SUBSCRIBE: bit.ly/GOLDEN_... This short demonstration offers tips for creating a successful immediate image transfer, including transfers to canvas and highly textured surfaces using Golden acrylic gel mediums.
This was very helpful! I'm impressed with how well you responded to questions. I feel as though I've learned a lot from both the video and the Q&A. Thanks!
Thanks a lot! this is the most complete and accurate tutorial I have found on this technique. I had tried a couple of processes with better or worse results. You managed to address all the aspects that are often not clearly explained.
Medium on both the doorskin and the paper, then sandwich them together, has proven the best way, as it assures good contact between the two materials. Less chance of an air pocket ruining the transfer. Also, make multiples of each image, so that if you do have an area here or there that doesn't work, you can cut out that section on another one and transfer that smaller spot. And if it's totally botched, then re-gesso that area and give it another go!
@GoldenPaints i'm figuring how to eliminate paper shreads left behind, (a perfect transfer) & so far i know it's 25% cotton fiber paper from South Worth.... But any ideas what clear coating could have been used on the paper?? It has a very light coating on paper that over hangs with sharp resin... Not glossy, or slick coating. The paper has no noticeable wrinkling. Results fascinate me, but my business needs to figure this out...help appreciated.
After doing gobs of transfers, I can see that I would save myself a lot of time and energy by using the thinner mediums as suggested here. Thanks for the tops!
Ik this is old video but just wanted to say I've tried this type of method on a huge banner but I used mod podge which turned out just like the video. Also using a coin or wetting your finger helps to remove the paper.
Hello Gabrielle - Thanks for the feedback. We don't presume this to be the only way to do an image transfer. The product you mention is PVA based, which is essentially white glue. Acrylic medium should remain more flexible and yellow less over time than PVA, but a lot of things contribute to the way artworks age and you should also consider all the materials used (the support, other colors and mediums, etc.).
Yaaas thank you!!! I was sifting through comments to find an easier way to rub off the paper and this is perfect 🤩 Now i just gotta resist the urge to coin at the paper like a lottery ticket lmao
Many acrylic mediums can be used for this technique. For the immediate transfers though, a pourable product allows for a very thin application of "glue" and in turn can dry more uniformly. If the Soft Gel is used, it needs to be uniformly applied because any variation means there are going to be some areas ready to have paper removed but other areas too wet and therefore you might pull ink up in those areas.
Yes, but it depends a little on how you plan to use it afterward. I used to transfer toner directly to suede using just heat, but that was lines, not images. Inasmuch as acrylic will go on leather, you should have no problem transferring the image to leather. But, you'll have a piece of leather coated with acrylic and it may not look, feel, or wear like leather afterwards.
The project is on doorskin primed with white gesso. Also, do you recommend the medium on the paper or on the surface. Or both? Would pouring medium onto the surface, putting down (dry) images, and using a brayer be a good idea? I am just looking to yield the clearest, most realistic looking results. Thanks in advance for all of your help!
Very helpful. I would have liked to see you using "various fabrics to reduce finger fatigue," to see how the different fabrics would give a different result to using fingers.
For this process no. The paper should be sufficiently damp from the wet medium below, and we have found that this technique is easier if you try to limit the amount of water during any stage of removing the paper pulp. In an older video, we show being more generous with the water and it works, but it also makes a very wet surface. The wetter it is, the more likely you can lift the medium layer.
The mediums overall are going to be transparent, so I'm not sure why that is a concern from one to the other. With this process, perhaps the biggest factor is that you are planning on overlapping transfers. So when you start, you might be using more medium or gel for the transfers, but as the surface becomes more sealed, be using less.
Thank you so much! So would self leveling gel produce say, similar results to soft gel gloss - except leveling the surface at the same time? Or does it not behave in it's usual fashion when being used for a transfer? I'm still learning about exploiting acrylic as opposed to just "painting" so bare with me ;)
Hi, thanks for a clear and informative video - I am looking to do a large scale transfer onto a pre-primed canvas and have done some research into gel mediums to use - I believe it is better to use a laser print rather than inkjet but the image I am looking to print is going to be A1/A0 in size and the printers I have researched only seem to use inkjet machines - what would you suggest? Which printers/paper/gel mediums would you recommend? Many thanks :-)
If it is still relevant to you - divide the A1 picture into 8 A4 sized pieces, then print with a laser printer & transfer each one like he described in the video. Kind of like a puzzle.
I don't know that we have a product that will make image transfers work, but we have GAC900 which is an acrylic heatset fabric medium, made to withstand laundering once it has been set.
so are you meant to put water all over on the photographic image before the other steps? confused by the few drops and the rubbing it in at the start..
amazing! please tell me: what kind of paper do you use? or will it work with every kind of paper? and is it possible to use a matte medium as well to avoid that glossy effect? thank you in advance..
For some reason all the youtube tutorials I watched previously used Soft Gel medium and said to let it dry overnight. It didn't work well for me but I have Soft Gel that I would like to use up because I bought two jars. Should I just be letting it dry a few minutes before peeling?
Hello Sylvie, you should have no concerns with images lasting using this (toner-based) approach. Toner is very similar to carbon black and should hold up extremely well. Of course, there are a lot of other things that contribute to the longevity of artwork that all need to be considered.
I am trying to find a transferable tracing paper that would Take a imprint of the character but very doubtful that would work on a canvas or transfer paper.
hi, i was wondering if i make the transfer to wood with the "medium acrilic paint" can i put some lacquer after the medium? or do you have an alternative? i am from Chile and i can´t find your products yet, but i work with similarones, i hope you can helpme.
I am about to embark on a large scale (4x6 ft) transfer project and am looking for a little professional input. I typically do my transfers with soft gel (is [dot] gd/v2lciV) but am wondering if you'd have any better ideas. I am going to be using something like 36 sheets of paper for this so I'd really like to get it right ;) I am looking for a similar appearance to the image above in the parenthesis and was worried GAC 500 may be too transparent? Does self leveling gel work for transfers?
Hello, the technique shown is for laserjet or photocopies - which are toner-based rather than ink based images. You certainly can experiment with ink-jet to see how/if you can transfer an image, but it won't work like the image transfer in this video.
The demonstration here and on the "Fast Image Transfer" video with Melanie Matthews is regular cotton duck canvas. The mediums used here are not made to withstand laundering, these are more fine art projects intended for display rather than wearing. We do have a fabric medium, but we've not really tested it for image transfers and therefore cannot recommend it for image transfers to fabric that will be put in the wash.
GoldenPaints I am very interested in finding a product that would allow me to copy "Any Image" Original Photo's to a piece of prewashed cotton fabric. I have seen like others and experienced printing out images on "iron on paper", but would like to avoid that step. I understand in your comment you have something, but not sure how it would wash. Could you please tell me what that is. I am in the testing phase now with a a product that I am afraid is discontinued. I apply it to photo, with a sheet of paper over it and it actually does copy on to duck and a smoother cotton. I am trying to avoid photocopying, and printing images on special paper. Thank you for awesome video. My goal is to create a sheet type object of my families history. I have scanned many images, but want to use originals after 1970 - and others more recent printed off from yes Target, and Walgreens. Thank you. Need the above mentioned product for image transfers, but not fully tested on wash. Connie
With all things, please test first. But this technique is NOT intended for garments and other items that would be laundered. The amount of medium needed to successfully transfer an image would probably make the material less soft or pliable than is desirable for anything you wear or handled regularly.
Pinky Kitty - You may need to secure the linen to a board or table to ensure that it remains flat throughout the process, but the process should work on any material to which acrylic mediums and colors adhere.
@GoldenPaints I'm using old printed materials (yearbooks, instruction manuals) and find that it's much more difficult to rub off all layers of that thicker paper without damaging the transfer image. Image quality is excellent, but seems there's always paper left. Do you think a layer of medium on top will be sufficient to hide the remaining paper?
Hello MP - a clear or matte medium will make a small amount of paper fibers less visible, whether it is sufficient for your purposes depends on the amount of paper residue and the desired effect. The best advice we offer is to test materials and techniques on a smaller (scrap) piece before committing to a larger or final piece of work.
Fatima, While you may need to practice and adjust timing, any GOLDEN gel or viscous fluid medium will work. We do not recommend white glue, that is a very different product than acrylic gel. We do not manufacture a white (PVA) glue nor can we recommend it as an archival quality art material.
The last layer of paper is not coming off easily. I got the paper printed from Office Depot. They used 24 lb paper - very difficult to remove. Can i use an oil?
Annie Baig We advise against using an oil, that will create a new set of issues if it works at all. If the paper is difficult to remove, you may want to work on the timing-based technique Melanie Mathews demonstrates in the "Fast Image Transfers" videos. Mostly it is a matter of trial and error because of the variability in materials, environment and processes involved.
This sounds stupid, but can you do this application to ONLY the centre of the application target surface? I want to apply into a pre-bound notebook with commentary on images collected, leaving untainted open paper around the image on which to write.
Hello Gypsy, you can isolate or locate an image transfer where you like and leave other areas unaffected. The challenge with paper is that it will be difficult to apply acrylic medium and remove the transfer (with all the water and scrubbing required) without affecting the surrounding area. You may want to consider using a our drawing ground on the areas you intend to write and use a support (surface) other than paper for your artwork.
Hello Eliseo - this is not the best technique or materials for vehicular graphics. This might be the way to go about that: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-_CA0DR4GSQg.html
While Clear Tar Gel would probably not be our first choice for image transfers, it should work. You need to pay close attention to the contact between the image and the gel. Clear Tar Gel's leveling quality may cause gaps if applied thinly. If applied too thick it may be hard to tell when it is dry enough to remove the paper. Make sure you practice this technique with Clear Tar Gel before attempting it on finished artwork.
Hello Lorri, I responded to this question in the other video, but the general answer is, that you would want an intermediate coat (GAC200) to promote adhesion of the acrylic medium that you use for the transfer. For details about the application and other recommendations, contact our product support team by sending an email to help@goldenpaints.com
Hello Nas, I expect it would not work very well on newsprint. Newsprint is very thin and would wrinkle significantly if acrylic medium were to be applied. Also, newsprint tends to be very high in acid, so it won't last very long (as it really was never intended to)
Hi Golden video folks, I too would like to know if I can transfer onto my gessoed and toned gallery wrapped canvas. My image is as you recommended, a laser printer. Thank you very much for your video and anticipated reply. Best wishes!
Hello Ru, drying time depends on the environmental conditions and a few other factors that make it vary from studio to studio. It also matters what you want to do with the material, whether it needs to be completely dry or if it can still be a little wet. Our product support team can answer any questions you have by calling them using the number on our website or sending an email to help@goldenpaints.com
Hello Kim, our recommendation for all acrylic artwork is to apply a removable, UV-protective finish. Our MSA Archival Spray Varnish is now available in four different sheens (Gloss, Semi Gloss, Satin, Matte) www.goldenpaints.com/products/varnish-top-coat/msa-archival-spray-varnish
Hello Danielle, I am not sure what you are asking. You can use a thicker medium for image transfers, you just need to be more careful about full coverage and contact between the medium and image. As for watering down a medium, the fluid mediums listed do not contain more water than a gel medium (I know this is counter-intuitive) the fluid mediums generally lack the thickeners that make gels more viscous, but have roughly the same amount of water per volume as fluid mediums.
Hello Sassy, this technique is specific to toner-based prints from a photocopier or b/w laser printer. If you use a stock with a glossy surface or even transparent stock made for laser printers, that may work and might even make it easier to leave a clean transfer, but there are a lot of materials out there and you need to test the ones you want to use and alter the process and materials accordingly.
I have a question! Could someone help me, please? I need to transfer a text to my canvas, but the thing is that I am going to use white gesso, then acrylic painting and only after it I need to transfer my text. May I use gel or may I use clear gesso, because I need my acrylic painting to stay visible. And what can I use (smth clear) to cover everything for protection?
Hello Dasha - The process works on pre-primed canvas as well as un-prepared canvas. It just happens that what some companies call "clear gesso" can be replaced by our Fluid Matte Medium, which may be the most popular medium we offer for image transfer. Regardless of what medium you choose to make your transfer, it will work on top of a dry gesso base layer or any primed panel or canvas. So, follow the steps outlined here to transfer your text (remember to reverse the print so text reads correctly) then you can paint on top of the text with acrylics, and if you like go over the whole thing with a clear acrylic medium in whatever thickness or sheen you choose. If you're doing this for the first time, it's best to do a small test version before you attempt a finished artwork, and it you can call our product support folks any time for help and advice: help@goldenpaints.com
Hello Porsh, that's a great question! Unfortunately, the definition of homemade paper is so broad the answer can only be "it depends" - because, well, it depends on how that paper was made and how it reacts to a waterborne acrylic medium. You may need to stabilize the paper first with a coat of acrylic medium (that has dried) before following the tips in this video for an image transfer. The concern is that the removal of the paper backing the image stresses the underlying (homemade) paper to which the image is being transferred. As with anything you see in our videos, the best approach is to perform a small test for yourself to find what works (and what doesn't) and anytime you have a question or concern about your art materials, contact our product support folks using the phone number on our website or send an email to help@goldenpaints.com
Yes, but since these are waterborne materials the paper would need to be heavy enough to withstand the application of materials and removal of paper, and some warping is likely to occur. Assuming the paper is heavy enough, you would probably coat the paper and allow it to dry before attempting the image transfer. This would protect the paper and improve the clarity and detail of the image transferred.
+David Morton Not to get too technically picky, but it's toner not ink, and your goal is to leave only the toner behind. I say that is the goal because it can be difficult to remove all of the paper without removing some of the toner, so you tend to err on the side of leaving a little of the paper in the gel along with the toner.
Hello Ani - sorry you're having difficulty with the image transfer, probably the best thing would be to call or email (help@goldenpaints.com) and provide as much detail as possible about what you're doing so our product support folks can make some recommendations to help you.
@@GoldenPaints dear reader...Thank you for your video (smile)..can I transfer 18 x 24 paper image to FRAMED PRIMED canvas, in video canvas is raw, I am very anxious to begin and appreciate your assistance! Chris
I followed the directions, but when removing the copy paper from my watercolor paper I saw that the image did not transfer. I let it dry overnight. Can you please advise on what I might have done wrong? Thanks!
Bonjour,serait il possible d'avoir ces explications en français car il ne faut pas oublier que certaine personne non pas eu l'opportunité d'avoir la chance de parler et lire l'anglais se serai tellement plus agréable, merci.
Not very similar. Mod Podge is a PVA (polyvinylaccetate) craft product, not necessarily developed for long-term archival quality. GOLDEN is a 100% acrylic polymer that was developed for professional artists.
I had to get earphones to be able to understand your words. And what do you mean by golden-mediums? It didnt look golden and i would not want it to either. Is it meaning like BEST-mediums? Also: what do you mean by ›»6 mil‹« plastic?
Hello Alexandra, there is a lot to sort through here... first, since our company name is GOLDEN Artist Colors, we might refer to all the acrylic mediums we make as "GOLDEN Mediums" - and we certainly strive to make them the best, but "GOLDEN" is our registered brand name. "6 mil plastic" refers to the thickness of HDPE plastic sheets you can buy at most hardware stores. If you have additional questions, you can talk directly to the folks who created our video by either calling our factory (number is on the website) or sending an email to help@goldenpaints.com
Hello FBB, we appreciate your feedback. The results of this technique vary significantly with relatively small changes in materials and technique. We present a couple different image transfer methods on our channel and you may want to experiment with different papers and printers.
This does not work -- no matter how careful you are, some of the image will still adhere to the paper and come off. If Golden wants to create somethiu g that actually does this, they need to develop something that actually pulls ALL the toner from the paper.
Hello Triple D (forgive the familiarity) - Mike's just looking out for you. Do a lot of rubbing with wet fingers and you can get sore fingertips... or what you might call "fatigue" - in my experience it is a bit more irritation than tiredness, so I tend to use a sponge with a scrubby side. The downside of using that scrubby side is that it becomes very easy to rub off the image. I like a more distressed look, and don't like "finger fatigue" so I make that trade. You'll just have to experiment to see what gets the result you like with an acceptable level of digital pain tolerance.
Hello Joan, you can certainly try wax paper or coated butcher paper, but this is our recommendation because it is unaffected by water and can hold up under the pressure of burnishing your image into the acrylic medium. Also, wax paper has the risk of transferring wax to the surface around the image - that wax might interfere with the adhesion of subsequent paint layers in your work.
