HOW TO DECOUPAGE..?

As we said that Decoupage is the art of decorating an object

by gluing pieces of decorative paper to the surface

and coating it with a protective finish.It needs simple materials

if you have them you can do it urself and

will be surprised with how easy it is.

Materials Needed:

- Glue
- Paintbrush
- Lacquer, varnish, or decoupage finish
- Scissors
- An object to cover with decoupage
- Decoupage materials (newspaper and magazine clippings, paper cut-outs, etc.)

STEPS:

1. Get your materials ready. Select an object you want to decorate, and collect materials to decorate it with. You can use just about any flat materials for decoupage, including cards, tissue paper, wrapping paper, paper shopping bags, magazine clippings, thin fabric pieces, or (of course) decoupage paper.

2. Cut your cut-outs. You can use pieces of paper whole, or you can cut them to make interesting shapes and designs. Use scissors or a craft knife to cut around out the shapes you desire, holding the scissors so that they are angled slightly to the right. This will create a smoother, beveled edge.

3. Plan your decoupage project. Make a sketch of the layout or simply put the cut-outs into place without gluing them and then take a picture so you'll remember the arrangement.

4. Prepare the surface. Make sure the object you are decorating is clean and dry, fill in deep gouges, and sand it down to remove bumps and imperfections if necessary. If you want to paint it or refinish it, you should do this before pasting anything onto it. For some materials, such as wood and metal, you may need to prime the surface with a coat of latex paint to help the cut-outs stick better.

5. Use a glue appropriate for both your surface and your cut-outs. You can generally use plain white glue, and you may find it easier to work with if you dilute it by thoroughly mixing it with some water in a bowl.

6.Apply the glue. Use a paintbrush to brush a thin layer of glue onto your surface. If you can work quickly, you can brush the entire surface at once. You can also brush the glue onto the backs of the cut-outs. Make sure you apply the glue evenly and remove any excess.

7. Glue the cut-outs, piece-by-piece, to the object. Lay a piece of your cut paper onto the area to which you applied the glue. Apply the paper carefully to avoid bending or crumpling it, and smooth it out with a brayer (a small roller) or with your finger, rubbing outward from the center. Repeat with each piece. For a more complex appearance, make several layers of cut-outs. Lay down the first layer and then glue subsequent layers on top, partially overlapping the layers below.

8. Let glue dry. Make sure the whole piece is thoroughly and completely dried before proceeding. If you are applying several layers, make sure each layer is dry before starting on the next.

9. Apply varnish or lacquer. Seal the decoupage with a couple coats of an appropriate sealant, such as specially-formulate decoupage finish (available at art and hobby stores), varnish, or lacquer. Let each coat dry thoroughly before applying the next.

10. Sand the sealed decoupage. When the sealant is dry, sand it with 400 grit sandpaper to remove imperfections. Use a damp cloth to remove residue from sanding. Do not sand until you have enough coats of sealant to completely cover the underlying surface and cut-outs.

11.Continue applying varnish or lacquer. The unique appearance of decoupage is created by multiple coats of sealant. The number of coats is up to you. Depending on the sealant you are using, you may need as few as 4 or 5. Some decoupage artists use as many as 30 or 40 coats. Remember to let each coat dry before applying the next, and sand the decoupage after every couple coats for best results.

DECOUPAGE HISTORY..

Decoupage is a creative, decorative and timeless art form with its roots in Venice of 300 years ago.It has a long and fascinating history that can be traced back to a variety of styles from many distant countries.

As far back as the 12th century, Chinese peasants were creating paper cutouts in vivid colors to decorate windows, lanterns, gift boxes and other objects. This Chinese practice and expertise with scissors is thought to have come from Eastern Siberia, where cutout felt figures and designs were decorating objects in the tombs of Siberian nomads. The tombs date back to before Christ.
German and Polish artisans have also been using cut paper for decoration over several centuries. Polish women and children in particular, developed enormous skill with folded colored papers which they cut freehand into geometric shapes and stylized birds, animals and flowers.

However, it is the late 17th century lacquer work from the Far East, mostly in the form of furniture, which we tend to associate with today’s decoupage. Oriental lacquered objects became fashionable in Europe and in no time demand exceeded supply.

Apprentices were employed by the artisans to hand-color the prints and engravings of leading artists. These were then cut out, pasted to the surface to be decorated and covered with many layers of lacquer to produce furniture and objects that closely resembled the unique and popular work being brought by traders from China and Japan.

Parallel to this development, the wealthy classes were using master painters to paint their furniture and decorate their walls and ceilings. However, in time, because of excessive demand and the fact that many people could not afford the works of the masters, an alternative form of decoration developed. Drawings from the artists of the day were cut out, glued down and covered with lacquer to resemble original paintings. From this derivation came the alternative term" l’arte del povero"--"poor man’s arts".

During the 18th and 19th centuries this art form flourished throughout Europe. It even infiltrated the court of Louis XV. Ladies with an artistic bent snipped away at pictures and pasted them onto hatboxes, wig stands, fire screens and toiletry objects, keeping themselves amused for hours. The works of Boucher, Watteau, Fragonard, Redoute, Pillement and many other distinguished artists came to this sticky end. Many magnificent examples of fine cutting, coloring and design can still be found today on bureaus, chiffoniers, armoires and similar pieces of furniture as shown in the photograph.

Today, decoupage is having a stimulating and virile revival throughout the world with active guilds in America, South Africa, Australia, England and Japan. We owe our current knowledge and techniques in great part to the colorful Bostonian. The National Guild of Decoupeurs was formed in the USA in 1972 and is greatly responsible for promoting this fascinating and beautiful art in its finest form.

With such a long and varied history, it is not surprising that decoupage is still evolving with new styles.

IRIS FOLDING...

What is Iris folding..?

Iris folding is a fun and easy paper folding technique that can be used to make greeting cards, on scrapbook pages, or designs can be framed and hung on a wall. The texture and depth that you feel when handling an iris folded greeting card or scrapbook page is the best part. The online photos can't possibly duplicate this.
It is simply arranging strips of folded paper in a pattern that resembles the iris of an eye or camera.It is very versatile in that any type of easy to fold paper can be used. Left over Christmas wrapping paper works great.

Materials Needed:

4"x5" piece of colored cardstock.
Iris Folding template or pattern.
Caps of decorative paper in various colors.
Cardstock or frame for mounting your work.
Duble-sided tape or photo tabs.
Sick glue.
Sissors.


Iris folding begins with a window or frame, then is built inward with folded paper strips to form the iris pattern. It is really an easy and beautiful art..

HOW TO MAKE AN ORIGAMI MODEL..?

As we said before that origami or the art of folding paper is an easy art. You just need a beautiful paper with the color and texture of your choice. You can get a variety of choices from stationary shops. You can work on simple pieces at first and then progress to more complicated designs whenever you are ready.
And to get a beautiful and easy model , u should know these few things:

1. Fold each crease very well.
Every crease needs to be flattened quite well for a successful model . You can reinforce a crease by running the side of your thumbnail along the fold, or even use some sort of tool. I sometimes use the end of a plastic ruler, that works well without damaging the paper.
2. Follow the instructions.
Every part of the instructions is important, so read each description carefully, and look at each picture closely. If you miss a piece of information, it could make the model more difficult than it has to be.
3. Be patient.
If you are just learning how to make origami, you have to realize that it is contemplative and relaxed activity, that is, you can't go rushing through the instructions as fast as you can. It won't take long for you to be very good at origami especially with the diagrams but when you are just starting give yourself a lot of time to work it out.
4. Have fun...
Now you can try to make a simple model, and if you find it too easy, well, simply go on to a harder one.Don't forget that your own concept and design should reflect your creation.



Now, let's see some models with their diagrams..

THE LEGEND OF ORIGAMI CRANES...

It's an ancient Japanese legend promises that anyone who folds a thousand origami cranes will be granted a wish by a crane, such as long life or recovery from illness or injury. The crane in Japan is one of the mystical or holy beasts.It may conceivably be the oldest bird on earth, there is fossil proof that they existed over 60 million years ago.

The Japanese refer to the crane as “the bird of happiness” the Chinese as “heavenly crane” believing they were symbols of wisdom.The crane has also evolved as a favorite subject of the tradition of paper folding " origami". It is said that a thousand folded cranes, one for each year of its life, makes a wish come true.

The Thousand Origami Cranes has become a symbol of world peace through the story of Sadako Sasaki a young Hiroshima survivor born just before the atomic bombing she developed leukemia as a result of the radiation ten years later, in her early teens. As the disease wasted her body, this young girl who was a local track star began to fold cranes in the ancient legend that if she folded a thousand cranes she would have a wish granted to be cured and well.

The story began when Chizuko Hamamoto - Sadako's best friend -came to the hospital to visit and cut a golden piece of paper into a square and folded it into a paper crane. At first Sadako didn't understand why Chizuko was doing this but then Chizuko retold the story about the paper cranes. Inspired by the crane, she started folding them herself, spurred on by "the Japanese saying" that one who folded 1,000 cranes was granted a wish. A popular version of the story is that she fell short of her goal of folding 1,000 cranes, having folded only 644 before her death, and that her friends completed the 1,000 and buried them all with her. This comes from the book Sadako and the Thousand Paper Cranes. An exhibit which appeared in the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum stated that by the end of August, 1955, Sadako had achieved her goal and continued to fold more cranes.
Though she had plenty of free time during her days in the hospital to fold the cranes, she lacked paper. She would use medicine wrappings and whatever else she could scrounge up. This included going to other patients' rooms to ask to use the paper from their get-well presents. Chizuko would bring paper from school for Sadako to use.
During her time in hospital her condition progressively worsened. Around mid-October her left leg became swollen and turned purple. After her family urged her to eat something, Sadako requested tea on rice and remarked "It's good." Those were her last words. With her family around her, Sadako died on the morning of October 25, 1955.
The children decide to write to other children all over Japan to tell them of the story of Sadako and ask them to contribute money for a monument in her name to spread her message of peace. When the Japanese government learns of this plan they decide to rename a park in Hiroshima "Peace Park." There they erect a huge statue with a replica of Sakako holding up a giant crane.