How to Decoupage on Sheetrock
Decoupage is an art form that originated several hundred years ago in China. The term decoupage stems from the French word decouper, which means "to cut." Printed paper images are carefully cut out and placed on almost any surface, including Sheetrock, and then embedded in layers of acrylic medium. The result is a smooth, embellished rock that looks as though it has been hand-painted.
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Things You'll Need
- Smooth Sheetrock
- Newspapers
- Printed image
- Craft knife
- Foam brushes
- Acrylic medium
- White liquid acrylic paint
Instructions
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Cover a clean, flat work surface with newspapers, if you're decorating a small piece of Sheetrock. If the drywall is already installed, work directly on your vertical "canvas."
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2
Brush a layer of acrylic medium over the area of Sheetrock you plan to decorate, to seal the surface.
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Cut out your printed image with a sharp craft knife. Cut on the outside edge of the image, so the background color is completely removed.
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4
Paint the backside of the paper image with liquid white acrylic paint. This prevents the color of the Sheetrock from showing through your paper, so your image remains bright.
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Brush acrylic medium on the back of your image. This acts as a sealer and glue. Position it onto your Sheetrock, and use gentle pressure to smooth the paper. Make certain there are no wrinkles or air bubbles. Allow the medium to dry.
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Apply two coats of acrylic medium over the entire embellished surface of the Sheetrock. Allow the first coat to dry before brushing on the second coat. When it is dry, the edges of the paper should feel smooth and the image should look as though it is painted on the Sheetrock.
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Tips & Warnings
This project should be done in a reasonably dust-free area, if possible.
Use a new blade in your craft knife to ensure cut edges are smooth.
Wrapping paper, recycled greeting cards, and magazines are good sources for printed images.
The surface of the Sheetrock you wish to embellish should be smooth.
Use a plastic bank card to smooth wrinkles from the paper image.
When you are using the craft knife, cut away from your hand that is holding the paper. The blade is very sharp and can cause serious injury.
References
- Photo Credit Hemera Technologies/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
