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 )