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Some Tips to Avoid Problems with Your Decoupage Project

I am trying to decoupage a chair that I painted. I didn't decide to decoupage it until after it was painted. I put on about three layers of this spray-on enamel paint that says it contains petroleum, so I'm guessing it's oil based.

I then tried to decoupage on a few color pictures from my printer using an oil-based varnish called Anita's. It was a HUGE disaster!

The ink ran everywhere and it was completely bumpy. I sanded the surface as best I could and repainted the whole thing.

I reprinted all the pictures in black and white and I’m going to try again, but I was wondering if I'm using the right combination of paint and varnish (I used the varnish to glue the pictures on too).

Should I use a different type of glue?

Should I seal the pictures and if so how do I do that?

Any help you can give me would be amazing! It's a gift and I really want it to turn out well!

Thanks!

Samantha

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Your question is very timely because I just finished reading Durwin Rice’s beautiful book on decoupage, New Decoupage. Not only was I inspired by some of his ideas, but I learned a lot of new techniques and tips.

I noticed that Durwin studiously avoids oil-based products because of the difficulties, as well as the fumes. However he admits that sometimes you just want the special durable finish of an oil-based product.

So it’s doable; and in fact traditional decoupage was done exclusively with oil-based products.

The trick is to make sure the paint is thoroughly cured – not just dry – before applying your decoupage images. Lightly press your fingertip to the paint in an area that will not show.

If you feel any tackiness, or upon close inspection, can see your fingerprint left in the paint, it is not cured. Curing may take as long as two weeks for a varnish. Oil-based paints cure a bit quicker.

I assume the wood was properly primed and you don’t have oil from the wood itself seeping to the surface. Mahogany, for example, is notorious for bleeding red oil through any paint – oil or acrylic - unless it is primed.

Once an oil-based paint has cured, it would not hurt to sand it using a very fine sandpaper. Then wipe the whole piece down to remove any dust.

You can apply your images using an acrylic paste or decoupage medium; then finish off your piece with acrylic and, if you like, oil-based sealer. I prefer Mod Podge or Elmer’s Glue-All as a decoupage medium, but sometimes find them too tacky for lightweight papers.

Here’s a tip from Durwin: mix the acrylic glue 50/50 with wallpaper paste. The wallpaper paste isn’t as strong as the glue but gives the paper good slip, allowing you to slide your image into place and flatten it without tearing. A 50/50 mix gives you the advantages of both products.

Durwin advises taking a handful – yes, a handful! – of the mix and smearing it where you want to place your image. This makes it easy to slide the image around and smooth out wrinkles until you are satisfied.

Use your fingertips to gently smooth out any bubbles. Next take a damp – not wet – sponge and wipe away any glue residue from the image and its edges.

The thick coat of decoupage medium slows the drying time, allowing you to watch for bubbles and smooth them out before they set in. If you miss one or two, simply pierce each bubble with a pin or craft knife; then smooth. It won’t show once you seal your piece.

As to the bleeding of ink on your images, you are probably using an inkjet printer to print your images. Yes, this ink bleeds badly when moistened.

You have two choices. Take your images to a copy center and have laser copies made. This is what Durwin Rice does; though I bet he has his own laser printer or copier by now!

Or you can try some decoupage tricks my friend and fellow decoupeur, Kay Davies, and I have come up with. Kay decoups exclusively using images from her inkjet printer.

When the images are all placed and dried, apply two coats of acrylic polyurethane, allowing two hours of drying time between coats.

Then you can begin to build layers of oil-based varnish – as many as you desire. If any rough spots develop between coats, sand lightly with grade 400 sandpaper. Then wipe the sanding dust away using a damp sponge.

Finally, lock the chair away to make sure no one sits on it for two weeks!

For more on decoupage, visit The Decoupage Index Page.

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Recommended Reading

These books are excellent resources for decoupeurs. Not only do you get tips and techniques, but also artwork that you can use in your own projects.

New Decoupage: Transforming Your Home With Paper, Glue, and Scissors By: Durwin Rice The Victorian Scrap Gallery: A Collection of over 500 Full-Color Victorian-Era Images By: Dee Davis Absolute Beginner's Decoupage: The Simple Step-By-Step Guide to Creating Beautiful Decoupage By: Alison Jenkins Collage Discovery Workshop: Make Your Own Collage Creations Using Vintage Photos, Found Objects and Ephemera By: Claudine Hellmuth 930 Matchbook Advertising Cuts of the Twenties and Thirties (Pictorial Archive Series) By: Trina Robbins Decoupage: A Practical Guide to the Art of Decorating Surfaces with Paper Cutouts By: Dee Davis

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