Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Altered Playing Cards, Week 10: Image transfers outside the box


I'm joining Claudine at Claudine's Art Corner for Week 10 of the Altered Playing Card Challenge.  I got all excited when I saw Claudine's theme was image transfers.  I simply adore making image transfers.  But, I don't make mine like Claudine made hers.  Since she said to think outside the box, I'm going to make my image transfers the way I'm used to making them.  So, I suspect that could be was not Claudine's idea of thinking outside the box.  At least I hope she doesn't kick me out of the challenge for doing this (GRIN).

Here are my two cards for this week.

For my first card, I decided to paint the background.  I used the last of my Kelly green acrylic paint, so it didn't cover the gesso very well.

To that I added the Sunflower glaze.  Then I set the card aside to dry.

For my second card, I started with a piece of vintage sheet music.  

I purposely created it in the portrait position, thinking I would use the Lollipop image for this card.  As it turned out, I used the other image I planned to use, and was a bit upset with myself that I hadn't thought ahead to add the music in the landscape position.

It's time to take a step backward and see how I created the transparencies.  If you took my altered book class in 2012, this is old hat to you.  If not, this is how I make these.  BTW, I am NOT going to apologize for the horrible photos.  I'm sure you can see I now take better photos, but I needed a better camera in order to do so!  If you want to see other ways I made transfers, feel free to click on Lesson 18 of the AB lessons on my right sidebar.

I grabbed some magazine images and cut them out.  The ones on the left in the photo were small enough I could use packing tape.  The ones on the right, I used clear contact paper.  The technique is exactly the same.

I placed lengths of packing tape sticky side UP on my craft sheet.  Then I placed the image down on the packing tape.  I found there was less static electricity when I placed the image over the tape than when I placed the tape over the image.  I was also able to line the image up better on the tape.

Now that the images are adhered to the tape, cut as much of the tape away as possible.  It doesn't need to be fussy cut, but it needs to be close.

What you see in this photo is the back side of the image I'm trying to transfer.  Using a plastic spoon, I burnished until my hand about fell off.  OK, that's an exaggeration, but only slightly.  Burnish in one direction, then at a 90 degree angle, then on both diagonals.  Press hard.  How well you burnish is directly proportional to how well the image transfers. 

This is the same image above, now face up, after I burnished it.

Next, drop the images into a bucket of warm water.  Watch as they begin to curl.  Walk away.   Seriously!  Don't get impatient.  Wait about 15 minutes for the water to soak into the paper.

Begin removing the paper.  Remove from the center outward.  One thing I should point out is white paper is the absence of color, so any time you see white, it will show up as clear in your transfer.  I often remove the bits of paper and place them back in the water bucket.

I need to remind you please, never, ever throw the water that is in your bucket into a sink or toilet.  It will clog up your pipes quicker than you can say heart attack.  I don't want you calling me saying I didn't warn you when it happens to you!  If it's too cold to throw the water in your garden, or you live in an apartment, empty the water into a house plant.

Now that we are on the same page, let's return to much better photos and the two APCs that are now dry!

For some reason, I thought this paper would release the transfers.  Imagine my horror and surprise when I learned I had left some of the image on the paper and taken some of the paper with the transfer.

There was nothing I could do about it now, though.  Normally the packing tape will stick to the background and you don't need any glue to hold it down.  That was definitely not the case here.  It was obvious I was going to have to use some glue to hold the packing tape in place.

For my painted card, I used the same stamp I used last week.  I got decent coverage again, even though I didn't use my mouse pad underneath the card.  As I was about to show the Lollipop, my camera batteries died, so I knew I would have to rely on my scanner to finish showing my cards.

Thankfully, the Lollipop didn't stick to the paper, so it transferred well.  The two stamps also transferred and only the California stamp stuck on one end.  I was actually quite pleased with how this turned out.


I was less pleased with this one, but it was all my fault for not "taping" these to release paper.

One thing I would like to say to Claudine is, when Claudine Hellmuth's paint first came out, she showed how to use it as a transfer.  I tried several times to make it work, but always got poor transfers.  In fact, when I used that paint technique, my transfers were far worse than our host Claudine's.   You can see one of my failed attempts here.

But for now, I'm calling these finished.  And I didn't even bother with a sentiment, although I'm calling the left one "Lollipop road trip," and the right one "RPM," because nothing else comes to mind.


This is Day 13 of
AEDM, and I altered two playing cards today.

19 thoughtful remarks:

Dianne said...

simply brilliant! love these cards, even with your 'almost disaster.' they turned out so cool...

NatureFootstep said...

how interesting. You made a gret job and I like both your cards :)


My link if you like to visit:
http://nfverk.blogspot.se/2014/11/the-new-home-of-digital-art-meme-dam.html

Vicki Miller said...

These are wonderful, Elizabeth. Very inspiring. I wish I had time to have a go, since I am a bit overloaded at the moment.

johanna said...

thanks for reminding me to that technique, i haven´t done it for a Long time. and i LOVE your results!!

pearshapedcrafting said...

I'm speechless-only for a while mind! I just have to say I love image transferring and have several ways of doing them! This is one I'd forgotten and seeing these beauties has me reaching for the tape to take away to the caravan for the weekend! (no comments for a while I suspect) I love both of these Elizabeth, brilliant! Have a great weekend! Chrisx

Jennifer McLean said...

what a terrific idea, todo lollypops and suckers. I love those, I have very fond memories as a little girl about a very, very big sucker. It was almost as big as my head when I was about 5. It was given to me by the maitre d' of a very posh restaurant. We were on vacation. He said I was the best behaved little girl he'd had in his restaurant. I was some impressed and I think I had the lollypop for dinner! THANKs for the memories.

massofhair said...

Another fantastic way to transfer an image, looks hard work but it worked very well. Both your altered playing cards are fantastic, especially loving the lollipop :-) xxx

Claudine said...

These are fabulous, I love the tape transfer, seems much easier!

Anonymous said...

Love the cards you created and thank you for reminding me about tape transfer. Fabulous backgrounds you made xxx

dawn said...

I LOVE LOVE THESE!! Great job!

It's snowing today, yay!! Kinda excited, it's too early but better to be excited then hide from it, lol.
I also have a sneaky way of getting my beverage photo in next week. It's not snow related either.
Have a great day!

froebelsternchen said...

Fab transfers Elizabeth.. the transparencies are so handy to do with magazine- images - oh yes! ..I love it as well.. but as most of the other wrote ... not enough time ...
you are our big inspiration to get back to the techniques and explore them new... bravo - fab cards are this!

Nigel said...

These are great, and remind me that I haven't done anything 'messy' in a long while.

Nan G said...

Love both of them! I don't see any mess up in the second one. Fab step by step tut for us also. Thanks E!

Eliza said...

I really get a giggle out of your posts thank you for the way you relay your travels around the art room. Love your transfers, interesting process indeed. Oh you called it RPM well north/south/RPMs sounds good too.

Hugs Eliza

Linda Gibbons said...

Great cards. Elizabeth! I love tape transfers, they are one of my favorite techniques. I generally stick the tape right onto the page and cut out the taped rectangle and burnish with an old bus card or gift card--easier than a spoon. I love the bits of paper that remain and always glue them down. I love how the dials came out on the music paper!

Darla said...

Once again you did a great job with the transfer challenge I think. I've used the packing tape method for small pieces but not tried the contact paper.

Darla

Craftymoose Crafts said...

Your technique worked for me before so I will be using it again for my cards. I did some other "experiments" which didn't work with paint, so I'll get on with my cards now with the tape.

ionabunny said...

Love the lollipop and the RPM gauges look fabtastic. I am with you on getting the image landscape when it should be portrait or the other way round. Frustrating, but I still think it looks good. Hugz

Cindy McMath said...

I really like these Elizabeth! I don't know why I didn't comment on these when I first saw them - I must have had to run off to work or something... I especially love the one with the dials. I went to look at the host's transfers - I think you made a good choice by going with this tried and true transfer method. I have had some success transferring into gel medium, but not paint. Especially since I favour fluid acrylics, which as you know would dry WAY too quickly for this purpose. As always I enjoy seeing the pictures of your process - one day I will post some on my blog - maybe when I retire? :)