Tips on How to Decoupage

Learning how to decoupage takes little more than a good eye, a steady hand and the right glues and finishes. The art of decoupage can be traced back to 12^th century China, but didn't become well known until the 17^th century Europe where it began appearing on Victorian furniture. The word decoupage comes from the verb decouper, meaning to cut and the technique involves gluing paper cutouts onto other objects, then applying several coats of finish to make the cutouts appear as though they were painted onto the original object.

Choosing Your Object(s)
A nice thing about decoupage is that the technique can be applied to a variety of surfaces, from wood and metal to glass, ceramics and fabric. Once you learn the basic skills, you can use decoupage to embellish furniture, boxes, waste paper baskets, cabinet or closet doors, picture frames, vases, lampshades-the list goes on.

Whatever object you choose to decoupage should be cleaned thoroughly before you begin. If you want to paint the object before you decoupage, do so at least 24 to 72 hours before you being gluing to give the paint time to dry and cure.

Decoupage Crafts Supplies
Although you can purchase decoupage kits, you'll probably find it more economical in the long run to assemble your own inventory of supplies. Use the following list to determine what you may have hand on already and what you'll need to buy to get started:

• Specialty decoupage glue or regular white glue that you can dilute with water
• Foam brushes to apply the glue
• A ruler or other straight edge to smooth wrinkles that form after gluing
• Acrylic sealant spray or polyurethane to finish and protect your finished object
• Quality scissors or a craft knife, used for paper only

Selecting Cutouts
Although you'll see specialty decoupage papers for sale at craft stores, they won't make your projects any more beautiful than magazines greeting cards, postcards and postage stamps, wallpaper and gift wrap scraps, photographs and digital art, and ephemera like playbills, ticket stubs, menus and leaflets.

Examine the items you've collected and design your decoupage around a theme like common objects (trees), color (your choice), texture (use only one medium) or items that share a reference point, like holidays, events or the gift recipient, if you're designing the project for someone else.

Cut out one or more pieces of craft paper to match the size of the object you want to decoupage. If you're making decoupage boxes, you can cut pieces for each side of the box you're covering or only one for the top and front. Arrange your cutouts on the craft paper to get a sense for how your finished design will look. Take digital photos of layouts you like, so you can go back to them if other arrangements don't appeal to you.

The Decoupage Technique
Depending upon the object you're decoupaging you may (or may not) want to apply a finish to the final product to protect it from sunlight, dirt and dust. If you'll be applying a finish to seal your decoupage for visual effect or to protect it from fading or other damage, you'll coat both sides of your cutouts with decoupage glue. Otherwise, for objects you're not planning to varnish, apply glue to the wrong side of the cutout only.

1. Place your cutout in the desired position on the item you're covering. Remove the cutout and mark the placement with a light pencil mark.
2. Using a foam brush, apply glue to one or both sides of the cutout, then place it back onto the object.
3. Starting from the center, use your fingertips to gently press the cutout onto the object. Use a ruler or other straight edge to smooth any wrinkles that may have formed. Wipe any excess glue from the edges of the cutout with damp rag.
4. If your cutout is lifting at the edges, apply a small amount of glue at the lifted edge and use a toothpick to distribute it where needed.

Repeat this process until you've completed your design. Allow glue to dry for several hours to up to one full day. When the object is dry, apply a second coat of decoupage medium to the cutouts, this time, taking care to cover any exposed areas of the object (the gaps between your cutouts). Apply additional coats of glue until your desired effect is achieved.

Finally, apply a thin coat of polyurethane or acrylic to the entire object to seal and protect the object from damage. Apply a minimum of two to three coats, allowing each coat to dry thoroughly before applying the next. In between coats, use the finest grit sandpaper or steel wool to sand the object. Wipe dust before applying the next coat. The more coats you use, the less the cutouts look like you glued them on and the more like they were painted on the object.