Hey there, crafty friends!
Since it is the very last day of 2016, I thought I'd share a product with you that may remind you of something old, but is really something very new! Out with the old; in with the new!
I'd like to chat with you a little bit today about a new product from X-Press It, called Transfer Paper. It comes in both Graphite & White colors with 20 full 8-1/2 x 11 sheets in each package. Now, before you say, "Wait a minute, this is not a new product!", let me tell you, friends... This is not the messy carbon paper from your childhood! You won't get any permanent smudgy black ink all of yourself and everything you're working on with this product!
Check out the amazing properties of this product:
- Inkjet compatible- print any image onto transfer paper
- Easy to transfer pattern- using stylus, pencil or pen
- A4 (210 x 297 mm/8.27 x 11.69"); 20 Sheets
- Ideal for tracing onto a wide variety of surfaces (e.g. paper, wood, metal, glass, fabric, canvas etc.)
- Acid free
- Wax free
- Non smudging
- Easily erases like pencil
- Washes out of fabric
This is some pretty sweet stuff! There are a number of ways you can use Transfer Paper, including with your own hand-drawn images, with photos printed from your computer, or in the fabulous world of hand lettering...and so much more! If you haven't seen it yet, the amazing Jennifer Dove created a fabulous tutorial over on the Imagination International site. Check it out HERE, and be prepared to be WOWED!
I've been using it quite a bit recently as I practice my hand lettering techniques.
I began by drawing out my design on an appropriately sized sheet of copy paper or graph paper, depending on the project. I f you look closely at the image above, you'll see that I carefully measured this out, so that my angles would be fairly straight, and the layout would fill the paper nicely.
Once I had it all drawn out on paper, I then used removable tape to adhere that paper over a same-sized piece of transfer paper. I then taped that to the final paper I wanted to use for my project. In this case it was a piece of kraft cardstock; so I could have used either the Graphite or the White Transfer Paper. If I was using white paper for my final piece, I would have to use Graphite Transfer Paper, so I could see it. Make sense?
Then I use a fine pencil to trace the lines of my letters (or images, depending on what I'm working on), putting a bit more pressure on the pencil than I would if I was just writing normally.
Once I transferred the entire design to my final piece, I was able to go over it with a more permanent pen, then color and decorate it as I wished. I will add a fun border and frame to this piece to finish it off.
The single letter project above needs to be much more precise and symmetrical in design; so I drew it out on graph paper first, rather than copy paper.
Once I had the design just how I wanted it, I used a sheet of Graphite Transfer Paper to transfer it to my final paper, which in this case is X-Press It Blending Card.
I was then able to trace over it with a more permanent black Copic Multiliner, add some fun designs, and color as I wished with Copic Markers. Once it's finished, it should be a pretty & cheerful design...perhaps as part of a card or other project for my daughter, Abbi. As you can see, I made a key of the colors I used on the side, knowing that I would more than likely forget when I got back to finish the project.
One of my next projects with the Transfer Paper is a photograph that I took, and would really love to turn into an art piece of my own. The fact that this stuff is printable, erasable, and acid free has me sold for life! I promise to share my project once I've completed it!
Have an amazing last day of 2016, friends!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!
~Cindy