22nd April 2010

How to transfer a b/w picture onto almost any

surface using paint thinner

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/myblackrainbow/4543594406/]

Hey there!
I've

been

asked

to

show

how

made

my

fabric
button
displays
[http://mademoisellechaos.blogspot.com/2010/03/crochet-button-deluxe.html] with my label printed on
them. Finally, the waiting has come to an end :) It's a great technique to transfer pictures onto a
shirt, designs onto fabric for embroidery, etc. It's also used to prepare metal surface for etching.
From my experience, I can say that this is fairly permanent on fabric, I've been mercilessly
washing my printed shirt, and though slightly faded, it still is undeniably present. That's why I
wouldn't recommend it for the use with delicate embroidery, but if you're going to cover all of it
with (dark) thread, it could as well work.
It's really quite simple, but I have to inform you: we will be dealing with potentially dangerous

chemicals, that means: no smoking, no inhaling, eating & drinking of the paint thinner,
and no kids left unattended! Really! I don't want anybody to be harmed in this process, so
open your windows for fresh air and pay attention that nothing spills!
what you need:
a computer
a laser printer (more specifically, something printed on a laser printer ;) copyshop will also
work!) EDIT: It recall it working with newspaper/some magazines, too!!
paint thinner (EDIT: as some people have pointed out, the proper stuff to use would be
lacquer thinner mine contains xylene and benzine, just so you can re-check an see if
the problems might have to do with the chemicals you use)
q-tips
a solid, flat, smooth thingy (letter opener or so...)
a surface to transfer the motif onto (fabric, paper, cardboard, wood, metal,... it works with a
lot of stuff)
First, prepare your picture (size, resultion etc is pretty much irrelevant, this technique also
transfers fine details!) with a graphics program so it is b/w or grayscale. There have been rumors
it works with color, too, as long as it's laser printed, but I myself only work monochrome. Then
and I can't stress enough how important this is, even more so with actual lettering in the design
FLIP it horizontally. It should be mirrored, because we will put it on the surface with the printed
side down!

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/myblackrainbow/4542963745/]

Next: print! Check double if it's really mirrored (stand in front of a mirror and if you can read your
text, you've done well :D).

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/myblackrainbow/4543596890/]

Cut out your design with a generous border (for easier orientation etc.) and pin/tape it down (with
the printed side DOWN) to the surface if necessary. Be careful not to cover/prick any of the
picture area, but only the border. Small pictures also work without fixation, you can just hold it
down with your fingers.

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/myblackrainbow/4543598142/]

Dip your q-tip in paint thinner and rub it on the back of your printout it will become translucent!
Unlike me, you should hold it down while rubbing, but I didn't have a third hand for handling the
cam :D

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/myblackrainbow/4542967301/]

Then, take a solid, smooth anything (I used a letter opener made of bone) and carefully but firmly
rub all over the picture, so the ink transfers well to the surface. Larger pictures may need step-bystep action, as the thinner quickly evaporates (hence the open windows and no inhaling rule...
otherwise you would feel dizzy soon).

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/myblackrainbow/4542968983/]

Peel away and adore :D

[http://www.flickr.com/photos/myblackrainbow/4542970343/]

[http://flattr.com/thing/340759/How-to-transfer-images-onto-any-surface-with-paintthinner]

Gepostet vor 22nd April 2010 von Eva Eichhorn

Labels: craftgossip, crafts, tutorials
62

Kommentare ansehen

CraftCrave 23. April 2010 18:39

Just a quick note to let you know that a link to this post will be placed on CraftCrave today
[23 Apr 02:00pm GMT]. Thanks, Maria
Antworten

Karin 26. April 2010 00:43

Oh thank you so much for posting this, it's like magic... and looks really, really great!
Antworten

Jo 27. April 2010 02:07

Perfect timing! I've been research ways to transfer designs to fabric and will definitely try this.
Thanks for sharing!
Antworten

Debbie 30. April 2010 16:51

Woohoo. I've been watching for this sort of thing!
Antworten

Mimi 30. April 2010 18:05

This is amazing and quite simple to do! I am thinking of a first test project right now to do this
weekend!! Thanks!
Antworten

multikultiMe 30. April 2010 20:32

toll! Is there a reason why it requires something off of a LASER Printer? Won't something off
of an Inkjet Printer work?
I was just wondering how to transfer a print on to fabric and thought the only way to do it
was by iron transfer. This is great! Thanks for sharing!
Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 1. Mai 2010 13:37

hey there!
It's the special stuff in the laser printer toner cartridges that makes it work inkjet would just
smudge and smear! So it's laser only, I suppose :3
Antworten

Anonymous 7. Mai 2010 13:50

Is the fabric then washable? Do you have to iron it first to "fix" the ink or something? Thanks

Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 7. Mai 2010 21:31

Hey there!
It's pretty much washable, and no need for ironing, either! I once printed a t-shirt using this
method and even after rigorously washing it (countless hot cycles) it's still visible. Slightly
faded, though, but with the merciless treatment I give my clothes, every print would!
Cheers!
Eva
Antworten

Juli 18. Mai 2010 07:07

This technique is really cool! I've learnt it in a workshop at college, but we used magazine
cutouts instead of laser-printed images. It works fine too, and the image gets a really cool
texture! The downside is that the result will always be flipped, of course XD
Antworten

Charlotte Gyseman 28. September 2010 13:53

Hey this sounds cool, just wondering exactly what kind of paint thinner it is that works with
this?
Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 28. September 2010 23:15

any paint thinner or solvent should work fine :)
Antworten

Anonymous 24. Mrz 2011 18:29

...Is paint thinner like brush cleaner? :)
Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 25. Mrz 2011 18:12

I think so, any solvent/thinner should work!
Antworten

Katherine 22. Juni 2011 17:00

Wow! This is amazing. I am so incredibly impressed.
Antworten

TaNs 23. Juni 2011 04:58

Would the paint thinner rub off on the fabric?
Antworten

Deebi27 26. Juni 2011 18:58

This is fabulous, thankz!
Antworten

an angry Bunnie 26. Juni 2011 22:16

Very Cool! Thank you for sharing!
Antworten

Heaven's Walk 27. Juli 2011 03:57

Zuzu - this is sooooo cool! I'm definitely going to try this technique - but I'll have to take it to
Kinkos first to have them make me a copy. I have an inkjet at home....Thanks for sharing this
great tutorial! :)
xoxo laurie
Antworten

hearttypat 28. Juli 2011 10:43

great idea! I'm surprise dthe thinner didn't stain the fabric!
Antworten

Iris 9. August 2011 23:02

Should this work with a natural paint thinner, such as a citrus-based solvent?
This is AWESOME!!! Thanks for sharing - so much. Perfect for my upcoming wedding. :)
Antworten

Iris 9. August 2011 23:19

I became impatient! I snagged out some of my orange essential oil (basically what the natural
citrus solvent is), and tried this. It worked!!
Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 10. August 2011 18:49

WHEE, AWESOME! :D
Antworten

cory - falling star lane 18. August 2011 08:39

I am so disappointed, i have followed your directions to the letter - even to getting my prints
on a big copier, with toner ink - and i have rubbed and rubbed - no image transfer at all help!!!!!
Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 18. August 2011 12:48

hmm... you have put you print with the print side down? I have no idea why it wouldn't work,
maybe the ink is not right, or the solvent... what did you use?
Antworten

cory - falling star lane 19. August 2011 08:08

we used paint thinner. and the print was down - :) - we printed it out in mirror, so we'd have
that right! i don't get it - we thought for sure a copy off a machine with toner in it would work
- the image even had a 'feel' to it - different from our printer - a slight texture.
*sigh*
Antworten

Gretchen 23. August 2011 00:45

Thanks so much for posting this tutorial. What a wonderful gift. Excited to see what I can
create using your technique.
Gretchen
Antworten

Anonymous 3. September 2011 20:25

my paper began to disintegrate as soon as I began rubbing

Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 4. September 2011 15:08

I think that might have been an unfortunate combination of paper thickness and rubbing
vigor. Maybe you can adjust either or both parameters? Or your solvent might be too strong
for your paper (if it has certain ingredients that react to the solvent? I'm no paper specialist...)
Antworten

Good Time Charlie 9. September 2011 01:21

So great!!! Visiting from A-Z
Antworten

Anonymous 12. September 2011 18:05

I tried this yesterday and didn't have any luck with a turpeniod solvent (a turpentine
alternative), so I tried again with good old fashioned acetone and it worked much better. So,
my suggestion is to use acetone -- cheap and easier to find as well.
Antworten

Anonymous 14. September 2011 04:46

Hello Can you tell me if there is a certain type of paper that you must use?
Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 14. September 2011 19:36

Nope, i just used plain old white paper :)
Antworten

Julie 16. September 2011 17:55

I LOVE this idea---pinned in to Pinterest awhile back & just tried it out this morning. So far I
can't get it to work for me. I've tried the paint thinner & acetone. I've followed the instructions
for rubbing, etc., but no luck. I'm trying to transfer to canvas fabric that looks very much like
yours. Is it possible it doesn't work with certain types of laser toner? thanks for your help!
Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 16. September 2011 19:06

Hi, that MIGHT be, but I don't have any idea why it shouldn't work or which kinds of toner
could be problematic... Maybe you could try a b/w xerox copy, those have worked for me,
too.
I hope you can get it to work :)
Antworten

ingashaven 20. September 2011 16:15

Brilliant !! ill be using this :D
Antworten

Anonymous 21. September 2011 20:56

I love the way this works, but I can't get it to work, either. I believe my printer is an Inkjet and
wonder if that might be the problem for others on here as well. I may try some newspaper,
just to play around with it, but until I get a new printer I guess I have to wait. Pity!
Antworten

Mademoiselle Chaos 21. September 2011 22:53

Yep, definitely NOT going to work with inkjet :)
Hope you have more luck with the newspaper/xerox.
It works with some colored magazine pages, but it might get a bit smudgy and less colorintense.
Antworten

Anonymous 19. Oktober 2011 04:46

Popsicle sticks works well for rubbing the image smoothly. :)
Antworten

Anonymous 21. Oktober 2011 09:16

I need to transfer a photo onto metal for a school assignment. Does this method work the
same?
Antworten

Caeli 14. Januar 2012 21:03

I just tried this and it is AMAZING, so easy and quick and the result is perfect! I also tried it
with a laser colored print and with works too (the rumour was true!), you just have to insist
much more with the rubbing and soak the paper many times with the paint thinner for the
image to come out clear.
I cannot thank you enough for this!!!
Antworten

Anonymous 11. Februar 2012 17:24

Would this work with nail polish remover?
Antworten

Eva Eichhorn 11. Februar 2012 19:23

I haven't tried it, but it might work (depending on the chemicals in your nailpolish remover).
Would be worth a try :)
Antworten

Anonymous 9. Mrz 2012 22:57

can you wash it afterwards?
Antworten

Eva Eichhorn 9. Mrz 2012 23:05

I think so. I have a shirt made with this technique and after tens of cycles in my washing
machine it still has a visible print (it might fade, though, as most prints do). It's holding up
rather well :)
Hand washing should keep it nice even longer!
Antworten

aimee 12. Mrz 2012 14:32

this is great i dont have a lazer printer but i will have to go to a copy shop i cant wait to try
this xxx
Antworten

Mad Crafter 14. April 2012 10:55

Omg it works! And on my first try too! Thank you sooooo much!! XOXOXO!
Antworten

Anonymous 17. April 2012 11:55

Would the metal have to be bare and sanded? Can you laquer on top of it?
cheers,
liz
Antworten

Eva Eichhorn 17. April 2012 12:02

I think so, but I haven't tried. Also, I think it can used to prepare the metal for etching (it will
only be etched on the bare metal, not the color layer), so the color would probably be
removed afterwards. Sorry that I'm not of more help.
Antworten

vania angelo 1. Mai 2012 04:02

Oh meu Deus!!! Que coisa fabulosa! Parabns e muito obrigada por compartilhar! Sua grife
tambm linda! Felicidades!
Antworten

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