Thursday, June 16, 2016

PACKING TAPE TRANSFERS

Years ago when I first got interested in all things paper and mixed media, I tried a technique called Packing Tape Transfers.  These were done using magazine images and ordinary clear packing tape (like Sellotape but is generally about 48mm or 2" wide).  They worked really well and I wanted to do a class using this technique.  Problem is, magazine images don't really lend themselves to atc's as either the size is wrong or the subject is not what you're after.  

So find some images, print them onto your normal printer paper and head off to your local copy shop that uses colour toner/laser printers and get them to do some copies for you.  Lay down the packing tape over the image, generally you have to add two skinny strips down each side if you want it to be the right size for atc's and you do need to overlap this join slightly.  Then burnish well and place the image that's covered with the packing tape into a glass of water and leave soak for a couple of minutes.  Pull it out and start to rub off the paper that's on the back.  It will pill up and roll away, keep going until  you've removed all of your paper pulp and your image from the laser copier will have transferred to the packing tape.  Let this dry and generally the stickiness comes back and you then just attach it over a background of your choice... book paper or light coloured smooth backgrounds work well!  

On the "Wanty" atc below I've stitched around the edge as well for a different look and on others I've gone for some sort of a framed effect.

"Casket"...

"Haunting"...

"Wanty"...

"Eternal Love"...

"A happy colour"... (the edge on this one is
black texture paste with a pewter wax over it)