Desire to learn Decoupage, opened up opportunities for Revati

Talking to a gadget is very common now but talking to an inanimate object might shock you. What if I told you, conversing with the object is artist’s usual daily affair? Would you believe me?

Revati Akerkar Sanzagiri from Ponda, Goa converses with the articles to get an idea of how to decorate them. She uses decoupage art to add value to unused objects.

Revati uses articles found on the street like a wooden block, ‘kullad’(earthern pot), pebbles from the sea shore and beautifies them.

Decoupage art on ash tray

What is Decoupage art?

Decoupage art uses cut pieces of magazines, newspaper, greeting cards, etc on objects of your choices to create scenery or a theme based story.

Since Revati is from Goa and the place is famous for its pottery, she often uses earthen ware for decoupage to preserve the tradition. She has created the decoupage art on lamps, Buyao (Pickle jar), candle stands and some of the Goan heritage items.

Decoupage art on conch
What led Revati to decoupage art?
During her stay in Oman, she encountered a Philippine lady selling decoupage bottles. Revati who is ambitious and always eager to learn new things, eagerly asked the lady, “Could you pls teach me.” But the art seller refused despite several attempts.

Finally, she learnt it on her own. She picked up a book on decoupage art, went to art shops, galleries and started understanding the difference between the normal tissue and the decoupage tissue. And her decopatch (Decopatch is different from Decoupage) training in England also helped her get to the bottom of the art.

She has been doing decoupage since 10 years and can do it in French way, Victorian style, Japanese and using Chinese traditions.

Decoupage art on a box
How do you Decoupage?

• Take a kullad wash it well then apply white acrylic coat
• Think about the theme or the story you want to create on the object
• Modpodge the kullad all over
• Paste the cutouts from the newspaper, magazine or any other coloured paper
• Apply modpodge over it
• Gently dampen it with water to remove creases and bubbles if any
• Let it dry completely
• After it is thoroughly dried, apply modpodge
• Protect the decoupage art with a coat of varnish.
• Care should be taken to only rinse the decorative pieces and not scrub it.

Revati has also done 3D decoupage, reverse decoupage on glass plates and I am sure her desire to experiment will not stop.

Decoupage art on a wooden house