Inkjet Image Transfers

For this post, in Hebrew, click here.

I enjoy image transfers so much, that I'm always on the lookout for new and interesting techniques.

I also give workshops on image transfers, so I work a lot on perfecting my technique and finding versatile ways to use them. This specific technique is very simple, but I didn't think it would be a good idea to teach it as part of a hands-on workshop, as it requires printing on the spot - not too convenient. So instead, I decided to share all my experiments here.

What you'll need:

1. Transparency sheet/film - either the type used for overhead projectors or for printing, but note you are going to print on the smooth side, i.e., the "wrong" side for printing.

2. Inkjet printer.

3. Interesting image to transfer - you can use your own photos, or look for some free images here and here).

4. Paper or fabric to transfer the image to.

So here's one possible result:

The process is this simple:

1. Print your image on the smooth side of a transparency. You don't want the ink to set on the transparency, you want it to be very wet, so you can then "stamp" or "print" the image on your receiving paper.

2. Quickly take the printed sheet, and press it face down, on your paper or fabric:

Press it down firmly with your hand. Careful, don't burnish or fiddle too much, or it will smudge. Just press down, placing your whole hand over the picture.

3. Now just pick up the transparency, and...tada!

You've successfully transferred the image to your paper or fabric. The picture is above is a transfer onto simple printer paper.

You may have to try this out a few times before you understand how much time to wait, or which paper is best, but I did quite a few experiments, so you can learn from them too.

Here's what will happen if you don't immediately use the transparency as it is printed:

The ink will turn into heavy drops, and your transfer won't be as good. Actually, this too can be an interesting outcome, and you may want to try it too, once you've mastered the "right" way! :-)

So now I wanted to see what will happen on other receiving papers, and I tried Canson textured paper:

And an old book page:

And tissue paper (the smooth side):

And when I got tired of Maude Fealy, I started experimenting with another lady. First on Basic Grey paper with Gesso (the gesso had dried a long time ago, I painted this page many months ago), where the ink kind of "glided" over the gesso - can you see it in the picture below?

So then I transferred the same image onto regular scrapbooking paper:

And then I started experimenting with my own images. I transferred one of my wedding pictures onto fabric:

And then paper:

Not too great huh? well, the image I used was low resolution, so I decided to try a better one, and the results were actually much better:

On fabric:

On paper:

And on (the smooth side of) tissue paper:

And... that's that! Don't you love how varied and interesting the results are? I love how all the pictures have their imperfections - that adds a lot of interest to any project.

Here's a page I did in an altered book using this technique, a few years ago (view larger size here) - I transferred an anatomical image:

Last tip: you can use the same transparency over and over again - just wipe it with a wet cloth in between printing.