Have you ever heard the French word "decoupage"? Perhaps you have even seen creations made in this technique? Or did you catch yourself wanting to make decoupage of candles with your own hands? In this article, we will talk about what decoupage is, where this technique originated from, how it developed and what you need to create masterpieces. And also you will have the opportunity to get acquainted with an interesting and simple master class.
What is decoupage?
When they talk about decoupage, they mean one of the most interesting ways to decorate something. With the help of such a unique and simple technique, you can decorate almost any thing: plates, glasses, glasses, flower pots, vases, cutting boards. You can make decoupage of candles, bottles, jewelry boxes, photo frames, any interior items and even furniture.
It is possible to make a unique item out of an unpretentious simple little thing with the help of decoupage. And things that have long served their time can be revived to a new life.
Having mastered this technique, any craftswoman will be able to create real works of art with her own hands. Handicraft is always highly valued, so some craftsmen even make good money from the sale of their creations.
If you look at a thing decorated in decoupage technique, it seems as if a talented artist has worked on it. But this is an illusion. After all, the images in this case are not drawn, but simply masterfully pasted along with the paper on which they are made. And you will soon see this by learning how to decoupage candles with your own hands. Motives for this can be taken anywhere. These can be newspapers, books, paper napkins, printed images, fabric, and more. We will help you make one of these creations. If you are wondering how to decoupage candles, carefully read the continuation of the article.
History of decoupage
The first items made using decoupage technique were found in ancient China, in the 12th century. Then this art gained its popularity in Italy, after which it spread throughout Europe. By the way, the word "decoupage" itself comes from the French "decouper", which means "cut out".
It is believed that this art comes from Eastern Siberia, and from there it has already migrated to China and other countries.
At the height of the 19th century, the art of decoupage was extremely popular among the highest social classes. Most often, it was used to create magnificent caskets that were used by girls to store jewelry, love letters and other personal items.
Candle decoupage: master class
Of course, it is pleasant to contemplate the creations of needlewomen who have mastered this technique to perfection. But it is much more interesting to create something similar with your own hands. Such a thing will be especially valuable for you, because it will contain a piece of your love. Next, we will talk about how to make decoupage candles with your own hands. Be patient and you will soon learn it.
Required accessories
You will need a large candle, preferably a light shade.
Since we will be decoupage candles with napkins, you will need a regular paper napkin with a pattern that you like.
Also in this case, you can not do without a spoon and a small candle, with which we will heat it.
Preparatory work
First you need to exfoliate the napkin. We will use only the top layer - the one that contains the drawing. The rest of the parts we will not need in the work.
Then carefully cut it out with small scissors. Having made all the necessary preparations, we will decoupage the candles. For beginners, this technique at first glance may not seem entirely clear, but there is nothing complicated about it. All you need is patience, perseverance and a great desire to create an exclusive thing for yourself or a unique gift for friends and relatives.
"Hot" decoupage
Getting to the main work, take a spoon and a small candle with which you will heat it.
Then start heating the spoon from the inside. Please note that in the process, carbon deposits can form on it - this is not scary, the main thing is that it should not be on the convex clean side. After all, that is what we are going to work with.
In order to transfer the image to a candle, it is necessary to attach a previously prepared motif to the product, heat a spoon over the candle (or using a stove) and smooth the image with gentle circular movements. Thus, you “solder” the drawing into melted paraffin, and it will no longer be afraid of external damage, such as water or someone’s too sloppy hands.
Your movements should be very confident, fast, but at the same time light.
Do not stop in one place, otherwise it will leave cavities that cannot be corrected later.
If you notice that the spoon has cooled down, heat it up again and feel free to get down to business. Decoupage of candles - though not difficult, but painstaking.
Be careful not to miss any parts of the drawing, even the smallest ones, because all of them must be saturated with a thin layer of paraffin.
Here, in fact, the main stage of work is completed. Do not be afraid that in the end you have a slightly uneven and sometimes rough surface. Now we will fix it.
To do this, we need a regular white napkin. Make a lump out of it and start grinding the candle hard. Don't be afraid to damage the product. After all, if you did the previous stage well, namely, you carefully soaked the entire surface of the paper with paraffin, you have nothing to fear. Your drawing will remain intact and unharmed.
After you complete this action and carefully sand the candle, you will notice how much its surface has become even and smooth.
That's all. You have just learned how to decoupage candles.
Additional decoration
If you are satisfied with the result of the work you have done, you can leave everything as it is and put your creation in a place of honor, or go to friends and present it as a gift. But the decoupage of the candle does not end there. The master class that you are studying will introduce you to other ways to decorate your work.
For example, you can paint the candle in the color you like best, or the one that best matches the pattern. You can also use stencils to decorate or use your artistic skills. It is best to use acrylic paint. It is the least toxic and, after drying, does not dissolve in water.
You can also use other materials for decor: ribbons, rhinestones, dry leaves, flowers, lace, spices, beads, fabrics, and indeed everything that your imagination tells you. Such decorations will make your creation even more unique and inimitable.
In order to fix the result, you can cover the candle with a special varnish. But consult with the seller and pay attention that this varnish does not emit toxic substances during combustion.
That's it, you've done the decoupage of the candle. We hope that the MK that you just got acquainted with helped you simplify this process and make it as enjoyable as possible. In conclusion, I just want to add that although it’s not difficult to make works of art with the help of this master class, it would be nice to practice on a smaller candle, catch all the subtleties of the process, and then start creating a masterpiece.
Look for inspiration in yourself
Create without stopping. After all, very often it is in the process of work that the most successful ideas come. Sometimes they lead to the creation of real masterpieces that can delight you and your loved ones for many years. Don't be afraid to try! After all, every failure only brings you closer to the desired level of skill. The most valuable thing is the experience that you get in the process of work. And this experience will stay with you forever.
The simplest type of decoupage for beginner needleworkers is candle decoupage. In this case, no primer, no glue, no varnish is needed, improvised materials will be used.
It is enough to purchase a plain candle, preferably white, and the decoupage napkins themselves or a decoupage card. So, we will conduct decoupage for beginners (master class) on decorating a hemp scented candle with Easter motifs. 
Materials:
hemp candle,
decoupage card or napkin,
working candle or gas stove,
tea spoon,
fabric, rough texture.
Performance: 
1. If you are working with a decoupage napkin, then separate the top layer with the motif from the two bottom ones. For beginners, it is better to take a small picture on a white background. Cut out or carefully tear out the image with your fingers, leaving some white background. When working with a decoupage card, they immediately proceed to cutting out the motif they like. 
2. Light a work candle or one burner on a gas stove. Place the decoupage picture on the hemp candle, hold it with the fingers of your left hand. 
3. Take a teaspoon and heat it on the fire from the inside. Try not to heat the spoon, just hold it over a lit candle for 5-7 seconds, and over a burner for 3 seconds. It is important to heat the spoon from the inside, as soot is likely to form, which can ruin the decoupage motif. 
4. With the convex part of the heated spoon, starting from the center of the picture, gently melt the decoupage napkin to the candle. You do not need to press hard with a spoon, keep it in one place for a long time and work with an edge, otherwise ugly pits will appear on the candle. 
5. During melting, it is clearly seen how the wax of the candle melts and appears as droplets on the decoupage motif. In these places, the napkin darkens. It is necessary to ensure that in the end there is not a single bright unfused place left. With a spoon, you need to move from the center of the napkin to the edges, expelling all air bubbles. After all, when wet, the napkin stretches a little, and if you do it the other way around, then unnecessary folds form in the center, spoiling the look of the picture. In this sense, working with a decoupage card is easier. 
6. In the last step, pay special attention to the edges of the motif, check again if they are well stuck to the candle. 
7. The decoupage of the candle is almost finished, it remains to grind a little wax surface above the picture and near it with a thick cloth to remove bumps. Decoupage for beginners can be completed on this or you can decorate the candle a little more with a colored outline, glitter, or melt another motif on the other side of the candle. 
How often, on the eve of any holiday, did you ask yourself questions about “And in order to give this to friends and acquaintances of the original and unusual?” or “How to decorate a festive interior and table beautifully?”. Candles can be excellent helpers in solving these problems.
Yes, yes, the most ordinary candles, but decorated using the decoupage technique that is so popular in our time. And in order to turn the ordinary into the exclusive, you will need a little patience, imagination and some available materials, which we will talk about a little later. Having devoted several hours of your time to decoupage candles, you will receive wonderful, exceptional, extravagant gifts and souvenirs for your loved ones. And, of course, decorative candles will bring a special incomparable cozy and festive atmosphere to your home.
Like any other business, decorating candles using decoupage technique has its own tricks, zest and difficulties. The most important thing is the thickness of the candles. The thicker the product, the more it suits the goals we pursue. Now I will explain why. In a thin ordinary candle, melting occurs evenly and a napkin glued to it is likely to catch fire, and this can lead to big trouble. In a thick candle, strong heating falls on its central part. Accordingly, the outer part remains slightly warm and this saves the napkin from catching fire. 
There are at least two ways to decoupage candles. Let's consider both.
- To get started, you need to purchase necessary for decoupage materials. By the way, you can buy everything for decoupage in Kyiv in a specialized online store of art materials rosa.ua. If you are a creative person, then in the same place you will find many other useful goods, materials and blanks for handicraft.
The first method, for which you will need materials such as:
- an object for decoration, that is, a thick candle;
- napkins or images printed on thin paper;
- glue for decoupage;
- scissors (preferably manicure);
- soft cloth for sanding.
Having prepared all the necessary materials, you can proceed directly to the creation of an exclusive item.
We choose motifs suitable for the celebration or just like them on napkins (paper), cut them out and glue them to the candle with decoupage glue. Polish with a soft cloth for a smooth finish. We cover with a layer of acrylic varnish. We admire!
2. The second method, which is suitable for those who do not have decoupage glue on hand. The materials are the same, only a heated spoon is used instead of glue.
So, warm up a regular spoon well. There is a little trick here, if you decide to heat a spoon on an open fire, using another candle, for example, then you definitely need to warm it up with the convex side out. This is done because carbon deposits form from an open fire and an improperly heated spoon will stain both the candle and the napkin. We apply the cut motif to the candle and gently, with quick movements, smooth it with a heated spoon. The paraffin melts, the napkin sticks to the candle. Polished, varnished.
Important! Do not hold the spoon for a long time in one place, the paraffin will melt strongly, and we don’t need pits at all.
To make the candle even more beautiful, you can use various decorations. Such as rhinestones, beads, glitters, sequins and others. The flight of fancy here is truly limitless! And to stimulate it, here are some examples of decoupage candles from " Land of the Masters.
Decoupage of the New Year's candle (year of the fiery rooster) The author of the work that you will see below is Dinara (dinarakamil) from the Fair of Masters.
Often, in search of an unusual and memorable gift, we resort to non-standard solutions, trying our hand at needlework. The result of labor is beautiful and functional products that remain in the memory of loved ones for a long time. In the article, we will consider one of the interesting areas of applied art - decoupage of candles.
The essence of decor
Decoupage involves the technology of decorating a surface using a pattern cut out of paper and pasted with a special glue. In essence, it is an improvement in the aesthetic appeal of a product or a kind of product. application made of thin paper with a beautiful pattern in the form of a certain composition. The drawing can be thematic or abstract, its size depends on the shape of the work item. A prerequisite for the process is varnishing the picture.
Candle selection
Not every candle is suitable for decoupage. Preferably choose for work white wax blanks. They will not distort the colors of the picture, due to which it will be possible to preserve its brightness and expressiveness of the contours of the picture.
It is desirable that the surface of the candle be smooth (it is easier to stick the paper with the image).
It is more convenient to use candles that have dense top layer and the most smooth surface. The denser and smoother they are, the better, and the risk of ignition of the glued fragment is also reduced. If you can’t find a white candle, you can buy a light one, it will also not distort the colors of the picture. As for the thickness and size of the candle, thin and small candles can be dangerous if lit. They warm up quickly, and therefore can only carry a decorative load.
Execution rules
Regardless of the theme and material used for decoupage attention must be paid to every step of the technology.
- The surface of an uneven candle is sanded and a primer is applied to it (2-3 layers). For smooth surfaces, only priming is sufficient.
- A drawing is prepared by removing the top layer with an image from a napkin and cutting out the desired fragment.
- Small elements are not cut out, but are drawn with special paints immediately on the working surface.
- When gluing a paper picture to a working base, take a brush and straighten all the air bubbles, leveling the picture.
- The straightening of the pattern starts from the center to the edges. After fixing, it must be dried.
- After drying, they begin to decorate the candle, painting on the missing elements with a brush and paints.
- If necessary, the product is decorated with rhinestones, beads, beautiful packaging.
Types of equipment
To date, you can perform decoupage of candles at home in three ways:
- cold method;
- with a spoon;
- using a hair dryer.
Each type has its own nuances. Consider three master classes based on different types of execution.
cold way
This technique is good for beginner craftswomen and allows you to get acquainted with the basics of decoupage. If you can’t find thick candles to work with, you can use those with relatively loose walls. To transform them, you will need decoupage napkins, sharp nail scissors and a stick with a smooth surface.
First, a drawing is prepared by cutting it out with an allowance of 1 cm along the contour from all sides. The picture is smeared with glue, applied to the candle and leveled, pressing it against the wax surface.
If you want to paste over the candle completely, cut out a rectangular blank with allowances for calling one edge to the other.
The seams must be neat.
hot method
To make such beauty, a spoon, a candle for heating the spoon, a beautiful napkin or a decoupage card are prepared in advance for work. First, prepare a drawing by cutting out the necessary fragment. According to the rules of decoupage, it is necessary to separate the two lower layers from the napkin, leaving only the one on which the print is applied. Next, the spoon is heated over the second auxiliary candle and, applying the picture to the decorated candle, the picture is glued with its help.
To do this, the picture is leveled with it in the direction from the center to the edges, eliminating air bubbles. Glue the napkin with the convex side of the spoon, trying not to drive it in one place for too long so that the paraffin does not drip. After the paper is imprinted into the paraffin base, you can walk along the base with a sponge.
With hair dryer
This master class is somewhat different from the previous two. To create such a gift, you should prepare in advance the candles themselves, decoupage napkins, a hairdryer and decor, the necessary accessories for cutting and painting. After the picture is cut out, it must be attached as close as possible to the decorated candle in the selected place with the pattern up. The hair dryer is connected to the network in full mode, and with its help a paper fragment is glued.
To do this, a stream of hot air is directed to a picture pressed against a candle. As they heat up, they make sure that the picture does not fold, it is leveled and smoothed with a flat brush. According to this principle, you can paste over the entire candle with a napkin, bending its upper and lower edges and printing them with a paraffin base for reliable fixation.
You will learn more about how to decoupage candles with a hairdryer below.
Solutions for different holidays
Candle decoupage is a great idea for any holiday. If you approach the choice of pictures creatively and with taste, you can create a unique product that will be appreciated by those for whom it is intended. Today, decoupage napkins can convey the atmosphere of any holiday. For example,
- for the New Year you can purchase decorative material depicting Santa Claus, Christmas sketches, all kinds of plot pictures with fluffy bunnies, Christmas trees, animals and snowmen against the background of fir branches, kids with gifts and other New Year paraphernalia;
- by March 8 it is not difficult to pick up napkins with birds, colorful flowers and various inscriptions, floral ornaments located along the bottom, or completely covering the entire surface of the napkins;
- for Valentine's Day you can find decorative napkins with a variety of hearts, bears, bunnies or even butterflies, letters and inscriptions about love;
- for a birthday you can choose any pictures that will depend on the season (for example, flowers, cakes, gifts);
- on the wedding day you can give beautiful candles decorated with napkins with a pattern of the bride and groom, whether they are babies, bears or angels dressed in appropriate outfits;
- for Halloween you can find decoupage paper with bats, pumpkins, witch hats;
- for angel day you can give a candle decorated with a picture of angels and decorated with silver acrylic paint.
Decor options
You can decorate a handmade candle with various decorative elements. For example, it can be a transparent package with a satin ribbon and a tiny postcard on which you can write the name of the giver and a wish for the hero of the occasion.
Natalya Yankina
In mid-May, the Diocesan Cyril and Methodius Readings 2014 were held within the walls of our preschool institution. Teachers, heads of educational institutions of the city of Volzhsky and the city of Volgograd, the clergy of our city took part in the readings. I was a participant in the readings and spent with colleagues Master Class"Decoupage on candles". I want to present you a photo report from my master class. Decoupage(French decouper - cut) - a technique for decorating various objects based on attaching a drawing, picture or ornament (regular cut) to the object, and, further, coating the resulting composition with varnish for the sake of effectiveness, safety and durability.
Decoupage on a candle looks advantageous even if you have the most common household candle, although, of course, it is preferable to take good wax thicker candles, preferably in light colors, just on a dark background the picture will seem faded. On thick candle decoupage looks more advantageous, and it’s much more convenient to work with it, you don’t need to look for very small drawings.
Decoupage on candles usually done with a special adhesive for decoupage candles, also, there are special markers and contours with which you can additionally paint on some elements.
And if I want to decorate a candle, but there is no special glue? This is where the so-called budget option comes in handy when decoupage can be done with a hot spoon.
To work you will need the following items:
Candle
Three-layer colored napkins
Pencil
Additional candle for heating the spoon
We choose the motive you like from the napkin and try it on candle.
Then we separate the top colored layer from the napkin.
Attaching a snippet candle and smooth with a pencil, starting from the center, paying special attention to the joints.
We light an additional candle or burner and heat the spoon, convex side up.
When the spoon is hot, proceed to the next step. With a hot spoon, begin to slowly drive over the pattern, as if smoothing it with an iron on an ironing board. The paraffin under the napkin will begin to melt, and the napkin will stick to candle.
Very important: Make sure that all edges of the pattern are glued to candle.
In order to the candle is smooth, smooth out any irregularities with a dish sponge, first with a hard side, then with a soft one.
The candle is ready.
It's so easy and simple to do decoupage candles. All participants successfully coped with the task and were glad to receive candles hand-decorated. Many of my teachers master The class inspired creativity.
Thank you for watching.