Do you have a question about Decoupage? Click
HERE to submit your questions, concerns or comments.
We'll contact you directly with a response. Below are some of the more commonly
asked questions and answers.
"I have seen (in some high-end specialty stores in New
York), beautiful decoupaged bowls with an image showing on the both the inside and
the outside-but obviously with no image glued on the inside. How is this achieved?"
(SW, Tampa, FL)
You can put two layers of a design on a clear glass object (such as a bowl), both
from the outside. Put the first cutouts on the outside but facing in (seen from
outside the bowl). Paint the background and allow to dry. Paint a second background and
apply further cutouts facing out-to be viewed from the outside of the bowl. A coat of
water-based varnish, followed by two coats of oil-based varnish, will allow the bowl to be
washed gently. (Courtesy: Short Cuts, newsletter of the Guild of British
Decoupeurs.)
How to use
thick papers and cards for decoupage projects continues to be a popular question from our
website readers. Katrina Pitt, a member from Connecticut, has this
suggestion::
"A method I use very successfully for thick postcards or greeting
cards is one I found in Annie Sloan’s book Decoupage, A Step-by-Step Course.
It is very simple and less time consuming than applying coats of gloss and varnish as well
as sanding."
1. Using a cotton ball or piece of cotton, apply ordinary white vinegar
to the back of the postcard or card until it begins to soften.
2. Starting at the corner, along one edge, peel away the backing. Work
patiently, continually applying more vinegar.
3. The wetter the backing becomes, the easier it is to remove. Rub it
gently and pieces will roll or pull off easily.
Allow the very thin picture to dry naturally before cutting and using.
"I want to follow my passion and turn my love of decoupage into a
business…I am tired of the corporate world and working for other people. Can you
point me in the right direction for help?" (B.K., California)
First I suggest you buy, beg or borrow a copy
of Dee Overduin’s new book How to Make Money with Paper Tole. In addition, the
latest Consumer Information Catalog from the U.S. General Services Administration
lists the following booklets especially for small-business people:
¨ Copyright Basics covers what may be copyrighted, who can apply, registration
procedures, filing fees, what forms to use and more. The 12-page booklet costs 50 cents.
(357G)
¨ SBA Borrower’s
Guide explains Small Business Administration loan programs. The 29-page booklet is
free. (592G)
¨ SBA Programs and
Services lists phone numbers, online information, business counseling and training,
lending programs and advice on starting or expanding a business. The 23-page booklet is
free. (593G)
You can order any number of these brochures by calling toll-free (888) 8 PUEBLO, or by
visiting the Website at www.pueblo.gsa.gov.
"I
have some beautiful cards I would love to use for my decoupage, but they are too thick!
What can I do?" ( G.B., Italy)
Thinning paper: It is important to keep the paper you use as
thin as possible. However, that does not mean that you need to throw away calendars or
greeting cards that you’d love to use but are too thick-you simply thin them.
Thinning can be done in two ways. The quickest method is to
split the paper in half with your thumbnail and very carefully peel it apart-you can
generally do that with greeting cards. Then using very fine sandpaper, gently rub the back
of the print smooth and apply a coat of sealer.
An alternative for thinning thicker paper is to apply approximately five coats
of Liquitex Gloss Medium and Varnish to the face of the print, allowing each coat to dry
thoroughly, before applying the next. Soak the print in tepid water for about four hours,
remove it and lay it face down on a piece of waxed paper on a flat surface. Using a damp
finger, gently start rubbing away the paper. Be very careful not to rub through the print-
leave just a thin coat of paper behind. As above, sand the print carefully and seal.
(Reprinted by permission of decoupage author, Audrey Raymond, Australia)
(Headquarters has received many questions
concerning decoupage problems over the past six months. Thank you to member Audrey Raymond
for providing the answers below. Her book, TRADITIONAL DECOUPAGE-A practical Guide to
the Classic Decorative Art Form is available from the author. Please contact her at PO
Box 784, Maleny, Queensland 4552 Australia.)
¨ LUMPS AND BUBBLES: If
after gluing a print down you discover a mysterious lump (you could have left some
Blu-Tack behind) or a bubble where there is insufficient glue, then take your scalpel and
make a tiny sideways cut into the lump. Remove the remaining rubbish and use a toothpick
to slip some more glue under the print before pressing it down firmly. If it is just a
small air bubble, a tiny pinprick will often do the trick.
¨ DAMAGED PRINTS: If you
rub off some of the print face when sanding, fear not, just reach for your colored pencils
and carefully repair it. For best results, choose a color that is fractionally darker than
the print. Dip the pencil into turpentine first and then smooth the color over the damaged
area. You could also use thinned paints. Seal the repair before you continue varnishing.
Colored pencils can also be used to repair a print that has been tom or has come adrift
during the gluing stage. Try to butt the two pieces together and then use your pencils to
disguise any damage. If you tear a print before sticking it down, just put a tiny dab of
glue on the back of the print and patch with tissue or rice paper.
¨ MILKY BLOOM ON VARNISH:
This is probably the only problem that is insurmountable. It is caused by dampness -
either humidity or rushing the varnishing process and, being too impatient to let each
coat dry thoroughly, before applying the next. It’s worth leaving the piece for at
least a week in the hope it will dry out and it can then be sanded. If you have no joy at
all, be brave, throw it away and call it character building!
¨ WATERMARKS: At the
final sanding stage, you may discover watermarks resembling shot taffeta or moiré silk.
This can be caused either by dampness a few layers down in the varnish or by uneven
sanding. Try removing the marks with wire wool. If that does not work, apply a few more
coats of varnish. In a severe case, you may have to apply a final coat of satin varnish
and leave it unsanded in order to hide the marks. NOTE: The importance of allowing each
coat of varnish to dry thoroughly before adding another coat cannot be stressed enough.
¨ CRAZING AND CRACKING:
Crazing or cracking of an oil-based varnish is probably caused by dampness in the air.
Don’t panic, leave it to dry thoroughly and then continue varnishing. Apply several
more coats and you will find that by the time you come to wet-sand, that the problem has
disappeared.
¨ CHIPS: If you drop your piece of
decoupage and chip some of the varnish, all is not lost. Although laborious, you can drip
a little varnish into the chip, let it dry and repeat until it is filled. Finish by
sanding smooth.
My decoupage looks good except for one thing…I
have a disturbing white line showing around some of my images. I know it’s the
cutting edge that’s visible; but I don’t know what to do about it.
S. G., Del Mar, CA
While cutting, try holding your scissors at an angle away from you so the edge
is cut on the slant rather than straight up and down. This method of cutting will help
bevel and hide the white cut edge. When you are using particularly thick paper and the
white edge still shows, try dipping a matching color pencil in turpentine and run it over
the white edge. It will disappear.
I love doing decoupage under glass but I dislike the
"shinies" that I sometimes get. What am I doing wrong?
Try this approach: spread glue on your project area. (It’s always better to use
more glue than less.) Work glue back and forth with fingertips to eliminate as many air
bubbles as possible. Place your print carefully in place on glued area trying not to move
it too much. Pat your print lightly into glue. Using a damp cloth pat the back of your
print softly to remove as many air bubbles as possible. DO NOT remove all the glue between
the print and glass. This is the major cause of shinny spots. Do not worry about the milky
color of glue. This will dry clear. Go over your prints with your wet fingers to make sure
all air bubbles have been removed and the edges are well glued. HOWEVER, if you find a
stray air bubble after your piece has dried, do not despair. Pierce it with a pin and add
glue. With fingers again, lightly go over the area and try to get the glue to seep into
air bubble. The trapped air should disappear.
I love the beautiful
glass-like finish I have seen on some fine decoupage pieces. I understand the artists used
Micro-Mesh. What is it and how does it differ from regular sandpaper? AM, NYC
For years Micro-Mesh has been used in the aircraft industry to polish plastic surfaces.
In decoupage, we use it to achieve a smooth glass-like finish. "Micro-Mesh has a thin
layer of soft resilient material between the backing and the abrasive crystals which
provides a cushion for the abrasives. Using a cushion design allows the relatively large
abrasive crystals to recede into the resilient layer and float to an even cutting plane.
Micro-Mesh produces a fine, even scratch pattern. It does not leave deep random scratches
as with common abrasives. It does not wear out as quickly as regular sandpaper because it
doesn’t "load-up", generate heat or fracture the surface. It outlasts other
abrasives 5-7 times when used dry and 7-15 times when used wet. Also, the abrasive
crystals are larger in Micro-Mesh and so it sands more quickly because more of the
abrasive is in contact with the sanding surface." (Courtesy: Micro-Mesh) Sources:
MicroSurface Finishing Products, Inc., Box 818, Wilton, Iowa 52778 Tel: 319-732-3240 Fax:
319-732-3390 Micro Mark Catalog, 340 Snyder Ave., Berkley Heights, NJ 07922. ( Please do
join our Guild to receive in depth instruction on this wonderful finishing material or
send a SSAE for an instruction sheet.)
HELPFUL HINTS
Gluing: A tiny ball of Plasti-Tak or Hold-It on
the end of a toothpick surpasses tweezers for lifting small pieces of prints, etc., onto a
gluing surface. It also releases immediately.
If you sand through a print and don’t have the matching colored pencil handy, keep
a #948 Sepia prismacolor pencil on hand with your supplies. Except for light shades, it
fills in and blends perfectly with whatever color leaf, stem, etc., you have injured by
your enthusiastic sanding.
A typewriter eraser with a brush on one end is an excellent tool for sanding in small,
tight places.
How to
rewire a lamp after decoupage: Anyone can rewire a lamp by paying
attention to the way it comes apart.
When attaching the new lamp cord, look closely at the two wires. One
side of the lamp cord will have smooth insulation and the other side will have ridges or a
stripe running along its length. Connect the smooth side to the brass screw on the lamp
and the ridged side to the silver screw on the fixture.
When wiring the plug, follow the same rules. If the plug is not a screw
type, the smooth side will attach to the narrow blade of the plug and the ridged side to
the wide blade on the plug. Getting the wires right is called observing polarity, and it
reduces the likelihood of shock. (Courtesy: MJ Toole)
Would you like to add beautiful
3-dimensional ornamentation to your decoupage boxes or furniture projects before painting,
gluing and finishing?
Decorators Supply Company has composite ornaments for decoupage and
home décor. They offer many styles from delicate floral swags for a box to tiny beading
suitable to frame the doors of an armoire.
Molds are used to cast ornamentation from original carvings of
Victorian or Georgian furnishings and architectural moldings.
For easy home application, steam the ornaments to unfinished wood
boxes, furniture, etc. The heat releases the glue, and the steam makes the pieces
flexible, allowing the ornament to lay flat, or to conform to a curved surface.
The recommended method of steaming is over a roasting pan of water.
Some people also use a hand-held clothes steamer to complete many pieces of furniture.
Grasp the edge of an ornament with pliers and carefully hold the ornament in front of the
steam. Depending on the size of the ornament, steam until it starts to become flexible. It
will take no longer than 15 to 30 seconds. Then press the ornament to the furniture
surface. The ornament will quickly dry, and will be permanently adhered. If you should
have an ornament loosen, simply re-attach with glue.
Decorators Supply Company, 3610-12 S. Morgan St., Chicago, Il 60609, has
composite ornaments for decoupage or home décor projects. To request a catalog or place
an order, call 773-847-6300. |
Suggested Literature and Related
Websites:  Durwin Rice takes a fresh
look at decoupage, demonstrating how to creatively transform your environment using just a
few simple materi als. Lavishly illustrated with nearly 200 full color photographs.
Visit his website.
 A mix between traditional decoupage and collage offering 60 decorative
projects. Many Guild members are featured with incidental instructional text.
 Professionals and amateurs alike will be able to render beautiful painted
finishes using the proven techniques in this book. Step-by-step instructions and over 500
full-color photographs show how to achieve exquisite effects. Over 55 glazing, marbling,
and graining techniques are presented, each complete with a list of tools and materials.
 When Hiram Manning discovered in a French chateau the lost art of decoupage he
became a life-long disciple and articulate evangelist of this ancient craft. In this
chatty, anecdotal and inspiring book Manning attempts to take the reader on a step-by-step
journey towards making a treasured heirloom from humble craft materials.
 By Guild member Rubena Grigg, this
book takes the reader through 35 step-by-step period
decorating ideas, many using
decoupage techniques.
 By Susan Joy Sager, this book details how to sell your crafts
with up-to-date information in easy-to-understand format. She thoroughly covers hot topics
such as price structure, handling trademarks and copyright, finding sales reps, getting
into craft fairs, selling through galleries and on the Internet.
 A
new book by NGD member Lyn Cochrane "The Fine Art of
Decoupage". An exciting book for beginners and
and experts alike. Don't miss it.
OTHER SUGGESTED TITLES:
Decorating with Paper and Paint" by Rhonda Rainey. Many
innovative and fun projects using everything but the kitchen sink.
OTHER TLES
"Traditional Decoupage"by Audrey Raymond
ISBN 0731803558
The following suggested titles are out of print but you may be able to find them
through Amazon's book search service:
18th Century Decoupage - The Definitive Guide by Val Lade
Decoupage - Paper Cutouts for Decoration and Pleasure by Dee Davis
Decoupage by Leslie Linsley
Contemporary Decoupage by Thelma R. Newman
OTHER SUGGESTED WEBSITES:
American Craft Council -- Provides
information and resources for both the craft world and the general public.
The Finishing School -- Water-based
faux finishing instruction and materials.
www.shadowportraits.com -- Anne Leslie
makes silhouette portraits (scissor cut) either from live subjects or photographs. |
