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Decoupage Candles

Tips on How to Decoupage Candles

After reading Durwin Rice’s beautiful book, creatively about decoupage media and techniques. I experimented with the idea of using wax as a decoupage medium with pretty floral paper napkins for the decoupage images.

Straight-sided candles like the pillar candle at top are the easiest to work with since the napkins will conform nicely.

All you need is: candle; paper napkin(s) (or cutouts from same); glue stick; heat tool; and any embellishments you care to add.

I added gold acrylic painted borders to both the above candles and a gold teacup handle to the cup, as well as a cardboard saucer decoupaged using the same paper napkin. You will need a heat gun, such as the Darice Super Heat Gun

How to Decoupage a Candle

Remove the top (printed) ply from your napkin and cut the shape(s) to fit your candle. Use the glue stick to adhere the design to the candle. Now, the tricky part …

Using the heat tool, you want to melt the candle wax just enough to cause the wax to seep to the surface and encase your design; but not so much as to cause the wax to drip and deform the candle’s shape.

I found holding the candle on an angle to slow drips and moving the heat tool back and forth over a small area helped. Watch for the wax to shine on the surface (indicating it has come to the surface) and move on.

The final texture will be – well – textured, but that gives a nice look and feel as long as it is not real irregular. Set aside to harden.

Next I tried wax decoupage using pretty patterned tissue paper – the kind you can buy by the sheet to wrap presents. It works fine too. The technique is the same. See the example below.

In the flyleaf of New Decoupage, Mr. Rice is described as America’s foremost practitioner of decoupage. When you see the gorgeous photos of his work, you will know why.

He shares the benefit of his years of experience and is also quite an entertaining writer. This book is everything you ever wanted to know about decoupage, but didn’t know who to ask!

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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