| Photo Collage Transfer |
From "Ask DIY"
episode ADI-206 |
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Q: Can you tell me how to create a collage? A: (Debbie Stapely, Ask DIY Crafts Expert): Here's a technique that yields an Italian fresco look. You can put many pictures together for a true collage effect or use just one. Here's how the technique works: Materials: Ready-made art canvas
Black acrylic paint and paintbrush
Crackle medium and brush
Metallic paint and brush
Clip art
Watercolor paper
Paper towels
Tape
Acetone and brush
Bone folder
Spray adhesive
Two eye-screws
Ribbon
- Cover the canvas with one coat of black acrylic paint and let it dry.
- Paint a coat of crackle medium on top of the dry black paint. Let it dry as per the manufacturer's instructions.
- Paint a coat of metallic gold on top of the crackle medium. When it dries, the paint will crackle and reveal the black color underneath (figure A).
- Create the artwork for your piece. Select a bright piece of clip art (no pastel colors) (figure B) and have a color copy made. The colors copy well but get dimmer when you transfer them to the watercolor paper.
- Choose a piece of watercolor paper. There are a couple of kinds available. Be sure you choose the kind that is smooth instead of the kind that is more absorbent. Tear the edges of the paper with your fingers until it is around the same size as the art you want to transfer (and, of course, smaller than the canvas).
- Put several layers of paper towel beneath the torn watercolor paper to protect your work surface.
- Brush a liberal coat of acetone onto the watercolor paper.
- Place the photo copy, art side facing down, on top of the wet watercolor paper and use painter's tape to keep it in place.
- Brush more acetone over a patch of the back of the color copy, making sure to saturate it thoroughly. Then press over the entire area with a bone folder (figure C), trying to apply even pressure to the entire surface. Work with a small area at a time, since acetone dries quickly. This process will transfer the image from the photocopy to the watercolor paper, in more subtle shades than the original (figure D).
- Once you've transferred the image for the border to the watercolor paper, consider repeating the process with the same piece of paper in order to transfer one or more images to the center.
- If you'd like to tie the look of the image to the gold canvas frame, consider dotting a bit of gold paint on the transfer image.
- Use spray adhesive to attach the photo transfer to the crackle-finish canvas.
- Hang the artwork on the wall by screwing eye-screws to the top of the canvas and running ribbon through them. Then use the ends of the ribbon to tie the canvas to a wall hook.
More Questions for Debbie: Q: Can I stencil fabric? A: Sure. You can use a regular acrylic paint or a fabric paint. The only difference is that the acrylic paint dries a bit stiffer. And the fabric paint needs to be heat set. Q: What does the term "on the bias" mean when cutting fabric? A: It just means to cut the fabric on the diagonal. Q: Is there a secret to keeping your scissors sharp? A: I have tried so many things, from cutting sandpaper -- which works a bit -- to a fancy scissors sharpener. But the best way I've found to keep scissors sharp is to keep them away from the children and also to reserve different pairs of scissors for different tasks. Web site resources for Photo Collage Transfer: Photo Collage Transfer from AZ Family.Com Pillow Prints from Family.Com Books: Creative Collage for Crafters: Techniques, Projects, Inspiration
By Katherine Duncan-Aimore
ISBN: 1579901735
Lark Books, 2000
50 College St.
Asheville, NC 28801
Customer Service Phone: 800-284-3388
E-mail: customerservice@larkbooks.com Art and Craft of Collage
By Simon Larbalesteir
ISBN: 0811808068
Chronicle Publishing Co.(1995)
85 Second St., 6th Floor
San Francisco, CA 94105
Phone: 415-537-3730
Fax: 415-537-4440
E-mail: frontdesk@chronbooks.com
Web site:www.chronbooks.com
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