There are many ways to transfer an image onto a canvas or other surface, here we'll show you two methods using acrylic gel medium. As acrylic medium dries it bonds to whatever molecules it can find, in this case it will bond to the ink or toner in photocopies and other printed materials, leaving a lasting acrylic image behind.

What You'll Need:

• Acrylic Gel Medium (Gloss or Matte)
• Paintbrush (Flat or Bright)
• Printmaking Baren or Roller
• Photocopies, Color Prints or Newspaper and Magazine Images
• A surface to Transfer on to (Canvas, Artist Panel, Wood)
• A container of water
• A sponge (optional)

Direct Transfer:

With the direct transfer method you will be placing your photocopied image onto your surface, this will give you a mirror image, so if you have text that you want to remain legible it's best to flip the image before printing it using Photoshop or another program. Start by putting a thin layer of acrylic gel medium onto your photocopy. Too much will cause the image to slip around and too little will prevent the image from transferring. You want to use just enough to make the surface tacky. Now, lay it face down on your surface (we've chosen an artist panel).

You'll need to smooth out any lumps of medium and create a nice solid contact between your board and photocopy. We're using a printmaking brayer, but a baren is also effective and can apply a great deal more pressure. If you dont have either of these, the back of a spoon or other smooth tool will work (make sure its smooth, you don't want it sticking to the paper as it may cause your image to shift). Allow the medium to dry for 10-15 minutes then peel back a corner to see if the image has transfered. If some of the image has not transfered and the medium is still wet, flatten it back down and wait an additional 10-15 minutes.

Now it's time to remove the excess paper from your canvas. When the paper is gone only the image should be left behind. Take a drop of water on your fingertip and gently rub away the paper, your image should begin to appear darker and more pronounced. For this step some like to use a sponge to remove the paper, but using your finger allows you to really feel when the paper is gone and only the surface of your canvas or panel remains.

Now that all the paper is removed you can see the image transfered onto your surface. Here is where you can have some fun with additonal layers of acrylic paint (if your an oil painter you can paint over the acrylic medium just as easily, but you won't be able to adhere any more acrylic transfers). We're going to add a little color to this map, first with a layer of blue violet (ultramarine + alizarin crimson) mixed with a hearty amount of our gel medium (for added translucence).

An additional layer of burnt sienna (in this case, a watery glaze) adds a nice earth tone and now we're ready to move on to the next style of transfer. We'll be putting this transfer right over top of our current image.

Acrylic Image Transfer:

This time we'll use a color image. This is a color copy, but magazine images work just as well. Coat your image with your gel medium, at least three coats, allowing time to dry in between. The first horizontal, the second vertical and the third on a diagonal, this will prevent gaps in your acrylic. Allow it to dry for at least four hours, giving the medium ample time to soak up the ink. *You can get as thick as you want to create a textured surface, but it will extend drying time and you may have to wait a day or two before you can continue your transfer.* When your medium is completely dry soak your image in luke warm water for 20-30 minutes.

Remove the image from it's bath and lay it out on wax paper and paper towels. After all that soaking your image may appear milky, don't worry, as it dries the medium will become clear again. Turn the image over and you should be able to peel off the paper. Check a small piece to make sure it's working. If the paper is not coming off you may need to return it to the bath.

Lay the image face down on the wax paper and roll the excess paper off the back. As it dries you may see remnants of paper begin to reappear. You can take a drop of water and rub it away (similar to what we did with the direct transfer). Now that all the paper is off it's time to allow your image to dry before adding it to your canvas. Layer it between sheets of wax paper and paper towels and place something flat and heavy on it (we're using a few copies of our favorite periodical, the 2008 Utrecht Resource Guide).

Once dry, you can trim your image and apply it to your canvas or panel. Apply a thin layer of medium to the area of the panel where you're placing the image. When you're satisfied with the positioning add another coat over top to create a tight seal. When the medium dries you can see the great translucent effect this gives to your work. You can add as many layers of images, glazes and medium as you want and you can paint right over top. Feel free to experiment!