Sunday, March 24, 2013

Artisan Transfer Gel Tutorial!

Good morning everyone!!!

I thought I'd start off with the tutorial on how I transfered this image on to a coffee table -



First and most important - you need to have a LASER printer - this will not work with an inkjet -
AND the reason I know this is because I first tried with the inkjet - epic fail.

STEP 1 )
Paint your piece - you could even use a piece of scrap wood and a tiny transfer for the first time so that
you get a " feel " for the project - I never do that - I start big - always - and then start over - always.
DO NOT WAX - the transfer must be used on the painted surface.

STEP 2 )
Select your transfer - I selected mine from the Graphics Fairy  ( warning - this site really is as addictive as Pinterest - be forewarned )

STEP 3 )
If you want to enlarge your image - Block Posters is a great place to do that - once you have your image
printed - regardless of size - you then have to be sure you reverse the image

STEP 4)
Trim around your image as close to the image as possible - this will eliminate unnecessary peeling of paper later on

Okay now you're ready to transfer your image!  Here's my " blank " canvas


STEP 5 )
Place your graphic on the surface to see where you want it to go - in this image you can see how I cut out the graphic ( this was enlarged )


STEP 6 )
Paint the surface of the area where the graphic will go - with the transfer gel - making sure you cover the entire area of the graphic  I lifted the graphic and painted so that I would know how large an area to paint.


STEP 7)
Once the table area has been " painted " with the gel - you then place the graphic FACE DOWN on the
surface and paint the top of the paper as well.

STEP 8)
It'll be full of air bubbles at this point - you need to spread as much of this out as possible because there
will be gaps in your image if you don't.  Some gaps are kind of nice for a vintage worn look - but too many
will just look like an incomplete image


it should now look like this


STEP 9)
Now you take a break, although I should point out that if you're really in a rush,  you can blow dry the transfer - I tried it - but quickly changed my mind - and decided to wait and let this dry for a few hours on its own.

STEP 10)
It's time for a glass of wine at this point - if you don't drink wine - it's time for a cup of coffee
if you don't drink coffee - it's time for a cup of hot chocolate and if you're really into your health - then a glass of water will do.
In other words - it's time to take a break and let this stuff do it's magic......................enjoy having feeling in your fingertips while you're taking a break - because that's all about to vanish with the final steps............
and you won't be able to pick up a glass or cup or bottle for awhile.


Ok - on to the finishing process..............

STEP 11 )
Fill up a spray bottle with water and saturate your paper - leave it soak in for a couple of minutes -
and then you start rubbing the paper - the top coat will simply roll off - and you'll think - wow that
was fast -
NOT so fast - you then have the underlayer of the paper to rub off - and this is where you rub and rub
and rub and rub and rub.


while you're rubbing you can lament the fact that you haven't had a manicure since before Christmas - and that you're hands really are starting to look like a contractor's hands - and that wow - you really should be putting hand cream on from time to time because they look red and raw from living through another Canadian winter..................
Or you can just concentrate on what your doing and not pay your hands any attention at all.
Until you magically start to see this - and you think - WOW - who cares what my hands look like - look what they just created!!!!

If you use it very carefully you can use a kitchen sponge - you know the ones that have the abrasive side?
I cheated and used that as well ( on the abrasive side )   worked great - but mostly I used my fingers.


Did all of that sound like an expert's tutorial lmho - because this was the first time I've done this so it's kind of hilarious to me that I'm teaching you all how to do it like I'm little Miss Professional!!!

Side note - once you've finished - and every last ounce of paper is off - you can lightly sand the surround area of where the gel was to get smooth surface - and that's it folks -
That's how I turned this


into this ( and if I'm any good at all with tutorials - how you can too )




and she's already at Piorra Maison ready for the right customer to walk in!  ( thanks for the photo Caroline )
can she make something look good or what?


When I become very wealthy - I'm going to send all of you a tin of this magic................I promise.
  
I'm off to the clients house to redo this


So if you don't hear from me for a couple of days it won't be because I was abducted by Aliens to teach them how to paint furniture..................
Or that this gentleman and John got into a dual for my affections........................


It'll simply be because I'm exhausted
SMILE - ( you're not on Candid Camera )





23 comments:

  1. Love the table, desperate for some gel! Congrats to the lucky winner :)

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  2. That table looks awesome!! I'm definitely going to try that gel sometime. Congrats to Nana Diana!

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  3. OMGOSH, Suzan! LOL I can't believe I won that...as I was reading your post (not knowing I won) I went- HEY-What's that new printer we got-ink jet or laser- No answer from the peanut gallery. I then say-Nevermind-I was just curious. Then...as I got further and read I won- I asked again- HEY-What's that new printer we got? WHOOO HOOO it is an ink jet...now why am I saying WHOOO HOOO? It's because HE likes an ink jet so I can "have" the (older) laser printer....hahahahahaha

    Thank you so much-I can't believe I won, you silly girl! xo Diana

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  4. Congrats to Nana Diana!

    Suzan, you did something differently from me, you put the gel on the back of the paper. I put mine right on the graphic, so when I put the graphic down on the wood, it was gel to gel. So now I don't know which way is right, although your way worked and so did my way. Maybe I shouldn't question it, lol!

    Nicole
    xox

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  5. Congrats to Diana. I have to say she is one of the sweetest blogger out there so excited for her to win. I can't wait to see what she does with this. Suzan I am impressed you did the number generator thingy you will have to teach me.
    Happy Easter my friend.
    Kris

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  6. Concats to Nana Diana-I'm infatuated with that table and the whole process-I'll wait and let Diana work the kinks out and then bug her to do my cabinet ;-)

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  7. The best type of tutorial is one you can laugh all the way through.

    Loved Step One. "Test on a small surface" in any list of instructions is probably heeded as often as "Read the Terms & Conditions" is on any online download.

    I am envious of NanaDiana, but congrats to her anyway. I am envious of the person who gets to have you come to their house and work magic on their furniture. I suspect that if I ever had that opportunity I would distract you instead with wine and conversation, and a couple of arguments over which one of us gets Anthony Bourdain.

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  8. Hi Suzan,
    Congrats to Diana. So excited for her. Love your table and I just love transfer gel.
    Test on small surface first!! what!! LOL never taken this step either. LOL
    Great tutorial.
    Hugs!!

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  9. Hey Suzan - I just bought some of this transfer gel and am not having much luck. I tried to transfer something with a copy I made on my inkjet printer (standard Epson home printer) and it didn't work AT ALL. Do I need to use a laser jet printed image?

    As for Anthony Bourdain - he's already spoken for by MOI!!!

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  10. Nice product! It should save some time on transfers, good for you. Yay for Diana. Your client will be so happy with gorgeous furniture. She was wise to choose you for the transformation.

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  11. oh my goodness! yeah Nana Diana! have fun "working" :)

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  12. darn it i never win lol cant wait to see the after's I know you'll rock it

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  13. Great and funny tutorial... Congratulations to Diana: in a few days, she won't feel her finger tips anymore, from what I read!

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  14. this is a great tutorial with wonderful photos! I didn't even know about this gel. Thanks for sharing this :)
    Leslie (Gwen Moss)

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  15. But was THIS guy ever a choir boy who sang in some of England's great Cathedrals????? I mean, hey, that's gotta count for something! ;-)

    Congrats to NanaDiana! I'm pinning the tutorial and praying for motivation.♥

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  16. That table looks amazing! I love it.
    We visited a newish stockist over the weekend (yes, Larry & I...first time he's been to one, so he has a better idea of what is going on now!). She went to New Orleans to take classes with Annie Sloan and when she's back she is going to do classes on the transfer gel. She didn't have any in stock the day we were there, will very soon and I can't wait to get using it!
    Congratulations to Nana Diana!!
    Debbie :)

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  17. Oh how fun for Diana! Shes one of the best blogging gals around! I love how the transfer turned out - I'll have to get some of that gel sometime.

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  18. Congrats, Diana!
    I want some, too.
    Are you wealthy yet? Are you planning on being wealthy anytime soon? haha

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  19. Love the tutorial I found a coffee table on the weekend very similar to yours to try this on. My only question is where do I find the transfer gel. Went to a few stores and asked for it and they looked at me like I was from another planet. Can't wait to try it, my hands already look like contractors hands. Love how yours turned out, once I find the gel, I will give it a try, wish me luck.hugs Tobey

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  20. Thank you for the great tutorial!

    Congratulations to Nana Diana for winning this fabulous stuff!

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  21. This is and was a great tutoriaql. This table really is fantastic as I have said.

    Cynthia

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  22. Congrats to you Nana Diana.
    I know you will have fun
    with your win.

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Due to a large amount of spam ( that I'm tired of going back to posts and deleting ) I'll be using comment moderation from now on !!!
Can I beat these spammers at their own game? Probably not - but I'm going
to try my damnedest !!!
xoxo