creating stickers/transparent images

Well, this weekend, after doing the canvas image transfer, I was reminded how much fun, how easy, and how cool it is to make transparent stickers from magazine pictures. It is not exactly the same process, but it has some similar elements. Also, you need very little in the way of supplies or art equipment.

Once you have the transparent image, you can then transform them into stickers or use them in mixed media work. I wanted to show you how I created a meditation piece for my art studio out of one  issue of Tricycle.

First, find a cool image to transfer, from a magazine or newspaper. This process only really works well with magazines/newspaper print. Inkjet printers are water soluble and you are going to be submerging this in water. You are basically transferring the ink to a piece of plastic, so you need to have a kind of substance behind the ink. I wanted to do a meditation piece for my studio, because I often do tonglen meditation and paint. But like all meditation, my mind wanders, and I think about groceries or people I love. So, I wanted to hang something front and center to remind me to focus.

I used this issue:

I ripped out pages with images that interested me. I like how this x-ray of the Buddha looks exactly like that small Buddha on another story. I cut and used both of those. I also dug the picture of Darwin.

First you cut out the image that you want to use.

Next use some packing tape. The transparent type. You pull out enough to cover your image.

Put your image face down onto your tape. You can use a burnishing tool, or anything really, so get it all up in the sticky of the tape.

After I did this, I decided I just wanted the Buddha head, so I cut the rest of it out.

Then you submerge the entire thing in water. Just dunk it in there. Swoosh it around. Obviously, bigger pictures need bigger vessels. Or patience.

You can keep it submerged for a few minutes. Then you rub the paper off the back.

Or peel, if the paper is willing.

And then, you have a transparent picture.

You can add glue on the back to stick it anywhere.

I also used that x-ray Buddha picture. For this one, I used two pieces of tape, because I wanted to split the image in two.  To do that, it take lining up the tape, so they don't touch. I could have also made one large transfer by overlapping the tape. This is before the water submersion.

This is after. I put it on paper towel, so you can see the transparency. I like how the dark ink areas get a little worn away. It gives it a really cool effect of antiquing or something.

Here is the final meditation piece I created. I used canvas paper. The base layer is a red/purple/white acrylic combination. Broad strokes. I did want the piece to be vertical. Then I used gold acrylic on a brayer, or an ink roller for print making. Just a few dabs directly on the brayer and then on the canvas. In the same issue, I found a shot of six Japanese calligraphy brushes made out of human hair. I made a transfer on that too. I then found a headline that read "focusing". I just cut out the focus. I used the x-ray Buddha head to head, but it makes it look like one of those optical illusions. Is it a woman, or two vases? I just don't know. After the brayer, I covered the canvas in gel medium, and just fiddled with the placement of these pieces. I love the way it turned out. Art makes me happy.

Oh, and I also made a transfer of the Darwin, because I just thought I could use a Darwin sticker some day.

I just have to say, I love the way these look when you are using animals. I really thought about making Valentine's cards with these and wild animal pictures that said, "I'm Wild about You." Just an idea. Go ahead. Steal it. Hope this helps. I would love to see what you do with this technique.