The art of Decoupage is growing in popularity with people using it to decorate their homes, furniture and smaller household objects. It is a great way to add life to old things or cover up the imperfections of age (no you can’t decoupage yourself.) The word comes from a french phrase meaning to cut paper and aptly describes the craft.
You need an object to cover, some decorative paper, glue and varnish or one of the specially made Glues that contain a varnish already.
What is Decoupage?
It is the art of covering an object with small pieces of paper. For a complete guide to decoupage see www.decoupages.co.uk which contains a step by step guide and essential tips.
Can any paper be used for Decoupage?
It can be, the varnish and glue are the main considerations for a hard wearing finish but thicker paper is harder to work with. It takes more effort to bed it into curvy surfaces and the overlap can stick out a bit. Thin but hard wearing paper is the best stuff to use. There are some specialist decoupage papers out there that were specifically designed for the task. Decopatch paper is specially designed for Decoupage and makes the job a lot easier.
What is Decopatch?
This is the brand name for a specialist maker of thin paper, ideal for decopatching.
Can you cut Decopatch paper with scissors?
Yes you can, the sharper the better but the paper is no harder to cut than ordinary paper. In fact as it is thinner it is easier to cut with sharp scissors.
Some people have used old magazines and comics to great effect. The only limitation really is your imagination. There are some Decoupage kits around that provide everything you need to get started including an object to cover. A glitter glue is a nice finishing touch and adds a little sparkle to your projects.
Once you have a starter kit you’ll find left over sheets to use, we suggest you experiment on smaller objects like coasters, photo frames and small tins and containers. When you get a feel for the craft you can move on to larger things like larger pieces of furniture and doors.