Many decorations are expensive and not that stylish to being worth your attention. With the tricks featured in this tutorial, you can make your own custom piece of decoration. Read the following and learn how to transfer a photo to wood and actually make a nice `painting` to place in your living room. Here is what you’ll need:
• a picture printed on a regular piece of paper;
• a block of wood (smooth, sanded wood is recommended);
• gel medium;
• Mod Podge;
You begin with covering the piece of wood with the gel medium and place the paper with the picture facing down. With your hand, smooth out the entire surface of the paper, getting rid of the bubbles in the process. Now, leave to dry overnight. The next day, get a slightly wet cloth and soak the paper with it. Make sure there aren’t any spots left un-soaked. You will notice then how easily the paper comes off, leaving the picture underneath imprinted on the piece of wood. Continue to rub with your fingers until it all comes off. Take the cloth and clean any residue of paper off the wood. Finally, cover the entire picture with some Mod Podge and let to dry for a bit. You’re done!
Any other names for “gel medium” and “mod podge” so i can try to find them here in chile!
Cheers
Mod podge is something like glue for decoupage
“WHAT IS GEL MEDIUM ?
Gel medium is a clear acrylic dispersion substance with the thickness of hair gel. Gel medium comes in a variety of thicknesses and properties, but its basic purpose is to change the consistency or appearance of acrylic paint. Gel medium is available at art supply stores, either brick-and-mortar or online, in the acrylic paint section. “
Hi, I really want to make this, but are there any equivalents for gel medium and mod podge in Poland, or could anyone just tell me what are those products exactly? If I were to buy them online, it will cost a LOT…
Anna, info in Polish for you:
gel medium – żel akrylowy – jest w sklepach z artykułami dla artystów i hobbystów, ale też na allegro albo tutaj http://tradearts.pl/pl/zel-akrylowy-bezbarwny-acrylic-gel-medium-190-vallejo-tuba-58-ml.html
mod podge – klej (werniksowy) do decoupage – jak wyżej, np tutaj http://tradearts.pl/pl/klej-werniksowy-do-decoupage-darwi-vernis-colle-decoupage-opak-30-ml.html
są też inne wielkości opakowania, inne podobne produkty itd.
Powodzenia w tworzeniu 🙂
Gel Medium:
http://www.amazon.com/Liquitex-Professional-Matte-Medium-8-oz/dp/B000KNJFKI/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1422028729&sr=8-1&keywords=gel+medium
Do you have Creative Shop in your country? If you do go there and tell them what you’re looking for. 🙂
Those are what the items are called… google them.
I am progressing the conversation as much as you did.
Mod podge can be found in the craft section of Wal-Mart or any craft store. Don’t know it by any other name. And I’m not sure on the gel medium but am hoping it’s easy to find as I’m looking forward to trying this myself.
Potje vullen met witte lijm en dan aanvullen met water. Verhouding is 1 op1. Zelf gebruik ik hiervoor houtlijm, maar blijkbaar lukt het ook met die witte kinderlijm maar heb dat zelf nooit uitgeprobeerd
You can make mod podge yourself, it is white glue (childrens glue) or woodglue and just add water. 50% water and 50% glue.
Thank you for that info on how to make Mod Podge. It is very costly for what it is, although it does go a very long way. I used to cover my switch plates with gorgeous fabrics and wallpapers with it. Selene
Hoi hoi ik had een vraagje.Ik las laats dat je het alleen met foto’s komt doe die via een laserprinter zijn afgedrukt. ..??
Uhm.. It’s me once more… In my country it’s the same. (Hungary) You can find them in furniture shops also.
Any other name for “gel medium”? I”m in RSA and would love to try it.
Thanks
I love this, can you please answer JP? I tried asking ACE Hardware in Dubai and they don’t know what i want except for the wood.
thank you.
Go to an craft store or an artist supply store. Hardware stores won’t have it (but polyurethane varnishes might be a good substitute).
Oasis Centre..there is a craft shop..
Id there alternatives to gel medium and mod podge. Cant seem to find it around here (Denmark)
But awesome idea. Would love to try this
Mod podge can be made by mixing elmers glue with some water so you can paint it onto any surface. I don’t know of an alternative for the gel.
ahhhh…………then, the alternative to Mod Podge is basically PVA glue watered down….used in this way, it works as a sealant, like a varnish…………..not sure what gel medium is though x
“Søstrene grene” Has the gel in the art section… For det other one i guess you have panduro? as we have in Norway. They’ve got decopauge glur for the top
Ok here is the $64,000.00 question, what paper do you use?
a picture printed on a regular piece of paper
hola alguien me lo explica en español gracias¡¡
Your picture will be mirrored this way.
If you print your picture in the “mirrored” fashion, you can then get the “true” original image on your piece of wood.
I thought about that too! I guess if you don’t want the picture mirrored you could mirror image it and then print it out, then it would be a true representation again. 😉
dore,
Yo voy a intentar hacerlo este fin de semana. Mientras hago el experimento te explico lo que he entendido hasta ahora: Necesitaras
• imprimir una foto en papel comun (no fotografico). En otros blogs he visto que debe ser con impresor inkjet o puede ser tambien con una fotocopia.
• una tabla lisa (lijada)
• gel medium: hasta donde he entendido es un adelgazador para pinturas acrilicas ***el fin de semana ire a una tienda de materiales de arte y te lo confirmo
• Mod Podge: aun no se que es, pero es una forma de pegamento o barniz
Primero limpias la tabla y luego cubres toda la superficie con la gel medium. Pones el papel con la imagen de la foto viendo hacia la tabla (la idea es que la tinta de la foto se impregne con la gel y luego quede pegada en la tabla). Con tu mano te aseguras de alisar toda la superficie del papel deshaciendo cualquier burbuja que pudiese haber quedado. Lo dejas secar durante toda la noche. Al dia siguiente con un paño de tela bastante humedecido con agua remojas o empapas todo el papel de la foto. Debes asegurarte que no quede ninguna parte del papel sin quedar mojado. Luego, con lo humedecido el papel se despegara facilmente, dejando la imagen de la foto transferida en la superficie de la madera. Continua frotanto con tus dedos hasta que todo el papel quede retirado. Siempre con el paño puedes terminar de limpiar cualquier residuo de papel en la tabla. Finalmente, cubres toda la imagen en la madera con el “Mod Podge” y lo dejas secar… y listo!
Te comento como me va el fin de semana con los materiales y el procedimiento 🙂
Yea, I don’t see a video. not that’s ok, I understand it, by the step by step pictures. Just thought you might like to know, that the video was not an option. I don’t know why? But great idea! Thnx! 🙂
Hi
Regular photo paper or regular sheet of paper ?
Regular paper, what kind of printer? Laser or inkjet?
I will try to find a “medium gel”…
It is possible to fix the finished picture with water based varnish?
Use regular copy paper, the cheapest kind works best. Don’t use special photo paper–it’s coated and too thick for this technique. Printer type? LASER, not inkjet. The ink from an inkjet printer is water soluble, which means that your image will smear and wash away when water contacts it. The toner from a LASER printer (or copier) will not do this because it is essentially ‘baked’ onto the surface of the paper. Hope this helps!
Any news about paper? Same question as above – printed on regular (copy) paper or on photo paper?
Please let me know if anyone found an answer to what type of paper. ..thank you
See my explanation above for info. 🙂
Try this, a You Tube video about how to do it with Elmers Glue. Use non-water soluble version.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aOkHAjhO2Y
I see a lot of interesting content on your page. You have to spend a lot of time writing,
i know how to save you a lot of time, there is a tool that creates unique, google friendly articles in couple of minutes, just search in google – laranita’s free content source
You can use “transfer magic” from fabric shops. Its a glue used to transfer printed pictures onto fabric and its abput £4.99. Mod podge is watered down school glue/pva 🙂
OK…if you print the picture on the paper, then place the picture face down on the wood, then the resulting picture is then “reversed” or backwards.
You should be able to print the picture in reverse so when you get the final product, it is the way it should be.
Yes, in photo shop you can just flip the picture before printing
looked at amazon.com and I find many different kinds of gel, is one better than the other, better results: gloss super heavy, gloss heavy, gloss medium, ultra matte, regular matte, acrylic matte, acrylic gloss, regular gloss
looked at amazon.com and I find many different kinds of gel, is one better than the other, better results: gloss super heavy, gloss heavy, gloss medium, ultra matte, regular matte, acrylic matte, acrylic gloss, regular gloss,
i have done a similar craft on slate or flagstone-but with no gel medium.i used modge podge and put it on the stone-then laid my paper picture-picture side up then smoothed out with hands then added a coat of modge podge,let dry an hoyur then did another cot of moge podge-let dry,done
Thank you Nancy sounds like another great idea besides the wood can’t wait to try it. you have a great day.
If you don’t want this reversed, change your printer image settings to print in mirror. White school works great if you don’t have modge podge
this technique mirrors the picture
what kind of picture is allowed? can a printed picture/image from a computer is ok?
Helpful hint, before you print the photo, use image software like photoshop to mirror image “flip” the image, and then print the edited version. That way the photo on the wood will be like the original. If you dont do it, your photo on wood will be the mirror image.
argh I see now Rhonda already talk about the mirror 🙂
gel medium is another name for mod podge medium transfer. I bought my medium transfer on Amazon.
As a painter, I’ll add that you can coat the picture after it dries with the acrylic gel medium. It serves the same purpose as the Mod Podge – coating, sealing and protecting without the need to buy a second product.. It is also available in glossy, medium and matte (dull) so you have more control over the final look..
Would this process work with a color picture, or just black and white?
you can find them both at wal-mart in the art supply- gel for 8.64 and mod for 6.96
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_Tz_0gx4Vk thats to cover those asking about modge podge and grl medium is acrylic gel medium probably found in the artists paints section.
usartsupply.com/LIQ-5321.html?gclid=CjwKEAiAi52mBRDkq5bX0vq1-RQSJAAq_7IGyybVkYLyz-LJYTLPIcxX3EBv4Qa-woPBKFmLcTxjwxoCChXw_wcB#.VMeWaJK9KSM
A link for gel medium
I still do not see the answer for regular print paper…photo paper or cardstock ? Which one to use.thank you!
if you are placing picture face down doesn’t the photo need to be flipped or inverted to turn out the same?
Can I cover the transferred image with polyurethane instead of Mod Podge to seal it? Or will this mess up the image?
Would like to see more video to learn this arts ‘ Transfer A Photo To Wood’
Regular paper. Nothing special about the paper. You’re going to run it off. But it has to be a laser printer. I use a medium that allows you to paint the wood first. Some pics come out better with a white background.
Where is a good place to find a slab of wood like that?