People have asked me how I create the decoupaged glass pieces I post on the blog.   I will show you how step by step.  Remember, there are many ways to do this; this is just one example.  The process can be very time consuming and I have cursed a blue streak while working on these pieces.

Let’s do this!

Select an image and make a few laser or toner copies (not inkjet).   Glass should be clear.  It can be a vase, bowl, plate or anything else you find that you might want to use.  Cut out your Xeroxed image.  The more “filigree”  the more spots where the metallic and paint can show through.  For this demonstration, I chose a clear round plate and a dragon image that was on a blue field.  I cut around the dragon and got rid of all the blue background.

Check to see how you want to place your image on the glass.  This is how I chose to layout my dragon.  

Make sure your glass is clean!

Get two paper bowls.  Put some Elmer’s Glue (white glue) in one bowl with a few drops of water and mix that up.  Put clean water in the other bowl.  Have a small sponge handy.

Next smear the glue all over the back of the glass.  Gently place the image on the glass.   If it’s very large you may have to glue it in sections.  Remember it’s the front of the image to the back of the glass.

Put some glue on your fingertips and GENTLY press on the image to get the bubbles out and to carefully re-position some areas if needed.   This is the part where I start to curse.  I have ruined many a piece at this stage.

After you’ve gently pressed most of the bubbles out, take a wet sponge and GENTLY PAT the glue off the glass. DO NOT RUB.  I have rubbed many an image right off.  You know what happens?  It goes right in the sink because it’s Ruined!  Ruined! I say!  Don’t let this happen to you.  Dip the sponge in the clean water bowl, rinse and PAT the glue off.   Do it again and again until most of the glue is off.   Be very careful not to tear the paper since it is pretty wet and it will very easily tear.   I’ve torn COUNTLESS images at this stage, but they can be fixed.  That’s why you made multiple copies.  More on that later.

From the front your image will first look like this.  Amazingly the glue in front of the paper will dry clear.

After you’ve gotten most of the glue off, let it dry.  Go back later and clean some more glue off.  You can use a Q-tip to get into the small spaces or even an X-acto knife to scrape away some of the glue.

Once your image is clean and dry, it should look like this.

Bored yet?  Have a smoke.  Have a drink.  Listen to music.  I am humming “the Girl from Ipanema.”   I have no idea why.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tO4pJstv_TM

OK, break over.  Next steps:  Metallic paint, background painting and sealing.

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