Have you ever wanted to transfer a special photo to a fabric, t-shirt or bag? As it turns out, you can do it with just a few tools and materials. It's also a great craft idea for kids' events, as well as a fun way to decorate home decor, accessories, and clothing. There are two methods for transferring photos, and you can find the product you need at your local craft store.
Step
Method 1 of 2: Using Gel Media or Decoupage
Step 1. Select the medium
Liquitex acrylic gel media is inexpensive and can be found near the paint section of any craft store. You can also search for Mod Podge Photo Transfer Media. This is a special Mod Podge product - Regular Mod Podge cannot be used on cloth. On the internet, you may find even more specialized media.
If you're having trouble finding what you're looking for at a craft store, ask the staff there
Step 2. Select the fabric
Most people want to transfer photos to a t-shirt or canvas, and that's pretty easy. Transferring photos to synthetic material is a bit more difficult. If you want to transfer photos to synthetic material, be sure to test them first with similar materials. Photo transfer may not work well in elastic materials.
The more elastic the material, the more damage will be done to the transfer of the photo. That's why photo transfers are usually done on linen or canvas
Step 3. Select the image then crop it
If you are using a gel medium, you will need a laser-printed image. You can also use pictures of old newspapers or magazines. According to some, if you use Mod Podge transfer media, you can use both ink and laser printed images.
If your image contains text, you will need to flip it horizontally on the computer for the image to move properly. Most programs you use to open images have this option; You don't need to use Paint or Photoshop
Step 4. Cover the front of the image with your media
You can use a paint brush to do this.
The media layer should be thick enough. When you're done applying the layer, the image shouldn't be visible
Step 5. Press your image onto the fabric
Make sure all parts are in contact with the cloth, and remove any air bubbles. Leave overnight.
According to some, you don't need to leave the cloth overnight if you use a gel medium. If you remove the paper before it dries completely, the image will appear faded
Step 6. Wet the back of the image, and rub the surface with your finger
The paper will start to peel. Keep rubbing until all the paper comes off.
If you are using photo transfer for display, apply another coat of gel medium to protect it
Step 7. Be careful when washing it
It is best to wash the transferred photos by hand. If you must machine wash, turn the fabric outside in and do not use the dryer.
Do not dry clean the results of transferring photos. Sharp chemicals will damage the image
Method 2 of 2: Using Photo Transfer Paper
Step 1. Purchase a cloth transfer paper package
Available at Best Buy, Walmart, Michael's, and other office supply and craft stores. Make sure the paper you choose is compatible with the printer, so you don't use a laser printer to print on paper for ink prints.
Pay attention to the details listed on the package. Most photo transfers using an iron require cotton or a cotton blend. If your fabric or material is a dark color, look for the 'Moving Photo to Dark Color' paper
Step 2. Print and crop photos
Upload the photo to your computer and use Paint or a photo program to resize the photo to your liking.
- As you crop it, trim the edges of the photo to make it round. That way the edge of the photo will not come off after repeated washing. If you're using a graphic, trim it as close to the edges as possible, and trim the edges of the photo to make it round. Photos must not be pointed.
- Note that the white part of the photo will result in the white in the fabric or material.
Step 3. Peel off the back of the paper
Place the photo on top of the fabric, so that the image touches the fabric.
Be careful not to tear the image when you remove it
Step 4. Iron the image onto the fabric
Make sure the iron is very hot and does not emit steam, as this will ruin the transfer of the photo. Iron on a non-porous hard surface and not on an ironing board.
Most irons have a setting that you can change to prevent steaming, but you can also make sure there's no water in the iron
Step 5. Remove the paper
You can remove one end to check the image first. If there are spots, you can stick them and iron them again. Some people like images that aren't completely complete, so feel free to experiment if you might like them.
Do not wash the fabric for 24 hours
Step 6. Try again
If transferring photos using an iron isn't what you expected, try again the next time. You may have printed it on the wrong part of the paper. If the image fades, you may wash it before 24 hours. If the image is peeling off, the edges of the image may not be round.
Iron on a hard surface, make sure the iron is at maximum heat, and press firmly when ironing. It takes intense heat and pressure for transfer photos to stick, so if the iron isn't hot enough, even if the pressure is low, some parts of the photo may not stick
Step 7. Turn the outside of the cloth inward when washing it
It's best to wash by hand, but if you must machine wash, turn the outside of the fabric inward so that other clothes don't get damaged. Drying the fabric in the open air also helps maintain the image.
