XEROGRAPHIC IMAGE TRANSFER PROJECT  2007 Mary Bailey Thomas, “Joy in the Morning”, Photo transfer from a black and white silver gelatin print developed in an analog darkroom, scanned and printed off a color laser printer and then worked with prisma colored pencils.

 Mary Bailey Thomas, “Bethabara Historic Park Log Cabin Steps”, 2007 Citra-solv Transfer on the left and finished Photo Transfer on the right after working into the image with prisma-colored pencils. Digital image printed on a color laser printer before transferring to “hot press” watercolor paper.

This image was shot by my father using color slide film in 1954 while our family lived in U S Naval Guantanamo Base in Cuba. Every Sunday after church we would go to the “club” for lunch. I am the little girl in the background chasing a butterfly! I scanned the slide then using Citra-solv I transferred the image to “hot press” watercolor paper. I finished the piece by drawing onto the image with prisma-color pencils and pastels. Using a solvent you may transfer a B/W or color copy image onto a surface. The transferred image is a reversal of the original image – be aware of this if you have an image that has text on it as you will need to scan and “flip” the image so that the text prints correctly.  Mary Bailey Thomas, “Sis Mom and Mary Elizabeth On a Sunday”, Women in the Arts Exhibition Keenan Art Institute Grant, April 2007 NC School of the Arts.

The focal point of your work must be your own personal photographic image /images or from family photographic images. – You may incorporate other images that contribute to the overall effect of the artwork if they are family photographs or images that are a minor part of the composition for effect or meaning. – If you use an image from a magazine or someone’s artwork you must significantly change the appearance of the image and they can only be a minor contributing part of your finished art composition. Know copyright laws and what you can use legally! – You are required to re-work the image transfer in an artistic manner with the media or medium of your choice.

Solvents for Transferring Most are quite nasty so we will be using only Citra- Solv in our class as the fumes are non-toxic and it has a pleasant citrus odor that will not overwhelm the classroom. We only use color laser prints as ink jet prints do not work with Citra-solv solution. Ink jet prints inks do not penetrate the paper they sit on the surface.

Better solvents: Citra-solv concentrate, Grumbacher brand "Grumtine" (an orange- scented turpentine alternative), or try essential oils: peppermint, wintergreen, etc. You may need to experiment to find which solvent works best with your original image. Caustic solvents: paint remover, lacquer thinner, gasoline, xylene, broad tip pen (Eberhard/Faber Castelli "Design Marker" or Chartpack brand). You may not use any of these methods for our projects. I mention them only as a precaution as I know that many of you research the web for project ideas and these methods are out there.

Making Larger Copies to Transfer We have had success making enlargements and copies at Kinko’s, but not all their color printers’ work. It has to do with the type of ink or toner the machine uses. We take a small amount of Citra-solv solution in a film canister to test before enlarging or making multiple copies at a commercial copy business.

Place the image face down to transfer onto a watercolor or hot press paper, cloth, wood, frosted acetate, drafting velum, etc. Be willing to experiment before making your final choice for your project. Tape it in two spots on the edge to keep it from shifting as you work. This also allows you lift the edge gently to “peek” to see the progress you are making while burnishing the image to transfer it.

Using a cotton ball apply a small amount of the Citra-solv concentrated solution on the back of the taped down image. As you apply the solution you will begin to see the image as in the example to the left.

To transfer, rub the back of your original with a bone or ceramic flat tool, spoon, hard plastic squeegee, or use a roller/brayer. I use a wooden ceramic tool and find that works well.

I burnish in several different directions across the whole image. It is similar to the “cross-hatching technique” of drawing. The even strokes and pressure ensure a great transfer of the ink from the image.

Lift the edge that is not taped down to “peek” to see the progress you are making transferring the image. Gently re-apply a small amount to areas that need additional “burnishing” before removing the image copy paper.

Finishing the Project Ask others for their opinions as you work. Be sure to view your work from a distance before finalizing the project I sometimes “meditate” on a piece and let it sit for several days before finalizing my project. Ryan asks my opinion as she is hand-coloring her transfer piece.

To finish your transferred image art composition use prisma- color pencils, pastels, paints, inks, markers, pencil, etc. to add final artistic touches for the critique exhibition. You may also elect to incorporate the transfer into a mixed media collaged piece. © Ryan Wallace AP Photo 2008 “Ryan and Beau”, Citra-solv Transfer onto Cold Press Watercolor Paper finished with Prisma-colored Pencils. Finishing the Project

EXPERIMENT... TAKE CHANCES! The following are a few examples of other paper surfaces with transferred imagery Citra-solv transfer of a digital image printed using a laser color printer. The effect is very “impressionistic” after transferring the copy to CANVAS PAPER. It does not transfer as well because the surface of the canvas is not as absorbent.

Canvas Paper

School Grade Watercolor Paper

Wooden Birdhouses

Hot Press Watercolor Paper

Handmade Paper

Tracing Paper

Acid-free foam core board with a matte surface

This is a black and white silver gelatin print scanned, laser printed and then transferred using Citra-solv on cold press watercolor paper

I have used this process on metal surfaces; if you wish to try it you must prepare the metal first by sanding it in several different directions thus creating a “tooth” on the surface of the object. After you sand the surface make sure that it is clean and dry before attempting the image transfer onto the metal. After the transferred image completely dries you will have to add varnish or lacquer over the image or it will rust with the passage of time. Insert image of metal transfer

Wooden Birdhouses

This method is useful for making large-scale composite works. *Robert Rauschenberg is famous for incorporating transferred images in his work.

“Born with the name Milton Rauschenberg in Port Arthur, Texas,Port Arthur, Texas Robert Rauschenberg became one of the major artists of his generation and is credited along with Jasper Johns ofJasper Johns breaking the stronghold of AbstractAbstract ExpressionismExpressionism. Rauschenberg was known for assemblage, conceptualistassemblageconceptualist methods, printmaking, and willingness To experiment with non-artistic materials—all innovations that anticipated later Movements such as PopPop ArtArt, Conceptualism, and Minimalism.”ConceptualismMinimalism ^^ Robert Rauschenberg in "The Century's 25Robert Rauschenberg in "The Century's 25 Most Influential Artists"Most Influential Artists" (html). ARTnews, May 1999 issue. ARTnewsMay 1999 Combine  Robert Rauschenberg 1963, Untitled

All Images by Robert Rauschenberg and are copyrighted.

Other Uses for Transfer Images: I have used transferred imagery to create repeat patterns or to create symmetrical or asymmetrical imagery or to design abstract images for silk-screening. This is a laser print of a digital image shot at Bethabara Historic Park of an old fortress fence.

Make Multiple Copies of the image – normal and reversed.

Transfer the images matching up the images.

Is this symmetrical or asymmetrical?

This imagebecomes this pattern when repeated and flipped

Oh, the possibilities!