Thursday, August 14, 2008

Making Transfer Images for Collages Using Transparencies

In working with collage art, practically anything goes by way of materials and subject.

By definition, collage is an artistic composition of materials and objects pasted over a surface, often with unifying lines and/or color. The origin of the word "collage" comes from the French word "coller," which means to glue. Simply put, anything that is glued or pasted onto something else might be broadly interpreted as collage. Historically, collage has existed for many centuries; and, notably, Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque launched collage into the art world of Paris in the twentieth century and made it a mainstream term with a more widely accepted understanding. But, much earlier, experimentation in collage took place in France (Madison ArtShop).
The first source I researched about the process of making transfers of images was art-e-zine for easy directions for making transfers of images onto fabric or paper by using your chosen art object, an inkjet printer, imaging paper (transparency paper), Golden Brand fluid matte medium, and a rolling pin.

Ensure that you are using the correct transparency type and print onto the textured side of either Great White Photo & Imaging paper (#86010, or Apollo Jet Printer Transparency Film (Not Quick Dry) or JetPrint Inkjet Imagining Photo Paper or JetPrint Multi Purpose Imagining Paper, glossy. Note: I could not find any of the cited transparencies available in stock at local stores, so I ended up with this product: Brand name: 3M, “Transparency Film for Inkjet Printers CG3480”

Here are the basic instructions:

1. Copy your image from your inkjet printer onto the textured side of the transparency paper. All to dry for 15 min. after printing.

2. Paint a thin coat of the Golden fluid (not gel) matte medium atop the image you want to transfer to the paper (or fabric). Easy clean up can be accomplished by using a small foam brush for the application of fluid medium. Also apply some fluid matte medium to the object where it will adhere.

3 Put a sheet of waxed paper over this wet image.

4. Then roll over it with a rolling pin or the back of a spoon for burnishing.

5. Wait one minute and carefully lift off backing paper, and the picture will be transferred.

Reminder: Do NOT USE anything BUT the recommended Photo paper, an inkjet printer, Golden Brand Matte Medium, and heavy paper to transfer an image onto (like heavy watercolor paper) … as your skill level increases, you might add metal or glass under the image transfer.

Any little slubs or wrinkles acquired in the burnishing process just adds to the vintage look.

The person who first originated (or documented) and copyrighted this innovative process was Leslie Riley in 2002 . Riley also administers the inkjet transfer group at the InkJet Yahoo Group, where you can find her original documentation in the "Files Folder".

Some lovely work can be found here: art-e-zine by Donia Nance.

Free vintage art can be found here: Transfers and at art-e-zine. Here are a couple of pictures I plan on using for inkjet transfers from these sources:

Have a go at it. It is fun!

1 comment:

  1. Your instructions to make transfer images using transparencies sounds like what I have been searching for. I have written a book and bound it in leather. There is a picture I want to appear on the leather cover. Nothing has worked. This, however, has me very excited. If I can find the materials, my problem may be solved. Thank you so very much for sharing this information.

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