I guess the method of doing wood transfers has been around for a long time but with all the vintage inspired decor out there I guess it’s getting another debut. I love the look of black and white pictures and also natural wood so put the two together! Walaa, a beautiful one of a kind art peice! Soooooo easy AND so cheap! To think that so many people pay money for pictures to be put on canvas’s. Tisk tisk…. Anyways I was in a rush while doing this tutorial and to be honest it was all because I was so excited to see if it really was as easy as I read. A craft this cool in only 3 steps?!?! Yes….. except for some minor details that make a big difference. (I learned the hard way after a few mistakes) 1. Make sure you cover the wood evenly with enough gel medium 2. Find the smoothest peice of wood you can find or else the ink won’t transfer into the grooves. Here it goes!
You will need:
-black and white photo printed with laser printer on REGULAR white computer paper (impressed already?)
-piece of wood whatever size you like (I got mine at Michaels for $4.99 and it was sold as a wooden plaque)
-Mod Podge
-gel medium
-paint brush
-water (little pricey… I’m sorry)
Whether you choose gloss finish or matte finish Mod Podge is up to your personal taste. As for the gel medium, it can be found at your local craft store. For those who don’t know what this is; it’s a thick, colorless liquid, used as a paint additive, protective finish, or adhesive. In this case it’s used an an adhesive.
Step 1 – Paint a generous even coat of gel medium onto surface of wood. Place picture image side down and smooth out bubbles. Let dry overnight (whewff tough work hey?)
Step 2. With a sponge or wet cloth apply water to soak the paper. Start to gently rub your fingers in a circular motion until the paper starts rolling off. (Sorry for the blurry pic, but with my clumbsiness I don’t think water and digital camera’s are a very good mix) Once all the paper is rubbed off, let the wood dry.
Step 3. Brush an even coat of Mod Podge over entire picture. Let dry and your done! For a more weathered look like mine, just rough up the canvas with some sandpaper in vertical streaks BEFORE you seal with the Mod Podge.
What I loved most about this craft was that it was soooo easy. Since I already had all the supplies except the wood, this craft only cost me $4.99! This is such a great addition to any room, fireplace mantle or as a gift. What a cute way to surprise someone with a personalized art piece for a baby shower, wedding or birthday. All you need is a picture of them and your set! Hope you like it!
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September 13, 2016 at 9:59 am
Can u use a regular photo or does it have to be on computer paper
September 15, 2016 at 8:01 pm
I have never tried it with a regular photo before. It doesn’t have to be special photo printer paper either. Just standard white printer paper works great!
September 16, 2016 at 5:43 am
Thank u
August 26, 2016 at 11:51 am
I’ve tried this and the image is rubbing off and the paper is never ending. What did I do wrong?
September 15, 2016 at 8:00 pm
It does take a while for the paper to all rub off. I usually wet the whole thing down and wait 5-10 minutes for it to soak into the paper. Then it takes a few times to get all the paper off. As long as the image is transferring you are doing it correct :)
March 4, 2016 at 7:20 am
Can you use mod podge Matt instead of the gel
March 4, 2016 at 12:18 pm
I have never found a method that works to transfer the picture with the mod podge yet. I’ve only had success with the gel medium :)
February 21, 2016 at 10:50 am
Hello, Nice trick – what i soft gel, is it glue?
February 21, 2016 at 11:05 am
In this craft it is used as more of a glue, but normally it is used as an additive with paints for texture. I don’t think a glue would work instead of this gel though in this particular project.
February 10, 2016 at 6:57 pm
I did it in the morning should it be good to go by the evening?
February 10, 2016 at 7:05 pm
Yes it should be good after 8 hours ;)
February 10, 2016 at 7:08 pm
Great Thank you
April 20, 2015 at 1:15 pm
Do you use a regular piece of computer paper to print the picture, or a actual picture paper?
April 23, 2015 at 2:36 pm
Just a regular piece of computer paper is all you need! Let me know how it turns out!
April 9, 2015 at 10:17 am
Hello! I assumed the printer at my work was an inkjet but this diy was also a loooonnnggg time ago…haha I did a little research and it must have been a laser printer. I agree with you that many other tutorials found success with the laser as opposed to inkjet. I hope this clears things up! I’d love to know how yours turns out!
March 23, 2015 at 9:46 pm
I’m sorry to hear that. The only thing i can think of is that you might not be pressing the image down onto the medium enough before drying? Or you may need to keep rubbing the image to make sure it is not clouded by access paper? Or make sure there is no finish on your wood?
March 25, 2015 at 9:05 am
It looks pretty good after I take the first layer off. Could I be taking too much paper off
March 26, 2015 at 1:44 pm
I’m thinking that you actually may not be taking enough paper off and the access paper is clouding your image. I rub until no more paper rubs off. I have never had any issues with this technique, so hopefully this helps!
January 12, 2015 at 9:07 am
Nice post. I learn something new and challenging on sites I stumbleupon every day.
It will always be interesting to read content from other authors and use something
from other sites.
December 10, 2014 at 10:41 pm
Do you know if this will work on a painted piece of wood?
December 14, 2014 at 2:54 pm
I haven’t tried it personally but I have heard that it works…. it would be worth a try. If not you could always sand the image off and try again!
December 7, 2014 at 8:33 pm
I’ve followed all the steps twice and my pics aren’t showing up. I don’t know what I’m doing wrong! :(
December 7, 2014 at 8:35 pm
So sorry to hear that. Are you printing on a laser jet printer or ink jet. I have only found success with an ink jet ;)
July 9, 2013 at 12:17 pm
Great idea
January 8, 2013 at 6:29 pm
Just curious though, will this also work with color?
January 8, 2013 at 6:50 pm
Funny you ask! I wondered the same thing myself so I tried it with a color picture and it worked amazing!
January 8, 2013 at 6:28 pm
I saw this at an online photo school. I love the idea and must learn and do some.
January 8, 2013 at 6:49 pm
Seriously it is soooo easy and takes no time or effort!
October 15, 2012 at 12:56 pm
can i do this with my shirt?
October 16, 2012 at 9:52 am
I haven’t tried a transfer onto a T-shirt yet but I did find this link for you that you can check out:
http://windows.microsoft.com/en-US/windows-vista/Putting-a-photo-on-a-T-shirt
But I guess it’s always worth a shot on an old t-shirt and a printed picture since it’s so cheap to try! Hope this helps
October 16, 2012 at 6:56 pm
thank you :)