Decoupage Tutorial

Decoupage is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts onto it in combination with special paint effects and so on.  

In this tutorial, I am using a used aluminium can and a wooden peg - things that we can easily find at home.  It is great for recycling used items.

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Materials:  aluminium can - lid completely removed, clean and dry, serviettes with designs, paint brush, scissors, white paint and clear spray, mod podge (glue for decoupage)

• Spray the empty can with white paint.  Caution:  Do it in an open area without wind.  Spray the paint from a distance (around 1 m).  Do not aim the nozzle at one point to prevent tear drop effect.  Turn the can side way to spray the other side OR you can move around to spray the other side of the can and the inner part.
•  You might get uneven paint on the surface of the can.  Don't worry, you can cover the uneven or ugly patches with the paper later. :-)  As you practice and do more you will get the even paint surface.

• Cut the serviette.  Choose the design you wish to paste on the can.

• Remove the other layers of the serviette to get the thinnest layer.  Most serviettes come in 2 layers but some may have 3 layers.
• TIPS:  For easier handling, the smaller piece the serviette cut outs, the easier for the gluing process later.

• Apply a layer glue on the spot on the can that you want to paste the design.  
• DO not apply the glue on the whole surface at one go.  .

• Slowly stick the paper on the spot with glue.  Gently straighten the surface with finger to iron out creases and to prevent bubbles.
•  Be careful not to apply to much glue - a thin layer will do.  If the too wet, the serviette may tear when you straighten with finger.  Furthermore the serviette may expand make the straightening process very tricky

• Continue to apply the glue and straighten the surface little by little until the whole piece of paper cut out is paste on the can. 
• To prevent bubbles, make sure the glue is applied evenly.  Bubbles are trapped when glue is not applied on the particular spots.

• Continue the process by sticking the whole can with the desired designs.

• Note that all the sides of the serviette cut outs are not seen.
• The glued serviette will have the  'embedded effect' on the the can.  

• Trim the excess edges and do some touch up on the sides which are not properly glued.

• After it had dried, apply a coat of the glue (mod podge) on the whole surface of the can.  This will give a glossy look on the whole design.
• As for me, after this step, I spray a layer of clear paint after the coat of mod podge.

I use the excess serviette to decorate some wooden pegs with the same technique

The finished products :-)