Decoupage
Decoupage or decoupage is the art of decorating an object by gluing colored paper cutouts in combination with special color effects, gold leaf and other decorative elements. Usually, an object such as a small box or piece of furniture is covered by cutouts from magazines or specially made papers. Each layer is sealed with varnish (often several layers) until the "glued on" appearance disappears and the result looks like painting or inlay. The traditional technique used 30 to 40 coats of varnish, which were then sanded to a polished finish.
Three-dimensional decoupage (sometimes referred to simply as decoupage) is the art of creating a three-dimensional (3D) image by cutting out elements of different sizes from a series of identical images and layering them on top of each other, usually with spacers between each layer to give the image more depth to rent.
Pyramid decoupage (also called pyramid) is a process that is similar to 3D decoupage. Pyramid decoupage involves cutting a series of identical images into smaller and smaller, identical shapes that are superimposed and fixed with self-adhesive foam spacers to create a 3D pyramid effect.
Origins
The word decoupage comes from the Middle French "decouper" and means to cut something out. The origin of decoupage is probably the East Siberian funerary art. Nomadic tribes used cut felts to decorate the graves of their deceased. The practice came to China from Siberia , and in the 12th century cut paper was used to decorate lanterns, windows, boxes, and other items. In the 17th century Italy , particularly Venice , was the leader in trade with the Far East and it is widely believed that the cut paper decorations found their way to Europe through these trade links.
Florentine decoupage
Artisans in Florence , Italy have been making decorative objects using decoupage techniques since the 18th century. They combined decoupage with other decorative techniques already popular in Florence, such as gilding with gold leaf and carved wood patterns. These older techniques have been used to make items such as furniture, frames for paintings, and even processed leather book covers. Known as Florentine handicrafts, these items are now highly collectible antiques. Florentine artisans used decoupage by adding it to the space within a carved gilded frame or by adding the decoupage to a wooden plaque. Artisans used glued reproductions of famous works of art, almost always religious representations. Florentine triptychs , which use decoupage images of biblical scenes such as the crucifixion, are a common motif. As society became more secular at the beginning of the 20th century and non-Roman Catholic tourists bought more handicrafts from Florentine artisans, decoupage images became less religiously oriented and more reflective of famous Italian works of art in general.
Materials for decoupage crafts
Common household materials can be used to create effects. Here is a short list of what will be needed:
- Something to decouple. Examples are: furniture, photo albums, plates, ceramics, shelves, frames, mirrors.
- Pictures for decoupling. These can come from myriad sources: newspapers, magazines, catalogs, books, printed clip art, wrapping paper, greeting cards, fabric, tissue paper, lace, paper napkins
- Cutter. Scissors, craft knives or razor blades can be used.
- Glue. Standard glue works best when diluted with a little water. You can find specialty adhesives at most craft stores.
- Smoother. Popsicle works well. A brayer is a specialized tool like a miniature rolling pin that can be used to remove wrinkles, remove excess glue, and smooth out pictures.
- Adhesive distributor. Many things in the household can be used for this: cotton swabs, brushes, sponges.
- Rags, sponges, tissue paper for wiping away glue and other cleaning products.
- Sealing. Glue or some other decoupage medium can be used as a sealer. Alternatively, polyurethane , spray acrylic, epoxy resin or other paints are usually used.
Noteworthy decoupeurs
Someone who does decoupage is known as a decoupeur or "cutter". At the age of 71, Mary Delany was born at the court of George III. and Queen Charlotte of England thanks to the decoupage craze of the 18th century. In 1771 she began to create cut-out paper works of art (decoupage), as was the fashion for court ladies . Her work was exceptionally detailed and botanically accurate representations of plants. She used tissue paper and coloring to make these pieces. She created 1700 of these works and called them her "paper mosaics" between the ages of 71 and 88 when her eyesight failed. They can still be seen in the Enlightenment Gallery in the British Museum of Art . Jay (Terry) Jones, a notable decoupeur from Waynesburg , Pennsylvania , holds several Guinness world records for his extensive decoupage collection. Richard Basile, a well-known New York art collector and entrepreneur, gained fame as a decoupeur when his elaborate floral decorations were exhibited at the Foire internationale d'art contemporain festival in Paris in 2014 . Basile had developed his collective work over more than a decade while working in the basement of his parents' house in New England .
bibliography
- Hiram Manning: Manning on Decoupage . Dover Publications, 1980, ISBN 0-486-24028-2 .
- Durwin Rice: New Decoupage - Transforming your home with paper, glue, and scissors . Potter Craft, 2008, ISBN 0-307-39611-8 ( online ).
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Decoupage | art. In: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Retrieved July 11, 2020 .
- ↑ Decoupage Artists Worldwide - Home. Retrieved July 11, 2020 .
- ↑ The History of Decoupage. In: MarvinGardensUSA. Retrieved April 28, 2010, July 11, 2020 (American English).