My interest in decoupage emerged on a visit to the UK in 1993 when I discovered a plain tile that had been decoupaged hanging from a chain. I was fascinated by the fact that the tile looked as though it had been painted and from then I became very observant of all decoupaged objects I could find at craft exhibitions, markets etc.
On my return to Oz I bought a book on how to decoupage, but my urge to have a go had to wait for a couple of years due to other priorities. I read about decoupage and bought various craft magazines on the subject in the meantime. I learnt that decoupage was a craft that had developed in the 17th century in Venice. Master painters were employed to hand paint furniture, but this became so expensive that painters' engravings were bought instead and hand coloured, the pictures cut out and then glued to plain furniture and varnished to look as though the furniture had been painted. This process was called poor man's art and flowed through to other parts of Europe and the U.K. It was particularly enjoyed by ladies of the French court and was named Decoupage, this being a derivative of the French word 'couper' meaning ‘to cut’.
Eventually I was able to start my first object. At that time I wasn't aware of medium density fibreboard or MDF craftwood ready made objects and decided to do a couple of wooden boxes I had been using for jewellery, one of which had three drawers in it. Not the ideal type of object to start with. Now, I would recommend anyone undertaking their first attempt to use something small and flat such as an MDF plaque. Also, I just used a plain, but pretty, wrapping paper which I just cut into the shapes I needed to fit the boxes - no intricate cutting involved and not very imaginative to say the least. However, these two items were my first attempt, I still have them, but I don't readily display them! My passion grew during the time I was doing these two boxes when I saw some decoupage at a craft exhibition by a lady who was intending to hold workshops, which I enthusiastically attended. Here I learnt heaps about varnishes, paints, sanding, everything I needed to know to produce something on a grander scale than my two boxes. I couldn't wait to get started and have hardly stopped since.
I have combined my interest in web site design and development with my decoupage to share my passion with other enthusiasts and newcomers and will readily communicate with anyone who would like to share the interest with me.