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Acrylic image transfer

image transfers
stuff you need:
Golden Soft Gel gloss medium
Golden Self Leveling Clear Gel
Fresh color or black and white photocopies
Brush
Chartpak colorless blender pen P-0 (201)
Wall Lenk Heat transfer tool

Copies must come from a toner based machine. Magazine images work well too but be aware of copyright issues on any reproduced image.
The processes explained below will not work with ink jet printers. There are several other ways to transfer images but these are the ones I have tried.

acrylic medium transfer
 Mix 1 part soft gel gloss medium and 1 part self leveling clear gel medium together. Lay the photocopy face up on a smooth surface. Brush on a layer of medium evenly over the image. Let dry until clear and brush on another layer. Build the layers until the image is covered about 1/32" to 1/16" thick. let dry thoroughly. For best results, wait 2 or 3 days before soaking.
Make a bath of lukewarm water and soak the coated image for a few minutes but no longer than 15 minutes. Take the image out and rub the paper backing. Keep rubbing gently until all the paper is removed. The image will now be fairly clear with no paper residue.
To glue the image transfer, use the soft gel gloss as an adhesive and glue it front side down to a card or collage. Magazine images work well with this technique.

chemical transfer
 Cut the image out with scissors and lay face down onto paper or wood. Take a Chartpak blender (a solvent based ink) pen and soak the back of the image. Rub the paper with a spoon or burnisher and carefully lift off image. The toner will transfer to the paper. I have noticed that if I wait too long, the toner will become thready and leave little "hairs" on the surface I have transferred to so lift off quickly after burnishing. You can transfer color copies this way. The Chartpak blender works great but be sure to do this process in a well ventilated area!


Chartpak Blender Pen

heat transfer:
Plug in the heat transfer tool and let warm up for a few minutes. You will need a firm heat resistant surface before starting such as a piece of mat board. Color copies and black and white images work well but images with fine detail may be fuzzy. This technique is great for transferring images onto fabic, wood and paper and can give an antique look. Lay the image face down onto the area you want to transfer. Take the heat transfer tool and with the flat round iron edge rub firmly over the back of the copy in a circular motion and lift the corner of the image carefully to see if the toner has been transferred to your liking. Lift off the transfer paper when you have reached the desired effect.

Have fun, experiment and play!

© Karen Elaine Thomas 2003 All rights reserved