Decoupage Christmas balls: features and unusual ideas

Decorating Christmas balls using decoupage technique pleases not only with the process, but also with the result. You can completely immerse yourself in the process in splendid isolation, and it is also possible to create small masterpieces with children, friends and loved ones. In our article, we will talk about how to create an original decoration, an unusual and memorable New Year's gift - a great alternative to the same type of toys from store shelves. It will also be a fascinating creative activity for children and adults, which can turn into a hobby.

What is “decoupage”, and why he was so fond of craftsmen and needlewomen, let's understand. Decoupage (découp translated from French as “cut out”) is one of the oldest techniques for processing and decorating objects, whether it be a vase, casket or even a whole chest of drawers with many drawers. The principle of operation is that Using simple manipulations, the necessary pattern or pattern is transferred to the surface of the object. The result is an original item that can later be decorated to your taste.

The history of decoupage is vast and interesting. The creative handmade method appeared about six centuries ago. Over time, this type of decoration became a favorite hobby for bohemians - wealthy and creative people who were happy to decorate home furniture and home decoration using unusual techniques.

An interesting fact is that decoupage once served as the so-called affordable fake, an alternative to the work of famous artists whose work not everyone could afford. Copies of famous paintings were transferred to the surface, varnished and processed in such a way that, being not a professional, they were quite difficult to distinguish from the original.

Among the fans of decoupage were such famous personalities as Marie Antoinette, who introduced fashion on the découpage in France, Madame de Pompadour and even Picasso. Time passes, but now, after many years, this type of decorative and applied art remains incredibly popular among professionals and lovers of handmade.

Using decoupage you can decorate any item, but today we will dwell on the decoration of Christmas tree decorations. Christmas balls created using decoupage technique are undoubtedly original, unusual and incredibly beautiful. Handmade toys evoke memories from childhood, and made using decoupage technique, they look unique, and at the same time are quite simple to perform.

Decoupage is possible in various techniques (they differ in the method of application and the materials used). The main ones are direct and reverse decoupage, volumetric, artistic and decoupage (a combination of decoupage and patchwork).

Decoupage styles can be very different. Consider the most popular.

Oriental technique appeared in Japan almost 300 years ago. Initially, wooden dolls were made using kimekomi, but now, using this method, they mainly make Christmas toys and decorations for the holiday. The technique is different in that the drawings and texture are applied using pieces of felt and shreds of colored fabric onto a foam base (be it a ball or any other shape that suits you). For fasteners, ordinary stationery glue is used.. A feature of kimekomi is the geometric patterns and lines.

First, let's figure out what a vintage style is. These are artificially aged objects that create a special mood. They are perfect and will serve as a wonderful gift for lovers of retro interiors.

It is recommended to use soft, muted tones and paints in the manufacture of vintage Christmas tree decorations. Great shades like dusty pink, light blue, gray, silver and porcelain. The details of the picture can be made a little brighter, highlighting a few accents using clearer lines.

The drawings that are preferred for this technique are pages and illustrations of old books, pieces of postcards and photographs depicting old Europe, retro pictures depicting children, angels, and, of course, New Year's motifs. Images can be printed on a color printer, or use ready-made images. In specialized stores for creativity, you can find many suitable materials (for example, napkins).

An important element of vintage decoupage is aging effectwhich can be achieved in various ways, for example, using the craquelure technique (artificial aging of the surface by cracking the top layer of the coating). Involving this technique in the manufacture of jewelry if desired is not a difficult task, and toys made using craquelure will look completely different.

Very reminiscent of a vintage style, but in Provence often used floral motifs and light soft colors, often with references to French subjects. In this stylistic direction, the effect of scuffing is also often used.. Provence balls should be made if this year you decide to decorate the Christmas tree in a romantic style using ribbons and artificial snow spraying.And the Eiffel Tower or delicate roses will perfectly serve as a print.

It is characterized by the presence of rich and deep shades. red, green, copper and gold (thanks to the shades used, the Victorian-style toy perfect for decorating a Christmas tree decorated in a classic style).

Often used ornaments such as a cage and strip, scenes with hunting, still lifes and scenes from the life of English society. All plots are made in muted colors.

These decoupage styles are one of the most suitable for decorating objects and decorations of New Year and Christmas themes. You, developing in your creativity, can study other interesting and beautiful directions of decoupage art. For example, such as ethnicity (characterized by vivid details related to a particular ethnic culture and traditions), shabby chic (soft blurry tones, performed mainly with the theme of floristry), or simplicity (a simple style suitable for beginners who love handmade technique).

Decoupage is famous for the fact that using this technique of decorative art it is possible to decorate almost any item. It doesn’t matter what material it is made of, whether it is wood, glass or plastic - decoupage will look great.

For Christmas decorations made using the decoupage technique, light and unbreakable material, for example, polystyrene, is most often used.

So, we will tell in more detail how to make Christmas toys with your own hands.

First of all, we need the following materials:

• foam ball or papier-mâché form (you can buy ready-made or make them yourself);
• glue - use PVA, glue stick or a special composition for decoupage;
• brush - you should choose a fairly soft brush so that when applying the material on the surface there are no noticeable traces and cracks;
• paper napkins with your favorite prints or bright scraps of fabric, depending on which decoupage method you prefer, and you can also use clippings from old newspapers and magazines, author's cards, even photos of your favorites.

With the help of our detailed step-by-step instructions, even a beginner handmade master can create his first creation using decoupage technique. Let's look at what stages of work should be performed when working on New Year's decoration, as well as what subtleties exist in decoupage. Let's get started.

First of all, you need to prepare a form. If you decide to use the blank from the store, you can safely proceed to the next item. If you plan to do the handmade work yourself “from and to” by making a ball of papier-mâché, you should sand the surface and make it as smooth as possible so that there are no difficulties with applying the drawing. It is also recommended to degrease and prime the form before application (water-based putty can be used). Without

This is also a very important stage. Possible options.

If you decide to decorate the ball with napkins, you must first remove the top layer (be careful so as not to damage the picture). A coating of thicker paper — postcards or newspapers — should be presoaked in cold water for a couple of minutes. This will greatly simplify the task for you when designing the product, since soaked paper is much more quickly impregnated with glue.

After we cut out or tear off the fragment of the pattern we like and glue it face down layer by layer on the product surface. This should be done as carefully as possible so as not to accidentally damage the drawing. And also on paper, you can make several small cuts so that it quickly and easily took the form of a product.

By layering pieces of paper, you can not only transfer the finished drawing, but also create a completely new plot. You can combine drawings in different ways, as far as your imagination allows. Many masters with the help of several napkins or book illustrations create real masterpieces that you want to consider again and again due to the large number of drawing details connected by one storyline.

We are waiting for the paper to dry, and then, if necessary, apply a little acrylic paint to even the borders of the picture and the background. It is advisable to do this with a foam sponge, which allows you to make a soft transition between colors. And also the paper can become rough, it can be easily fixed using sandpaper for sanding.

Further, it all depends on your imagination, you can add a little gold or silver potal to the ball, which will create the effect of precious flicker, or add some shining accents using glitter. Structural paste, which will create additional volume, can give an interesting effect. If you think that there is a lot of monophonic space left, you can fill it with hand-painted or stick a few small beads.

The finished toy should be coated with a special finish varnish (it is recommended to use from 4 to 10 layers), allowed to dry, decorate with a bright ribbon or lace - and voila, your little masterpiece is ready!

Decoupage fabric is not much different from paper. But still there are a few points of principle that should be paid attention to.

Before starting work, the form must be primed and covered with plain paint, but the glue for applying shreds of material should be used transparent. This is important to maintain the aesthetic appearance of the finished product. The denser the material, the more reliable glue you need to choose, ordinary PVA or stick often can not do.

You can stick fabric around the entire perimeter of the toy, or make several textile parts. It is not necessary to varnish such a ball. Balls decorated with fabric will look great with a decor of braid or lace.

And by the way, why not combine two techniques - paper and patchwork? For example, you can use a plain smooth fabric and a textured coating of paper with a pattern. The result can be very beautiful and creative.

See how to make Christmas balls using decoupage technique in the next video.