The last day of August

Dry gel transfers are my favorite so far. The book suggested using soft gel (gloss) medium, gesso, or caulk. I don't have caulk, so I skipped that trial. I used the gesso, but none of those transfers were usable ... at all.

I experimented with both matte and gloss gel medium - and if I remember to carefully and quickly wipe away any gel that extends beyond the transfer image - I am happy with either one. The only downside is that the technique takes 24 hours of patience. Just like the proverbial pot, watching does not make the gel dry faster. After the loooong wait, it was a simple matter of sanding the back of the transfer, lightly misting with water, and rubbing away the paper to reveal what image was still attached to the background.

This method requires a toner-based or magazine image. I chose to use laser printed illustrations, scanned from old books, and photos, adjusted to the desired size. The images were trimmed to exactly the shapes I wanted and placed on painted papers. Two of the backgrounds were bumpy gelatin plate prints. I did wonder how that uneven surface would affect the quality of the transfer.

Gelatin plate background paper

 

Gelatin plate background paper

Painted background paper

These images transferred even better than I expected, so the gesso transfer failures are forgotten, out of mind! Even the bumpy gelatin print papers took the transfers perfectly. 

The next step is to figure out how and where I want to use these (pictures will be posted) ... and then make more!!!!! 

Next up - Gel Skin.

Casting all your care upon God; for he careth for you.   1 Peter 5:7

Image transfers with Con-Tact Paper

I used the real thing. No off-brand allowed. It had to be the best. Specifically, it was the transparent matte Con-Tact Paper.

This time I stayed with black and white images, keeping background use in mind. The first trial shape was from a photo of a welcome mat, all scrolly and beautiful. (Inspiration is everywhere!) I placed the Con-Tact paper on the image and burnished as instructed with my bone folder. So far, so good.

The next step was to lightly sand the back of the image paper, mist with water and rub off the wet paper with my fingers. I always start that process gently, until I get the feel for how much pressure it will take to remove all the paper. This time, the end result wasn't so great. You can plainly see the paper residue.

 

So I rubbed a little longer and a little harder. That's when I could clearly see that the ink was smudging. 

I placed the transfer on two different background papers, just to see how it would look if I decided to use it for something. The look is ok, but for me, the Con-Tact paper is just too thick to be part of a final product that I would enjoy.

 

I went through identical steps with a fish image. The results were the same - smudged ink and too much paper residue. I say ink, but both the fish and the scrolly images were from a laser printer. That means toner. Toner doesn't normally smudge.

Con-Tact transfer on the right

I doubt that I will ever use this method again. I am happy to know why. It is my goal to use all of these trial pieces in some way. The two transfers shown in this post will most likely gather a lot of dust before they end up in the wastebasket. 

Next time - direct gel, gesso and caulk transfers.

O God, thou hast taught me from my youth: and hitherto have I declared thy wondrous works.   Psalm 71:17

Image transfers with tape

Wow. I was NOT kidding about multiple pictures! Each project offers at least two options ... and there are multiple choices after that. So, here goes.

I chose 2 colorful magazine pages and a book page (much heavier paper) with a painting by Winslow Homer. The tape on the pink flowers folded as I applied it, but I thought it might be interesting to see what happened with that fold. You can see the tape shine on all three samples.

 
For the next step I lightly rubbed the back of each paper with drywall sandpaper, then misted each piece with water when I was ready to start removing the paper backing.
 

 

The magazine paper was the easiest. It slid from the tape with very little effort.

 

The book paper took a bit more rubbing (with flat part of fingertips only) but it finally came clean. The image was not perfect, but the occasional rough spots added to the charm.

 

Holding each piece against different backgrounds gave me some ideas about how the cleaned transfers could be used. 

 

the yellow narrow tape

W. Homer girl on antique book page

W. Homer girl on gelatin print paper

The pink flowers are attached to a drawing I don't like ... just to see what would happen. Interesting possibility on future projects. I ended cutting away the fold in the tape, so it didn't affect anything.

But my favorite is the girl. She found a resting place on a card front. She already has a new home. That's why I love making cards.

Next post - using the same tape transfer method only using clear Contact paper.

Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart to knowledge. Proverbs 22:17

Image Transfer Workshop Project

Dear blog,

I have not intentionally neglected you. I have been under-inspired and it has shown in the number of times I came here to update you.

But then ... I joined the Instagram 100 Day Project. By the end of the 100 days, it occurred  me that there doesn't have to be a deadline looming to give me permission to make things ... to play with paper or all things sticky and messy.

I also was reminded of three great books that I purchased over the past few years (all three by Darlene Olivia McElroy and Sandra Duran Wilson). They are great books, but since I never appeared in my workroom with out a deadline looming, the books sat gathering dust.

This week I made the decision to work my way through every project in the book, Image Transfer Workshop. I won't skip any pages. I won't jump around the book. I will go page by page and try every technique.

There is no rush to finish. No 100 day deadline, so my goal is to try everything, use everything in some kind of end product, and enjoy the journey.

I've already completed the first how-to. Because there are lots of pictures that go with this, there may be more than one post to cover the steps. I want to be able to remember in detail everything that I learn.

Prove all things; hold fast that which is good. I Thessalonians 5:21