Introduction: How to Transfer an Image to Wood | Image Transfer Medium Tutorial

About: Country Chic Paint is a beautiful clay-based furniture paint specifically designed for DIYers with a love for refinishing furniture and home decor. This fabulous paint is ultra low VOC and contains little to n…

How fun would it be if you could transfer intricate designs to your projects??!!

Well, with this fabulous product you can transfer any design to painted furniture, signs, etc.!!! And you can also use it for decoupage if that's more your thing.

All of the products used in this tutorial can be found on our website at www.countrychicpaint.com.

Have fun creating with this great new product! Think about all the fun projects you can do. The possibilities are endless! Here’s how to do it...

Step 1: Paint Your Piece

Image Transfers will work best on a piece that has been previously painted. Shake and stir your paint and apply at least one coat to your piece. Let it dry for at least one hour before proceeding, but overnight is best.

Step 2: Select an Image to Transfer

Select an image that you would like to apply to your piece and print it out on regular, white printer paper. We highly recommend using a laser printer or photocopier as opposed to inkjet printed images to ensure your transfer will be sharp and clear with vibrant colors.

Keep in mind that your image will be backwards when you transfer it, so if you're using any text, you'll need to mirror the image before you print it, as shown in the picture above.

If you would like to transfer a photograph, scan it and print it first. Glossy photos have a protective seal on them that won't allow the image to transfer properly onto your furniture.

After you've printed the image, we suggest cutting off any excess paper so you can see where your picture is being applied more accurately. This will also reduce labor later on!

Step 3: Apply Image Transfer Medium

You can apply the transfer medium with a foam brush either directly to your piece, or onto the paper (printed side up). For a small surface like this, you can easily paint directly on the furniture surface. Make sure you cover the entire area evenly, but don't use a thick layer or you could end up with discoloration later on.

Step 4: Apply Your Image

Immediately after applying the Image Transfer Medium, place your paper image side down onto your project surface. Use a putty knife, and old credit card, or even just your fingers to smooth out the bubbles. The transfer medium will begin to dry fairly quickly so try not to move the paper once you've put it down on your piece.

Let it dry for at least 2 hours before proceeding to the next step, but longer is better.

Step 5: Peel Off the Paper

After giving your image a few hours to dry (overnight is best) you can peel off the top layer of paper. You don't want to remove too much and risk damaging your image, but peeling off the top layer will reduce the amount of elbow grease required in the next step.

Step 6: Rub Off Any Remaining Paper

Using a damp lint-free rag, gently rub off the remaining paper. If you find you're taking the image off as well, stop rubbing and let the transfer dry a few more hours before trying again. If you see a white layer still remaining after your piece has dried, you'll need to go over it again with a damp cloth as there are still trace amounts of paper remaining on your image.

Step 7: Sand the Edges

If you find the edges of your image aren't blending well with the rest of your project, you can use sandpaper to help smooth the edges down.

Step 8:

Watch this video to see company co-founder, Rosanne using Image Transfer Medium first hand!