With decoupage, I met a few years ago thanks to a good friend who lives in the Baltic. She showed me his work, accompanying every little thing interesting history of its origin. The stories were no less entertaining than things, but some of the words, which operated my girlfriend (such as "crackle" or "patina"), were completely unknown to me. However, even then it was clear that the simple "cut, is glued, give dry varnish" stood something more. Decoupage - infinitely interesting to do, it can be used to realize the most daring ideas on the surfaces of the most unexpected things.
The day before my departure in Russian girlfriend gave me a small magazine, which were described in detail all the techniques of decorating items with paper applications, varnished and looks more like a painting than a glued motives. Thus began my passion for decoupage and everything connected with it.
The other day I took hold of the decoration of the old tin pots for flowers. I was lucky - on its surface, there were no signs of rust, otherwise would have cleaned this place with the help of a fine-grained nazhdachki. If you have a similar pots, empty cans of paint or a small zinc bucket - they also can decorate using decoupage. The main thing - always act carefully and without haste.
I will tell you how "zadekupazhit" pots using a motif cut out of paper napkins. For decorating the surface you will need nail clippers (with upturned ends), paper napkin with a picture that you would like to decorate pots, acrylic primer, suitable for metal surfaces, acrylic paint in white, flat brush small brush for applying nail polish, a small sponge for washing dishes, acrylic-based adhesive or a watered-down PVA glue and acrylic paint, odorless. I usually use matte varnish, it has no shine, but you can take and glossy. Put next to the workplace ordinary hair dryer, it can also be useful to you.
Prepare the surface of the pots. To do this, it should be washed under running water with detergent or degrease with cotton wool soaked in acetone. Dry pots, cut the sponge for washing dishes in half and use it to apply a coat of acrylic primer light "chpokayuschimi" movements. After the primer has dried, apply a coat of acrylic paint using a sponge second half all the same motions, trying to evenly apply paint to the surface. To speed up the drying process, use a hairdryer - just do not turn it on full power, otherwise overheating is inevitable. Once the layer of paint is dry, apply it one more - so we create a textured surface pots.
Until the last layer dries, take nail scissors and paper napkin with the right motive and carefully cut it out along the contour. Dear beginners, I suggest you do not take a swipe with complex and very fine motives, start with the fact that easier. Before gluing the cut motive remove the last two layers of paper towels, leaving only the slimmest on which is printed pattern. To determine in advance with the location of the motif in the pots. Take a thin flat brush and acrylic adhesive, attach the cut pattern to the surface of pots and start to put glue on it lightly from the center to the edges. Try to work carefully - impregnated adhesive cloth tears easily. Attaching motive, put the work surface to dry completely.
The next stage decoration - covering the work of water-based varnish. Take acrylic paint and a small brush to apply. Do not apply it too thick, work in the same direction (for example, from top to bottom). When the varnish layer is completely dry (note it may take a long time), take a fine-grained skin and coat the entire surface of the pots. Whisk lacquer dust big fluffy brush and then apply a coat of varnish. Follow the procedure several times until until pasted motif will not feel the touch. It will help you nail to create the illusion of painting. Our decor is ready! You can use pots intended or store it in any trifles.
Learn the basic techniques of decoupage, you can easily combine it with other techniques, such as krakelyurnym varnish to create the effect of antiquity, with artificial mramorirovaniem surfaces, gilding, work with a crystal paste, etc. And then any "valuable stuff" can be turned into a small masterpiece, giving him the opportunity to live one more interesting life.