The technique of decoupage with your own hands (tissue painting) is a special kind of handmade, which is used to decorate various surfaces. By using this technique you can decorate any thing, making it unrecognizable in comparison with its previous kind, making it unique and even giving it soul.
History of decoupage
The word “decoupage” came in our language from French “to cut out”. It defines the main essence of this practice – the creation of applications on various objects, regardless of their shape and material. The technique of decoupage from napkins is a universal method of decorating surrounding objects, which allows you to do wonders, creating amazing decor of ordinary things with the help of decoupage cards, table cloths or from magazine clippings.
This needlework technique was invented by Chinese peasants in XII century, and became popular in Europe in XVII-XVIII centuries. Those were the times when Asian patterns and objects of everyday life first came into fashion. At that time they were very expensive, but European furniture makers and decorators cleverly got out of the position, skillfully creating crafts on Chinese items. They had a cheaper cost, but were no less beautiful, and were made with glued patterns covered with many layers of special varnish.
Later, decorations in the technique of decoupage began to be applied even on the walls (there is even a special name for this direction – print rooms). At the same time, the Asian motifs are gradually forgotten and in their place came intricate patterns, as well as images of flowers and angels.
For convenience of work the first decoupage pictures for cutting were released, and also special tools for work in this technique. Thanks to it, decoupage became hobby of many European craftswomen and existed up to now.
Decoupage today
Today with the help of decoupage many people prefer to give life to old things. Beautiful pictures can decorate furniture, doors, accessories and even shoes. Becoming the owner of things, decorated with their own hands in this style today is prestigious, because, acquiring the status of handicraft, it is much rises in value, gaining something that it hasn’t had before – the soul.
Now, having decorated some thing, using decoupage techniques, you can present it as a gift or leave it for personal use. You will like its decoration and it will look as new, sparing you from necessity to spend money for new furniture and household items.
Types of decoupage
There are following types of decoupage:
- Classic (direct) – cut or torn picture is carefully glued to the surface of the prepared object, then covered with varnish and sanded to form a homogeneous texture with the previous surface.
- Reverse – used to decorate glass surfaces. It means gluing a picture on the inner surface of the object.
- Volumetric – implies elements of imitation of artistic painting and creation of volumetric decorative elements. Sculpture pastes and other volumetric materials are used for its creation.
- Artistic (smoky) – implies the use of different techniques to combine the basic pattern together with the chosen motif, after which a high-quality imitation of artistic painting is obtained.
- Decompatch – the surface is filled with different fragments of paper or images, after which the result begins to resemble something like a patchwork quilt.