Decoupage or Dècoupage (from the French word découper ) is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cut outs, in combination with special paint effects, with other decorative elements. Then you need covering them with several coats of varnish or lacquer.
The traditional technique used 30 to 40 layers of varnish which were then sanded to a polished finish. The result is look like painting or inlay work. Decoupage is a fun and easy way to decorate just about any object, including household items from small vases to large pieces of furniture. You have endless possibilities. Best of all, decoupage can be learned fairly quickly in just a few steps.
1.First you have to select an object you want to decorate, and collect materials (usually paper) to decorate it with. It is interesting that you can use whole pieces of paper, you can tear it, or you can cut your paper to make interesting shapes and designs. The choice and design is yours. It is very important that the object of decorating need to be clean and dry.
2.You can make a sketch of the layout or simply put the cut-outs into place without gluing them and then you can take a picture to remember the arrangement. Now you are ready to start. Use a glue appropriate for both your surface and your cut-outs. You can use plain white glue, but it’ll be easier to use if you mix it with water (50% glue and 50% water.)
3.Apply the glue, using a paintbrush to brush a thin layer of glue onto your surface and onto the backs of the cut-outs. Make sure you apply the glue evenly and over the edges of the cut-outs. Then let glue dry, and be sure that whole piece is completely dried. (If you are applying several layers, make sure that each layer is dry.)
4.At the end Seal the decoupage with a couple coats of an appropriate sealant, such as specially-formulated decoupage finish varnish, or lacquer. Continue applying varnish or lacquer, because the unique appearance of decoupage is created by multiple coats of sealant. The number of coats is up to you, but some decoupage artists use as many as 30 or 40 coats. For best results you need to let each coat dry before applying the next, and sand the decoupage after every couple coats for best results.
5.Your decoupage artworks are ready. You can decorate your home, enjoying in the beautiful and new look with new design made by you… the best of all is that you can make decoupage with your friends or with your family … It is summer time so use your imagination and have fun…
