painting manual :: liquitex techniques

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Transferring Images: Transferring Printed Images toArtwork

This process allows artists to transfer images generated frommagazines, newspapers, photographs, photcopy machines,inkjet printers, and laser printers onto any surface that willaccept acrylic paint. It can be done with a wide variety ofLiquitex® mediums depending upon your desired effect.

This technique transfers black & white and colored images.The medium is brushed, poured or troweled over the imageto be transferred. After the medium has dried, it is soaked inwater and the paper is removed from the back of the image.You are left with a transparent to translucent image that isimbedded within acrylic medium.

Using Liquitex Gloss Medium & Varnish

Directions: Selecting Image1. Select image of your choice: newspaper, magazine,photograph or computer laser (not ink jet) print. Someimages such as newspaper, laser print, uncoated magazinewill transfer directly without the need of a Xerox copy. Someimages such as photographs and coated magazine imageswill not transfer.

2. Obtain a Xerox copy of your selected image either in black& white or color. Since it can be unclear beforehand whichimage will and will not transfer, a Xerox copy of the originalimage is recommended.

Preparing Image for Transfer1. Place Xerox copy, image side down onto scrap paper andspray back of image with a light coat of a spray adhesive.

Liquitex - Techniques http://www.liquitex.com/techniques/transfer.cfm

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Use proper ventilation and facemask.

2. Position Xerox copy, image side up onto glass palette andpress flat. Image may be taped to glass palette instead ofusing spray adhesive, however a taped image will not lay flatonce coating is begun.

Coating Image1. Brushing Method: Using a 1/2"-2" wide, soft brush, coatimage with Liquitex Gloss Medium Varnish. For minimalbrush marks, thin with 5-10% Liquitex Flow-AidTM/Watermixture (1 part Flow-Aid to 20 parts distilled water).

2. Allow to dry 20 minutes to one hour, depending uponenvironment. While wet, medium will appear slightly cloudy.When dry, medium will be completely clear. A hair dryer willspeed the process.

3. Repeat steps #1 & #2 until the Gloss Medium Varnishcoating is thick enough so that you can peel it off the glasswithout tearing; 5-12 coats will give you a thickness of1/16"-1/8". Coat successive layers in different directions,horizontal then vertical then horizontal, etc. The thickness ofthe coating can vary according to your desired effect. Thinlayers between 1/32 to 1/16 are fragile and may be difficult tohandle.

4. Pouring Method: Use a carpenters level to make sure theglass palette surface is level. If surface is not level pouredacrylic medium will run toward lower edge and when dry willbe thicker at that edge.

5. Tape around image with masking tape in 4-5 successivelayers so that a ridge is built up around image. You arebuilding a dam to contain the poured acrylic medium.

6. Pour Liquitex Gloss Medium Varnish over image. Spreadaround with soft brush, if need be, while wet.

7. Allow to dry completely: 48-72 hours. When medium iscompletely clear it is dry.

Soaking Transfer

1. Razor cut around tape and remove image from glasspalette. Submerge in lukewarm water and soak 10-15minutes. The longer the image is submerged in water, theeasier it will be to remove the paper from the back of image.Do not soak paper longer than 20 minutes. When submergedin water, the clear medium may turn slightly milky.


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2. Remove image from water and using your fingers, gentlyrub off paper from back of image. Rub off top layer of paperonly and submerge image into container of warm water.Repeat steps until only the image remains.

Drying Transferred Image

1. Blot with paper or cloth towel. Place flat between layers ofwax paper, then paper towel.

2. Weight top and allow to dry, insuring that image dries flat.

Adhering Transfer to Support

1. Remove when dry (24-48 hours). Select support thattransfer is to be adhered to.

2. Coat the side of the transfer that is to be affixed to thesupport with either Liquitex Gloss Medium Varnish or LiquitexGel Medium. Quickly position the transfer onto the support(i.e. canvas) and press.

3. To insure uniform contact, dry transfer under weight. Covertransfer with a sheet of wax paper to prevent transfer fromsticking to weight. Let dry 24 hrs.

Directions: Using Liquitex Interference Colors

1. Follow directions for "Selecting Image" and "PreparingImage for Transfer".

2. Mix 5-10% Liquitex Soft Body Interference Color of yourchoice into Gloss Medium & Varnish to produce aninterference film.

3. Follow directions for "Coating Image: brushing or pouringmethods".

4. Follow directions for "Soaking Image", "Drying TransferredImage" and "Adhering Transfer to Support".

5. Interference Color Transfer will be opalescent.

Directions: Using Liquitex Gel Medium


2. Coating Image: Using a palette knife, apply 1-2 coats ofLiquitex Gel Medium or Heavy Gel Medium.

3. Apply each coat 1/16" - 1/8" thick. If applying two coats,


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allow first coat to thoroughly dry before applying second coat(approximately 24-48 hours). The thicker the Gel or HeavyGel Medium coating the more opaque the final transfer filmwill be.


5. A translucent to translucent/opaque film transfer will result.

Directions: Using Liquitex Texture Gel Mediums


2. Coating Image: Using a palette knife, apply 1-2 coats ofLiquitex Natural Sand, Resin Sand or Glass Beads TextureGel Mediums. Apply each coat 1/16" - 1/8" thick. If applyingtwo coats, allow first coat to thoroughly dry before applyingsecond coat (approximately 24-48 hours). The thicker theTexture Gel Medium coating, the more opaque the finaltransfer film will be.


4. A semi-transparent, textured film transfer will result.

Directions: Using Liquitex Gloss Medium Varnish andTexture Gel Medium


2. Using a soft brush or palette knife, mix 5-50% NaturalSand, Resin Sand, Glass Beads or Black Lava Texture GelMediums into Gloss Medium & Varnish. The greater thepercentage of Gloss Medium Varnish, the more transparentand less textured the final transfer film will be. For example,a Black Lava Texture Gel/Gloss Medium Varnish mixture willresult in a transfer that is transparent with black speckles.The amount of transparency and black speckles will beinfluenced by the ratio of Gloss Medium Varnish to BlackLava. More GMV, less Black Lava = more transparency/lessblack speckles.

3. Follow directions for "Coating Image: brushing or pouringmethods".



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5. A transparent-translucent textured film transfer will result.

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painting manual :: liquitex techniques

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