Decoupage by Design . . . A No, the basic skills required in Decoupage are easy to learn, and the increased interest in Decoupage has brought many new products on the market that enable Decoupage to an relatively simple, step by step, process. The art of Decoupage, however, is something that will continue to be a learning process to us all, with each project you complete you will gain new ideas and insights, and thus your Decoupage will improve with experience. That depends on many factors so I will describe the benefits and pitfalls of both. There are two types of varnish you will encounter, water based and oil based.
Waterbased varnishes are non toxic, no fumes, clean up in water and remain totally clear.
They are, however, susceptible to environmental factors, such as humidity and cold weather, which can cause a white milky blooming and spoil the finish. Oil based varnishes have a distinctive smell, clean up in mineral turpentine, and are quite yellowing. This can be a desirable effect if using warm rich colours, however it can be quite disheartening to watch a blue background turn green, if that s not what you intended to happen. Asthma sufferers may also have some problems with the fumes. So before choosing a varnish take into consideration the environmental factors of where you live and whether you wish your colours to remain pure or you would like a more mellow effect.