Decoupage Bracelet

Materials

1" and two 1/2" Houston Art bracelet forms
tack cloth
Houston Art 1500-grit sanding disk
400-grit sandpaper
PPA matte or gloss glue
soft watercolor brushes
foam brayer/roller
acrylic paint
Houston Art gloss water-based medium and sealer
image rubber stamps*
scissors for cutting intricate images
101 Artist Cement
2-1/2", 1-3/4", 1-1/4" clip art (collage and mirror imaged)
1/2" watercolor brush
plastic cups
parchment paper
dowel and clamp or similar for drying rack
gold, silver precious metal powders
rubber stamp foam and ink pad

*Stamps used in the project on air were by Inkadinkadoo, Postmodern, Stampers Anonymous, and Judikins.

1. Fill the gap on the inside of the bracelet forms with 101 Artist Cement (figure A). Let dry.

2. Sand inside and edges smooth with 400-grit sandpaper. Remove sanding dust with tack cloth, set aside.

3. Clamp a dowel on the edge of a table to create a drying rack.

4. Mix three parts acrylic paint with one part gloss water-based medium and sealer.

5. Coat bracelets inside (back) and on edges (figure B). Stand on outer face (front) to let dry (figure C).

6. Coat the outside of the form with the first paint mixture (from step 4) and hang bracelet on dowel to dry.

7. Mix two parts acrylic paint with two parts gloss water-based medium and sealer. Paint this on the inside of the form and edges, and set aside on outer face to dry.

8. Paint the outside of the bracelet with the second paint mixture and hang on the dowel to dry (figure D).

9. Wet sand with 400-grit sandpaper and dry.

10. Mix one part acrylic paint with three parts gloss water-based medium and sealer. Coat the inside and edges with this mixture and stand on the outside face to dry.

11. Paint outside of forms with third paint mixture and hang on dowel to dry (figure E).

12. Prepare your clipart: Use a mixture of collage and mirror images so that there are images coming from both sides of the bracelet. Cut them out carefully and accurately. Remember to move the paper, not the scissors, as you cut (figure F). Set aside.

13. Create a metallic ink by mixing three parts gloss water-based medium and sealer to one part silver precious metal powders.

14. Apply "ink" to rubber stamp foam and ink stamp pad. Roll bracelet across to create background images (figure G).

15. Use an unmounted stamp to stamp the inside (figure H) by rolling the stamp and placing on the inside of form and applying pressure. Let dry (figure I).

16. Mix gold precious metal powders with three parts medium. Paint highlights that were stamped on forms. Let dry.

17. Glue the clipart images onto the 1-inch form, covering the inside and outside of the bangle. Use the larger pieces to carry the images around edges and allow images to flow from the outside in (figure J).

18. Use a roller to ensure good contact between clipart and form. Let Dry.

19. Coat with three or four coats of sealer, allowing to dry between coats.

20. Two hours after the final coat, polish with a 1500-grit sanding disc.