Tuesday, May 20, 2008

How to make Inkjet Water Transfers

I've started to make some fabric ATC's for my radiant rain pocket book.I'm using cheap calico as my base and thought some people may not know how to make inkjet water transfers.I read about these years ago and just couldn't get it in my head that they could be that easy.I'm a very visual person and it wasn't till I did a class with Nina Bagley last year and she showed us how to do them that it sunk in that they were really easy to do.
Anyway I just did a quick video to show you how to do them and that they are indeed easy.I forgot to tell people that in Oz the best glossy photo paper I have found that works for this is the one above.I buy it in Woolworths and it is quite cheap.I've tried several others and the good ones ?absorb the ink too well and the water wont transfer the image like it does in the video.In the USA they can get one called Jet Print Photo that works for this.OH and the Durabrit inks that some inkjets now have do not work either.The calico I use is unwashed.
If you give this a go you learn quickly on how much water is too much or too litte so don't expect perfect results straight up.If you use too much water the image will bleed colours and you wont have a crisp image transfer.If you use not enough water this causes the transfer to be very patchy.If I peel it up a little and notice areas are patchy I lay it straight back down and rub some more.If it's still patchy I lay the image back down and turn it over.Wet your finger in water and dab it on the back where you know its patchy and rub it in gently.Turn it back over and then peel it up and it should be fine.I'll try to embed the video within the post for you below

23 comments:

Elizabeth said...

Awesome Vid! Thanks for Sharing.

Myléne Hillam said...

Great video Annette. This has to be the simplest transfer method you've come up with yet.... can't wait to see the finished ATCs.
P.S. It's nice to hear your voice at last :)

Debbi Baker said...

I was going to say awesome but I see Elizabeth has already said it so I will say FABULOUS!! You are fantastic and you sound great - you don't even umm!! Love the tip about drying off the transfer - I must remember that. Thanks

Cathy Daulman said...

Love the Blog....
Love the video !
Well done Clever Lady.
Love
Cath

JanetH said...

This looks fabbo! Makes me want to race out, buy the stuff and have a go. Would love to know more about the book you are making with it.

NessH said...

Annette ...thanks so much for sharing..I hadnt realised how easy it was and you are right..you can read something over and over..but to see it don't really brings it home..thanks so much for sharing

Pamela Levingston said...

I wonder what brand of printer you are using. My epson is supposed to be water proof. Thanks for the video it looks very easy to do. QP from Jane's Lab

ANNETTE HUSBAND said...

thanks everyone and yes Ness reading about it was like "thats too easy and wont work" but seeing was the the little light bulb thing coming on LOL
Pam I use a Lexmark and that does not have the Durabrit inks...I suppose your Epson has them though
cheers
Annette

Carol said...

Thank you so much for this video and showing us how easy it really is. Looking forward to seeing your finished project. Love your voice!

prob21 said...

Annette,
thank you for sharing this. As many people had said it's just an AMAZING technique.
Never had thought the regular inkjet inks could transfer so nicely without any bleeding when in contact with water
Thx once more for helping me to plan what I will be using on the hospital xmas tree ornaments this year...hehe
best wishes,
paulo guimaraes(Jane'sLab&amstamps)
Brazil

Diane said...

Oh my goodness, this was fabulous! You did a great job with your instructions. I can't wait to try it! Thanks so much!

Rosie said...

Annette! You angel!! It's a fantastic video and as you say, I never thought it could be so easy - thanks so much for this. I can now plan my bag project without worrying about the fact that I haven't got Gel Medium!! Frustration is at an end and I look forward to making all sorts of fabric artwork using this fab maethod!!

Maggi said...

Thanks for the video - it looks too easy to be true!!!!! I have a Lexmark so I will be trying this over the weekend. Does this work on paper as well???

Jen Crossley said...

Just awesome Annette I love your video I hope to see more you make may more it look so easy Im going to try one now.
Jen

ANNETTE HUSBAND said...

Thanks again everyone...I'll try not to be so shy and make some more soon...someone asked if plain copy paper can be used and no it wont work...seems to be the cheap gloss photo paper that makes the ink stay close to the surface for transferring.Plain paper and good brand photo papers let the ink sink in and they wont transfer the images

Danielle D said...

Oh, you brilliant thing! That's the easiest transfer technique I've seen, and now I know why my attempts turned out so blurry and indistinct - I was spritzing the water onto the image itself. I can't wait to have a go at it this way, thank you so much for sharing.

Bethel of Bethania said...

Great Annette ... thanks for the video love it ... & yes it does look so easy ... I think most of us 'arty' folks are the same ... you can read about something until the cows come home and it means nothing but see a two minute video or someone doing it and BINGO we got it and can run with it. I think it's a bit like buying art books ... if they don't have heaps of 'how to' photos in them we[Luc & me] put them on the shelf... ha ha ... thanks for sharing ... B

Dymphie said...

Thanks! Love this easy way of transfering, very cool. Off to search the Pelikan paper :)

~*~Patty S said...

Thank you for sharing this transfer technique. You certainly make it look easy. I found you from Hermine's blog in The Netherlands :)

Char said...

Hi, I got to your tutorial thru Hermine. This is so easy and you do get fantastic results. Thank you.

Barb said...

OH!!!...how easy is that???... I will head off into my cave and give it a trial run ASAP...I have heaps of cheap glossy paper and have been wondering what to do with it...I just hope it is one that works!
Thanx for a great clear , consise tute!

Sissy Sparrows said...

Hi Annette....my sister and I have been very unsuccessful with image transfers of late (gel mediums, acetate, water etc, everything we try doesn't seem to work.....we would love to transfer images in to our art journals. Is it successful transferring to paper as well or just material? Just thought I'd ask before we go and spend up at Woolies!

ANNETTE HUSBAND said...

Thanks again everyone...must make some more of these little tutorials. Sissy sparrow yes you can transfer to any porous surface so water colour paper etc is excellent for this :o)

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...