How to Transfer Photos Onto Canvas
Gather your supplies., Print out your image on a laser printer., Use a thick coat of gel medium to cover the front of your canvas completely., Line the image up with the canvas — ink-side down — and press down to flatten., Allow canvas to dry...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Gather your supplies.
For this project, which gives you a beautifully rustic transfer onto canvas, you need four basic materials.
See the "Things You'll Need" section.
Nothing fancy — let's get started! -
Step 2: Print out your image on a laser printer.
Laser printers work best for photo transfer onto canvas; ink jet printers will not get the job done, unfortunately.
How do you tell which kind of printer you have? If your toner is large, it's most likely a laser printer; if it's small and compact, it's most likely an ink-jet.The size of your image and the size of the canvas don't need to be exact, although they look best when the two match perfectly.
If you photograph is slightly smaller than the canvas — e.g. less than an inch (3 cm) — the final product will still look professional.
Get ready for the image to be reversed.
If you think reversal will look strange, or you're partial to the current arrangement on the photo, reverse the image before you print it out. , No need to spend a whole lot of time on this step, but do make sure that there are no gaps in coverage, or the photo ultimately won't transfer. , Instead of trying to line up the whole image perfectly in one fell swoop, line up one edge first so that two corners of the canvas and two corners of the photo match perfectly.
Once that side is put onto the gelled canvas, flatten the rest of the photo onto the remaining canvas in a sweeping motion. , Place in a cool place devoid of excessive moisture while the gel medium dries. , Using your hand, scrape away the wet paper to reveal the reversed image underneath.
Continue spraying and lightly scraping until you've revealed as much of the image as desired.
Don't scrape too hard or you'll scrape away the underlying image.
Expect for it to be messy.
Don't be afraid to leave a small amount of distress or paper on the canvas.
This is what gives the image its rustic or vintage look, and it pairs especially well with black and white or sepia tone images. , Allow the canvas to dry again overnight before hanging, gifting, or using. -
Step 3: Use a thick coat of gel medium to cover the front of your canvas completely.
-
Step 4: Line the image up with the canvas — ink-side down — and press down to flatten.
-
Step 5: Allow canvas to dry overnight.
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Step 6: Starting on one side of the canvas
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Step 7: lightly wet the surface with water from a spray bottle.
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Step 8: Apply a final coat of gel medium to the canvas once you've stripped it of paper.
Detailed Guide
For this project, which gives you a beautifully rustic transfer onto canvas, you need four basic materials.
See the "Things You'll Need" section.
Nothing fancy — let's get started!
Laser printers work best for photo transfer onto canvas; ink jet printers will not get the job done, unfortunately.
How do you tell which kind of printer you have? If your toner is large, it's most likely a laser printer; if it's small and compact, it's most likely an ink-jet.The size of your image and the size of the canvas don't need to be exact, although they look best when the two match perfectly.
If you photograph is slightly smaller than the canvas — e.g. less than an inch (3 cm) — the final product will still look professional.
Get ready for the image to be reversed.
If you think reversal will look strange, or you're partial to the current arrangement on the photo, reverse the image before you print it out. , No need to spend a whole lot of time on this step, but do make sure that there are no gaps in coverage, or the photo ultimately won't transfer. , Instead of trying to line up the whole image perfectly in one fell swoop, line up one edge first so that two corners of the canvas and two corners of the photo match perfectly.
Once that side is put onto the gelled canvas, flatten the rest of the photo onto the remaining canvas in a sweeping motion. , Place in a cool place devoid of excessive moisture while the gel medium dries. , Using your hand, scrape away the wet paper to reveal the reversed image underneath.
Continue spraying and lightly scraping until you've revealed as much of the image as desired.
Don't scrape too hard or you'll scrape away the underlying image.
Expect for it to be messy.
Don't be afraid to leave a small amount of distress or paper on the canvas.
This is what gives the image its rustic or vintage look, and it pairs especially well with black and white or sepia tone images. , Allow the canvas to dry again overnight before hanging, gifting, or using.
About the Author
Helen Anderson
Helen Anderson is an experienced writer with over 12 years of expertise in lifestyle and practical guides. Passionate about sharing practical knowledge, Helen creates easy-to-follow guides that help readers achieve their goals.
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