Landscape, image transfer using acrylic paint

[Terri]

Like the title says: I did an image transfer using Golden Open acrylics. After doing a laser print of this landscape photo of mine, I painted Golden Open acrylic paints directly onto the printer paper (yeah, it buckled pretty fast), then laid it face down onto Arches watercolor paper. Let it dry overnight, then wetted the back of the copy paper and peeled it off to reveal the transfer.

Kind of dark. I used Azo Gold over the sky area, and India Yellow hue over the foreground and a little blended in the mid section. Even using a slow-drying acrylic like Golden Open, I had to move fast because the copy paper absorbs the paint very quickly, and if it dries the image won't transfer.

The usual areas of tiny spots and holes and other unpredictable stuff, but overall it transferred just fine.

My main irritant was the difficulty in photographing. Once I got off the bulk of the white copy paper, I applied a gloss varnish over it. Supposedly a gloss finish is the best to make the remnants of white paper disappear, and help the image pop. But it's also so reflective it creates these milky areas in the photo, especially in the lower foreground and some general appearance of haze. Grrr. I do have some matte varnish so I think I'll give that a try in the future and compare.

Thanks for looking!

 

[Enyaw]

I know nothing of the process but I do like the end result. Great low light.

 

[Donna T]

It’s very cool how you did this, Terri, and you got a very interesting image as a result! The spots and holes give it an otherworldly feel. You can only use the most transparent colors to do this, right? Is that hot press watercolor paper?

 

[john]

Very cool and interesting hearing about the process. I wonder if wetting the copy paper image first would result in some blurring? Then you could selectively blur portions?

 

[Terri]

Thank you, Wayne, Donna and John! I appreciate the comments.

Donna: yes, the paper was Arches hot press, sorry! Smoother surface for my experiments. Cold press can add nice texture though.

John - I really don't know! I'm not certain the ink would run from a laser copy enough to blur the image, but it might smudge a little. A dye-based inkjet print might give that effect, but they're more likely to fade. The only 2 printers I have are the laser printer and a photo printer that uses pigment inks, which don't transfer well.

 

[Grapes]

Terri, the result is gorgeous! I like this piece a lot. Interesting process.

 

[snoball]

Whether you like it or not the effect is fantastic. I love the color. It would look really great framed.

 

[Terri]

Grapes, Sno - thank you both! I may end up framing this one, and I'm happy I don't have to take another picture of it!

 

[Artyczar]

Wow! This is fantastic! It's a shame when you pick on your stuff when it turns out so amazing like this. I understand it might not be what you dreamed, but such is the way in art (most of the time). I truly love this one. Sno is right; it would look great in a frame. It's a beauty!!!

 

[Terri]

Thank you for the love, Ayin! I do feel better about it.