Decoupage is a crafting technique enjoyed by children and adults alike. The art that can be created with the decoupaging technique is so unique and personal, it’s no wonder why people of all ages dapple in it. There is no right or wrong, perfect or straight, when it comes to decoupage. In fact, the messier and more chaotic it is, the more awe inspiring and thought provoking the art becomes.
You may be wondering – can you decoupage with cardstock? The simple answer is yes. The beauty of decoupage is that you can literally use almost any material in existence.
What Is Decoupage?
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Before beginning to explain how to decoupage, let’s first review what the meaning of the word actually is. Other than being a hard to pronounce word (pronounced ‘deco-paj’), decoupage is a crafting technique in which you decorate an object with paper cutouts, swatches of material, metallic embellishments, magazine clippings, and other decorative elements. The way in which you get these decorative elements to adhere to the object of your choice is with mod podge glue and a paintbrush. |
What Do You Need For Decoupage?
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In order to begin your decoupage craft, you must first gather the necessary supplies. Make sure to have an assortment of decorative elements. It can be a pile of magazine clippings, scrapbook paper, wallpaper swatches, or the like.
Once you have a variety of materials, you will need mod podge glue. The beauty of mod podge glue is that it acts both as an adhesive and a sealant. The last of the decoupage supplies that you will need are a couple of paint brushes in varying sizes. With these decoupage materials in hand, you are ready to begin crafting. |
Best Cardstock For Decoupage
You can decoupage in one of two ways:
Method One: You can use a sheet of cardstock paper and glue your decorative items onto it. This method works well if you are looking to create original signage or decorations to hang on a wall. This method is also great for creating unique personalized cards, whether it be birthday cards, holiday cards, or get-well cards.
Method Two: You can use smaller pieces of cardstock as some of your decorative elements and glue them onto an object of your choice, be it a vase, a plate, or the like.
Both methods provide endless opportunities for creativity, but the type of cardstock for each method should be different. With the first method, when you are gluing decorations onto the cardstock paper, you want a heavyweight cardstock. A thick cardstock paper will withstand whatever decorative elements you are gluing onto it.
However, when it comes to the second method, a heavy cardstock is actually a negative. Since you are gluing smaller pieces of cardstock onto an object, you want a lighter weight cardstock that has some give to it and will therefore adhere nicely to whichever surface you place it on.
How To Decoupage Cardstock
Now that the basics for decoupage have been covered, it’s time to unleash your creativity. Once you’ve got the decoupage method down pat, you can really apply the craft to almost anything.
Let’s use a birthday card as an example. Begin by selecting a heavyweight cardstock paper. As mentioned previously, if the cardstock will act as the base for the decoupage, it needs to have a significant weight. Fold the sheet of paper in half and start to decorate.
In order to begin decorating, make sure you have a variety of decorative elements on hand. Magazine clippings, ribbons, wallpaper swatches, and tissue paper all work wonderfully, but the sky is really the limit when it comes to choosing your styling elements. Clippings of letters in various font shapes, sizes, and colors are an amazing design element to use when wanting to write out words on the front of your card.
Once you have made your decor decisions, it’s time to start painting with mod podge glue. Use a large paintbrush to paint an even layer of glue over the front of the card. Then simply begin placing your decorations wherever you would like. Don’t worry about creating neat lines; the beauty of decoupage is the almost purposefully chaotic appearance of it.
When you are done filling the space, allow everything to dry for at least thirty minutes. Finally, carefully use a large paintbrush to paint another even layer of mod podge glue over your artwork. This will seal everything in place permanently. Allow everything to dry once more. When the front of the birthday card feels dry to the touch, you can open it up and write your birthday wishes inside.
Another great idea for a decoupage craft is decorating your very own candy dish. Begin by choosing a glass or hard plastic shallow dish. Dollar stores are a great place to find pieces like this. Make sure to wash out the dish and wipe it down thoroughly before beginning your project.
Once again, make sure that you have plenty of decorative elements on hand before you begin to paint your dish with a layer of mod podge glue. If you first do the glue and then go collect your styling elements, the glue will already be half dry and won’t be sticky enough.
Flip the dish upside down and paint an even layer of mod podge glue all around the sides and bottom of the dish. Begin decorating. If you would like to stick to the theme of it being a candy bowl, try to incorporate empty candy wrappers into your design. However, the creative liberties you wish to take are entirely up to you.
When you are finished decorating, allow for everything to dry before applying another layer of mod podge glue which will act as a permanent sealant. Allow to dry once more. Then simply collect your favorite candies and fill the dish.
Birthday cards and candy dishes are just two examples of what can be decorated with the decoupage technique. Once you understand the method, which is really quite simple, you can decorate any surface you like. The limits for creativity are really endless and the hours of fun it creates are priceless. So roll up your sleeves and start your decoupage project today.