Découpage: what it is and how to do it

What is that
Decoupage is a decorative technique, considered in Italy as “poor art”. Its name derives from the French "découper" which means to cut out. And what does it cut out? Usually illustrations or strips of paper without finishing, which will then be used as decoration of wooden objects, but also of glass, fabric and even metal. It is "so simple that everyone can do it, even children. C", however, it must be said that over time new more complex techniques have emerged, especially suited to the most skilled "artists".

A bit of history
The genesis of découpage is found in the Middle Ages: the scribe monks, in fact, loved to enrich their manuscripts. Then the lacquering technique made its way: in the "500 in China and in the" 600 throughout Europe. Another step worth noting is that of the "Print Room", or prints depicting European cities that were glued to the wall, widespread above all in France and England in the seventeenth century. We then come to the Victorian era (England 1837-1901), when the découpage consists of a central print around which other decorations rotate and overlap.

The various techniques
The art of decoupage, as we told you, has grown over time. This means that, every now and then, some new technique comes up that, inevitably, everyone wants to experiment. Which are the most common? The pictorial decoupage, the basic one with paper, with brushes or pastels, the one with and on fabrics, as well as on all types of surfaces such as wood, marble, glass, plastic and metal. And again: on pressed flowers, waxes, mosaics and imitations of marble and wood. Then there are craquelé, trompe l'oeil, stencil. The latest trend? The decoration of the canvases and tiles. Some are simple, while others are more complex. But one thing is certain: there is plenty of choice!