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Image Transfers

by Debi Wind

Stamping Deck Crewmember

Image transfer is a technique that has been around in the art field for years and now is being used in rubber stamping in various ways. Transferred Photo images, family photos, collage sheets and ephemera can be used to enhance a card, a project, a scrapbook page, jewelry and many other projects. The variety of image transfers has something for everyone because whatever your preferred medium, any image that catches your eye can be transferred. You can create gorgeous collages without all the layers and cut edges of a traditional collage. Think of spectacular cards, family heirloom collages, and special embellishments for journals and albums. The possibilities are endless with the various image transfer techniques!

What is an image transfer? Image transfers are made by taking a photo, making a photocopy of the photo and then transferring the image to another medium. It could be paper to paper, paper to fabric, photo to fabric, paper to domino, and paper to polymer clay. There are many techniques used in transferring and I will cover some of them in this article. You all know that each paper, ink, and fabric reacts differently. It would be a good idea to experiment before you work on your actual project so you will not ruin your work.

Tape Transfers

These are one of the simplest transfer methods. To do a Tape Transfer you need clear packaging tape. Clear packaging tape can be found in stores such as Michael's, Hobby Lobby, Wal-Mart and Target, and usually costs under $3.00. You are limited to image size because of the width of the tape. Choose your images from collage sheets, clip art, newspapers or glossy magazine images. To do a Tape Transfer you will need the following supplies:

Collage sheets, clip art, newspaper or glossy magazine images
Clear Packaging tape
Burnishing Tool such as a bone folder
Dish of warm water
Paper Towels
Wax Paper

The following are the instructions for doing an image transfer with tape:

Cut out image larger than you want the final transfer to be
Cut a piece of package tape and lay the image face down on the sticky side of the tape
Go over the whole image with the bone folder pressing firmly to make sure it is well adhered
Then cut the image to the final size you want it to be and put in a dish of warm water. Soak for 10-15 minutes. The idea is to get the paper backing completely wet
Remove tape image from water and rub the paper off of the back of the tape. The more you rub the clearer the image will be
Pat dry with paper towel and there you have it! It looks like a very thin transparency
Attach it to your project with gel medium, glue, or use a Xyron.

Here is an example of a Tape Image transfers. As you will notice the transfer is very soft looking and adds a wonderful vintage look to the card.

Gel Transfers

These are a very versatile transfer technique. Gel transfers leave a film that you then apply to whatever surface you wish. These transfers are great for cards, game pieces, and altered books. They work well with photocopied images whether they are color or Black and White. Gel medium transfers are great when you want to layer images. You can apply them to colored spreads as well as apply them to high quality textured paper. Golden Gel for transfers can be found at Hobby Lobby, Michael's or stores that are similar and usually costs under $10.00. To do a Gel Transfer you will need the following supplies:

Color or Black & White Photocopy of any picture desired or magazine images
Soft Gel Matte Medium (Golden)
Paint brush
Dish of warm water
Paper Towels
Wax Paper

The following instructions are for an image transfer with gel medium:

Make photocopy (color or Black & White) of a picture you wish to use
Lie image face up on wax paper
Using a paintbrush, apply a thin coat of Soft Gel Medium over your picture brushing in the same direction always. Make sure you apply the gel at least ½ inch further than the edges of the picture
Let this coat dry completely
Repeat with another thin coat of Soft Gel Medium, but go in the opposite direction
Continue the coating of Soft Gel Medium until you have applied four coats
Allow the last coat to dry overnight
Place the image into a bowl of water and soak for at least an hour. The idea is to get the paper backing completely wet
Remove the image from the water and gently rub the paper backing. The paper should start rolling off. If it doesn't, soak longer
Rub off all the paper from the image. Don't worry if the plastic becomes cloudy as you work, just beware that a gel transfer can tear easily
Rinse periodically with tepid or cold water as you work to get rid of the paper rolls. Make sure you really rub all the paper off
Once you have removed all of the paper, lay the image flat onto a paper towel to allow it to dry for a day or so
Trim the transfer to fit your project. Scissors work better than a xacto knife for this type of trimming
To glue the image transfer to you project, use the Soft Gel as an adhesive

I did two gel image transfer cards. Since this is one of my favorite techniques I decided to show two samples of what can be done with Gel Transfers.

Gel Transfers for Game Pieces

Follow the instructions above for the actual Gel Transfer and continue with the steps below.

Cover the game piece with the Soft Gel Medium using a paint brush
Place the transfer onto the game piece and gently rub the transfer from the center outwards. This will help to remove the air bubbles
Cut the corners so that the transfer will fit
Glue the sides down with the Soft Gel Medium
Let the Soft Gel Medium dry
Cover the entire game piece with Mod Podge
Allow the Mod Podge dry completely
Edge game piece with Krylon pen or Lumiere paint
Add pin back to domino if you are making it a pin

Here is a sample of a domino done with a gel transfer image. Image transfers on dominos add texture and a unique look to the domino.

Blender Pen Technique

This is another transfer technique that does not require a lot of materials. This is a transfer process using photocopies and a blender pen with Xylene in it. Blender Pens can be found at Michael's, Hobby Lobby and at other similar stores. They usually cost under $6.00. To do a Blender Pen Transfer you will need the following supplies:

Colorless blending marker with Xylene
Photocopy of either a Black & White photo or a Color photo
Surface for transfer (transfers can be done on wood, cardstock, cloth, and copper)
Tool for burnishing (bone folder or wooden spoon)

Note: Blender pens contain the solvent Xylene, which is highly toxic. Please use in a well ventilated area or outdoors if possible.

Directions for the Blender Pen Technique:

Make a black and white copy or color copy of a photograph
Position the copied picture face down on paper. When doing this type of transfer for the first time, it is best to do it on copy paper. As you gain experience you can move to cardstock. Tape image into place
Apply blender pen to the back of the photocopy using repeated overlapping strokes until the image is visible through the back of the photocopy
Burnish this area and move onto another section if you are transferring a larger image
You can check under a corner to see how the transfer is taking
If you are not satisfied with the results reapply blender pen and burnish again until the transfer is complete
If you want you can color the transfer with markers, colored pencils, chalk, or airbrush. The paper you transferred onto will determine the best coloring agent

Here is a sample of a Blender Pen Transfer. I chose to leave my image black and white. The original image that I used to create the card was black and white.

Heat Transfer

This is the last transfer technique that we will talk about; it is another technique that is used to transfer photocopies. This technique is great for transferring images onto fabric, wood, and paper and can give you an antique look. Heat Transfer tools can be found at online websites, and stamping and scrapbook stores. They usually cost under $30.00. To do a Heat Transfer you will need the following supplies:

Heat Transfer Tool
Heat resistant surface such as a piece of mat board.
Color copies or Black and White images

Directions for the Heat Transfer Technique:

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
Lift the corner of the image carefully to see if the toner has been transferred to your liking
Continue with the heat transfer tool until you have the desired effect
Lift off the transfer paper when you have reached the desired effect
An regular iron will not work for this type of transfer because it does not get hot enough

Here is a sample of a Heat Transfer. As you will notice the image softens when transferring it to cardstock such as I did.

I hope you will create cards using one of these transfer techniques. You will see how much fun it is to work with the various techniques and how creative you can be when it comes to your next stamping project. Experiment and find out which method you like. You can show your artwork to the readers and staff of S.S. Reflections ezine by joining us at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ssreflectionsezine . I look forward to seeing your wonderful artwork.

Until next month…Happy Transferring!

Debi Wind
debiwind@ssreflections.com
Stamping Deck Crewmember
S.S. Reflections, Inc.

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***Disclaimers - While individual techniques may vary, always follow product manufacturers' directions and cautions for safety and best results.

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