use a sponge with a small amount of paint to make several pressing movements on top of the stencil.

Through a stencil, you can not only paint, but also apply acrylic paste, so that the pattern is voluminous. To do this, attach it to the right place, press it with your fingers and using a spatula, spread the paste, filling in the empty areas. If the pattern needs a certain color, it is worth mixing the paste with the right shade of paint, then there will be no need to patinate the pattern after drying. Or, using the “dry brush” technique, you can give the volumetric pattern the desired color.This way is to lightly soak the brush in the paint, then move it over the paper, brushing off the excess. When all the excess remains on paper, you can proceed to light strokes on the ornament, drawing along its entire length. Here is an example of a suitcase with New Year's motives.

Instead of a stencil, you can use lace both for the decoration itself and for the pattern applied with paint. For this purpose, the coloring agent in the cylinder is more suitable. Before use, the cylinder must be shaken well, put the lace in the place where you want to get the print, and from a distance of 25 centimeters spray the contents onto the lace, then carefully remove it.

Another way of decorating is with the help of volume, and this option is cheaper. To do this, you will need:

• an empty tube of glue with a thin nose and a lid;
• flour;
• PVA glue.

Mix glue with flour until thick sour cream, place the resulting mass in a tube. Use a ruler to measure the same distance from the edge of the lid or base of the suitcase. You need to make a sketch with a pencil and apply a consistency along the lines. Some areas can be covered completely, if required by the drawing.

All metal parts must be coated with bronze or copper paint. The paint that was used for the general background is also allowed. It all depends on the ideas and orders of the soul. Before applying, it is worth processing all rivets, locks and reinforced corners with an alcohol-containing solution to degrease the surface. If rust has appeared on some parts, you should not be upset, as it will look organic and introduce an additional element of antiquity into the general appearance.

For the decor of the pen is used twine, lace, fabric cover. You can leave the old pen without additional design, if it is in good condition and does not get out of the general style. Additionally, at the request of the suitcase is decorated with braid or harness. Upon completion of all decorative work on decorating things, it should be varnished in several layers with each pre-drying. A choice of matte, glossy, semi-gloss varnishes, as well as options with sparkles. Apply with a roller, brush or spray. They are sold both in banks and in cylinders. They can work indoors because they have no smell.

Glue the suitcase inside with a suitable cloth, wallpaper, old yellowed pages of books and magazines. The corners and perimeter of the bottom, if necessary, can be decorated with braid, textile tow, lace to hide uneven joints. Allow the glue to dry completely before using the suitcase. Proceed in stages, all layers should dry out and only then new ones should be applied. So, having given free rein to your imagination and creative impulse, you can update the old thing and complement the interior with a completely unique art object.

You will learn more about how to make a decoupage of a suitcase by watching the following video.