photo transfer tutorial

(beware: lots of photos)

I have been busy the last 2 days creating these, 

and took pictures along the way to show you how I did it

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(this is by far the easiest method I have found for photo transfer)

you will need:

ink jet printer or copier photographic prints

heavy paper (cardstock or watercolor paper)

mod podge or acrylic medium

medium sized paintbrush

fine grade sandpaper

beeswax (optional)

bone folder

soft rag or towel

1. print your images and cut or tear along the edges removing any white border

(before your next step, check your paper's texture - if it is smooth, don't worry. If it is bumpy, give it a quick sanding to smooth it down a bit. I do that when using watercolor paper)

 2. apply mod podge or acrylic medium to the heavy paper (NOT the print). 

Apply the acrylic about a half inch greater than your image size

3. lay your print face down in the wet mod podge and rub it down firmly with your thumbs

4. let it dry for 4 hours or more (I like to leave it overnight)

5. apply water to the ink jet paper backing - let it really saturate the paper

6. after a minute or so, you can begin rubbing the paper and peeling it off

 7. use a towel to get the last bits of paper

 8. don't worry if there are still some nubbly bits of paper left

9. just sand those bits with your fine grade sand paper

this is how it most likely will look at this point:

(notice the blotchy parts - that is to be expected and is a desired effect)

here are my four transfers before the next step:

10. dip your image into hot beeswax

(I heat my beeswax in an aluminum pie tin in a 300 degree oven)

11. use tweezers to lift it out and drip dry

12. lay your transfer(s) on aluminum foil on a baking sheet and return to your 300 oven for about 5 minutes

 13. when your prints have cooled, use a bone folder to scrape off the excess wax

14. use your soft rag or towel to give them a final buffing. Your prints may feel a little bit tacky from the fresh wax, but after a few days it will have cured and will be smooth and soft as silk.

I like how they look in the light:

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about the photos:

the woman is from my collection of anonymous old photographs - isn't this an amazing photo?

the text on her photo is from the bible - proverbs 31 - "strength and dignity are her clothing"

the barns photos are all taken by me from various trips up to the Skagit Valley - a rural landscape of lonely buildings in a place full of fog and mist and rain

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keeping busy and feeling better

xoxo