My wife liked my Backlit Batman, but thought it should have a make-over, so am going to hand this to her, for this Instructable...

I was looking for something different to do some decoupage on, the standard Picture frames, teddy bears, chairs have been done to death and originality is missing. Whilst rooting about in hubby's "Maker Cave" I saw his Backlit Batman silhouette and thought, how cool and how different would that be if I decoupaged it, not only would it look good at night, but during the day, it would be a decorative feature.

This Instructable will give you some basic pointers on how to decoupage. You can decoupage almost anything... even a bat sign!

Step 1: Gather Materials and Equipment

First, I decided what look to go for. I didn't want it to be too feminine, but also not too full of testosterone. The deep purple tissue paper that I opted for gave the right feel - not too girly, not too blokey either!

As well as tissue paper, you will need:

ModPodge (preferred) or PVA glue
Brushes Decoupage brushes are preferred, as these make it easier to control glue application and give a smoother finish. Standard paintbrushes can be used, but you might find they leave streaks in the finish. I also prefer decoupage brushes as they are easier for me (I have small hands!)

Anything else you use is embellishment! Decoupage really requires very little in the way of tools and equipment. At a push you can use standard PVA, common-or-garden craft brushes, even pretty napkins and regular tissue paper! Though the results won't be perfect, they will be acceptable. So if you don't have all the 'right' stuff but think you'd like to give decoupage a try, just go for it! Then buy the products when you know you enjoy it.

Step 2:

The decoupage process is pretty much standard for all items.

Tear your tissue into small pieces, not uniform in size or shape, but no bigger than 2 inches. Tear them freely with your hands, the idea being not to have straight edges. Brush some ModPodge onto the item, then place a piece of torn tissue on, and gently apply a little more ModPodge. Don't worry about uniformity, to me this just does not look right, I enjoy the randomness of what I am creating. If however I am using a tissue with a bold design, I try and ensure evenness of colour.

Slowly make your way across the whole item, overlapping slightly, but not entirely. The more you overlap the more tissue you will need. Tissue that is designed for decoupage will usually only need one layer. If you are using a different material, you may need to do another layer - but complete the first one and allow it to dry before commencing the second.

Step 3: Finishing

When your decoupage is dry, you can seal it with a decoupage varnish. These come in various finishes; gloss, matte, sparkly.. It is up to you which, if any, you prefer to use. Everyone has their own individual taste. Decoupage for me is a way to express my arty feelings with others, rather than trying to make something to please others. You don't have to varnish if you use ModPodge as it is a glue, varnish and sealant in one. If you use PVA and/or standard brushes, varnish may improve the finish.

Step 4: Finished Bat!

And there we have the Decobat. I wasn't sure if hubby would like it - it's not exactly orthodox - but he loved it. In fact, he loved it so much he made me share it with the world! I hope you like it too - it's a good compromise between man-cave and interior design!