DIY Network

Photo Transfers Learn new ways to play with photos. From "B. Original" episode DBOR-123

Give images more dimension with Michele Beschen's photo manipulation tips.

You don't need expensive photo transfer paper to print an image on fabric, and you don't need to be a computer whiz to superimpose a photo on other artwork. You have Michele Beschen instead.

The B. Original host loves playing with images, putting different pictures and words together to see what happens. In these projects, she shares some techniques that make all that easier: She irons fabric to freezer paper so it will go through an inkjet printer, then uses matte gel medium to superimpose a photo over other artwork without going near a computer or photo lab.

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Inkjet Printing on Fabric

Materials:

freezer paper
iron
ironing cloth
fabric to print
inkjet printer

Figure A

• Cut freezer paper to 8 ½" x 11" (standard letter-size paper).

• Cut fabric slightly larger than the freezer paper. The fabric will go through the inkjet printer adhered to the freezer paper; make sure your fabric isn't so thick that the two won't fit through smoothly.

• Lay the freezer paper on an ironing board, shiny side up. Place fabric on top, wrong side down; the side facing up will be the side printed. Cover with a piece of muslin or other thin ironing cloth.

• Iron over the piece for about 45 seconds. The fabric should be securely adhered to the freezer paper: Pay close attention to the edges and corners to make sure they're stuck tight. You don't want the fabric to get hung up in the printer.

• Trim away the excess material around the edges so that it is flush with the freezer paper.

• Run the fabric through an inkjet printer to print the desired image (figure A).

	Figure B
	Figure C
	Figure D

Low-Tech Photo Manipulation

Materials:

photo printed on matte paper
background artwork
matte gel medium
foam brush
iron
ironing cloth

• Print out photos onto matte photo paper.

• Select a background for the photo to be printed over. Michele Beschen uses sheet music, poetry, newsprint or other printed material.

• Coat the photo with one layer of matte gel medium and let dry.

• Coat the background page with one layer of matte gel medium and let dry.

• Place the photo, gel medium side down, on top of the background sheet.

• Cover with muslin and, using a hot iron, press the photo onto the background for 45-60 seconds (figure B). The two images should "meld" together.

• Brush the paper backing with hot water to soak it off, rubbing gently to remove the paper (figure C). You'll be left with the photo image set in place over the background, with the background peeking through (figure D).