How to make decoupage at home. Decoupage, or napkin technique

The design of the interior elements dates back to the 17th century. It was then that the gluing of paper appliqués onto furniture, floors, and walls was widely used, so that the varnished appliqués looked like drawings.

Secrets of decoupage for beginners

Decoupage is the art of decorating an interior, various objects, and accessories using cut-out ornaments made of paper, fabric or leather. Its development began in the 15th century in Germany. In the Middle Ages, craftsmen used this type of technology in furniture making.

It rapidly developed and spread throughout the world, and already in the Victorian era, many independently mastered this unusual art of decoration. Now everyone can create decoupage with their own hands.

Styles and types of decoupage

Decoupage has a large number of styles, many of which have appeared not so long ago.

The most popular are:

• Shabby is chic. It arose at the end of the last century. Its features: colors of light delicate shades, floral patterns, the presence of a worn effect;
• Provence. This style is used when decorating an item to look like French antiquity;
• Vintage style. Characteristic features are: the effect of aging, the use of new and old objects in combination;
• Ethnic styles: Japanese, Indian, African, etc. Decorating objects using the “ethnic decoupage” technique is based on traditional motifs of each individual country. Indian, for example, is characterized by geometric patterns, rich and bright colors;
• Simple City. The style is accessible to everyone, since its peculiarity lies in the use of all kinds of available means: magazines, newspapers, children's drawings, etc.;
• Victorian. Things are decorated in the classic English style of the era of Queen Victoria;

Time does not stand still, so many types of decoupage are no longer relevant today.

The most popular are:

• Classical. It was from this type that decoupage originated. His technique involves gluing paper designs onto a surface;
• Decopatch. The item is decorated using small pieces of paper;
• Volume. Three-dimensional objects are used for decoration;
• Art. The peculiarity of the view lies in the desire to create a holistic image;
• Back. This decoupage is done on transparent glass objects. It differs from the classic one in that the ornament is attached to the inside;
• . A great alternative to the classic look. Such decoration is done only on fabric items that do not need to be washed at temperatures above 40 degrees.

What and where to buy for decoupage

The first questions that arise before someone starting to create using the decoupage technique are: what to prepare for work and where to buy it all.

As a rule, there are no problems with the assortment of special products for this handicraft in modern stores. But, if they still lack something, there are also numerous online services that sell the necessary accessories.

The most necessary materials and tools for any type and style of decoupage include:

• blank - an object or surface chosen for decoration;
• brushes of various thicknesses and materials, selected depending on the type of work;
• acrylic paints and varnish;
• special decoupage appliqués, self-cut figures and images or other decoration elements;
• glue;
• sandpaper for grouting.

The decoupage technique allows you to transform surfaces and objects created from a wide variety of materials. This could be: a wall, a leather wallet or handbag, a glass vase, a metal or wooden blank, a fabric bag for storing herbs and much more.

The material, as well as the color scheme of the future product, are selected depending on what style is chosen for decoration. Acrylic paints and varnish are used due to their unpretentiousness. And this is very important, since this is where, as a rule, all work begins. Glue can be used as specialized or universal PVA.

All the necessary materials are available to almost everyone, and the technology is not so complicated, so decoupage is quite accessible for beginners.

You can, for example, master several simple techniques for decorating furniture or bottles and candles.

Decoupage furniture

Furniture skillfully decorated using the decoupage technique looks very rich and elegant, regardless of the style chosen for it.

You can decoupage furniture with your own hands in two ways:

1. Using the entire surface of the object, using the decopatch technique.
2. Using part of an object - decoration is made using one or two pictures.

It’s very easy and simple, for example, you can decorate an old chest of drawers.

The following tools are prepared for this:

• paper clippings;
• alcohol;
• unnecessary rags;
• sealant;
• brush and sponge;
• polyurethane varnish;
• leather strips for handles;
• glue;
• sandpaper.

The chest of drawers is cleaned with fine sandpaper, then wiped with a cloth soaked in alcohol and wiped well with a rag. The prepared surface is covered with glue using a brush or sponge. Cut newspapers are thoroughly moistened with water and applied to the surface. It is very important to smooth the glued material well so that there are no air bubbles left underneath it. This is done in the direction from the center to the edges of the chest of drawers.After which the entire surface is covered with several layers of varnish, each layer takes an hour to dry.

Handles, pre-decorated with leather, are screwed onto the finished dry surface to the edges of the drawers and the creatively decorated chest of drawers is ready.

Decoupage chest of drawers

An excellent occasion to master the decoupage technique can be a birthday, wedding, New Year's holidays or any other special event.

Decorated bottles or candles will be an original gift.

The beauty of such gifts is that they are always unique.

Some tips for decoupaging holiday accessories:

• To highlight small details and contours, it is better to use contour paints, to fill in the image - stained glass paints, acrylic paints work well on glass and ceramic products;
• It is better to take fabrics such as silk, satin, velor or velvet;
• Corrugated paper is not used in decoupage of bottles, candles and glasses, as it quickly deteriorates;
• Before decorating the bottle, it must be thoroughly cleaned and primed;
• In order for the decorated bottle to open well, the neck under the cork is wrapped with thin wire;
• It is better not to apply many layers of varnish, glue, foil and napkins to this area;
• You should not leave the bottom of the bottle undecorated;
• Ornaments cut from napkins are great for candles.

The workpiece is applied to the candle and easily sunk into it using a hot spoon. But you should not hold the spoon on the candle for too long, so as not to deform the product. Having mastered an art form such as decoupage, modern handicraft lovers can not only transform old furniture and accessories, but also feel at least a little like Venetian craftsmen.

Decoupage candles

Our master class today is exclusively for beginners. I will tell you where to start so that your efforts are not wasted. After all, as often happens, there seems to be a desire, and there are enough useful materials with textbooks, and the “first pancake” can at once discourage all the best undertakings.

And if you are still in thought and don’t know which type of needlework to choose, then my arguments, I am sure, will help you decide.

Let me start with the fact that decoupage (or napkin technique) is the simplest, most inexpensive decoration technique accessible to everyone, suitable for absolutely any surface. You can decorate everything with decoupage - from a hot stand to your grandmother's wardrobe. After such a transformation, the item not only looks very beautiful (as if hand-painted), but is unique in every sense. You will soon see this for yourself!

The first thing you should know when starting the decoupage technique is the properties of materials. What they are, why they are suitable or not suitable for you for certain purposes. This simple knowledge, although simple at first glance, has many nuances that a beginner should remember.

Acrylic paint is the most important thing. This is where the main work begins. You can use acrylic purchased from specialty stores, or regular water-based interior construction paint. By the way, in the future you will see that construction paint is ideal for one-step crackle in decoupage. But be careful - construction paint should not be dispersive, otherwise it will not adhere well.

In decoupage, special glue is used (for decoupage) and regular PVA (diluted by 1/3 with water). Both have their advantages and disadvantages.

Specialized glue is ideal for the job because of its consistency, but it costs several times more than PVA (the disadvantage of PVA is that it adheres worse).

Varnish. Decoupage uses a special decoupage varnish and water-based acrylic varnish for construction.

Due to its consistency, decoupage varnish is ideal for coating decoupage surfaces.

Construction varnish is also well suited for these purposes. In addition, it is sold at any hardware store. But you need to keep in mind that when using construction varnish, decoupage requires more thorough varnishing than when using specialized varnish.

Glue varnish for decoupage (2-in-1) is suitable if you just want to understand what decoupage is. This glue is easy to use because (as you guessed) it performs two functions simultaneously.

Additional materials:

Putty. You can purchase it at any hardware store. Perfect for correcting defects on wooden products and creating 3D decoupage. Which is very convenient, since this inexpensive method eliminates the need for artists to purchase expensive 3-D gels to create volumes.

Structural paste also copes well with various defects in products and creates volume.

Color. In this capacity, you can use ordinary artistic gouache by adding it to acrylic paint. Gouache produced by “Nevskaya Palitra” has proven itself well in work, retaining its properties for a long time.

At Nevskaya Palitra you can also purchase acrylic pearlescent paints “Perlamex” and “Metalex” with glitter, wonderful metallics for giving the product effects of gilding, silvering and others.

Of course, it makes no sense for a beginner to purchase a large number of paints, colors, etc. at once. This is expensive and impractical. But you should always have a couple of shades of light gold and dark gold on hand. I really don’t recommend buying Decola paints because of their short shelf life.

An alternative to a specialized color for decoupage is its analogue, which is sold in regular hardware stores. It is indispensable when painting large areas - such as a closet or chest of drawers, for example. The colors of burnt umber and autumn foliage are well suited for this type of work. The cost of construction colors is low (two times cheaper than acrylic paints), and the efficiency is no less.

Brushes and sponges. Medium sized flat synthetic brush. Indispensable for final application of varnish.

Sponges can be used instead of brushes when applying acrylic paints to the surface of a product.

Rollers are very convenient for smoothing decoupage cards or napkins.

Spatula for working with putty.

Sandpaper copes well with roughness when working with wooden products and in cases where it is necessary to remove the ends of the napkin protruding beyond the edge of the product. I advise you to purchase the most common types of sandpaper - No. 240 and No. 280.

I will separately dwell on the decor for decoupage. It includes:

Special napkins for decoupage
Napkins for table setting (three-layer)
Rice paper
Printouts made on a laser printer

Each option has its own advantages, but I would advise beginner decoupage artists to start with napkins (regular or for decoupage). They are simpler and easier to use.

Today we will take the first steps into the endless world of decoupage possibilities. Let's start with the simplest product.

Hot stand:

We will need:

Hot stand
Napkins for decoupage
White acrylic paint
Glue varnish

1. First sand the workpiece with sandpaper.
2. Cover with the first layer of acrylic paint.

3. Dry well with a hairdryer at a distance of 20-30 cm or leave until completely dry.
4. Sand again.

5. Apply a second layer of acrylic paint (don’t forget to paint the side of our stand!)
6. Cut the napkin to the shape of the stand.
7. Remove two protective layers.
8. For gluing we use a stationery file. To do this, place a napkin in the middle of the file, fill it completely with water and smooth out the bubbles with a brush - from the center to the edges.

9. Blot excess moisture with a napkin.

10. Apply the file with a damp cloth to the base and carefully remove it.

11. Apply glue or adhesive varnish to a damp cloth.

12. Dry with a hairdryer or leave until completely dry.
13. Remove the remaining napkin that extends beyond the edges of the stand using sandpaper (“zero” or “two”).

14. Apply another layer of adhesive varnish, which will allow us to secure the napkin for hot use.
15. We do the same on the other side.
16. At the end of the work, if desired, the edges of our stand can be aged using the aging effect.

Helpful tips when working: decoupage without folds

Without having much experience in decoupage yet, you may encounter the fact that the napkin, when pasted, puffs up and gathers in folds. Now I will show you several ways to avoid this.

Method A: (only suitable for small areas of the napkin)

1. If our napkin consists of three layers (which is most often), remove the two bottom layers, leaving only the top, colorful one.

2. Using your hands (not scissors!), tear off the desired fragment of the napkin - in this case, it organically merges with the main background of the product, which creates the illusion of a pattern.

3. Cover a fragment of a napkin with glue, moving from the center in a circle. The resulting small wrinkles can be smoothed out by slightly lifting the napkin and then smoothing it out. You need to act very carefully, because a wet wipe is very fragile.

4. Excess napkin extending beyond the edge of the product can be removed using sandpaper. But only after the napkin dries well!

Method B:

1. Separate the colored layer of the napkin.

2. Apply it to the product.

3. Place a dot in the center of the napkin with a brush dipped in water.

4. Carefully lifting the napkin, we continue to saturate the motif with water in a circle, starting from the center. Here you need to be very careful so as not to accidentally damage the napkin at some point.

5. If, when wet, the edges of our napkin go beyond the edge of the product, then they can be removed with your hands while it is still wet. We will sand the small parts later with sandpaper when the napkin is dry.

6. We fix the still damp napkin with glue, while barely touching its surface with the brush.

7. Leave until completely dry.

We will send the material to you by e-mail

People of all age groups are engaged in creativity. Decoupage for beginners is considered an inexhaustible topic. Step by step with a photo of a bottle you can start making your first craft. Once you try it, you can easily decorate a wicker basket, any piece of furniture, or update an old lamp.

The advantage of this technique is that it can be used on different surfaces. Decoupage is reminiscent of an ancient technique. This decor is especially popular when creating items in a vintage style. An original solution is the use of retro accessories in interior design.

An ordinary interior is diversified by original decor

How to make bottle decoupage for beginners: step by step with photos and detailed instructions

Decoupage of bottles with tights is considered an unusual craftsmanship technique. The master class involves creating three-dimensional forms. This produces an imitation of waves or beautiful relief patterns.

Decoupage comes in the following types:

• direct method, in which the design is glued to the front of the object;
• the reverse is used to decorate glass surfaces, in which case the picture is glued from the inside;
• volumetric technique, when the drawing rises above the rest of the surface;
• the smoky method is a variant of artistic painting;
• Decopatch is a method where an object is pasted over with pieces of various materials: napkins, corrugated paper or regular colored paper.

Helpful information! The preference for a particular technique depends on the style of decorating the room, the capabilities and design of the product. For decoupage, you can use any pictures you like, newspaper clippings, bright magazines and labels. Napkins, textured paper and special cards for decoupage are also used.

You can start step-by-step decoupage for beginners with a photo of a bottle and preparing certain elements and materials. You will need any bottle with a smooth surface, acrylic paint, glue, varnish, scissors and an alcohol solution. An ornament on a napkin, newspaper photographs or printouts from websites are suitable for decoration.

Image	Stages of work
	Remove any paper stickers. To do this, place the dishes in a soapy solution, and then remove all excess from it with sandpaper. Then the surface is wiped with a solvent.
	To create a more beautiful design, prime the surface. The paint can be applied using a sponge or brush. For rich color, apply paint in several layers.
	You can cut the image out of a napkin. In this case, the part with the pattern needs to be separated from the rest of the paper. If you use a newspaper clipping, the pattern is covered with several layers of varnish, dipped in warm water, and then the varnished area is separated from the wet paper and glued to the bottle.
	To glue the image, a pattern is applied to the dry surface of the bottle and varnished on top.
	The design is strengthened with varnish.
	Leave the craft to dry.

Master class on decoupage furniture in Provence style

Provence style is often present in original ideas for do-it-yourself decoupage of kitchen furniture. Photos of interesting solutions can be seen on the website. If you have old pieces of furniture from your grandmother’s time, then with the help of this technique you can give them a second life.

The interior in Provence style is distinguished by its extraordinary beauty. To decorate a room in this style you don’t need to spend a lot of money; you can make a stylish thing with your own hands from scrap materials. To decorate furniture in a similar style, motifs characteristic of the French province are used. These are flower gardens, lavender fields, picturesque streets and vineyard plantations.

You can see how to make a masterpiece in Provence style in our master class using the example of a chest of drawers.

Image	Description of actions
	Prepare a chest of drawers, beautiful designs on napkins, paint, glue, roller, brush, sandpaper and scissors.
	The piece of furniture itself is painted with paint. Apply layers with a roller, and after drying, sand down any imperfections with sandpaper.
	While the chest of drawers is drying, you can cut out elements of napkins for decoration.
	The glue is distributed over the location of the pattern and over the image itself. To create a scuffed effect, sandpaper is used.
	The surface is varnished. You need to apply 10 to 15 layers.
	It is recommended to sand every fourth layer with a varnish compound.
	Excess paint is removed.
	To complete the work, you need to wait until the chest of drawers is completely dry.

How to make decoupage on glass from napkins: step-by-step instructions with photos

You can use an interesting decoupage technique using napkins on glass. To do this, you need to prepare paint compositions, themed napkins, varnish, glue and brushes.Choose a suitable glass container. Its surface must be treated with alcohol.

Image	Job
	The glass must be tinted using the chosen method: paint, primer or sticking rice paper.
	Beautiful decorative elements are cut out of napkins.
	The prepared paper with patterns is applied to the surface and smeared with glue. After drying, the drawing is varnished.
	You can outline the drawing using a glass outline and complete small details.

Helpful information! If you want to apply decoupage to dishes that are used for eating, then use special glue for glass and porcelain. The finished product needs to be dried for a day and then baked in the oven.

Decoupage on boxes

It’s worth trying to repeat a simple master class on decoupage of a shoe box. The materials you will need are a thick box, napkins, acrylic paints, glue and brushes.

Image	Stages of work
	Apply white paint to the box and then dry thoroughly.
	Cut out a pattern from napkins. At the same time, we separate the top layer. Glue is applied to the part, which is glued to the box.
	The glue is applied from the middle to the edges with slight pressure.
	After the image has dried, you can decorate the surface using decorative stamps.
	To give an aged look, you need to go over the edges with dark paint.
	The drawings are fixed on top with acrylic varnish.
	This is what it looks like after the work is done.

How to glue correctly without creases?

It is necessary to familiarize yourself with some rules before creating decoupage for beginners. Step by step, you can create unusual compositions with a photo of a bottle and napkins. Napkins provide a particular challenge. Some types of napkins cannot be applied wet, as they immediately begin to unravel. To glue smoothly and without wrinkles, you can use the hot method. PVA glue is applied to the surface. Then, after drying, the napkin is applied to this place and ironed with a hot iron through the paper. In this case, the napkin will stick without wrinkles.On a napkin glued in this way, you need to carefully apply varnish, especially the first layer.

Tell me, what do gunpowder, a compass and porcelain have in common? That's right - they are of Chinese origin. What will be discussed in this article also came to us from China.

Yes, yes, and here, as they say, it could not have happened without the Chinese. This eastern country is the birthplace of another great invention of mankind - paper. What does paper have to do with it? Now you will understand.

The home of a simple Chinese was distinguished by its asceticism and dullness. Dressing in painted silks and surrounding oneself with expensive, beautiful things was the privilege of the rich.

But the soul asked for bright colors. So the poor people came up with a simple, but extremely aesthetic activity.

Handicrafts are back in trend!

Chinese needlewomen spent their days leisurely cutting out figures from thin rice paper and decorating dishes, furniture and other household items with them.

The hobby of handicrafts is back in fashion today. One of the most popular techniques of modern needlework is the decoupage technique. The word translated from French means “to cut.”

Why does ancient Chinese art have a French name? The fact is that more than three hundred years ago the fashion for Chinese lacquered furniture came to Europe. At the same time, the first fakes appeared.

Famous Venetian masters copied the works of the Chinese poor. Strange, isn't it?

But this is all lyrics. Let's get back to reality.

Nowadays, decoupage is again at the peak of fashion. Mastery of this technique gives modern needlewomen the opportunity to create real works of original art.

Do-it-yourself decoupage is not only a fun activity, but also a good way to make money on handmade items.

What items can be decorated using the decoupage technique?

When you first see an object decorated using this technique, you will hardly believe that it is an ordinary paper appliqué coated with several layers of varnish. The look of such products is simply amazing.

It is possible to master decoupage, although this activity will require some skills and maximum perseverance and patience.

But in this case, the end completely justifies the means. Seeing the admiring glances of others, you will understand: it was worth it.

An item decorated using decoupage turns from stamping into something exclusive. She is unique and inimitable.

Decoupage will help you transform the objects around you and give them individuality. This is also a great gift idea.

What can be decorated with decoupage?

Most often, decoupage is performed on unpainted cutting boards. They are great for decorating this way. They have a smooth wooden surface on which varnish fits perfectly.

Note!

Scenes for decoration can be cut out of three-layer napkins. More experienced needlewomen use newspaper illustrations or images printed on a printer.

The printer must be a laser one. An inkjet printer uses water-based ink, so printouts will bleed when exposed to adhesive. True, this can be avoided if you spray the surface of the drawing with aerosol varnish before starting work.

With the advent of handmade fashion, special napkins for decoupage and decoupage cards made of thin paper appeared in craft stores. The choice of plots is huge, and using them is much easier and more convenient.

Yes, whatever you want. Vases, plates, flower pots, trays, furniture, boxes, glass bottles and jars, lamps and even clothes. Give an old unnecessary thing a new life? Easily!

Any flat surface can be decoupaged. It is better if it is light: the application is difficult to see on a dark surface.

Note!

Great ideas for decorating household items can be found in IKEA stores. Products of this brand are simply created for decoration. Faceless chests of drawers and chairs, trays and bread bins in skillful hands turn into wonderful things for the kitchen, bedroom or cottage.

And most importantly, you don’t need to look for an item that matches your interior. Just buy it from IKEA and decorate it to your liking.

Decoupage on kitchen utensils looks very harmonious. We have already mentioned cutting boards and bread bins. A set of jars for spices or bulk products, decorated with culinary-themed appliqués, will add a special touch to your kitchen.

Decoupage of a champagne bottle in New Year's style will create a festive atmosphere and serve as an original gift.

Candles decorated using decoupage technique will perfectly complement the interior of a romantic evening.

Note!

Thanks to this technique, you can turn an ordinary wall clock into a unique piece of home decor. And if you decorate the watch with photographs of special moments in your life, you will get a surprise for your significant other on your wedding anniversary or acquaintance.

Every fashionista probably has a wooden chest in which she stores jewelry or costume jewelry. Decoupage can do wonders to transform a boring wooden box into a cute little item. And you made this little thing yourself. Agree, this is doubly pleasant.

Decoupage of furniture is generally a separate topic for conversation. Coffee and coffee tables, garden benches, chairs, sideboards, chests of drawers...

The main thing is to be able to stop in time. A room overloaded with decorated furniture will make a repulsive impression. In everything you need to know when to stop.

So, we’ve decided on the items for decoupage. Go ahead.

What is required to perform decoupage?

Today, craft stores offer a huge selection of materials and tools for decoupage. In order not to get confused in this variety, it is better for a beginner to purchase a minimal set for decoupage.

This set includes a primer, three-layer napkins, small scissors with rounded ends, flat-shaped brushes of different widths made of hard bristles, as well as PVA glue. Special glue for decoupage is preferable, but PVA will also work.

If you want to decorate the surface of the product with glitter, you will need glitter glue.

After fixing the design on the surface, the object must be coated with transparent varnish. This will protect the image from damage and give the product a finished look. Decoupage varnish comes in two types - matte and glossy.

I would like to make some small details clearer. To do this, they need to be painted with acrylic paints using a thin brush. Acrylic paints are durable and non-toxic.

Another advantage is that the design can be completely washed off with water before it dries. Once the paint has dried, this will no longer be possible.

The choice of acrylic paints is huge. These include regular basic shades and glossy paints with a glow effect or a pearlescent effect.

Sometimes there is a need to artificially age a product. Craquelure varnish will help with this. After applying it to a pre-painted surface, it forms cracks. It seems that the surface of the object is covered with patina, and this is a sure sign of its advanced age.

And one more thing: before starting to work with a wooden workpiece, make sure that its surface is well sanded. Otherwise, you will need fine sandpaper to polish the wood.

How to make high-quality decoupage?

Before you start working on your first product, be sure to practice cutting out an element from a napkin, carefully gluing the decor onto the base, and finally, applying varnish - there are also little tricks here, we’ll talk about them a little below.

After that, you can move on to a more serious project.

The most important stage is thinking through the appearance of the product. Choose a blank, think over the plot and color scheme, make sure you have the necessary equipment.

Most often, napkins are used to decoupage surfaces. It is best to start mastering the technique with them. It is necessary to separate the top layer with the pattern from the two lower ones. Carefully cut out the plot using sharp scissors.

When working with decoupage cards, simply cut out the plot you need or tear it off with your fingers along the contour. This will give the image a natural look.

If you perform decoupage using photographs or paper illustrations, immerse them in water at room temperature for a while. This should be done very carefully to preserve the top layer.

Once the images are thoroughly wet, remove them from the water and peel off the bottom layer of paper. This will be easy to do: the wet paper base literally rolls off under your fingers. Let the drawing dry a little. You can cut out the necessary parts before getting wet or after drying.

At this stage, you can give the image the desired effect. Antique designs will give the product a vintage look. An ordinary tea bag will help to age a drawing or newspaper clippings.

Brew it in boiling water, then cool and blot the image. After drying, the tea forms yellowish-brown streaks, just like old paper.

The next stage is surface preparation. If necessary, sand the surface.

Cover with acrylic primer. If it is not there, dilute PVA glue with water: it will replace the primer. Plastic, glass or ceramic surfaces do not need to be primed. It is necessary to wash off traces of fat from them. Wash them with dishwashing liquid or treat the surface with alcohol.

Now the most difficult stage is gluing the plot onto the base. The image is very thin, so we place it on the base and apply glue on top. It is important to prevent the paper from wrinkles and rolling. Apply glue with a flat brush from the center to the edges, carefully straightening out the folds.

After gluing, let the product dry. Then you can start drawing small details, if necessary. To design the boundaries of the plot, a relief acrylic outline is sometimes used. Patiently wait for it to dry completely.

And finally, the final touch. To preserve all this created beauty, we cover the work with acrylic varnish. If you intend to apply several layers of varnish, make sure that each layer dries thoroughly, and only then apply the next one.

Are you planning to add an antique charm to your product? Cover the dried surface with craquelure varnish. Almost immediately your work will be covered with a fine network of cracks. Keep in mind: the thicker the varnish layer, the wider the cracks.

Recently, varnishes with a colored tint have appeared on sale. It is also designed to age decoupage work.

What do you need to know when working with other surfaces?

At the beginning of the article, we talked about the fact that using the decoupage technique you can decorate almost any flat surface. Fabric is one such surface. The peculiarity of decoupage clothing is the use of a special varnish. They cover the applique at the end of the work.

After the product has dried, it should be ironed through gauze with a slightly heated iron. Wash the product in warm water and wear it with pleasure.

Decoupage of cardboard blanks also has its own rules. The problem is that when smeared with glue, the cardboard is greatly deformed. The solution is to cover the surface of the cardboard with plaster or varnish before starting decoupage.

Gypsum for the primer is diluted with warm water to a thick sour cream. You can also purchase special primer for cardboard. The folds of cardboard blanks are treated with rubber glue. This will avoid deformation.

And high-quality decoupage of decorative candles will help you do... an ordinary spoon. After gluing the plot, the spoon is heated from the concave side, and the convex part is drawn along the drawing. The wax that appears through the image completely replaces the varnish of the candle.

Below are photos of items decorated using the decoupage technique.
We hope that our decoupage master class will help you master this unique technique to perfection. We wish you creative success and brilliant ideas!

DIY decoupage photo

All about decoupage.
We bring to your attention an article for beginner decoupage artists.
In it we will look at a variety of different and exciting topics. We will give useful and interesting advice on work and materials.
Now on the Internet you can find a lot of information about decoupage, as well as various master classes. But on our website all the necessary information will be in one place! And you won’t have to suffer for long to find the answer to your question!
We will go into detail at each stage, so you will get a lot of information. But don’t be scared :) Reading all the tips will lead you to the best results of your work!

Let's start by dividing the advice into specific parts, namely like this:
1. What is decoupage (a little history)
2. Tools and materials (primer, glue, brushes, varnish)
3. Napkins, decoupage cards and printouts
4. Work on a dark and light background and the process of painting the surface
5. Surfaces for work (plastic, cardboard, wood, ceramics, fabric, etc....)
6. Let's talk about craquelure

Part 1.
What is it?
Decoupage (French decouper - cut) - a decorative technique for fabric, dishes, furniture, etc., consisting of meticulously cutting out images from various materials (wood, leather, fabrics, paper, etc.), which are then glued or attached in another way on various surfaces for decoration.
The origins of decoupage go back to the early Middle Ages. It was first mentioned as an art form at the end of the 15th century in Germany, where carved pictures began to be used to decorate furniture. The peak of the passion for this technique came in the 17th century in Venice, when furniture decorated with inlays in the Chinese or Japanese style came into fashion. Venetian craftsmen skillfully cut out images, glued them to the surface of furniture and covered them with several layers of varnish for protection.
By using such appliqué, furniture makers imitated expensive oriental inlays, which was much cheaper, but was no less in demand. Subsequently, this art in Italy became known as Arte povera (“art of the poor”). Nowadays such furniture is extremely rare and very expensive, and many modern furniture designers imitate this style.
In England, decoupage came into use among the general public during the Victorian era, when sheets of printed cut-out collections became available in large quantities, and decoupage found its way into almost every home. By the middle of the 19th century, this hobby became widespread. Mostly, sentimental motifs were used for the works in the form of images of flowers, pastoral scenes, figurines and angels. From England, decoupage as a hobby came to America, where it was widely known between the First and Second World Wars.
Now this ancient technique has again become fashionable and is widespread in various countries when decorating handbags, hats, trays, Christmas tree decorations, sundials, boxes, dishes, packaging, etc., as well as when creating exclusive interior items, when decorating clothes and production of fashion accessories.
Nowadays, decoupage from napkins, from fabrics and on fabrics has been added to the traditional technique, computer innovations have been introduced that allow the use of three-dimensional decoupage, as well as pictures of various contents printed on a printer or copier.
The variety of materials appearing in stores allows you to decorate any surface: candles, ceramics, fabric, wood, metal, etc. And the use of various techniques, such as gilding, aging, crackle, artistic decoupage, volumetric decoupage (using model mass and other materials) provide unlimited scope.
Currently, styles such as Provence, Victorian style, shabby chic, ethno and many other trends are popular in decoupage. This is primarily due to current trends in interior design.
(Source: wikipedia.org)
Part 2 ( Tools and materials (primer, glue, brushes)
In order to get started using the decoupage technique, you will need tools. Namely, you must have sharp small scissors! These can be either manicure scissors, medical scissors, or tweezers. For thicker paper, you will need stronger scissors; you can also use a scalpel, or a special decoupage knife with a rotating blade.
You will also need brushes. It is best to use a fan brush when gluing napkins to small surfaces. It will also be convenient for you to use a flat synthetic brush No. 12-14 m. If you need to work with a larger object, then it is better to use brushes of a larger width or a roller. When applying paints or varnish, it is very convenient to cover the surface with a foam sponge.
Sometimes the design is pulled out of the napkin with your fingers. This is convenient when all the elements in the picture are large. If your motif has very small elements, then it is better to paint them with a thin brush.
Brushes for decoupage are of great importance, and over time you will learn to select exactly those that are convenient for you. In order for all layers of paint and varnish to adhere well, the surface to be decorated must be treated, namely sanded, degreased and primed. If you are a beginner master, then it is best for you to use a flat and smooth surface for your work.
Two types are used for grinding sandpaper. You start working with coarse sandpaper, and then you need to work the surface with fine sandpaper. Can also be used sanding sponge different grain sizes. You can degrease the surface either with alcohol or with the most common window cleaner. But, I repeat once again - it all depends on the surface being decorated!
For the primer, you can use a special primer for decoupage, or acrylic paint, or PVA glue.
We will look at each material in more detail in another part (No. 5).

For gluing, PVA glue (diluted or undiluted) or special decoupage glue is most often used.
We apply the finished napkin motif to the surface and begin gluing it with a flat or fan brush, coating it with glue on the outside. As the napkin gets soaked, it begins to stretch a little, so you need to act very carefully, straightening out all the wrinkles and bubbles with a brush. Gluing should begin from the center of the pattern. And now about the varnish. When the work is painted and pasted over, it must be covered with at least two layers of varnish to protect it from mechanical damage and moisture.
The work, made using the decoupage technique, looks good only when the motif you have chosen blends with the background, and no excess, lumps, or folds are visible. Finishing with varnish also helps achieve the desired effect! The number of layers varies depending on the work itself.
The choice of varnishes is very large! You can use gloss or matte varnish, triple gloss varnish and high gloss varnish, acrylic based. Which varnish to use depends on what effect you want to achieve. There is a special glossy water-based varnish so that the item can be used outdoors. Varnishes for decoupage do not turn yellow over time, do not smell, and no brush marks remain on the surface of the objects being decorated. Part 3 ( Napkins, decoupage cards and printouts)
What can you use as a picture for gluing? In this part we will focus on all possible options.
Most often, ordinary three-layer napkins are used, tearing out or cutting out the desired pattern (motif), and then separating the bottom two layers. Only one layer is used - the top one, with the pattern. And in order to make it easier to tear out the desired element of the design, its edges can be slightly moistened with a damp brush.
If you are a beginner, then it is easiest for you to start with napkins, because... Very few steps are required to prepare them.

Can be used decoupage cards. This is a paper that is specially developed for the decoupage technique: so that it fits better when gluing, it produces fewer folds, and does not fade over time.

How to prepare a motif from a decoupage card?
First, the desired fragment must be cut out and then soaked in water. But if the fragment is small, then we simply cover the place where we will glue the motif with varnish. Then we glue the motif and coat it with varnish on top again.
If the motif is large, then first we lower it into a bowl of water and wait a little until the entire design gets wet (at this time it will curl), then we take it out and blot the excess water with paper towels. This fragment of the pattern can be placed on a file, so it will be easier to work with it. Apply glue evenly to the reverse side of the motif and to the surface of the object we are working with. Glue the motif onto the surface and smooth it, expelling excess air.
There is such a way of decoupage - as reverse decoupage on a plate. In this case, it will be useful to use plain rice paper. It sticks on just like a regular napkin. You can also use different printouts. It is best to print on one of the white layers of tissue paper, but place a regular sheet of paper underneath. The printer must be set to manual feed. You need to fold the napkin around the paper on three sides, carefully smooth the folds and seal with wide tape. Do everything so carefully that there is simply nothing for the printer to catch on. Accordingly, you need to place the paper in such a way that the printer eats the side where the napkin is wrapped and secured with tape first.
Be sure to print on a laser printer! If you print a drawing on an inkjet printer, it will “bleed” during operation (the paint will be washed off from the drawing).
Some other decoupage masters use motifs from the most common postcards. To do this, you need to sand the bottom layer of paper on the back of the postcard, using zero sandpaper, very carefully, especially the edges, making them very thin. So that the border of the transition is not visible on the surface to be decorated.
There is another way to remove the bottom layer of the printout. It was invented by Inna Shokoladnitsa. The method is very simple to implement. To do this, you need to iron the printout well. On the back side we glue wide tape and with a slight movement of the hand, as when depilating, we remove the film, and with it one layer of paper. Like this
And another original way of decoupage is to use old photographs. Before gluing the photo, we coat it with varnish on the front side, let it dry, soak it in water and carefully remove the bottom layer, as if rolling it up.

Part 4 ( Working on dark and light backgrounds)
So, let's talk about what background is best to do decoupage on. And it is also important to consider not only the color, but also the execution technique.
On a white background the work will be very bright and rich! This is especially important if you are working with a decoupage napkin.
But if you need to do decoupage on a dark background, you need to think carefully about this. Because the napkin pattern will be lost on a dark background. The same applies to motifs printed on rice paper.
But this rule does not apply to thick paper for decoupage, since it does not shine through under any circumstances.
And in order for your work to be perfect against a dark background, there are several ways to do this:
1. -first, paint the surface with white paint;
-glue a napkin (the desired motif) and dry it;
-then cover this element with acrylic varnish;
-and now you can carefully paint the background around the picture. For this you can use either a sponge or a brush. Your motive will remain bright. And even if you accidentally stain the drawing with paint, it can be cleaned with a damp cotton pad, the drawing is protected by varnish and will not be damaged.
2. It can be done differently. Making the main background. And then we cover with white paint the area of ​​the background where the napkin will be located. But this method is a little inconvenient in that when gluing the napkin stretches a little and the edges of the design (motif) will be dark. It is advisable to use this method in rare cases.
3. And another way is that you can glue unnecessary layers of napkins onto the finished background. Namely like this:
-take one of the layers of napkin from the cut out motif, glue it and dry it;
-cover this fragment with white paint and dry again;
-and glue the desired pattern on top.
But, again, do not forget that the napkin stretches a little. Try to match as much as possible!
Although there are moments in the work that you shouldn’t worry too much about the dark background of the products. For example, if you want to create a product with an antique look or metallic shades such as copper, bronze, the glued motif can resemble an engraving. Don't be afraid to try and experiment!

Coloring
Acrylic paints are most often used to paint the surface to be decorated. They dry very quickly, are easy to apply, and after drying do not dissolve in water. Any manufacturer has a wide range of colors, as well as paints with various effects (glitter, metallic effect, glossy, etc.)
The process is as follows: paint your item. If you are working with a board, it needs to be painted on both sides so that the work looks aesthetically pleasing and beautiful. If it is a box or flower pot, then it is not necessary to paint the inside. But it all depends on what effect you want to achieve and how you will use your work in the future.
The surface of the work can be simply painted with white paint, or any desired shade can be obtained. Mix paints in the palette. If you don’t have one, you can use any disposable tableware. Acrylic paints mix very well with each other, so achieving the desired shade will be very easy. Apply paint with a flat synthetic brush. Try to make your strokes neat, not leaving smudges or greasy streaks of paint. You can also use a foam sponge for painting. With its help, a slightly rough surface is created. Immediately after painting, wash your brush, otherwise it will dry out and become unusable! You can throw away the sponge. You won't need it anymore.
Dry the work. Acrylic paint dries within 20-30 minutes. To speed up the drying process, you can use a regular hairdryer.
Try to paint the surface to be decorated very well, so that there are no unpainted areas left. Usually, one coat is not enough; it is better to apply two coats of paint.
Then dry the work and start gluing the napkin!
There is a small educational tutorial on acrylic paints on our website.
Part 5 ( Work surfaces)
When starting decoupage work, you need to decide on the working surface, what you want to work with - metal, wood, fabric, plastic, glass, etc. Any surface must be prepared before starting work, and we will describe in detail how to do this in this part.
Working with wooden surfaces.
The wood can either be previously painted or untreated, or the wood can be stained.
If the wood surface you have chosen is untreated or rough, then first you need to sand it with sandpaper. If there are any chips or gouges, they must be filled with putty or artistic primer. And then sand the dried surface with fine sandpaper.
The tree is primed before work acrylic paint or soil. The color of the primer depends on your drawing and the motif on the board. The better the primer, the fact that the surface covered with it significantly reduces paint consumption, and this reduces its absorption. You can use either a special primer for wood and cardboard, or a universal one. If you want to work with wood that has impregnation (these can be different cutting boards), then in order to ensure good adhesion of the primer or paints to the surface, you need it sand it! And then prime it in any way possible for you as described above.
Now let's talk about painted wood. Before starting work, carefully inspect the surface to see if there is any damage, cracks, and what condition the wood is in.
If the working surface is in excellent condition, then it only needs to be sanded (for better paint adhesion) and primed.
If flaws are visible on the surface, it must be completely cleaned. It is better to do this work outside or in a well-ventilated area, as there will be a lot of dust! You need to use a sander or a special product to remove old paint. It is sold in hardware stores.
After preparing the surface in this way, it is also primed, sanded with the finest sandpaper for a smooth surface, and it is ready for further action. If you want to work with metal surfaces you need to remove the rust (if any) and then prime it. To do this, it is better to use a special primer, which ensures good adhesion (adhesion) of the shell composition to the base. It is applied in two or three layers with intermediate sanding. After the soil has dried well, the surface is ready for further work. Let's say you want to work with cardboard. And this will cause you some difficulties, since the cardboard is deformed under the influence of water. And in order to prevent this from happening, the cardboard surface also needs to be primed! This can be gypsum (diluted to a creamy state), or a special primer for wood and cardboard, or you can prime the surface with varnish.
All holes and holes can be filled with papier-mâché. And then prime the entire surface. And then paint and work. plastic the surface is easier to work with. But before you work with it, you must first degrease it. If necessary, sand it. Then cover with primer (in two layers) and continue to work as with all decorated surfaces.
Decoupage on glass objects can be divided into direct (when the motif is glued to the front, outer side of the glass), and reverse (when the motif is glued to the inside of an object, for example, a plate).
In reverse decoupage, the napkins are glued face down to the glass. Before starting work, the glass object must be degreased with alcohol (vodka) or acetone. You can glue the motif onto glass using PVA, acrylic glue, or special glue for decoupage on glass.
In order to create a background on glass, use ordinary acrylic paints, paints for painting on glass, handmade or rice paper, stained glass outlines, and glass markers.
For the final coating of the work, acrylic varnishes and special spray varnishes for glass and decoupage are used. If you want the item you have made to be used for decorative purposes, then you can use the same varnishes, glues and paints as for direct decoupage on glass. It is advisable to sand a very smooth surface.
But in order for your ceramics(for example, teaware) could be used for its intended purpose, it is necessary to use special glue for ceramics and porcelain Porzellan Potch.
And the product needs to be baked after finishing work. The baking temperature and time are different for each company, so read the instructions carefully When decoupaging on fabrics You also need to use special varnishes. The fabric must be clean, washed and dried. On the area where you will apply the design, you need to liberally apply glue and place the motif. In order for the napkin to be completely saturated, it is necessary to immediately cover the top with a layer of glue using a soft brush. Dry overnight.
To secure the work, you need to iron it from the inside out with an iron for 5 minutes. This product must be washed by hand using gentle detergents.
The easiest way to do decoupage is on candles. But all precautions must be taken into account! The napkin must be glued by ironing it on the candle with the wrong side of a spoon, which is preheated over the fire, with the other side. When decoupaging a candle, melted wax bleeds through the napkin, forming a wax layer on top of the design. And the napkin will burn together with the candle.

Part 6 (Crackelures)
And this is probably the most interesting part of our article. Craquelures!
What is craquelure?
Craquelure (French craquelure) - a crack in the paint layer or varnish in a work of painting.
Craquelures can be through, i.e. passing through all layers of the pictorial layer, or can arise only in one of the layers; can cover the entire plane of the picture or be located only in certain places. Their sizes can vary from almost imperceptible, very thin, so-called “hairy”, to very impressive.
Cracks, i.e. violations of the integrity of the paint layer, varnish or primer have a different nature and pattern, and directly depend on the reasons that caused them. Most often, such reasons are violations of the technology of the preparatory and, in fact, painting processes: selection and preparation of the base, preparation of primer and paints, incorrect application of paint layers (for example, when in oil painting a new layer is applied over a layer that has not dried inside).
In addition, the cause of craquelure can also be insufficiently professional restoration of a work.In modern painting and decorative arts, there are often examples of when the effect of cracking of the paint layer is achieved artificially. This gives the work an “antique” spirit and a certain charm.
A network of cracks is obtained by applying special craquelure varnishes. In order to emphasize and highlight the cracks that have formed, oil paints, ink, pastels or patination compounds are additionally rubbed into them.
It is necessary to clarify that artificially produced craquelures almost always differ from those formed naturally; this often helps to distinguish a genuine work from a fake.

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