Decoupage opens up scope for creativity even to those whom nature has not endowed with real artistic talent. If you have the taste and patience, this technique will allow you to turn the most ordinary things into a work of art. First you need to decide which item to decorate with pictures, as well as which tools and materials are required.
Surface features
For the implementation of artistic ideas using decoupage, any smooth surfaces:
- glass;
- metal;
- ceramic;
- plastic;
- wooden.
You can look at furniture, dishes, kitchen utensils, rigid packaging from products and so on. It is very convenient to use blanks from wood, plywood, MDF. To such porous surfaces paper is firmly glued, and they allow you to make high-quality decor.
The same kitchen board with its simple form becomes a "training ground", on which it is easiest to practice napkin handling techniques to create decoupage.
It is this kitchen item that can be taken for work by those who decide to master the art of decorating with fragments of images from thin paper.
You can do a useful thing, and at the same time a "blank" for decoupage with your own hands. But this is provided that there is a skill in working with wood, as well as the necessary equipment to create an object worthy of quality.
Another option is to ask for the help of a friend or relative who has everything you need in his arsenal.Then from his hands you can get, for example, a simple-looking wooden box or a photo frame, which with the help of decoupage will turn into a thing amazing in appearance. Or it can be a plywood basis for creating openwork Christmas toys, panels or elegant kitchen boards.
Another way is to make a purchase in a specialized store selling creative materials. Surely there is something inspiring. Although it is quite expensive. You can place an order with manufacturers that produce blanks, for example, from such an inexpensive tree as pine. Sometimes it makes sense to order a small wholesale batch of goods. At the same time, the cost-effectiveness of such a purchase also requires careful evaluation.
Whatever acquisition method is discussed, it must be remembered that the basis for decoupage is of tremendous importance in terms of obtaining a good (or bad) work result. If the object itself made of wood, plywood or other material has flaws, then a beautiful thing in the end will not succeed.
Rather, there will be a disappointment in their own creative abilities.
How to decorate?
For decoupage, you can use pictures printed on different "media".
- Napkins. Their advantage is that they are easily glued and firmly attached to the surface, creating an imperceptible transition between the pattern and the base. In addition, napkins are inexpensive. It’s bad that they are easily torn, and with all the variety of drawings, it is not always possible to find something that fully corresponds to the artistic design of the decoupage master.
- Decoupage cards. They are printed on special paper intended for the corresponding direction in creativity. There are different densities and sizes. Such paper does not tear as easily as a napkin. Although the transition from the surface to the pattern is more noticeable for her, which requires additional efforts and time to eliminate this effect. Decoupage cards are more expensive than napkins.
- Rice paper for decoupage. The texture is a cross between a regular decoupage card and a napkin. It very easily lays on the surface, and in the case of a tree, it almost imprints on it. It is quite convenient to tear out an image from rice paper - the transition between the decorated surface and this material is almost imperceptible. However, you will have to pay for the convenience of work.
- Printouts. Any image can be printed on a printer and decorate it with the selected surface. The size of the picture in this case is easy to fit to the desired area. On the other hand, prepress takes time, and it’s much more difficult to separate a picture even from a thin varnish film than from a napkin or a decoupage card, as well as mask the transition to the surface to be decorated.
Preparatory work with wood
If an item made of wood is selected for decoration using decoupage technique, it should be prepared for the upcoming beautiful transformation into a unique thing. First you need to remove dust and the smallest dirt from the surface. To do this, use a soft damp cloth.
If there are cracks or chips on the workpiece, this should not be ignored. Moreover, all the flaws are perfectly masked by putty for construction work. (The material is sold in specialized construction and hardware stores).
After putting putty on a tree, its surface is treated with sandpaper.
When all the defects have been eliminated, the workpiece should be primed. Soil is sold in shops for creativity, although you can do it yourself by mixing equal proportions of acrylic paint and PVA glue, which are easy to get in the nearest household department. Primer is applied with a brush or sponge. Then the subject is allowed to dry. After that, sand the surface with sandpaper and rub it again to remove dust.
It is advisable to apply the soil 2, or even 3 times, in order to achieve perfect evenness of the base for decoupage.
What do you need?
If we are talking about decorating a wooden blank, in addition to it, you need to have table:
- napkins;
- scissors and brushes;
- acrylic paints;
- PVA glue;
- decoupage varnish.
All this is sold in departments for creativity or special hand-made stores.
Decoupage napkins
The napkin consists of three layers. From it you need to separate the top - with a picture. Then cut or tear out the desired fragment and attach to the place that will be decorated in order to try on the picture.
If everything is in order, you can take up gluing. A soft brush is used to apply the glue. The fragment treated with the adhesive composition is carefully applied to the intended place, smoothed from the center to the edges and allowed to dry for 30 minutes. Then you can further blow dry. If necessary, modify the surface of the subject with acrylic paints. At the last stage, the product is coated with acrylic varnish.
If necessary, you can apply a couple of additional layers.
Interesting ideas
It is better not to throw the old chest of drawers into the landfill, but to update it using decoupage. It will turn out a unique thing, no worse than from a museum.
A cutting board with the use of decoupage turns into a unique object, becomes an excellent gift, as well as decorating the interior of the kitchen.
Even a wooden hanger will live a new life in a “decoupage suit”, delighting its owners with a beautiful “outfit”.
An old stool, without losing functionality, is transformed with the help of napkins into an interesting art object that can bring a “twist” to the room’s atmosphere.
Wooden toys for the Christmas tree, made using napkins and decoupage cards, in a few years from the beginning of use will become a real family asset.
Wooden caskets decorated using decoupage technique look magnificent and romantic, become the pride of their owners, who keep jewelry and all kinds of “secrets” in them.
Using the same images, it is easy to create a whole set of beautiful boxes for storing important things in the household.
Decoupage beginner workshop in the next video.
