Decoupage - new original techniques and techniques. How to make decoupage from napkins: a master class

Having a DIY hobby for girls and women in our time has become not so much fashionable as it is necessary: the activity provides an opportunity to relax, develops female energy, and even helps to earn money! One of the directions in the vast world of hand-made is decoupage. You can visit a master class in this direction in many places, but you can also save money by learning to transform things yourself.

Decoupage. What is it, where is it from, why is it?

The word “decoupage” itself is the French verb “cut” (feel the Provencal accent when you pronounce Now this is a whole fashionable direction for decorating, decorating or decorating objects with beautiful pictures and applications. Lacquered after gluing the beauties cut out of paper, things and surfaces are transformed in such a way, that their aesthetic value increases by an order of magnitude.

Despite the foreign roots of the name of this technique, the method of decoration itself was born in the east of Siberia, after which it migrated to China, where, picking up a fashion trend, they began to decorate furniture and decorate gifts and postcards with their own hands. In the same place, they began to mass-produce blanks for decoupage - paper, colored parts.

Europe met with decoupage out of necessity: with a great demand for then fashionable oriental furniture, local cabinetmakers could not provide the entire volume of orders. Therefore, a whole line of production of fakes arose that looked no worse than the original. Imitation of master painting, supposedly carefully written patterns - this became fashionable even among famous people of that time, up to Picasso and Madame de Pompadour.

Common Techniques

The most popular ways of decorating have developed into separate directions, and even acquired their adherents. Each is good in its own way and each is suitable for a certain type of objects or surfaces: shabby chic and ethno, Provence and Simplicity, and the most fashionable - 3D decoupage. A master class of one of the techniques will be given below.

Let's start decoupage. Choosing a surface, choosing materials

You can decorate and decorate almost anything that has a smooth surface and a suitable area for your picture. Of course, when you gain experience, you can try your hand at more complex forms of things. And for starters, notebook covers, postcards, furniture, clothes and shoes, vases, flower pots, candles, boxes, part of the walls, the back panel of the gadget are suitable.

The most common and, perhaps, the simplest material for decoration - it was and remains napkins. Thanks to the popularity of decoupage, bright, multi-colored, interesting in pattern and design napkins began to be specially produced. But you can use other paper products: photographs, newspapers, pictures from magazines, calendars, color printouts. Decoupage paper and wrapping will be optimal. For the black and white decoupage style, minimalistic but bright black printouts are suitable.

Of the additional materials, you will need those that you probably already have at home: scissors, a sponge, toothpicks, a ruler, cotton swabs. Separately, you have to buy glue and acrylic paints, sandpaper and a hair dryer.

Hard in teaching - beautiful in the end. Let's start and win

If the hands ask for some kind of activity, and the mind says that it should be useful, then for beginners - just right. For the first works, it is better to choose a thing that is not too valuable and memorable. Maybe first we will try on an ordinary plate?

After the materials are prepared, the pictures are selected, and the surface of the future masterpiece is degreased, we proceed directly to the process of decorating using the decoupage technique. The master class has begun.

The most important is priming

If there is no special primer yet, you can use the simplest white acrylic paint. Then you have to wait until the surface dries, then apply another 1-3 layers, depending on the surface. This may take several hours, as this first layer is very important. For the impatient, there is advice - use a hair dryer. The primer is not just an initial layer, it is a foundation and a base, and it should be as smooth as possible.

cooking pictures

If this is a napkin (usually they have two or three layers), then you need to remove the topmost thin layer - carefully so that the picture remains intact. If this is a printout or a picture from a magazine, then you need to carefully cut out the image with small scissors. It happens that for stylization and additional effect, the pictures are deliberately cut out not quite neatly or separate pieces are torn out along the edge - for this, a wet brush is suitable, which is drawn along the contour of the picture.

So, the primer is dry, and the surface is ideal for gluing. Now the picture can be pasted. Craftswomen professionally engaged in this use a special varnish or a transparent water-based acrylic gel. At the initial stage, you can use a composition that is more accessible in every sense - diluted with water. The consistency of such a mixture should be like that of liquid yogurt, and it must also be shaken before use in order to avoid heterogeneity, which will prevent smooth application of an already fragile picture.

Sticking a picture is the most difficult thing in decoupage, because it must be done carefully so as not to tear or wrinkle the image. To fix the picture on the plane of the object, you can use a glue stick, after smearing the surface, and only then attach the picture. Another way is to put the image on the surface prepared with a primer, and only then, having applied glue exactly in the middle, carefully distribute it over the rest of the drawing.

If you use diluted PVA, you will need a certain speed, because it dries pretty quickly. You can do this: dip the brush first in water, and then in glue. Be careful not to create bubbles. If air cannot be avoided, then with a rubber roller or fingers, expel the bubbles from under the picture. Apply several coats of glue/varnish, using a hair dryer for speed. Excess glue flowing along the edges is best removed with a damp sponge or cloth.

So, the picture is covered, and the layers of varnish have dried. Now you need to bring the creation to mind. To make the subject look harmonious, you can add a shade to the background using acrylic paints. Try to apply the thinnest layer to avoid future cracking. If you want to show the world a supposedly old thing, then use special compositions. For example, our decoupage plate, the photo of which is presented below, is additionally covered with a layer of craquelure varnish.

The more layers of varnish that protect the surface, the better - professionals can cover their product with several dozen layers, but for beginners, 2 to 6 will do.

Additional tools and materials

Masters who have reached heights in decoupage use many additional means to give special effects to their products. This may be the previously mentioned craquelure varnish, various enamels, bitumen, facet varnish, resin - for "aging". For additional volume, structural bulk adhesives, gels, silicones are used. Wax paste, silver and gold, patina - you can't count the means of additional decor!

Nuances

If you fell in love with decoupage, the master class turned out to be useful to you, and you would like to continue creating unusual, original items, then read a few more tips:

Varnish can also be found in a hardware store - parquet, acrylic, furniture.

Carefully choose brushes - they should not leave fallen hairs and streaks on the surface.

For items that will be used in water, you will need a waterproof varnish.

To prevent the printed photocopy from spreading, dilute the PVA and apply it to the picture in two layers.

Pictures from magazines are best kept in water or sprayed with water from above to remove the top thin layer.

So that the picture is not "lost", do not use a dark background.

When objects (vases, plates, glasses) made of dark glass are decorated, it can be recommended to glue a white background under the picture, tinting it with white.

Do not be afraid to experiment, because it is personal experience that helps you find new ideas and solutions that help you acquire your own style.

So, as our MK showed, decoupage is not such a complicated process, and through trials, experiments, with the help of inspiration and imagination, you can create a real masterpiece that will decorate your home, become a wonderful gift for friends or, perhaps, a welcome acquisition of some connoisseur beautiful.

one of the available and a simple home decor technique is decoupage, which can be practiced by both novice decorators and amateurs especially if there is a step-by-step instruction for performing the work. And a few creative decoupage ideas on various surfaces and objects in this article will help beginners master this type of decor.

Decoupage is a decorative technique for working on glass, wood, fabric and other surfaces, which consists in cutting out patterns and illustrations and gluing them onto the surface to be decorated.

With the help of decoupage, you can turn an old chest of drawers that has lost its appearance into an elegant thing with a slight touch of antiquity in the shabby chic style. And from an ordinary bottle to make a beautiful vase. This method of decoration is suitable for those who appreciate beauty, but do not have the skills of artistic painting.

In the course of work, a kind of collage is created from fragments of bright colorful napkins with a printed image. At the same time, the artist adheres to the intended composition.

Decoupage with a napkin

For decoupage, simple materials are used that can be purchased at art or hardware stores.

Table napkins with printed image. For professional decoupage, special thematic cards are used.
PVA glue.
Acrylic paints.
Varnish. You can take the usual furniture or acrylic. To create the effect of antiquity, craquelure varnish is used.
Kitchen washcloths or sponges of different sizes.
Iron. Suitable for sticking napkins on a flat surface. They also smooth out napkins before gluing.
Thick transparent plastic film or stationery file for documents.
Scissors.
Brushes for applying varnish, glue and artistic painting.
Spray bottle with water.
The surface to be rendered.

Glue and varnish is applied with a flat soft brush. In this case, the brush should be wet enough so as not to scratch or tear thin paper.

Napkin preparation

For decoupage, two- and three-layer table paper napkins and special thematic cards are used, which can be purchased at needlework stores.

Separate the layer with the pattern for further decoupage

A thin layer with a printed image must be separated from the rest of the layers.

To separate the pattern, it is better to tear the napkin with your hands than to cut it. This makes the edges less visible.

Next, a fragment is carefully pulled out by hands, which will be glued to the decorated object. Why pull out with your hands, and not cut with scissors? The fact is that when you tear a napkin, uneven edges with thinned teeth are formed. This will make it possible to hide, mask the border of the transition from the napkin to the surface to be treated. If you cut out a rosette or a leaf with scissors, the edge will stand out clearly, and nothing will be able to hide it.

Since initially the napkin is a bit like a waffle in its structure, when glued, it straightens and increases in size. Because of this, wrinkles are formed. Some craftswomen pre-iron the napkin with an iron to straighten the napkin and facilitate further work.

Foundation preparation

In order for the napkin to stick evenly and firmly, the surface to be decorated must be prepared. By default, it is assumed that the borders of the pasted fragment will be masked with paint of a suitable shade.

The base is covered with the original light or dark background, which will show through the napkin a little, creating the desired effect. Then, using the same paint, it will be easier for you to hide the border between the base and the pasted fragment.

Wooden blanks for decoupage require special preparation. The fact is that when any amount of liquid enters, a small wood pile will rise. It will not allow the napkin to lie flat on the surface. Therefore, it must be removed with sandpaper.

The workpiece can be painted with paint or stain. In any case, after drying, you need to remove the pile and cover the product with two layers of varnish.

Moreover, each layer must be allowed to dry completely and sanded. Only in this case you will get a high-quality flat surface.

Decoupage of a wooden surface and varnishing

5 ways to stick a napkin

Hot . To work, you will need decoupage glue or thick PVA. Apply it to the place where the glued fragment of the napkin will be located. Let dry. Then attach a fragment of the image to the treated area and walk over it with a hot iron (without steam). You can use an iron pad in the form of a sheet of paper.
Glue on top. It is convenient to glue small fragments, impregnating with glue from above. To do this, the napkin is placed in the right place. Then it needs to be covered with a generous layer of glue, starting from the center. Brush movements should be directed from the center point to the edges.
As it gets wet, the fragment stretches. It needs to be carefully straightened. Don't feel sorry for the glue. When dry, it will become transparent. And during operation, he will not let thin paper tear.

Cover the image with varnish.
For varnish. The essence of the method is the same as in the previous case. The only difference is that a point is placed in the center of the fragment, where a small amount of varnish is poured, which is further stretched to the edges. It is no longer necessary to cover the napkin with a second layer of varnish.
To the water. The steps are the same as in the previous method, only water is used instead of varnish and glue. With its help, the napkin straightens out on the surface without wrinkles. When it is completely aligned, the image is immediately covered with glue or varnish from above.
With a stationery file. The file must be cut so that two dense films are obtained. The size must be chosen so that they are larger than the fragment to be glued.
A napkin is placed face down on one film. Water is generously poured on top so that the paper literally floats. Carefully straighten all the folds with your fingers. In order not to tear a thin napkin, you can cover it with a second film on top, and continue working through the file. When you are sure that there are no wrinkles left, drain off any excess water and carefully place the tissue paper face up in the desired area.

The file will not let it tear and will allow you to clearly position the fragment on the object that is being formed.

After the paper has adhered well to the surface, the film is carefully removed. Be careful not to drag the paper along with the file.

Cover the image with glue or varnish.

So that when compiling a collage, adjacent fragments do not suffer from careless brush movements, be sure to protect them with a layer of varnish.

When all the elements are glued, varnish the surface so that you can safely work with paints. In this case, any careless stroke can be erased without fear of damaging the image.

And now consider decoupage for beginners step by step with photo examples.

Decoupage boxes

One of the most popular creative ideas for decoupage at home is decorating a jewelry box.

Cardboard boxes do not require pre-sanding. It is enough to paint and varnish them. We have already considered the technology of sticking napkins. Now it remains to mask the edges of the fragments.

To do this, use the paint that covered the main background, and sponge. Put some paint on the foam rubber and blot it on the bottom of a plastic dish to remove excess. Carefully paint over the border of the napkin, going into the background and into the image. Such a simple technique helps to make a subtle transition between the base and the paper.

If you want to make the border even less noticeable, then gently sand off a thin layer of paper along the edges of the elements.

If the background colors on the box and on the napkin are slightly different, use the dry brush method.. It lies in the fact that a small amount of paint is collected on a hard bristle brush. Blot the brush so that there is very little paint left. With movements from the napkin to the background of the box, make a smooth transition of color due to thin strokes that are obtained with a semi-dry brush.

Then type on a hard brush a little dark paint or bituminous varnish. Very little. Walk along the edges of the lid and the edges of the box. Leave a dark trail. A thin strip of 3-5 millimeters. Let dry. Sandpaper go over the painted edges. They will become more pronounced.

Decoupage bottles

When decorating bottles, beginner decoupagers sometimes encounter the difficulty of gluing a napkin onto a spherical surface. In this case, the method of applying glue over the napkin is well suited.

Glass before starting work must be degreased with any suitable compound for this.. Then you can start toning. The brush will leave streaks. And the sponge will create an even tone.

Prime the surface of the bottle

If you want to give the bottle a new texture, wrap it with a piece of tights, pre-soaking it with plenty of glue. Lay out the folds in the order you like. Using different fabrics, you can imitate stucco, leather and other materials. The finished texture needs to be given color, and you can start gluing the napkin.

We tear off the desired pattern from the napkin and smear it with PVA glue on the reverse side

Glue the pattern to the bottle, then cover with cellophane and smooth the napkin on the bottle to remove all air bubbles

We cover the drawing on top with PVA glue and paint over the bottle in gray

In this case, the wet wipe should not be touched, it can easily tear. We are waiting for complete drying and glue and paint. You can finish the background around the napkin so that the edges of the torn paper are not visible. Decor with paints on the bottle can be done to anyone as fantasy tells.

We waited for drying, we take acrylic varnish and cover the bottle with it

When the image is fixed on the surface, the work is varnished in three layers. Let each one dry before applying the next. Further, if desired, you can stick lace, beads, accessories.

Furniture decoupage

This is another good decoupage idea for beginners. If the paint or varnish on the furniture is in good condition, then the surface can be considered ready for decoration.. If desired, you can repaint the base to facilitate the process of implanting the picture.

MDF in its purest form needs painting. Therefore, it must be prepared, as described at the beginning of the article.

For large pieces of decoupage, it is good to use the file method or apply glue / varnish over the napkin. It depends on the shape of the facade or body. For straight walls, it is good to use file film. And on spherical or embossed surfaces, you will have to pick up a brush.

As with the box, the image will need to be implanted into the general background with a sponge or a dry brush.

The effect of antiquity is created by patina applied to the edges and various relief decorative elements.. They can be made from a mixture of ordinary gypsum putty and PVA glue. More experienced craftsmen use special pastes to create three-dimensional elements.

Imitation of metal is made using self-hardening plastics. The effect of a light coating of oxide is created using colored wax.

If desired, the applied image for naturalness can be lightly rubbed with sandpaper.

The finished work must be protected by a triple application of varnish.

Video how to make chair decoupage yourself:

As you can see, beginners do not need any special tools or materials for decoupage. It is enough to start with PVA glue, ordinary colored napkins and a set of acrylic paints. Any lacquer can be used.

Decorating various objects in the house with the help of decoupage technique, you can fit them into such interior styles as Provence, ethnic, country, Victorian style, shabby chic, simplicity.

Photo examples of decoupage with different ideas

Decoupage is a technique that allows you to transfer finished images to various surfaces. Most often, decoupage is done on wooden household items or decor. But the options for decorating candles, ceramic dishes and fabrics using this technique are also common. This method of decoration, in comparison with others, is the least simple to perform and does not require large expenditures. Among other things, decoupage takes much less time and effort than, for example, wood painting. We invite you to find out how to do decoupage with step by step photo.

Features of decoupage technique

Decoupage is a kind of applique, so making it is quite simple. The desired picture, printed on paper, is glued to the surface and varnished. Only thin paper products are suitable for this technique. Three types are distinguished among them:

Photo decoupage bottles

Ordinary paper napkins with a pattern;
Pictures printed on very thin paper using a regular home printer;
Special paper for decoupage. It can be purchased at art and hobby stores.

Photo decoupage boxes

Items needed to get started:

Picture. For training, ordinary napkins are suitable. Special paper for decoupage is usually quite expensive, so you should not spend it on the very first practice decor.

Photo of priming board

Photo of applying a napkin

Coating varnish. You can choose from a matte or glossy finish.
Photo of the varnishing stage
Brush. A small, flat, synthetic fiber brush works best. If the work is large, then a larger brush will come in handy.
Decoration photo

We do decoupage in stages

Step 1. First of all, the style of future work is determined. The object of decor and drawings for it are selected.

Step 2. Surface preparation. If necessary, the wood is sanded, primed or coated with acrylic paint.

Preparing a frame for decoupage. Photo

Step 3. Cutting out images. Everything is extremely simple here - you need to cut out pictures from the top layer of napkins along the desired contour. For a smooth transition of napkins into a wooden surface, they are sometimes torn rather than cut. Thus, a thin, uneven edge is obtained, which will smoothly merge with the background.

Photo of priming surfaces

Step 4. Now you need to decide on the approximate position of the drawings on the subject. You can simply attach napkins to the finished surface and evaluate how the pattern will look on the finished product. When the placement plan is ready, you can proceed to the next step.

Photo of white paint coating

Step 5. Pasting the image. Decoupage differs from ordinary applications in that the glue is applied not to the wrong side, but to the front of the image. First you need to attach a picture to its location. Then, on top of it, glue is applied with a brush. It is best to start from the center of the drawing. A napkin soaked in glue can begin to stretch and tear, so you need to be very careful at the gluing stage. This step is repeated with all the drawings for the subject. After that, you need to give the product time to dry.

Photo brushes for decoupage

Step 6. When the glue has dried, you can add any drawings to the pictures with a brush and paints. Acrylic paint and a thin nylon brush are best suited for these purposes.

Decoupage glass jar

At first glance, it may seem that this technique is difficult to perform, but it is not at all the case. With the proper level of preparation and the availability of all the necessary materials, anyone can handle decoupage. Knowing what is decoupage and how to do it. They will help you quickly master the technique, and a step-by-step photo will allow you to imagine what products can be made.

Quite a lot of people today are fond of such a type of creativity as decoupage. There are a lot of materials for such an interior element: printouts, napkins, special film, decoupage cards. We will consider the most common way - how to make decoupage from napkins. In principle, there is nothing complicated in decoupage with napkins, the main thing is to know some secrets of its implementation.

Varieties of napkins

Ideally, only the top layer of the napkin is used for decoupage. Usually the desired motif is torn out by hand or cut out, depending on the desired result. In general, if you need a clear motive, then it is preferable to carefully cut it out, and if after gluing the napkins you need to additionally paint over, refine the general background, or do some additional drawings, then it is better to tear the motive, because the torn edges lie better on the surface. So, which napkins are preferable to use for decoupage.

Napkin gluing options

Before gluing a fragment of a napkin, it is recommended to paint over the surface with white paint, then the pattern of the napkin will be clearly and brightly visible when the image is distorted on dark surfaces.

Note! Do not worry about the perforated edges of the napkin, after getting wet they will definitely smooth out. If suddenly there are insignificant tubercles, then it is easy to get rid of them by pressing the nail.

In general, there are several options for gluing napkins. It cannot be said that any particular technique is more correct, it’s just that each decoupage woman finds for herself the most convenient option that she does best.

We glue the napkin with an iron
This method is well suited for a flat surface. To work, you need to heat the iron, as well as prepare parchment paper, decoupage glue or glue stick, and a napkin. First you need to apply glue to the surface, dry it a little, then put a napkin, cover it with parchment paper and carefully iron everything. Dried glue after heating sticks a napkin, which, after ironing, must be smeared with glue again.
Paste with a file
Many decoupage makers are adherents of this particular method, as the simplest and most convenient. It is suitable for all surfaces. We put a napkin on the file, and the image should look down. Pour a little water and varnish (or glue) into the center in a ratio of 10: 1. Then gently moisten the napkin so that it practically floats in the water. We carefully straighten the creases and folds, expel the air from under the napkin.

After that, the excess liquid is drained, and the file with the napkin lying on it is carefully glued to the desired surface. The convenience of the method is that the wet fragment of the napkin easily rotates on the surface at the required angle. The resulting crease can be easily smoothed out with water.
Fan brush method
If you are overly diligent and accurate, then the method will suit you. The essence of the method as a whole is simple: put a napkin on the surface and pour a small puddle of water into its center. We take a fan brush and begin to gently stretch this puddle over the entire napkin (motive). The formed folds are straightened by gently lifting the edge of the napkin. According to experienced decoupagers, the method is ideal for decorating convex or curved surfaces.

Making a wooden surface

Decorating various surfaces has its own nuances, so it’s worth considering the option in more detail: how to make decoupage on a tree. A cutting board, a box, furniture, etc. can act as a decorated surface. Preliminary surface preparation involves light grinding with fine-grained sandpaper. A similar procedure is needed to align and eliminate possible chipping.

Then the surface is varnished and primed. Then again covered with acrylic varnish, and then polished with sandpaper. Now we glue the napkin and cover the work with varnish. If there are irregularities, they must be gently passed with sandpaper, and then varnished again.

Glue on the bottle

Very often, craftswomen choose ordinary glass bottles for decoration. How to decoupage on a bottle, so that the result is a small masterpiece of handmade production? The bottle chosen for decoration should be carefully cleaned of labels and degreased with alcohol or acetone. Then the glass must be varnished with acrylic and primed, and then varnished again. Now the surface of the bottle must be gently sanded with sandpaper.

Our bottle is ready for napkin sticking. We glue the motive chosen in advance and cover the surface with varnish. Sand and re-varnish the surface. If necessary, the resulting decor can be finalized by artistic painting or applying a background, after which the bottle must again be varnished with acrylic in several layers.

Note! Decoupage can be done not only on wooden or glass surfaces. Metal, plastic, textiles and other surfaces can act as a basis, depending on the imagination of the decoupager.

Decoupage technique(from the French word decoupage means "cut") - a technique for decorating, decorating, decorating with cut-out paper motifs.

Currently, three-layer napkins have become the most popular material, so in many languages decoupage has received the name - napkin technique.

You can decorate flower pots, dishes, candles, books, musical instruments, caskets, vessels, bottles, furniture, etc. Even clothes and shoes can be decorated. Wood, leather, textiles, ceramics, metal, gypsum, cardboard - any surface is amenable to change. However, it must be borne in mind that the surfaces must be uniform and not too dark, so that the translucent pattern cut from the napkin is clearly visible.

Tools and materials: three-layer napkins for decoupage (the classic version, other patterns can be used), a flat semi-rigid brush 1-2 cm wide, it is also convenient for it to apply paints and varnish. For large objects, it is better to use larger brushes.

The classic decoupage rules involve first gluing the napkin, for which they use special glue for napkins. Then the application can be additionally treated with paints with various effects, after which the surface is covered with a protective varnish, but if special effects are not expected, then the adhesive properties of the varnish itself or a special colorless paint can be used. The needlewomen, on the other hand, glue: on undiluted PVA, on diluted PVA, on egg white, on an adhesive stick, etc. This is determined by experience and a penchant for experimentation.

There is no difference between special glue and ordinary glue, unless the pattern is glued to glass or fabric.

There is a special composition for gluing napkins by ironing. It is necessary to apply the composition on the surface to be decorated (flat, since it is supposed to smooth the napkin to it with an iron; it is ideal to use on paper, wood and similar surfaces), leave for a while so that the composition dries a little, then attach a napkin and a sheet of paper through which to iron still damp surface with a not too hot iron so that no wrinkles remain and the application is well fixed.

You can also buy Patio Paint, a colorless, water-based acrylic paint. It can replace napkin glue, and then the work will not be afraid of moisture, sunlight and other vagaries of nature, even if it is not varnished.

You can first apply glue to the prepared surface, carefully apply a napkin on top, gently smoothing it with a brush or fingers. You can, on the contrary, put a napkin on a dry surface, and carefully smear glue on it. It should be borne in mind that the layer with the pattern is very thin, it quickly gets wet from the glue and can tear.

When glued on egg white, the images do not blur, it is suitable for large surfaces, "there are few wrinkles and much cheaper than compared to special glue. Can be glued with nail polish or varnish that covers the surface. Cover the product can be transparent matte or shiny varnish with a brush from a jar or from a spray can.If the pattern is glued to a plastic surface, then it is better to cover it with a layer of PVA first and let it dry completely, and only then glue it on protein or glue.

You can use special varnishes for decoupage: glossy, matte, triple gloss varnish, diamond gloss, acrylic-based, depending on the effect you want to achieve. And there is a special water-based glossy varnish so that the thing can be used on the street. Varnishes do not turn yellow over time, do not smell, there are no brush marks on the surface of the decorated objects.

If you cover the thing with several layers of varnish with a diamond sheen, it seems that it is made of porcelain.

Auxiliary materials for surface treatment: sandpaper for treating wood surface roughness, primer, etc. (If you want to).

The not very smooth, rough wooden surface of the object chosen for decoupage should be treated with sandpaper, apply a primer, which can be used as an acrylic paint of a suitable color. The glass surface must first be degreased with detergent.

It is better to make the primer light, because when applied to a dark background, the picture will turn out to be pale or the dark background will show through a thin layer of a napkin, and the work will look ugly. In addition, if the napkin is glued to a surface that is not white, then the background of the napkin (its color) is lost, it will not be so distinct and bright.

Pattern cutting. First you need to separate the top thin layer of paint from the napkin. It is he who will be needed in the process of work. Cut it out carefully with sharp scissors. If the drawing is too small and thin to cut out, then only large elements are cut out, and small ones are painted on with a thin brush. If desired, the pattern from the napkin can be glued in its entirety, but it should be borne in mind that a large pattern is difficult to smooth out neatly, and wrinkles may remain or it may tear. Wrinkles can usually be avoided by working with a flat synthetic brush and quickly.

Napkin motif applied to the surface to be formed and with a flat brush begin to stick, smearing with glue from the outside. When soaked, the napkin begins to stretch, so you need to act very carefully, straightening all the wrinkles and bubbles with a brush. Gluing should start from the center of the motif.

Next, lay out the individual elements of the composition on a tray, estimating the position of different characters and objects. If in the process of smearing some element was damaged or torn off, then using a breadboard or collet knife, you can carefully separate the affected element and cut it again from another napkin.

After that, if necessary, paint small elements with paints.

When the work is painted and glued, it must be covered with at least two layers of varnish to protect it from mechanical damage and moisture.

Some surfaces require additional processing. If the pattern is applied to textiles, then it is necessary to cover it with several layers of varnish. After drying, the fabric with a pattern can be carefully ironed with a warm iron through a cloth.

If only one white layer is separated from the colored layer of a three-layer napkin, and the remaining two layers (with a pattern and monotonous) are glued onto the surface at once, then it will not be too thick, and the pattern will be brighter. So you can glue the pattern on transparent jars.

After applying the varnish, the pattern becomes brighter. How many layers of varnish to apply, it is better to decide in the process. Depends on how the first layer lays down. On some surfaces, the varnish is absorbed, and several layers are needed. For others, one layer is enough.

After applying the varnish, the napkin may swell in places, wrinkles will appear that were not there. After the varnish has dried, they can be smoothed out with your fingers, it will be imperceptible. The main thing is to wait for it to dry.

Brushes after acrylic varnish (water-based) are recommended to be washed with turpentine, but it is perfectly washed off with plain water.

If the pattern is glued with diluted PVA, it is better to pour more of it. Let the motive (or the whole napkin) practically float, then all the folds are very easily smoothed out with wet fingers. And always at hand, let there be simple napkins with which you can get excess glue wet. However, the napkin gets soaked, and it takes a lot of skill to gently straighten the napkin and it does not tear.

Another option: cover a flat surface with a layer of glue; when the glue dries, put a napkin on top and iron it through the baking paper. And top with another layer of glue.

If decoupage is done on a wooden surface that is not covered with anything, just pure wood, PVA can be replaced with acrylic or special varnish for wood. If the varnish is thick, it is diluted with water (these varnishes are mostly water-soluble, and after drying they become waterproof). Then the decoupage is varnished - matte or glossy, but it is better to do this the next day after the picture has dried, so that the picture does not wrinkle during varnishing.

You can glue it without a brush at all - with your fingers. Then, after work and thorough washing off of the glue, the hands are smeared with a greasy baby cream to prevent dry skin.

When working with fingers, smear the surface with diluted PVA. If the fragment is small, then put it all at once. And then PVA is applied with a finger on top of a napkin, droplets. To do this, you need to dilute the glue to such a consistency that it is not thick, but a drop does not fall off your finger. And smooth with fingertips. Smooth out, as if expelling glue to the edges.

If the napkin is glued entirely, then one edge is applied, then the napkin is gradually placed with one hand, and the second is generously dripped on top of the PVA. Pull it out, lay it down and level it with your fingers. Then, with ordinary napkins, excess glue is removed.

If, when gluing large fragments, wrinkles nevertheless formed, they can be sanded with a small sandpaper after complete drying, carefully so as not to damage the pattern. Then apply several layers of varnish, and allow each layer to dry.

To make large fragments or whole napkins easier to stick, you first need to lightly sprinkle a little water on the cut out fragment or napkin and dry it a little, and then stick it. You can use a water sprayer for this.

Option: apply glue on the surface with a thin layer, and not on the entire surface in general, but on the part where the fragment is glued at the moment, gently (without pressing) put a napkin on top and gently press it from the center, smooth to the edges. When the napkin is applied and evenly held, quickly, but carefully, so as not to tear, apply glue to it. In this case, it is better that the glue is thick, then the napkin will not get very wet and, therefore, will stretch less. It is better to apply the top layer like this: if the motif is square or rectangular, draw a strip in the center with a brush, and then from it to the edges, first in one direction, then in the other. If a fragment is cut out, start with the larger part of it. It is important to glue quickly here, otherwise wrinkles cannot be avoided.

It is also possible, by cutting out the motif and separating the extra layers, spray the desired layer with hairspray, and then iron it with an iron. Then the motive will not creep and stretch.

It is not necessary to use napkins for decoupage. You can print on a color printer any picture, photograph, motif you like on ordinary white or colored paper for copying and duplicating equipment, then cut it out and glue it. The difference is that napkins look like they are a drawing on an object, while plain paper pictures look like an appliqué.

You can use drawings on tracing paper, on thin wrapping paper or on floral felt. You can also cut out different motifs from thin fabric and stick them on objects, postcards. Decoupage from a rather dense pattern, such as a postcard, can be done by pre-processing on the reverse side (i.e., where there is no pattern) with a zero sandpaper. The card becomes thin, like a napkin, and you can work with it. Or you can soak the back of the card in a saucer of water, and then peel off several layers of paper. Only the top layer with the pattern remains, and it is glued. Rice paper lays perfectly, without wrinkles, even on the curved surface of the plate.

To create a napkin with your favorite pattern yourself, you need to glue a white napkin around the edges with adhesive tape to a sheet of A4 paper and print it on a color inkjet or laser printer. The napkin should be well stretched on the paper so that there are no wrinkles when printing. If the printed pattern is ironed with a hot iron or sprinkled with hairspray, then the pattern will not “float” when pasted.

To work on glass surfaces, you need to take multi-layered and bright napkins with a distinct pattern. Delicate tones and halftones on the glass will be lost.

You can first put the picture on the glass and circle the outline with a marker. Then paint over it, along with this stroke.

You can first paint over the glass at the place of decoupage with white red (under the base), or you can stick a napkin with a layer.

When working with transparent plates, diluted PVA glue is best suited. Special for decoupage on glass and porcelain and special for different surfaces, when dried, they give glare from the front side. And on PVA everything is smoothed out and it does not give shiny fragments visible from the front side. However, special glues have their advantages: decoupage glue for glass and porcelain is baked in the oven, and the pattern becomes almost eternal. It is good to apply it on a white surface (faience), then there will be no glare. Glue for different surfaces sticks more firmly. It's glue varnish. If a napkin glued to PVA is easy to accidentally pick off with a finger, then this glue, after drying, gives a durable surface.

When decoupage on fabric, the technology is the same, only the fabric must be very well saturated with glue, so that later the image and the fabric become one. When working, I put an oilcloth under the fabric. After complete drying, the fabric is ironed with an iron for about 3 minutes, without steaming (!), from the inside and face through a thin cloth. After that, the product will withstand hand washing at 40 degrees, squeeze gently, straighten and dry. It is best to do decoupage on cotton and linen.

If you plan to wash and iron printed textiles, then it is better to use a special textile adhesive for decoupage, and if not, then PVA is suitable. You need to work quickly and accurately with a good flat brush. After complete drying, you need to walk over the glued picture with acrylic varnish, you can even in one layer. This will protect the image from moisture, but it is better not to wash such an image, but to wipe it with a damp cloth if it gets dirty.

It is better to wash and iron the fabric before work. Cotton fabric tends to “shrink” when sticking a napkin even after washing, so it’s better to cut out with a margin. The larger the napkin, the more difficult it is to stick it, since the napkin begins to deform upon contact with the glue (it can stretch or shrink). Ideally, before sticking a whole napkin, it is better to first saturate the fabric with glue, then apply the napkin and gently smooth it with a flat wide synthetic semi-soft brush and go through with more glue. After the glue has completely dried (this process takes a day), the fabric with the glued motif is ironed first from the inside in a temperature regime that is suitable for the selected fabric, without steaming, for several minutes, thereby fixing the glue, which will allow this fabric to be washed by hand at 40 degrees. with mild agent.

Plastic can be primed with PVA glue. And then paint and decoupage, as usual.

Features of working with plastic. Plastic for painting is better to primer. You can use PVA, you can use a special primer. The use of materials depends on the application of the thing. Acrylic paint and varnish can be applied to the decorative tray without any fear. If it is supposed to be a food tray, then there should be no acrylic in the top cover. If acrylic paint applied to plastic is not varnished, then it comes off with the same film when clinging to any sharp object, from impact, etc. That is, it must be varnished in any case. Acrylic paint is hidden under the words water-based and aqua paint.

Decoupage on candles, in addition to a special composition, can be glued with a hot spoon or PVA glue. A candle and a carved motif are taken. A teaspoon is heated on the stove and the decor is carefully soldered in a circular motion.

When applying paint, you can use a flat brush. It is dipped in water, shaken off, and then dipped in paint. So the paint lays down more evenly, there is no "banding". It is better to apply varnish with a “fluffy” brush, you can use the most ordinary one from the children's set. It is dipped in varnish (more varnish) and dispersed over the surface of the product in different directions, then the varnish covers well both the surface without a pattern and with a pattern, there are no brush marks left. The brush can also be wetted, or not wetted, depending on the thickness of the varnish.

To apply paint well on a glass surface, you need to paint with thin layers of paint several times. You can use a piece of sponge - utensil or cosmetic, clamped with a clothespin, and blot the surface. The finer the sponge, the better. You can (if the surface is flat) roll the paint with a roller. And be sure to pre-degrease the surface with dishwashing detergent with hot water or alcohol.

In order to create a colored background, first make a white background, then glue a napkin, then, as it were, blot with a sponge with colored paint. First, denser, and then lighter and lighter, at the end it is almost weightless, so that there are no paint bubbles left. You can very slightly go to the borders of the picture for greater naturalness.

If the paint is thick, then it can be diluted with water, but add it literally drop by drop and mix thoroughly.

To make gold plating for decoupage, you need to buy glass varnish and pour gold or silver dust into it for nail design, the smallest. Coat the product with this varnish.

You can also pour a little varnish into unnecessary dishes, then pour gold powder into it, mix thoroughly and cover with a brush.

To make the border on the product even, you need to glue masking tape, and apply rubber glue along it. Then they remove the adhesive tape, paint it (you can even climb onto the glue with a brush), and then gently roll the glue with your fingers. It does not stick to the surface, but forms a thick film. All manipulations must be done after the paint has dried. First you need to check the glue somewhere on the back side - whether it will react with the wood coating. This is rare, but it happens.

In order for the contour line to be neat, not to get bold dots at the beginning of the line, you need to substitute a piece of paper to the beginning, where the line should begin, the first drop falls on it, and then there is a straight line.

Gunpowder. This is a technique for transferring pictures from one place to the right place. A picture is drawn on paper and a thick needle is pierced along the contour and along the contour of all the fragments inside the wings. A sheet with a drawn and pierced sketch is placed on the desired surface. Then a brush with paint is drawn (you can use eye shadow) through the holes. You can use charcoal or a soft pencil. It turns out the finished print. You can colorize.

How to age paper (napkins). You can soak it in tea and a decoction of onion peel. You can wrinkle the paper and tint it with anything, for example, watercolor, the paint will pour more into the wrinkled wrinkles. If decoupage is done on a tree, then it can be covered with a water-soluble stain, then the napkin will “grow old” when pasted.