Deco Podge
The Photos On This Page May Load Slow,
So Be Patient ...
This is a way to put photos, or other graphic arts, onto a surface of your choice. My wife, Linda, came up with the idea from one of the craft shows on television. She applied an image of a Dalmation dog onto an OLD brass clad fire extinguisher. Along with the paint on the extinguisher, the whole job looks great, and her friends have tried to buy it from her ...
I put some of my Cobra photos on the doors of my workbench cabinet doors. The objects were printed on regular 20# paper, with an ink jet printer, in color.
I would suggest practicing on a scrap piece of wood, to get the feel of brushing the "podge" paste. It looks milky, but don't worry about that - just so it's smoothe and even. Time is critical, so you cannot brush it back and forth too many times, trying to get all the lines out of the paste!
I am by no means, an instructor or an expert, in this procedure. I am learning just as you may decide to. I know, there is a lot of room for improvement - especially in my photos. My camera will only stay in the record mode if I hold a slide switch over, with my finger, and then hit the shutter release with another finger (all of this, trying not to blur the picture). The electronic catch won't hold it in record. The camera cost $400, and it would cost more than that to have it repaired, so ...
Materials:
Foam brush (rinses out with water)
Deco Podge (mine came from Hobby Lobby, and was called "Mod Podge, Matte-Mate" waterbase sealer)
The Way I Did It ...
1. Print your object onto atleast 20#, regular paper, let it set for a few minutes, and then trim excess white space from around the object. Some objects look better with a thin line of white (from the paper) showing around the edge. I tried some of the adhesieve backed paper, but it raises up after the paste is painted on top of the object - had to remove it and start over (kind of a mess).
2. Let the ink dry thoroughly (perhaps overnight). I got in a hurry on one photo, and when I rubbed in on initially, a small bit of the black ink smeared onto the door.
3. Using painter's tape, mask off the outer perimiter of the surface you are going to put the objects on (press the edge down firmly, to keep the paste from leaking under the tape). Remember, when the "podge" dries, it will have a golden polyurethane look to it, so if the "painted" edge is straight and in perspective, it will look fine! On another cabinet, I didn't tape the perimiter, and it makes the matte edge of the "podge" stand out like a sore thumb. If you are able to paint a straight line, like an artist, you can apply the paste to the objects, overlapping slightly, to form a matte seal! The following photo shows how the "edge" stands out!
4. Determine exactly where each object will be placed. You may have to pencil in some location markings. When the object is placed on the surface, let the object overlap on the pencil marks, so they won't be exposed (and preserved forever!).
5. On a clean surface, apply a thin coat of the "podge" paste, with a small foam paint brush (they're cheap & disposable), to the back of the object.
6. Carefully pick-up the object, trying not to get the paste on the ink side, and place it on the surface. Smoothe out the object, to remove air pockets - but don't rub too hard, it will possibly smear the ink (I had trouble seeing the air pockets that form underneath the object, but believe me, they are there).
7. Once the object feels dry (5 minutes is all I waited), coat the entire area inside the taped perimeter with the "podge" paste! Keep the brush strokes going in one direction, if possible, and don't work it too long. Get it smoothed out quickly, and evenly (this is where the practice came in) - it will look milky, but that's okay, just get it even and smoothe. If there are any air pockets, you will see them easily, after about a minute, looking at it from an angle! If the object hasn't been applied too long, you may be able to nudge it around, and press the air out.
8. After about 20 minutes, apply a second coat of the "podge" paste, to the whole area again.
9. Remove the painter's tape, and you are done.
10. Take photos of your job and e-mail them to me. I'd like to put them on my Web Page, along with your name.
Best of luck with your Deco Podge.
Dan Walters
This Page Created May 17, 2003
Last Updated: Nov 30, 2006
Dan Walters