Beginner’s guide to decoupage — trendiest paper craft of all time!!
From the papers to choose to the tools to use: find all you need to know in this beginner’s guide to decoupage.
Decoupage as the name itself is quite interesting includes cutting out pictures, gluing them to an object and then coating the pictures and the object with layers of varnish.
Let’s get a little deeper in the story of how it came into existence, the word découpage comes from the French verb découper, ‘to cut out’. The découpage technique can be very much utilised in personalising any item in your house and the great thing is that the designs can be as simple or as complex as you like.
You can buy a large selection of supplies specifically for découpage, but the nice thing about this craft is that you probably have many of the supplies lying around at home to be able to start simple projects right now!
All you will need to start with are a few basic materials and tools.
List of items that can be decoupaged:
#Boxes, vases, pots
#Plates, trays, bowls
#Lamps, lampshades
#Frames, mirrors
#Furniture
These could be items you already own but want to personalise, or items specifically bought for découpage.
Paper Type for Decoupage:
There are so many picture sources available for this craft. You can cut pictures out of:
#Wrapping paper (Ideal Thickness)
#Wallpaper
#Magazines
#Découpage papers (specifically for this craft and are widely available in many designs
#Greetings cards
#Fabric
#Paper napkins
#Origami papers
If you are new to découpage, choose pictures which have a clear outline as this will make them easier to cut out than those with blurred edges. If you’re worried about using original pictures you can colour copy or scan them instead.
Best Glue for Decoupage:
#Découpage glue — specifically for this craft and available from craft shops. It is perfect as it can be used as both glue and varnish.
#PVA glue — all round glue which dries clear and sticks paper, card, fabric, wood and metal.
#Spray glue (permanent type) — quick, easy and dries clear
#Varnish — the best varnish to use is gloss as no matter how many coats you use it doesn’t go cloudy.
If you require a matt finish, use gloss for every coat (to avoid cloudiness) and then use matt varnish for the final coat only.
Essential tools for Decoupage:
#Scissors — cutting out is a large part of découpage so a sharp pair of small scissors is important to ensure you cut clean edges.
#Craft knife — to cut out detail and intricate areas. Use a sharp blade with your craft knife as blunt ones can tear the paper.
#Soft sponge/cloth — to wipe away excess glue
#Sandpaper — for sanding the layers of varnish if required.
#Cotton wool buds to dab away small amounts of excess glue
Since we have got all things in place, lets begin with our basic technique of Decoupage:
#Prepare surface
Once you have selected your item to decorate, make sure the surface of it is clean and dust free as the varnish magnifies any imperfections.
#Cut out pictures
Select your pictures and cut them out. It may be easier to cut out the pictures roughly with scissors first and then cut them out more precisely with a craft knife. If a white edge shows around the picture you have cut out, colour the edge with a crayon/pen that matches either the picture or the background on which it is to be used.
#Arrange the pictures
Before you glue the pictures in place, ensure you are happy with the positioning. Use tweezers for placing tiny pictures.
#Glue the pictures in place
Smooth out any wrinkles and wipe away any excess glue with a barely damp sponge.
#Varnish the pictures.
Ensure the glue is dry before starting to varnish and leave the varnish to dry thoroughly between each coat. Anything from four to 15 coats may be needed depending on how thick the decoupage paper is and how smooth and durable a finish is required. To achieve a finely lacquered finish you will need to sand lightly after a few layers of varnish and wipe away all dust. Keep repeating this process until you are happy with the finish.
We hope it would be helpful in starting your own Decoupage projects soon. Please do response back with your feedback or clap for your support if it helped you out.
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