{something} Pinterest taught Me >> Photo Transfer

Hello, it's Morgan! 

Today I'm going to show you a little {something} pinterest taught me...

...how to transfer a photo to a piece of wood. 

A simple project with a fun, vintage result. 

I followed the instructions I found via Pinterest from DIY Louisville. 

Typically I like projects that have immediate results, but this wasn't that kind of project. It requires drying time; a few hours for the stain and overnight for the photo transfer. Woof.

But as we know, it's all about the process! 

There is nothing worse than doing a project and not having a patient bone in your body to wait any longer to move on to the next step, and then ruining everything you did. 

Thankfully, I stayed patient with this one and got a rewarding return. 

I used an inset wood frame from Michael's to give my picture some depth.

You can use any piece of wood or canvas you wish. 

{Some may not require staining.}

I picked up a tube of rust-oleum {early american} wood stain, blocked off the back with painters tape and stained the frame. 

You want the area that your picture will be transferred to be a light color so that your photo will be rich in its original color.

After the stain has completely dried, it's time to brush on a matte gel.

I used Liquitex/matte gel/medium gel mat/gel mate. Are those all the same thing in different languages? I don't know, but I am typing them all out because I want to make searching for materials as easy as possible for you!

Cover your surface with an even, thick layer.  

I used my home printer and printed my photo in sepia tone on plain white printer paper.

Make sure to mirror image your photo and size it as needed.

Lay it face down over the gel. 

Use a gift/credit/rewards card to smooth out the paper.

Go over the surface several times to rid any crinkles or bumps in the paper.  

In the above pictures, do you see how I got the gel medium on the sides? Try to avoid that. It doesn't dry clear and I had to use a knife to scrap it all off.

After your paper is smooth, put your frame on a high shelf and try to forget about it until the next day. 

The quicker you forget about it, the less brutal the waiting time! 

You want the gel to be COMPLETELY DRY. 

The next day {after ample drying time} spray/drip water over the picture. It is scary at first but I promise you, the water won't ruin anything.

A soaked sponge helps scrub the paper away. 

You are scrubbing and removing the printer paper. 

Once you rid your wood of all wet paper, you will see that you successfully transferred a photo to wood!

The photo I used is of cowboy boots lined up at the Horsebarn of the Camp that I used to work at. 

Full color photos work too! 

A photo transfer would a great DIY gift, party decor, or {something} new for your home. 

You can see what else is inspiring us on Pinterest by following us // The {something} Project.

Peace, Love & Pinterest Projects,
Morgan