' My Eco Bag ' -Image Transfer Technique !!!
Hello Friends,
How are you doing? I am back again with my tutorial post for Rainbow Craftykari blog. Recently we celebrated " World Environment Day " !!! This year world wide movement to clean up the planet and band plastic every where campaigns are going on. In India we used lots and lots of plastic!!! But " Beat Plastic Pollution " campaign really raised awareness and inspire action on plastic pollution. So here is my little contribution towards it.
Our small act has made a huge contribution to saving our planet. So I decided to stop using plastic bags now on wards. That's why I bought a cloth bag . But as a creative person we don't like anything simple and plain :) So I thought to do makeover of this bag through Image Transfer Technique.
Now lets create our ECO BAG !!!
1) Step 1 - Select Image and Print !
To do the transfer , you will require image. So first choose any print that interests you. It can be any image of self designed photo or picture or image taken from the internet. You will require to take a laser printout of the selected image but remember laser printout only as in inkjet , the ink will bleed when the medium is applied. And most important point you will need to mirror the image before printing.
Take the printout to the required size and the picture is going to be adhered face down, so script or photo will appear straight , only when its mirror image is printed. Hope this important part is clear. Take the printout on a regular printing paper that a print store provides you. Don't use thick paper.
2) Step 2 - Stick print on bag!
As we are doing Image Transfer on light colour fabric bag so we don't have to apply any primer on its surface but if you will do any project on wood or metal or plastic then you have to apply a coat of primer or gesso.
The image has to be adhered face down. The Photo transfer medium or Mod Podge should be applied both on the part of the surface ( On the bag ) and the side of paper that has the image ( side with image that is going to be adhered face down ). Do not use loads of mediums. Just enough to adhere , covering all areas . Just how we do our regular decoupage.
3) Step 3 - Remove bubbles or creases!
Adhere the paper carefully , without any bubbles or creases. This is a very important for a good and complete transfer. Adhere one side and pressing down , gradually move towards the other. Make sure you adhere the edges well as they tend to come off ( later at rubbing stage ) if not stuck well. But a top coat of medium is not required on paper. Remember this step otherwise it is hard to remove the paper later.
4) Step 4 - Drying time !
Once the image is adhered , you need to leave it aside for 8 to 10 hrs for good results. I prefer to leave it overnight.
5) Step 5 - Rub the paper
Next step is very crucial and needs lots of patience ...It is removing the layers of papers to see the image transferred. Use a moist sponge and dampen the paper enough , so that you can see the image . Wait for a minute and then start rubbing out the paper gently with sponge or hand. I prefer rubbing out with my hand.
Do it in circular motion. Remember the paper is made of layers and we are removing one layer at a time. Once you remove one layer , again slightly damp the paper and remove the next layer. This will require lots of patience. Do it slowly till you see the image. I did it in small portions.
Sharing a set of various stages to explain the above. Hope this helps...Do not harshly try to remove all layers at one time.
6) Step 6 - Final image and seal it !
After you complete Step 5 this is how the image looked when transferred on bag. Now once the image is transferred , it needs to be sealed with a coat of Photo transfer medium or Mod podge. The medium works as sealant and dries clear.
7) Step 7 - Touch up and Highlighting !
After sealing the image , I worked around borders of my image. There are few , minor off white patches. However I did not want to rub further ( otherwise it will destroy th imag e) so I coloured it with Black Acrylic colour to cover it. I highlighted some portions of image with Brown ink colour and eye with blue colour.
8) Step 8 - Stamping and decorating
To add more interest , I used script stamp and stamped it with Archival Black ink. As image has some scripts on it. I did not want to do much on this as I love its simple outcome.
At last I decided to decorate it with Rainbow Craftykari's new launch product... MDF embellishments. There are many different shapes in it but I preferred a round shape which will go well with Cameras 's round shutter in the image. I coloured the circles with Brown ink and heat embossed them with clear embossing powder. Then distressed the edges with Black ink.
And it's done !!! Process looks lengthy but it is not....it just require your lots of patience !!!
Supplies used :
How are you doing? I am back again with my tutorial post for Rainbow Craftykari blog. Recently we celebrated " World Environment Day " !!! This year world wide movement to clean up the planet and band plastic every where campaigns are going on. In India we used lots and lots of plastic!!! But " Beat Plastic Pollution " campaign really raised awareness and inspire action on plastic pollution. So here is my little contribution towards it.
Our small act has made a huge contribution to saving our planet. So I decided to stop using plastic bags now on wards. That's why I bought a cloth bag . But as a creative person we don't like anything simple and plain :) So I thought to do makeover of this bag through Image Transfer Technique.
Now lets create our ECO BAG !!!
1) Step 1 - Select Image and Print !
To do the transfer , you will require image. So first choose any print that interests you. It can be any image of self designed photo or picture or image taken from the internet. You will require to take a laser printout of the selected image but remember laser printout only as in inkjet , the ink will bleed when the medium is applied. And most important point you will need to mirror the image before printing.
Take the printout to the required size and the picture is going to be adhered face down, so script or photo will appear straight , only when its mirror image is printed. Hope this important part is clear. Take the printout on a regular printing paper that a print store provides you. Don't use thick paper.
2) Step 2 - Stick print on bag!
As we are doing Image Transfer on light colour fabric bag so we don't have to apply any primer on its surface but if you will do any project on wood or metal or plastic then you have to apply a coat of primer or gesso.
The image has to be adhered face down. The Photo transfer medium or Mod Podge should be applied both on the part of the surface ( On the bag ) and the side of paper that has the image ( side with image that is going to be adhered face down ). Do not use loads of mediums. Just enough to adhere , covering all areas . Just how we do our regular decoupage.
3) Step 3 - Remove bubbles or creases!
Adhere the paper carefully , without any bubbles or creases. This is a very important for a good and complete transfer. Adhere one side and pressing down , gradually move towards the other. Make sure you adhere the edges well as they tend to come off ( later at rubbing stage ) if not stuck well. But a top coat of medium is not required on paper. Remember this step otherwise it is hard to remove the paper later.
4) Step 4 - Drying time !
Once the image is adhered , you need to leave it aside for 8 to 10 hrs for good results. I prefer to leave it overnight.
5) Step 5 - Rub the paper
Next step is very crucial and needs lots of patience ...It is removing the layers of papers to see the image transferred. Use a moist sponge and dampen the paper enough , so that you can see the image . Wait for a minute and then start rubbing out the paper gently with sponge or hand. I prefer rubbing out with my hand.
Do it in circular motion. Remember the paper is made of layers and we are removing one layer at a time. Once you remove one layer , again slightly damp the paper and remove the next layer. This will require lots of patience. Do it slowly till you see the image. I did it in small portions.
Sharing a set of various stages to explain the above. Hope this helps...Do not harshly try to remove all layers at one time.
6) Step 6 - Final image and seal it !
After you complete Step 5 this is how the image looked when transferred on bag. Now once the image is transferred , it needs to be sealed with a coat of Photo transfer medium or Mod podge. The medium works as sealant and dries clear.
7) Step 7 - Touch up and Highlighting !
After sealing the image , I worked around borders of my image. There are few , minor off white patches. However I did not want to rub further ( otherwise it will destroy th imag e) so I coloured it with Black Acrylic colour to cover it. I highlighted some portions of image with Brown ink colour and eye with blue colour.
8) Step 8 - Stamping and decorating
To add more interest , I used script stamp and stamped it with Archival Black ink. As image has some scripts on it. I did not want to do much on this as I love its simple outcome.
At last I decided to decorate it with Rainbow Craftykari's new launch product... MDF embellishments. There are many different shapes in it but I preferred a round shape which will go well with Cameras 's round shutter in the image. I coloured the circles with Brown ink and heat embossed them with clear embossing powder. Then distressed the edges with Black ink.
And it's done !!! Process looks lengthy but it is not....it just require your lots of patience !!!
Supplies used :
- A cloth bag
- A laser print
- Image transfer or Mod podge medium
- Sponge
- Water
- Archival Black , Blue and Brown ink
- Rainbow Craftykari's mdf embellishments
- Glue
- Black acrylic colour
- Clear embossing powder
- Versamark clear ink pad
Hope you like my this project !!! And please take an initiative not to use Plastic anymore. Let's make this a conscious habit and keep creating your ECO bags.
Thank you,
OMG... you know I have always seen image transferred finished products on the net, and thought.. it must be photoshop.. it's not that easy for sure!! But.. Man!! what do I say? Fabulous Vidhi.. I'll have to try this.. you made it look so simple!
ReplyDeleteAwesome project. Love the transformation and the detailed explanation. Totally inspired. I wanna try this and share my results with you soon.Thank you for joining us at the Rhedd's Creative Spirit challenge. - Priya Satish DT
ReplyDeleteThank you Vidhi for doing your bit and showing others that a artful shopping bag is so much better. Here in Australia the supermarkets have voluntarily removed plastic bags...it's leading to much discussion and positive change.
ReplyDeleteNow ...your bag...is Fabulous! Thank you for entering Rhedd's Creative Spirit Challenge.
This is absolutely amazing Vidhi, your bag looks fabulous, and you definitely won't see another like it! Thank you so much for your tutorial, I just need to find somewhere that does laser prints now then I can give it a try! Thank you so much for joining in with our challenge at Country View Crafts, and have a very happy weekend. Sue xx
ReplyDelete