Image transfer with Gel Medium

The drypoint I've been working on is finally coming to a close. Last step: image transfer. How? It's easy. Take a photocopy or print something off your home computer (this is what I do so I can first flip the image in Gimp.) Here I have the image--the awesome notebook drawing by Leonardo Da Vinci titled Embryo in the Womb, c 1510--and the receiving paper, which I've tinted with a spot of watercolor. The receiving paper is Rives BFK, but any durable paper should work. I'm also using my gluing book because it's really the most thorough way to glue without wasting good paper.


Coat the receiving paper with a coating of gel medium. I prefer Golden Soft Gel (Matte) in this case because it's very thick and paste like.









Next, put your image face down on the wet, gooey gel medium. Cover with a piece of paper, or better yet, waxed paper to keep stickiness at bay, and burnish with a wooden spoon. Now you need to wait until it's dry. It'll be tempting to get started early, but don't.















Now, dampen the back of your photocopy with wet fingertips and gently rub the paper away.









Now for my piece I'm going to finish up by using pinking shears and then using a black watercolor pencil on the edges. Voila! Now to affix to my print and hang the dang thing at E.A.S.T. Come see it and other works by WPA members and myself at Pump Project Satellite on Nov. 13-14 and 20-21. I'll be doing a collagraph demo and a hands-on gelatin printmaking project during E.A.S.T as well, so if you're interested, click here for times. Hope to see you!!