Tips & Tricks Challenge 3
Notes before starting:
As we are currently unable to meet as a group face-to-face we welcome everyone to our online Tips & Tricks sessions.
We hope our members, website followers, and anyone else who stumbles across our blog will enjoy and participate in the small projects and challenges we will be posting from time to time.
Please photograph your finished project and email it to our webmaster, Claire, by clicking here. She will upload your images one week after the project has gone live. So, in this case, you have until Wednesday 10th June (afternoon) to email your results to her. This is not confined to our members, anyone may email their results. Enjoy!
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The Joy of Eucalyptus Oil Transfer
By Sue Bradshaw
Materials:
- Choose a photograph you’d like to make a print from.
- Select a colour image with plenty of contrast and interesting shapes. IMPORTANT: This method creates a mirror image, so if text is included or you want the print exactly the same as the original photo you’ll need to print it in reverse first.
- A print or copy of the photograph made using a laser printer.
- This technique doesn’t work with inkjet printers because we’re going to use the toner in the laser copy to create our print. You can get a laser copy from OfficeWorks for about 70c for an A4 sheet or your local post office for $1 or so.
- Something to transfer the image to handmade paper (which is more porous than commercially made paper). If you’re using commercial paper it must be porous, not shiny.
- 100% essential Eucalyptus oil – if it’s not pure the transfer won’t work. I use Bosisto’s – 175ml is about $20, but you don’t need much for each print.
- (Webmaster Note: I bought 50ml of Bosisto’s 100% Eucalyptus Oil for $6.00 from my supermarket)
- An old cloth. An old cotton tee shirt works well.
- Something to apply pressure to transfer the image to the paper – the back of a metal or wooden spoon, bone folder, ruler.
- Tape – sellotape, masking tape, removable painters tape or similar.
Method:
- Tape your paper to a cutting board or similar. You don’t want it moving while you’re transferring the image.
- From your printed/copied photograph cut out the part of the image you want to transfer leaving a border so you can tape the image in place.
- Apply tape to the edges of your image and stick it face down on top of the paper. The tape will stop the oil penetrating so ensure you don’t put any over the area you wish to transfer.
- Load your rag or old tee shirt with eucalyptus oil and rub gently across the back of the image.
- I know you’re just dying to take a look! Roll back one of the edges to see what’s happening. There should be some degree of transfer, but the real magic happens next.
- Use the back of your spoon or bone folder and rub firmly to transfer the toner to your paper. You can add extra effects by scratching with a fine point as you rub if you like.
- Carefully remove the tape and peel off the original image, it will reveal a lovely print of your photo underneath.
My step-by-step video will guide you through the process:
PPA: Have fun with this and don’t forget to email your results to Claire.
