Mod Podge Image Transfer
The Keys to Success That No One Told You About
Let me preface by saying that I am not a blogger. At least not in the sense that I blog regularly. I am also not an affiliate, sponsor, or advertiser for any products mentioned. I simply want to spread informative information on what I learned that attributed to my success. Additionally, let me disclose that this blog is about my experiences with transferring images to wood. These tips may also apply to other types of surfaces, but I cannot speak on that behalf.
Lately, I've been doing a bit of wood working and more recently took on the task of building my first piece of furniture. My wife and I wanted a simple design with a finish in mind that we could not seem to find in retail. Long story short, the project turned out fantastic and I felt a momentum to take on more new and exciting challenges that I had never done before. One such project came about when my mother and father in law recently lost their dog, Gunner. I wanted to do something special for them that would attribute to his memory and having seen my father in the past dabble with image transferring on wood, I decided to give it a shot.
Most people who know me would tell you that I am a very methodical person who likes to do thorough research before taking on any sort of project. And so I went on to watch countless videos and read others' blogs to help me prepare for achieving a successful result.
Of all of the projects I had taken on recently, perhaps this was the most frustrating. Every video and blog about Mod Podge image transfers seemed like the last. Prepare the surface, reverse and print the image on regular paper with a laser printer, apply the medium with a sponge brush, place image over the surface and let dry for 24 hours. Once dry, dampen with a cloth and begin rubbing the image off with a damp cloth, but careful to not apply too much pressure. It may take a couple of passes or so with a drying time in between each. Pretty simple, cut and dry, right?
Well if you're anything like me, it didn't quite pan out that way. I struggled to remove the image in any sort of effective way. Too hard, and the image came off. Too light, and I couldn't get the paper off. I redid one of the three images I was working on 8 TIMES. Which anyone who has had to redo one knows, it is frustrating to re-sand the surface down, go through the process and wait another 24 hours. So I went back to the the blogs and videos to see what I was missing. Some were claiming that they got "so good at it" that they were getting the entire image off in one pass. Others claimed it took upwards of 10-15 passes. What gives?
I tend to be a little scientific when it comes to figuring things out and had some theories that I tried researching on the internet. There was nothing on them at all. So what next? Time to experiment. I mean, at this point a week and a half had gone by so I was invested. Not to mention, I refuse to throw in the towel and say that I am not good at something. So I will address my findings in an effort to save you from the headaches I endured. First and foremost:
MOD PODGE IMAGE TRANSFER VS MOD PODGE PHOTO TRANSFER
Yes there is a difference. Image transfer is thinner and clear. Photo transfer is thick and white. Photo transfer dries white and if your image is cut out, it will be slightly raised. Photo transfer also produces an opaque image. Image Transfer is thin, does not produce a "halo" around a cut-out image, does not cause the image to be raised, and the final image will be translucent, meaning that it will show wood grain in light or white areas. The photos attached to this blog are of the Image Transfer medium.
PAPER MATTERS... A LOT!
Yes. Despite what you have read by other users and even the company itself, the type of paper matters. I know this first hand after trying various types of paper and experimenting. On my first several attempts, I struggled with getting the paper off the wood surface. It would look great at first, but once it dried, it was cloudy to the point of barely seeing the image through it. During my first 7 tries of one image, I had tried everything from different cloths to different sponges, to different amounts of pressure, to different amounts of dampness to the amount of time I gave it to dry. NONE OF IT MATTERED. I had a crazy thought to try some different brands and types of paper. The very next paper I tried right out of the gate made a MASSIVE difference in my experience and my success. I do not know what type of paper I had loaded into my printer at first since I had thrown the packaging away. However, I went to compare it to several other packages of paper by holding it up against a bright window and looking at the fiber composition. Guess what? Recycled paper doesn't work well. I cannot confirm with certainty the reasons why or if it was just that brand of paper, but I switched to Staples M Multipurpose Paper 20lb and I could immediately see the difference. When I applied the Mod Podge to the same image, the paper was much more frail. So much so that when I picked it up to prepare to apply it, it tore. I was not used to being delicate since the other paper seemed to be stronger. I gave it its full 24 hours before dampening the image and beginning to rub it off. I was absolutely shocked. After only one pass, the paper had come off so easily and so well that it barely needed a second pass.
So why has no one mentioned this? My assumption is that people who were successful were lucky enough to unknowingly have the correct paper and people who were not, threw the bottle of Mod Podge in the closet, never to be used again, assuming they were just not good at it.
So if you're struggling with your image, try changing your paper. I'm betting that it makes a world of difference. Now, three days later, I am almost mass producing Mod Podge image transfers on wood.
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| After first pass |
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| After second pass |
Other notable tips:
DRYING TIME
I have found that 24 hours is far more than enough time for drying. I have successfully pulled off images with no issues in as little as 10 hours drying time (I haven't pushed the envelope further yet). Mind you, the images I have done have been limited to 8x10 size.
Between passes, DO allow enough drying time in between the passes for removing paper. Typically 2 hours is safe (more is better). DO NOT USE A HAIRDRYER to speed up drying time, despite what others tell you. This provides a false sense of sufficient dryness as it only dries the surface of the image and the remaining paper residue. The reason that this is important is that water re-activates the medium which is the entire reason images get rubbed off to begin with. Under the surface, if the transfer medium is still damp, even though it appears dry on the surface, you risk more easily rubbing the image off accidentally.
UNDER PRESSURE
I won't go too far into this, but one person's "medium" pressure may not be the same as another's. So the best I can tell you is that on a scale of 1-10, use a 4 or 5 on the first pass, and a 2-3 on the later passes. Why? Because the image has been dampened previously and you are more likely to be dealing with some level of re-activated medium. For what it's worth, on an image that I messed up with, I experimented with various pressures. You would be surprised at how hard you can rub without the image coming off. However, there are certain small areas where the image may not be adhered as evenly or that may be a little more saturated with water (especially when dealing with wood since wood's porousness isn't consistent). Which is why it is better to err on the side of caution.
YOUR FINGER IS YOUR FRIEND
On later passes where you are simply trying to get small amounts of paper residue off or perhaps some stubborn areas, use your finger. Not the cloth or sponge. I do this by slightly dampening the area and lightly moving the pad (skin) of my index finger around in a swirling motion. If you didn't over-dampen the spot, you will feel the area become dry within seconds of swirling your finger and you will also feel the tiny bits of paper balling up under your finger. You can continue to repeat this on stubborn spots. Additionally, the use of your finger allows you to more accurately feel how much pressure you are applying as well as its effectiveness for making that area smooth and removing residue.
APPLYING THE MEDIUM
You do not need to over-saturate the image with medium. A simple coat will do. And do not confuse the directions for Mod Podge Photo Transfer medium with Mod Podge Image Transfer medium. They are very different! Photo Transfer Medium is much thicker and opaque (white), while Image Transfer is much thinner and clear. That means that if you're using Image Transfer medium, then the instructions that you've probably read for "putting enough on that you can't see the image" DO NOT apply to you. That would be WAY too much medium. Just make sure you can see that all parts of the image are wet. Which brings me to my next tip.
DON'T TRY TO BE TOO SMOOTH
If you put too much medium on and then go to smooth out your image with a brayer, then you will cause thickened lines in your image that could look milky and raised after you remove the paper. This will give the illusion that there is still paper residue when in fact there isn't. This can also be caused by using too much pressure when smoothing out the wrinkles and air bubbles after applying your image to the surface. For this reason, I don't like using a credit card or flat surface to do so. A few light rolls with the brayer is sufficient.
ON THE EDGE OF YOUR SEAT... AND YOUR PROJECT
When removing the paper residue on the edges of your image or project surface, remove them by pushing outward off of the image. This will help keep you from peeling up the image at the edges or making your edges look "tattered" or "torn" (unless that is what you're going for).
FINAL TOPCOAT
I will say that I have tried a number of protective topcoats, from Mod Podge Matte to Mod Podge Spray Sealer in Matte to Krylon. I wanted to preserve the dull, natural wood look as much as possible. Mod Podge Matte will need to be painted on. The best way to do this if you want for it to be smooth without brush stroke marks or ridges from the sponge brush, is to use a nylon sock on a paint pad to apply it. It probably still wont be perfect, but if not, you can use a very fine grit sandpaper such as 320 or 400, dampen the sandpaper, and lightly move across the image in the direction of the wood grain. It will become milky again but but will eventually dry clear. Then finish it with #0000 Steel wool. The Mod Podge Matte sealer will leave a sheen to your image. It will also raise any tiny leftover paper residue on your image. But you can remove both the paper residue and the sheen with #0000 steel wool. For me, the easiest and fastest way to preserve the natural image was using Krylon's Matte Sealer, chalky finish, clear. It sprays on very easily, dries quickly, and is completely invisible as if you never coated or sealed it after the image.
I hope that this post was informative and will give some insight to folks who are struggling with this, but if you follow these simple steps, you will be a pro in no time.Feel free to comment and let me know if this has helped you or if you have any additional questions.
