10-01-2007, 09:42 AM
Here's a photo of some tests I did transferring a Zebrawood image to a black surface.
At the top you can see that a straight transfer has serious transparency problems.
Moving down, the next two were tests using white caulking as the glue. They were not up to the job.
The bottom two were first given a thin coat of white acrylic paint directly on the face of the prints and when completely dry were glued down using Minwax's Polycrylic and then the paper was removed. You can barely, just barely feel an edge with your fingers. Under some layers of lacquer the edge will be undetectable.
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2u903zd&s=2
This photo shows a full size magazine page transferred to a sheet of aluminum that was painted with white acrylic paint.
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=xmj3n9&s=2
Here are the directions for using this method. In my opinion this is the best and cheapest way to simulate the original photofinish.
Acrylic transfer
The process is simple. Glue a print face down and soak the paper with water and rub it off. This leaves the ink trapped in the glue. The image will be reversed because you will see the back of the ink, so print a reverse image to transfer.
Use an acrylic glue and transfer the image to a surface painted with acrylic paint. The painted surface should be smooth and free of nubs.
Easiest Method
Transfer the grainlines only. Convert a woodgrain image to black and white and transfer it to a surface that has been painted with acrylic paint. Use a light yellow paint for lighter woods and a sort of yellow brown for darker woods. Final color will be achieved using toners.
A good idea is to edit a woodgrain image to black grainlines and then using a program like Photodeluxe, restore some color into the grainlines. This is essential if you are doing light color wood.
If you have an error with this method you only have to touch up grainlines. Fine point markers or brushes will do the job.
Full color transfer
The only problem with this is that even if you have only one small error you have a full color touch up to do. It is not difficult transferring larger color prints, but you should do some practice first with small black and white prints and then with small magazine photos working up to larger photos.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note - This method will not work with ink jet printers.
I worked on this method as a way to duplicate the faux woodgrain on some metal cabinet radios. It also works great on wood cabinets..
The steps in this method are;
!- Get a print from a laser copier.
2- Give the print face an thin, even coat of Minwax's Polycrylic. Allow to dry for at least 8 hours.
3- When you are ready to transfer;
Larger prints should be evenly dampened first. Not wet, just damp enough so that the paper is a little limp.
Put an even coat of Polycrylic on the print and position it on the cabinet. Smooth it out with a damp rag and with your fingers. Don't be rough or you will start taking paper off.
4- Have a couple damp rags handy to wipe off the Polcrylic that is squeezed out the edges. Wipe away from the print and turn the rags after each wipe. Keep as much of the Polycrylic off the paper as you can. When it looks smooth, roll it with one of those small wooden wheels used to roll wallpaper seams to squeegee the paper and force out the excess Polycrylic. Wipe the roller and print after each roll.
You MUST be sure that there are no air bubbles. No air bubbles means you will get a perfect transfer.
Allow it to dry at least 12 hours.
5- Soak the paper with COLD WATER. Put a wet rag on the paper and let it sit there for 10 minutes or more. Use your fingers and a piece of toweling to remove the paper.
Very Important - Prints have to be transferred to a surface painted with acrylic paint, or for smaller sizes like Zebrawood strips you can first coat the print face with a thin coat of white acrylic paint. Allow it to dry and cure and proceed using the Polycrylic as the glue.
Very Important The paper you use is the most important element in getting an easy transfer. Regular color copier paper will work, but you have to do more rubbing to get all the paper off. You want what is called "clay coated paper". It is very smooth and glossy on each side. Kinkos has it in 11' x 17" size and Staples has what they call "business gloss". If you want, you can look up Talbot Arts and order paper from them.
Magazine paper is good to practice with, but with photo paper some work fine and some don't. You have to do a test piece to find out.
.
At the top you can see that a straight transfer has serious transparency problems.
Moving down, the next two were tests using white caulking as the glue. They were not up to the job.
The bottom two were first given a thin coat of white acrylic paint directly on the face of the prints and when completely dry were glued down using Minwax's Polycrylic and then the paper was removed. You can barely, just barely feel an edge with your fingers. Under some layers of lacquer the edge will be undetectable.
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2u903zd&s=2
This photo shows a full size magazine page transferred to a sheet of aluminum that was painted with white acrylic paint.
http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=xmj3n9&s=2
Here are the directions for using this method. In my opinion this is the best and cheapest way to simulate the original photofinish.
Acrylic transfer
The process is simple. Glue a print face down and soak the paper with water and rub it off. This leaves the ink trapped in the glue. The image will be reversed because you will see the back of the ink, so print a reverse image to transfer.
Use an acrylic glue and transfer the image to a surface painted with acrylic paint. The painted surface should be smooth and free of nubs.
Easiest Method
Transfer the grainlines only. Convert a woodgrain image to black and white and transfer it to a surface that has been painted with acrylic paint. Use a light yellow paint for lighter woods and a sort of yellow brown for darker woods. Final color will be achieved using toners.
A good idea is to edit a woodgrain image to black grainlines and then using a program like Photodeluxe, restore some color into the grainlines. This is essential if you are doing light color wood.
If you have an error with this method you only have to touch up grainlines. Fine point markers or brushes will do the job.
Full color transfer
The only problem with this is that even if you have only one small error you have a full color touch up to do. It is not difficult transferring larger color prints, but you should do some practice first with small black and white prints and then with small magazine photos working up to larger photos.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Note - This method will not work with ink jet printers.
I worked on this method as a way to duplicate the faux woodgrain on some metal cabinet radios. It also works great on wood cabinets..
The steps in this method are;
!- Get a print from a laser copier.
2- Give the print face an thin, even coat of Minwax's Polycrylic. Allow to dry for at least 8 hours.
3- When you are ready to transfer;
Larger prints should be evenly dampened first. Not wet, just damp enough so that the paper is a little limp.
Put an even coat of Polycrylic on the print and position it on the cabinet. Smooth it out with a damp rag and with your fingers. Don't be rough or you will start taking paper off.
4- Have a couple damp rags handy to wipe off the Polcrylic that is squeezed out the edges. Wipe away from the print and turn the rags after each wipe. Keep as much of the Polycrylic off the paper as you can. When it looks smooth, roll it with one of those small wooden wheels used to roll wallpaper seams to squeegee the paper and force out the excess Polycrylic. Wipe the roller and print after each roll.
You MUST be sure that there are no air bubbles. No air bubbles means you will get a perfect transfer.
Allow it to dry at least 12 hours.
5- Soak the paper with COLD WATER. Put a wet rag on the paper and let it sit there for 10 minutes or more. Use your fingers and a piece of toweling to remove the paper.
Very Important - Prints have to be transferred to a surface painted with acrylic paint, or for smaller sizes like Zebrawood strips you can first coat the print face with a thin coat of white acrylic paint. Allow it to dry and cure and proceed using the Polycrylic as the glue.
Very Important The paper you use is the most important element in getting an easy transfer. Regular color copier paper will work, but you have to do more rubbing to get all the paper off. You want what is called "clay coated paper". It is very smooth and glossy on each side. Kinkos has it in 11' x 17" size and Staples has what they call "business gloss". If you want, you can look up Talbot Arts and order paper from them.
Magazine paper is good to practice with, but with photo paper some work fine and some don't. You have to do a test piece to find out.
.
