Blender marker transfers

Blender markers ... I was really looking forward to this section of Image Transfer Workshop . The transfer seemed so easy and perfect. I tried two different transfer materials - one suggested in the book, the other a why not? attempt at something different.

The necessary materials for me were:

• several toner-based images  
• Chartpak colorless blender marker (a Copic blender will not work)
• rice paper
• background surface
• soft gel (gloss)
• scissor handle for burnishing the image

I cut all three images fairly close to the edges. The instructions suggest rice paper (or gampi), so I tore a piece of rice paper slightly bigger than the image. I placed the image toner-side down over the rice paper, using a small piece of tape to hold it in place. Because the blending liquid dries fast, I covered small sections at a time, then burnished vigorously. (The marker turns the paper with the image almost transparent, so there is no mistaking where you need to burnish.) I repeated this until the entire image had been covered /burnished. (I have to offer a warning - the fumes! Be sure to do this in a well ventilated area. It's really strong!) When the transfer looked right and the rice paper was dry enough to work with, I cut the excess paper away. I was really happy with the results thus far.

I repeated the process once more with another image. When the two images were dry I chose to use background papers that had been collaged with pages torn from an old dictionary and then painted. Following the instructions, I made a soft gel "sandwich" - gel on the background, rice paper image, soft gel on top of that.

 

Everyone always promises that tissue paper and rice paper will "just disappear into the background" when you glue it down with gel medium, but that has rarely been my experience. I was really disappointed with the very obvious border around the image. Yes, I could try to cover it up with paint ... or dream up some other way to hide the edges, but for me, that defeats the goal of a transfer.

 The second rice paper transfer - closeup. All I could see were the white papery edges around the leaves.

 

For the third attempt, I decided  to skip the rice paper and go direct to background paper with the image and blender marker. This was a little better, but for me results were not worth the effort.  

To end this beautifully, feast your eyes on a sunset sky from a few days ago. It is incredible how gorgeous the sky can be. 

SOOC - amazing, right?

The Heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament showeth his handiwork. Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night showeth knowledge. There is no speech nor language where their voice is not heard. Psalm 19:1