Wednesday, January 2, 2013

Decoupaged Wooden Stool


I would like to take this time to wish all of you a very happy New Year and thank you for supporting my blog.

 As we are putting away the Christmas decorations and trying to get back to our normal routine, retailers are gearing up for another holiday. Michaels is clearing away Christmas stock and filling the shelves with Valentine's items. It's only a month until Valentine's Day but I'm not quite ready to start crafting for another holiday. The next two weeks have been set aside for projects that were on hold during the holidays.


Finished stool.

J'aime Van Gogh! He is my favorite Impressionist artist. Van Gogh was often criticized by his peers for his hurried brush strokes and thick impasto painting, but this is what originally attracted me to his art. It's the hurried brush strokes that give his paintings an energy that I don't find in the other Impressionist paintings. I had wanted to do a project based on Van Gogh's paintings but wasn't sure what direction I wanted take. I decided to give the stool in my atelier a makeover.



Creating the pattern for the top of the stool.





Measuring print to the top of the stool.


First coat of Modge Podge applied.


Directions for Decoupaged Wooden Stool:

Gesso
Acrylic paint
Modge Podge
Foam Roller
Small foam brush
Sanding pad with fine grit
Wooden Stool- available at Walmart for less than $20
Drop cloth or old newspaper
Color print-I used  standard 8 1/2 inch by 11 inch card stock because I didn't want to distort the print. If you want a print that will cover the entire top of the stool, you will need a print slightly larger than the diamater of the stool. Use the newsprint template to trim the print.
Strathmore Newsprint pad
Acrylic Sealant


1.  Choose a color of acrylic paint that coordinates with your print. I used acrylic craft paint from Michaels. I chose ultramarine blue because it was closest to the color in my print. I really like the look of natural wood and chose not to paint the legs. If you decide to paint the legs you will need to buy extra paint.

2.  Wipe the top of the stool with a damp cloth. Then wipe with a dry cloth to make sure the stool is dry.

3.  Open the pad of Strathmore Newsprint and lay the stool top down on the pad. Trace very close to the stool with a pencil. Cut out the the circle that you just made-this is your template.

4.  I scanned in one of my Van Gogh prints and printed it with an inkjet printer on white card stock. Cut away any white borders around the print.

5.  Lay the print on the top of the stool. Mark the measurements of the top of the stool on the print. I marked the corners of the print. Line the newsprint template along the marked edges and cut away the excess corners of the print.

6.  Apply a light coat of gesso to the top and side of the stool, using the small foam brush. Let it dry completely.
 
7.  After the gesso is completely dry, lightly sand it using a fine grit sanding pad. Wipe the top of the stool with a damp cloth and dry it. Ultramarine blue was too dark, so I added white and a small amount of black and mixed the paint. Be sure to mix enough paint to complete your project.  Using the foam roller paint the top and sides of the stool. Let the paint dry then apply a second coat of the paint. Let it dry completely ( I let mine dry over night).

8.  Apply Modge Podge with the small foam brush liberally to the back of the print. Center the print on the top of the stool and press in place. Apply a thin coat of Modge Podge over the print.  If you used an inkjet printer to make a copy of your print, apply the coating very slowly to avoid smearing the ink. Do not go back over any areas while the Modge Podge is wet to avoid smearing the ink.Once the Modge Podge becomes tacky to the touch, use your fingers to smooth out any remaining air bubbles from the surface of the print.  Let the Modge Podge dry for several hours.

9.  Lightly sand the top of the stool using the fine grit sanding pad. You want a smooth surface in which to apply the second coat. It will be hard to see any bumps or raised places, especially if your print had dark colors, so glide your hand over the surface to make sure there are no raised places. Wipe the top of the stool with a damp cloth. Make sure the stool is dry before applying a second coat. Repeat this step until you have built up several coats. Don't rush this step; it provides the protection for the top of the stool.

10.  After the stool is completely dry seal it with two coats of acrylic sealant. I don't like using sprays and chose DecoArt's DuraClear satin varnish.