startdecoupage

GETTING STARTED ON DECOUPAGE

First of all you need to decide what object you
would like to decorate. It could be anything from
a shoebox or a wooden box, a plain glass vase or
plate or a simple drinking glass. I suggest you
start on a shoebox or if you are feeling more
adventurous try working on a glass plate or a
simple drinking glass. Make sure it is not an
antique!

For each project, you will need

White (PVA) glue
Brushes
A pair of scissors
Greeting cards or other pictures to cut from
The object you are working on
Acrylic Matt varnish
Dry cloths

Preparing your object for decoupage: Peal any
thick labels from boxes, sand down wood and
wash glass objects in warm soapy water. Dry with
a soft cloth making sure it is dust and lint-free.

White or PVA glue is the good old carpenter's
glue which you can thin down by mixing one part
glue to two parts water (sometimes even one part
to one or three, experiment until the mixture resembles a white milky consistency. You can also buy ready made decoupage glue but I find I can work very well with my own mixture to which I also add some transfer varnish (from hobby shops)
purposely for decoupage.

The brush you use with the glue should be soft
and flat and the size according to the area you
are working on. Always clean your brushes after
use even if you are stopping for a 15-minute
break. PVA glue should be cleaned with water.

Make sure the scissors you are using are
comfortable to work with especially if you will be
doing a lot of cutting. Specialist or hobby shops
carry a range. When you cut make sure you are
sitting comfortably in a good light. The scissors
should be sharp and you should cut as close as
possible to the outline of your design.

Before you start cutting, imagine the cut-out as
part of the object you are decorating. You can
even mix and match designs, so long as they go
together of course. I suggest you use thin paper:
you could make photocopies of a favourite picture
if the paper is too thick. There is a process called
thinning which, as the word itself suggests,
allows you to thin the paper, but we will not go
into it here. My favourite paper is decorated
napkins. Even though they might be delicate to
work with, the finished product is quite unique!

Several coats of Acrylic Matt varnish should be
applied to the finished pasted product with a 1
1/2" wide, flat brush with fine bristles (the ones
used for varnishing are excellent). Make sure
each coat is dry before applying the next.

Painting: There are projects wherein you will
need to paint the object before or even after
applying the paper cut-outs. Sometimes you
might use White Matt emulsion paint or gold
acrylic, etc. Just follow the instructions.

Washing your brushes: It is extremely important
that you keep your brushes clean. Wash them as
soon as you have finished part or all of your
project.

Wash away PVA glue residue or acrylic varnish
immediately with plenty of water.

ALWAYS dry brushes on a soft dry cloth and leave
to dry completely by placing them in a container
with the bristles facing up. If necessary re-shape
bristles while still moist.

Take good care of your brushes and you will get
many years of use from them.