Here it is mid-May and I am finally doing my first post of 2015! We all get in ruts from time to time, and the best way out of one is to try something new. Earlier in the year, I saw a couple of posts on Pinterest and Facebook of people transferring photos onto wood, and I was rather intrigued. After viewing several YouTube posts, I was both encouraged--it looked fairly easy and I really loved the effect--and discouraged--all of videos said you had to use laser prints and I print inkjet.
Being a stubborn Yankee, being told I CAN'T do something is a powerful motivator, so I decided to ignore the 'experts' and give it a go using some scrap wood and some misprinted photos that I couldn't sell but couldn't bear to throw away. A little experimentation and I was able to come up with a variety of effects that I really liked--no laser printer required.
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©2015 Eric E. Paige, All Rights Reserved - Fireside Bowl, Logan Square
photo transfer on wood, 5 3/8 inches x 6 7/8 inches x 3/4 in.
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As with a lot of the techniques I employee in my artwork, there is an element of unpredictability that I really love. It's like Fate is your co-creator. There are areas of the photo that don't transfer at all and places where the ink is lighter or darker. The overall effect adds a handmade quality to a photograph, turning something that can be mass produced into something that is one of a kind. The print of the Fireside Bowl was created printing from a print on plain paper. Because the paper wasn't coated and was thinner than photo paper, the ink was prone to fading during the transfer process and uneven coverage in areas where the paper wrinkled or bubbled. This particular piece had a fairly hefty coating of transfer medium, which enhanced the wrinkles and bubbles, which I think adds to the vintage feel of the piece. You can see more of my Fireside Bowl shots and learn their backstory by
clicking here
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©2015 Eric E. Paige, All Rights Reserved - Bicycles, Logan Square
photo transfer on cradled birch block, 5 inches x 7 inches x 1 in. |
The photo of the bicycles was printed on a glossy photo paper, which made for a much more saturated transfer. This piece also had a fairly heavy coat of medium, which resulted in some uneven transfer, but again, I think it adds to the finished piece. As pleased as I was with the results, I wanted to have more control over how evenly I could apply pressure to the photo and the block. I ended up building a small press, which I will post about in the near future.
The photo of the magnolia is one of the most recent pieces and is a culmination of the different techniques. The block was coated with a color shifting interference paint that gives the lightest areas a glow that changes with the angle of the lighting. For this piece, I used my press. Though there were still some areas of uneven coverage, the results were more consistent than with some of my earlier work. The current collection of photo blocks can be found on my website by
clicking here
I've also added two collections of monoprints, but that's a story for the next blog post. Stay tuned!
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