A Starter Guide to Decoupage

Decoupage is the art of decorating with paper cut-outs and can be applied to any hard surface. The art of decoupage flourished in the 17th century. It was revived in the Victorian era and again in the 20th century during the baby boom era. It is again resurging as a popular art decorating form.

Decoupage can be applied to any hard surface. Wooden boxes, trays, chairs, tables, desks, picture frames, paper mache hat boxes and mirrors are ideal. Plastic, metal, glass and leather require more extensive preparation which will not be covered in this beginner guide.

Images

Prints for decoupage should be thin paper with consistent color and quality. Avoid embossed papers, cards, extra glossy paper and foil. Wrapping paper is a good medium but needs to be sealed to prevent bleeding. Sheet music, children’s books, art books, inkjet prints, old maps are all good resources.

Sealing

Sealing forms a base for decoupage and should be used sparingly. If your print is not sealed, varnish will seep through and ruin it.  Recommended sealers are Liquitex and atelier. Always seal prints before cutting them. Acrylic sealers can be used on wrapping paper but should be applied to both sides of the paper.

Gluing

Always apply glue to the hard surface rather than the print. Smear over the surface with your finger tips. This helps locate small hard lumps that need to be removed to maintain a silky smooth finish. Your glue should not dry to quickly, to allow time in arranging your pictures. The glue should be non staining and easy to clean off. Glue that is to sticky can cause pictures to tear.

Keep a damp cloth handy, place your cutting onto the glued surface and then add a little more glue to the top of the print. Massage the print to allow air bubbles to escape and insure bonding. Using a wall paper or linoleum block roller, with gentle pressure, to insure even distribution of the glue. Starting at the center of the print use outward strokes until all lumps and bubbles are removes.

If an air bubble remains after dried make a slit, using an exacto knife, in an unobtrusive place. Gently probe the edges and apply more glue in the space. Work the glue backwards then roll and press out. Touch up the cut with a colored pencil and seal the cut.

Varnishing

Varnishing makes your design come alive. The purpose is to attain the appearance of a totally smooth surface with no edge lines of the pictures showing.  To keep the original color of the pictures polyurethane should be used. Traditional varnishes will give your project a mellow aged look over time as these typically take up to 6 months to totally cure.

Use a tack rag to remove surface dust before applying varnish. Use light even strokes to apply your varnish. Try to brush out your varnish to attain thin even coating. After your varnish is applied, remove excess varnish from your brush, then using sweeping strokes from side to side to minimize air bubbles. Let dry in a dust free area for 24 hours. on successive varnish coats change direction in which it was previously applied.

After several coats of varnish has been applied lightly san with 1000 grit wet dry sanding paper. Do not use circular motion when sanding. If white edges appear stop sanding. Seal again and continue varnishing until you have reached a uniform depth.  30 to 40 coat will give you optimal warmth and depth of your project.

At this point you will need to decide if you want your project to be shiny or waxed satin. If your chose to wax rub in one direction with a dry scotch brite. Alternate the direction and rub again. The finished surface should be uniformly dull. Then apply a thin coat of beeswax polish, with a lint free cloth. Here you will work in small circular motions. Waxing should result in a hard glass like surface resistant to dirt.

If you have chose to have a gloss finish, start with a new brush and a fresh tine of varnish. Break down your varnish at the rate of 7 parts varnish to 3 parts mineral turpentine. Apply this to your surface with quick, light, even strokes. Allow your project to dry several days before adhering and fitting, fixture, knobs or linings.