Hello everyone! I’m thrilled to welcome you to my latest DIY adventure, where I’ll be showcasing our stunning Purple Decoupage & Crackle Design. This project is an exciting fusion of creativity and different techniques, we transformed ordinary materials into a custom piece of vintage artwork. This detailed guide will take you step-by-step through the process, so grab your supplies, and let’s get started!
Step 1: Decoupage Application
The first step involves prepping our MDF board. I took my tape and laid it down to create a central rectangle on the board. This will prevent the base coat of paint from covering more of the board than necessary. I then reached for my Magic Paint in Cotton. Using the Posh Chalk Large Smooth & Blend Brush, I painted the taped-off section, being careful to apply the paint evenly. This bright, white base will make the colours in my decoupage truly pop when applied, so I was meticulous about the coverage.
Once I had a smooth coat, I used my heat gun to force-dry it—this sped things along immensely! Watching paint dry is never fun, after all. After just a few moments, I carefully peeled off the tape. The clean, crisp edges were incredibly satisfying to see!
Now comes one of my favourite parts: laying down the decoupage. I took my Posh Chalk Posh In Purple Deluxe Decoupage and positioned it over the freshly painted white square. This was like finding the perfect piece in a puzzle. I made sure to center the design on the square, as it would act as our main focal point.
Next, I lightly marked where I needed to make the cuts with a pencil. After marking out a neat outline, I grabbed my knife and carefully cut along the marked lines with a measuring square, resulting in a rectangular section of decoupage that was perfectly sized for my project.
With my decoupage piece ready, I moved on to the application stage. This is where things really start to come to life! I began by applying a coat of Posh Chalk Pigment Infusor to the bottom half of the central white rectangle using a Posh Chalk Small Smooth & Blend Brush. This product acts as a glue to hold the decoupage in place and creates a durable bond.
Once the Infusor was spread evenly, I carefully laid the bottom half of the decoupage section on top. With a dry Posh Chalk Small Smooth & Blend Brush, I smoothed it down starting from the center and working outwards—this technique is crucial for preventing any creases and air bubbles. The gentle pressure of the brush worked magic, ensuring everything adhered neatly.
After getting the first half down, I repeated this process for the other half of the decoupage. I recommend working in halves like this; it’s significantly easier to maintain control and achieve a perfect finish.
Once both halves were smoothly in place, I finished up by applying a thicker coat of Pigment Infusor over the top. This doubled as a sealing layer to lock everything down securely. I forced it to dry with the heat gun again, before moving onto the next step in our artistic journey.
Step 2: Painting & Trim
Now that my decoupage is secured, it’s time to turn my attention to the outer parts of my canvas. I took my tape and carefully taped around the edges of the decoupage to protect it from any potential over-spray.
With the edges secure, I grabbed my Posh Chalk Small Smooth & Blend Brush and painted the outer sections with Serendipity by Magic Paint. While force drying this coat of paint, I noticed that the first coat needed a little extra to really cover well, so I quickly brushed on a second coat then dried it thoroughly with my heat gun.
Once the paint was completely dry, I moved onto the trim process. I chose the Posh Chalk TR753 Trim to frame my design, creating an elegant boundary. I began by warming it in its coil until it became malleable enough to work with.
After warming, I unwrapped the trim and cut off four appropriately-sized segments to form the border of my decoupage area. I made sure to cut slightly larger pieces to allow for easy mitring at the corners. Then, I carefully removed the tape I had used earlier as it had served it purpose now.
To attach the trim, I spread a coat of WoodUglue onto the back of one section before pressing it firmly against the board. The excess glue was easily wiped away with a damp paintbrush, keeping things tidy. I repeated this for the other three sections until I had a lovely frame surrounding the central chosen image.
Now it was time to miter the corners for that seamless finish we all love! I heated where the trims overlapped with a heat gun and cut diagonal lines from corner to corner. This method allowed me to remove the excess trim smoothly. For adhesion, I applied WoodUglue to both the canvas and the ends of the mitred trims, pushing them together, creating a perfect mitred corner.
Step 3: Antique Effect with Crackling Gel & Enamel
My project was shaping up beautifully, but I wanted to add an extra layer of character—something that would give it the feel of a piece of vintage artwork. To achieve this, I decided to apply Posh Chalk Crackling Gel across the outer section of the board, steering clear of the trim and the central decoupage section.
With my Posh Chalk Small Smooth & Blend Brush, I painted on a generous layer of crackling gel. As the layer dried, I prepared a coloured Crackling Enamel tub. I decanted some Posh Chalk Crackling Enamel into a small tub and selected two colour kicks: Posh Chalk Pine Forest and Royal Indigo. At first I only added a drop of each, but while stirring it I found it needed just a touch more of the Pine Forest to perfect it.
Once it was thoroughly stirred, I applied this vibrant crackling enamel over the crackling gel. The brush strokes were smooth and deliberate, watching carefully as the mixture coated the surface. Once I completed this step, I used my heat gun to force-dry it. I was delighted to see the cracks beginning to form as it dried!
Step 4: Detailing & Highlights
Next, it was time to give my trim a little extra love. I decided on using the Posh Chalk Violet Metallic Paste to finish it. Upon opening the pot, I noticed it was stiffer than I remembered, likely because it hadn’t been used in a while. Not to worry! I simply added a few drops of Posh Chalk Paste Lubricant and stirred until it returned to its original creamy consistency—voilà!
Using my Posh Chalk Wax Extender Brush, I applied the violet paste to the entire trim border. As with the decoupage application, any overlap onto the canvas was carefully wiped away with kitchen roll. Once satisfied with how it looked, I force-dried it, appreciating how the metallic sheen began to catch the light.
While I loved how my piece came together so far, I felt the need for a bit more visual depth. To emphasise the crackles effect even further, I decided to apply Posh Chalk Lemon Gold Metallic Pigment. I decanted some of this golden pigment into an old WoodUbend board and gradually mixed it with Posh Chalk Pigment Infusor until I reached my desired consistency.
The application was an art in itself. I worked in small sections, brushing the mixture carefully over the outer areas of the canvas. Then, I gently wiped most of the pigment off before it dried. This approach left shimmering golden highlights trapped within the cracks, creating a stunning contrast against the purple and green backgrounds.
I couldn’t resist brushing some of the remaining mixture over the peaks of the trim as well, tying it all together beautifully and enriching the vintage artwork aesthetic I sought.
Conclusion
After all the steps, I paused to savour the result. My custom-made piece of vintage artwork was complete, showcasing a beautiful interplay of colour, texture, and crafting techniques. It perfectly captured the charm I had envisioned and allowed the various elements of the project to shine.
I’d love for you to share your thoughts on this project! If you’re inspired to create your own decoupage masterpiece or try similar techniques, please let me know—I would absolutely love to see what you come up with!
Products Used:
- Posh Chalk Posh in Purple Deluxe Decoupage
- Posh Chalk Crackling Gel
- Posh Chalk Crackling Enamel
- Posh Chalk Small Smooth & Blend Brush
- Posh Chalk Large Smooth & Blend Brush
- Posh Chalk Wax Extender Brush
- Posh Chalk Violet Metallic Paste
- Posh Chalk Paste Lubricant
- Posh Chalk Pine Forest Colour Kick
- Posh Chalk Royal Indigo Colour Kick
- Posh Chalk Pigment Infusor
- Posh Chalk Lemon Gold Metallic Pigment
- WoodUglue
- TR753
- Serendipity & Cotton by Magic Paint
If you’d like to see the creative transformation project in video format, it will be live on our YouTube Channel Wednesday 2nd of October at 8pm BST.
P.S If my blogs do inspire you, and you get round to trying some of these techniques and products, I would love to see them in the Creations community we have. There are over 25,000 members who post daily. You’ll also find lots of creators in there who have posted some wonderful projects. It’s an inspiring group with lots going on. You can join here, and best of all it’s free!
You can find all these products, except for Magic Paint, on our website https://woodubend.com/shop/
To watch the whole crafting process above, click on the links below:
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