Photo Transfer to Mod Podge 44 Transfer to Mirror Using Transparencies 45 Image Transfer Gallery 46

1 Staunton, Virginia (2011) Hand painted texture (page 49)

2 Spice up your photos

Creative and experimental photography techniques to put a spark in your photos

3 Spice up your photos. Copyright © 2012 by Nitsa Malik. Ideas suggestions and techniques discussed in this book are free to use but no part of this book may reproduced in any form or means except by a reviewer who can quote some text in review.

Parts of this book were published in previous books by Nitsa (I am Not an Artist & So Much More than Photography) as well as on More than Photography Experimental and Creative Photography blog MuchMorethanPhotography.com

Copyediting: David Morgan and Ryan Malone. Photo editorial and layout advice: George Kleiman

Photos,images,Text,methods,layout and design: Nitsa Malik

Email: [email protected]

Special thanks and lots of love to Amit, Sivan and Noa. Also many thanks to David Morgan, George Kleiman, Steve Moulton, John Lowen and Bentzi Kalush for your support and advice. And thanks to Amit for lending her hands.

Cover design: Nitsa Malik Published in December 2012

4 5 Sky Meadows, Virginia. Salt print on Strathmore Bristol paper. (page 84) Contents Introduction 8 Chapter 1: Image and photo transfers 11 Basic image transfer (inkjet) 12 Transferring with transparencies 16 Xerox (photocopy) image transfer 17 Test transfer 18 Packing tape transfer 19 Paint transfer 20 Mixed media transfer 22 Simple mixed media transfer 24 Advanced mixed media transfer 26 Photo transfer to tile, mirror or glass 30 Wall art series 31 Gel layer transfer 32 Aluminium foil transfer 35 Transfer to Polaroid 36 Paint a transfer 38 More transfer ideas 40 Simple inkjet transfer 42 Photo transfer to Mod Podge 44 Transfer to mirror using transparencies 45 Image transfer gallery 46

Chapter 2: Texture and Layers 49 Canvas background layer 52 Aging color photo with coffee 54 Adding texture to a photo 56 Quick Photoshop texture tutorial 58 Make your own textures 60 Texture from a book cover 60 Texture from mixed media collage I 61 Texture from mixed media collage II 62 Working with textures and layers 64 Textures gallery 65

Chapter 3: Hand-coloring photos 67 Watercolor painting 68 Oils on photo paper 70 Oils on canvas 71

6 Colroing with pencils 72 Gouache paints 74 Inks 74 Acrylic paints 75 Freestyling 76 Distressed /Modified prints 78

Chapter 4: Alternative photography 81 Paper negatives 82 Salted paper printing 84 Cyanotypes (sun prints) 95 Final thoughts 102

By the Shenandoah river. Berryville, Virginia (2009) Texture layer (page 56)

7 How did you do it?

Quite often I am asked to explain how I made a certain image, and quite often I say “oh it’s really simple! This is a salt print from paper negative on watercolor paper that I exposed by the window for couple of hours and….” For some reason at this point the listener turns away and leaves. Hey you asked me! This book contains numerous photographic processes I learned, discovered and developed over the last few years. The collection of methods presented here employs the use of digital photos, easy computer processing and some fun hands-on practices. With the help of a few easy to obtain materials you will be able to turn your favorite photos into works of art and even have fun while you’re making the magic happen.

What do you need to know about the author of this book? ok, so before going any further, I ought to give you a fair warning so you know what you’re getting here: I am not a professional photographer, I didn’t learn photography in a school or any other structured training program, I don’t like gallery openings, I refuse to work as a photographer, and I still feel uncomfortable selling my photographic prints. (Phew, it feels real good to come clean!) Everything (or the little) I did learn is through some observation and mostly as a result of a good deal of practice which truly means lots of trials and countless errors. However, one of the most important things I found out along the way is that I DIDN’T HAVE to study photography and I definitely DIDN’T HAVE to learn the rules or guidelines of good photography in order to truly enjoy discovering the art of photography and even come up with some nice looking photos every now and then.

And one more thing This book is not going to teach you how to take better photos or how to use your digital camera. It is not going to teach you any photoshop skills either. The goal of the book is to share numerous ways to present your photos artistically. You will see how easy it is to take your ordinary pictures to the next level and you don’t need to attend an art school or have any special skills to utilize these creative techniques.

Opposite page: Couple. Santa Monica 2002 8 Modified print (page 78) 9 Hopefully you’re now ready (and excited) to get your hands dirty. As you’ll find out here, photography does not have to be limited to the camera or the darkroom. One of the best things about the methods in this chapter is the opportunity to have direct contact with the artwork. And again, no exceptional talent or skill is required, although a bit of enthusiasm is definitely a must.

Venice Beach, California Inkjet transfer (page 42)

10 Image and photo transfers

Traditionally when people talked about image transfers they were really talking about Polaroid image transfers. Now, as Polaroid discontinued production of film in 2007, image transfers are often done using digital photos and various transfer materials.

The term image transfer refers to the process of removing an image from one surface and placing it onto another. Other than the obvious value of this process which allows transferring an image from an inkjet printer into any surface, also the effect it has on the final image can be quite pleasing.

All the photo transfer processes here are the product of many experiments, endless trial and error, So even though these techniques are not difficult they might take some practice to master. So don't be discouraged if your first transfers do not turn out the way you envisioned them.

11 Basic IMAGE TRANSFER (inkjet) What you need:

• Inkjet Printer • Standard weight printer paper • Transfer medium • Receiving surface • UV-resistant clear finish

This is one the most basic methods of transferring inkjet printouts from one surface to another and so a good place to start. It is fairly Inkjet printer straightforward and quite enjoyable to do.

For this process you will need the following supplies: an inkjet printer, standard weight paper, a transfer medium, and a surface to transfer the image to.

You don’t need a fancy printer and any low end printer will do. The images you are going to be Standard printing don’t need to be of high resolution and inkjet paper are going to be printed onto a standard printer paper.

Image transfers can be done using different transfer mediums such as Mod Podge, Gesso, Gel Medium, wintergreen oil, acrylic caulk, acrylic paint and so on. Each one of these methods will provide you with a different appearance to your Mod Podge final transfer. After you experiment with different products you will be able to determine which one to use for a specific project depending on the end result you’re after. I often choose to make my transfers using Mod Podge though that’s entirely a matter of personal preference.

Photo paper

12 Mod Podge is a water based all-in-one medium; sealer, glue and finish. It is available in gloss or matte and is most commonly used in decoupage applications. If you want to learn everything possible about Mod Podge check out Amy’s Mod Podge Rocks blog at: modpodgerocksblog.com/

The receiving surface can be anything from card stock, photo paper, canvas, watercolor, wood panel, ceramic tile, mirror etc. Experimenting with different surfaces can be one of the most enjoyable things about image transfer.

After your transfer is done, it’s a good idea to protect it with UV-resistant clear coating or a product called Preserve It! (Krylon), so that your transfer has a longer, happier life span.

13 Now on to the details:

1. Set your printer to normal or standard settings. Next, print a mirror image of your photo onto a standard weight printer paper (it is very important that you Cover your printout with the don’t print your image on photo transfer medium paper,or it is just not going to work!) 2. Brush a good amount (but not too much) of Mod Podge on the printout photo. You can substitute the Mod Podge with any other transfer medium like gel medium or gesso. 3. Place the wet printout face-down Place the printout face-down onto the photo paper you want to onto the receiving surface. transfer your image to (or any other surface of your choice), press down on it with your fingers, When the transfer is dry begin 4. Some people use a brayer to peeling off the paper. smooth the paper and get rid of the air bubbles, but you can just use your fingers or any other similar tool. 5. At this point you can place a heavy book on top of your transfer to flatten and Moisten the back of the image strengthen the bond between the and rub off the excess paper. printout and the background surface (and you thought you’d never pick up that book off the shelf! Ha!). 6. Wait a few minutes for the Mod Podge to dry (but don’t wait too long, as the Mod Podge acts just like glue) and then peel off the original printout as much as you can. 7. Now, the final step is to moisten your fingers or spray the back of the printout with water, and GENTLY rub off the left-over paper until you have the transfer entirely revealed. DONE!

14 Tip As you are going to acquire some experience with the different methods of image transfer, you might one day realize your transfers are too… well, too perfect. And a perfect transfer can be quite dull. In fact, one of the best traits of image transfers is their flawed appearance that makes each transfer unique. So since the outcome and quality of the transfer depends on the image you choose to transfer, you might want to consider those “unsuccessful” images. They can be pictures that turned out blurry, underexposed, overexposed, noisy and so on. Otherwise, you can always use good pictures and simply modify them in Photoshop; age or distress them before printing and transferring. (The bottom image was distressed using texture layers - page 56)

Windowsill. G. Washington’s Headquarters, Valley Forge. Mod Podge image transfer.

15 Transferring with transparencies

What you need: • Inkjet Printer • Inkjet Transparencies • Gel medium • Receiving surface • UV-resistant clear finish

This method is quite similar to the basic image transfer except the image is printed onto an inkjet transparency film. 1. Set your printer to inkjet transparencies settings and print a mirror-image of your photo into the non- shiny side of the transparency. 2. Coat the background of your choice with Gel Medium and place the image side of the transparency face down onto the background surface. 3. Smooth the transparency softly with your fingers to remove any air bubbles and to help transfer the ink. 4. Lift the transparency to reveal the transfer.

16 Xerox (photocopy) image transfer A Xerox photocopy is a toner based copy of an image or a photo made on a xerographic copying machine, which can be done at any copy center such as Kinkos.

What you need: The Grove, Los Angeles. • Laser photocopy Xerox photo transfer to photo paper (black & white or color) • Transfer medium such as Mod Podge, gel medium or gesso • Receiving surface • A water spray bottle • UV-resistant clear finish

1. Select a color or black & white photo that has a good contrast, (make sure it is a mirror image, especially if it has text)and make a photocopy of it. 2. Brush a good amount of the transfer medium on the background surface, place the photocopy face down onto the background and smooth out any air bubbles. 3. Let the transfer completely dry for as much as 24 hours. 4. Spray the back of the photocopy with water and begin rubbing the paper off with your fingers. You can also use a soft sandpaper or anything else that might help you rub off the paper. You will need to repeat this step a few times until all the paper is gone. 5. Protect the transfer with a clear17 UV-resistant finish. Test transfer A great way of experimenting with image transfers is to make a fun test piece where you can try out different materials. Choose any size canvas board and partially cover it with pieces of an old newspaper and different textured papers. Make sure you use glue that dries clear to adhere the papers to the canvas. Mod podge is a good choice since it also acts as a protective finish. If you want to add some color to the mix use acrylic paints as they dry quite fast, mix different colors. Try experimenting with two different types of printed photos: inkjet and also professional photo prints. Also choose the two common types of image transfers; inkjet and laser (or photocopy). You can try transferring with different transfer mediums. And if you dare you can even try your hand in drawing.

18 Packing tape transfer What you need: • Laser photocopy (black & white or color) • Scotch clear packing tape • Burnishing tool • A water spray bottle 1. Layer the packing tape over the image side of the photocopy. 2. Turn the photocopy over and burnish its back with a spoon in order to completely transfer the ink to the tape. 3. Spray the back of the photocopy with water and begin rubbing off the paper back to reveal the transfer. 4. When you are done your photo will be merged into the sticky side of the tape.

Layer the tape over the image

Burnish the back with a spoon Spray the back with water

Rub off the paper to reveal transfer

19 Paint transfer What you need: • Laser photocopy (black & white or color) • Acrylic paints • Receiving surface (Photo paper, canvas panel, wood) • A water spray bottle • UV-resistant clear finish

1) The very first step is to choose the right image to transfer. Images with good contrast and a plenty of light areas where the paint will show through, work best. 2) Cover the photocopy with a generous amount of any standard acrylic paint. 3) While the paint is still wet, place the photo face down and press it down onto the background surface. 3) After a few hours when the transfer is dry, spray the back of the photocopy with water and rub off the paper to reveal the transfer. Repeat this step as many times as needed until the excess paper is completely gone. 4) The final step, as always is to protect the image with clear UV protection.

Tips

»» You can use an inkjet printout for this transfer method but you will need to coat your photo with spray fixative. A good fixative, such as Krylon Workable Fixative will prevent smearing. Let the fixative completely dry before applying the paint. »» Experiment and mix different colors to make your paint transfer more interesting but keep in mind that lighter colors work best. »» Applying a gloss UV clear finish will help minimize the foggy appearance created by the leftover paper.

20 Midtown Manhattan. Paint transfer to 5X7 canvas panel canvas 5X7 to transfer Paint Manhattan. Midtown

21 Mixed Transfer (i.e. Mixed Media transfer) Combining photography with other forms of visual arts has the capacity to produce a very interesting and appealing final piece. Therefore blending mixed media and image transfer, two methods that are often done independently, is probably the ultimate union and can generate some exciting results. Transferring to a mixed media collage works well owing to the fact that a generous amount of transfer medium has to be brushed over the mixed media collage (not only to make sure the different pieces are glued well but also to finish and seal the collage). This practice creates the perfect surface to transfer an image onto. If you are generally interested in doing image transfers, do consider the mixed-media thing, here is why: 1. The three dimensional appeal of the piece. 2. The process involves a therapeutic process of tearing, assembling and pasting. 3. It is low cost as you can use found objects, such as movie tickets, used stamps, spam mail, newspapers etc. 4. It is eco friendly and an improved recycling practice.

And don’t forget, before you transfer the image onto these mixed media collages, you can scan and use them as backgrounds to your texture layer technique (page 62).

22 Church in Richmond, VA. Mixed media with photo transfer on canvas.

23 Simple Mixed Media Transfer What you need: • Inkjet photo or laser photocopy • Collage materials such as: newspaper clippings, designer or hand-made papers, stamps, ticket stubs, brown paper bags, wrapping paper, etc. • Acrylic or water paints • Mod Podge or gel medium • Gesso • Canvas or wood panel • A water spray bottle • UV-resistant clear finish

1) Gather your collage materials and lay them out in a design of your choice on any size canvas or wood panel. Adhere the collage pieces onto the surface using Mod Podge. 2) Make sure to cover the collage pieces with Mod Podge so it not only adheres the papers to the canvas but also protects it for all eternity (or at least a few years). 3) Next, cover the collage layer with watered-down gesso. It will mute the layer a bit and also will tie the pieces together. 4) Optional: add a thin layer of acrylic or watercolor paint of your choice. Don’t over do it so it doesn’t overwhelm the other layers. 5) Let the collage thoroughly dry. 6) Convert the photo of your choice to black and white (not grayscale) by adding brightness and 100% contrast. If you prefer to use a color photo (see next page) make sure to mute the colors. 7) If you are using an inkjet, print a mirror version of your image onto standard printer paper. 8) Cover your image with Mod Podge and press it face down onto the collage. Rub gently with your fingers to smooth out any air bubbles. 9) If you are using an inkjet photo you will have to wait only about 15-30 minutes for the Mod Podge to dry and for the transfer to complete. If you are using a photocopy let it set for a few hours, preferably overnight. 10) Spray the back of your photo with water and gently remove and rub off the excess paper with your fingers in order to reveal the transfer. If you are using a photocopy you will

24 have to repeat this step until all the excess paper is completely gone. 11) For the final touch you can add text, letters, gesso and paints. 12) Preserve your art work with a protective finish such as “preserve it!” by Krylon for inkjet or Krylon Crystal Clear if you used a toner based photocopy. Also applying the UV finish will help minimize the foggy appearance created by the leftover paper. 13) Clean up the mess!

Broadway, Downtown Los Angeles Mixed media photo transfer on 11x14 canvas panel 25 Advanced mixed media transfer

What you need: • Inkjet photo (printed on STANDARD PRINTER PAPER) or a laser photocopy of your photo. • Collage materials such as: newspaper or magazine clippings, designer or hand-made papers, wrapping papers, stamps, ticket stubs, brown paper bags, etc. • Acrylic or water paints • Any type of glue such as school glue, PVA or Mod Podge • Any type of transfer medium such as Mod Podge or gel medium. • Canvas or wood panel • A water spray bottle • Crafts sealer (Such as FolkArt Artists Varnish or Mod Podge) • Spray fixative • UV-resistant clear finish

1) Similar to the previous process begin by gathering your collage materials. Lay them out in a design of your choice on any size canvas or wood panel. Paste the collage pieces onto the surface using glue. 2) Cover the collage pieces with Mod Podge or any other sealer so your piece is preserved.

3) Once your collage is thoroughly dry you can paint it with watercolor or acrylic paints. In order to make the collage look unified and not too busy use different shades of a color. Paint the center with the brightest shade and then go darker toward the edges.

26 4) The next step is to convert the photo of your choice to black and white. In some cases color photos will work as well but black and white images often work better with this process as they stand out more over the background. 5) You can use either a Xerox photocopy of your image or, a laser print or an image printed from your inkjet printer. If you are using an inkjet, print a mirror version of your image onto standard printer paper (not photo paper!). If you want to transfer to a large canvas, say 16”x20” you will probably need to divide your photo and print 4 sheets of 8”x10” paper. 6) If you are using an inkjet print it's a good idea to protect it with spray fixative to prevent smudging. 7) Next, cover your image with Mod Podge and press it face down onto the collage. Rub gently with your fingers to smooth out any air bubbles. 8 ) If you are using an inkjet photo you will have to wait only about an hour for the Mod Podge to dry and for the transfer to complete. If you are using a photocopy let it set for a few hours, preferably overnight.

27 9 ) Spray the back of your photo with water and gently remove and rub off the excess paper with your fingers in order to reveal the transfer. If you are using a photocopy you will have to repeat this step as many times as needed until the excess paper is completely gone.

10) At this point you will notice that there might be some paper left behind which is difficult to remove. Also the transfer looks quite rough and does not blend nicely with the background. So in order to better unify the background and the photo transfer, paint over the edges of your transfer using the same color you used for the background. Next you can paint over the white areas of your transfer with shades similar to the background. Water down your paint and dub it onto the white areas with a paper towel. For the smaller areas you can use a cotton swab. Make sure not to paint over the ink (black) parts of your photo, just the white areas where the paper can still be seen.

Take a look at this picture: The left area was previously painted while the right side is still covered with the white paper and had not been painted yet.

28 And this is what the final image looks like:

11) Preserve your art work with a protective finish such as “preserve it!” by Krylon for inkjet or Krylon Crystal Clear if you used a toner based photocopy.

29 Photo transfer to ceramic tile, mirror or glass

What you need: • Laser photocopy (black & white or color) • Gel medium • Glass & Tile primer (such as Jo Sonja's Primer) • Mirror surface or a white ceramic tile • A water spray bottle • UV-resistant clear finish

1) Begin by brushing a good amount of glass & tile primer on your mirror, glass or tile surface to increase transfer adhesion. Let it completely dry. 2) Choose a mirror photocopy of the photo to transfer. Images with a plenty of light areas where the mirror or tile will show through work best. 3) Cover the photocopy with a thin layer of gel medium and place the photocopy face down onto the mirror or tile. Make sure to gently smooth out any air bubbles between the image and the surface. 4) Let the transfer take place and dry for no less than 24 hours. 5) Spray the back of the photocopy with water and begin to gently rub off and remove the paper to reveal the actual transfer. Repeat this step as many times as needed until all the excess paper is completely gone. 6) Protect your artwork with a clear protective finish.

30 Wall art series Here is another way to present your lovely photos. You can select pictures in a series or pictures that somehow relate to each other, or even photos that just look nice together. what you need: • Photos printed with inkjet, laser printer or toner base photocopies • Any size wood panels (you can get them in any arts and crafts store) • Mod Podge • Acrylic paint • Water spray bottle

1. If necessary sand and prepare the surface of the wood panel. 2. Using acrylic paints, paint the panel with the color of your choice. Alternatively you can replace painting with wood staining or even adhering designer paper to cover the surface. 3. Carefully measure and mark the area where you want your photo to go. 4. Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge on the wood surface. Place your photo face down and make sure to smooth any air bubbles out from underneath your photo. 5. When the Mod Podge is completely dry, spray the back of the photo with water and gently rub off the paper to reveal the transfer. 6. Brush a layer of Mod Podge over your photos to finish and protect them.

31 Gel layer transfer What you need: • Laser photocopy (black & white or color) • Gel medium (heavy or regular) • Water spray bottle

1) Brush a generous amount of gel medium over the front of your photocopy. Let it dry completely; the gel medium dries clear. 2) Brush a second layer of gel medium. Let dry again and brush a third layer. 3) Turn the photocopy over and spray the back with water. 4) Rub off the paper backing with your fingers. Repeat this step as many times as needed until the paper is completely gone and your photo is transferred to the gel skin.

32 When the background is more than a background

When you make your mixed media transfer, you want to create a background that supports your image with texture and depth but is also as subtle as possible so it doesn’t overwhelm the photo. Therefore, quite often there will be no direct relationship between the background and the transferred image. However you can try creating a piece where the background has a new role; a role that is something more than just being… well, the background. The idea is to make a background that is a part of the final presentation and helps describe the essence of the piece. In the following example, a picture of the Henry House at Manassas, Virginia, was transferred onto the background which portrays the sky and earth.

33 The metropolitan museum, NY. Transfer to aluminum foil 34 Aluminum foil transfer

What you need: • Inkjet or laser print • Water spray bottle • Standard aluminum foil • Mod Podge • Canvas or wood panel • Water spray bottle

2. Cover the wet panel with 1. Brush a generous amount of Mod standard kitchen aluminum foil Podge over the canvas/wood panel and smooth it with your fingers.

3. Apply mod podge to the photo 4, Place it image side down onto the foil covered panel

5. Moisten the back of the 6. Rub off the paper backing with photocopy your fingers. Repeat this step until all the excess paper is gone

35 Transfer to Polaroid What you need: • Laser or inkjet print (black & white or color) • Used Polaroid 600, Spectra or SX-70 • Mod Podge • Water spray bottle • UV-resistant gloss finish Choose a used Do you have more than a few failed and unsuccessful Polaroids lying around in your drawer? Polaroid and Did you ever look at these Polaroids lightly sand its and thought to yourself “hmmmm, what surface. can I do with these nogoodniks? Well, if you ever did, have no fear; there IS something you can do with this unsuccessful bunch, so don’t trash them yet. You are going to transfer an image onto the Polaroid, so the Polaroid acts as the receiving surface. Brilliant or what? 1. Prepare the Polaroid to receive the image by lightly sanding the surface in order to de-gloss it. 2. Coat the image area of the Polaroid with Gesso so the surface is unified. 3. After choosing the image to transfer trim it to the size of the Polaroid’s image. 4. Brush Mod Podge or any other gel medium over your photo, place it face down and press onto the Polaroid. 5. Let the transfer thoroughly dry. 6. Spray the back of the photo with water and rub off the paper back to reveal the transfer. 7. Spray the final transfer with clear protective spray that has a gloss finish to restore the appearance of the Polaroid’s original shine. 36 Cover the image area of Choose a photocopy of the Polaroid with Gesso. your image, trim to size, cover with Mod Podge and place it face down onto the Gesso covered Polaroid

The really nice thing about this transfer technique is that after it is done you end up holding an actual Polaroid in your hand.

37 Paint a transfer What you need: • Laser photocopy (black & white) • Watercolor heavy weight paper • Gel Medium • Water colors • Water spray bottle • UV-resistant gloss finish

The instructions here are for a watercolor painted transfer but for a different appearance you can replace the watercolor paper with real canvas paper and the water paints with acrylic or oil paints.

1. Make a black & white mirror photocopy of the photo of your choice.

2. Cover the photocopy with gel medium and put it face down onto a watercolor paper.

3. Wait a few hours until the gel medium is dry.

4. Spray the back of the photocopy with water and rub off the access paper to reveal the photo which is now transferred to the watercolor paper.

5. Repeat step 4 as many times as needed until all the access paper is mostly gone.

6. Use water colors to color your photo anyway you like.

7. Make sure to protect your artwork with a clear protective finish.

38 Along a country road in Virginia. 2009

39 More Transfer Ideas Amish country, PA 2009

Winter in Westwood. 2002 Downtown Los Angeles 2009

Distressed transfer (top) Gold transfer (right) Create a distressed Cover any size canvas or background surface as wood panel with any shiny described on page 61. gold metallic tissue paper, When the surface is gold wrapping paper or gold ready you can transfer leaf. Alternatively, you a laser or inkjet can simply paint the surface photo onto the surface with a metallic gold acrylic using gel medium or Mod paint. Next, using any Podge. transfer medium transfer a photo onto this metallic golden surface.

Texture transfer (bottom) Paper napkin pieces were layered over a canvas panel using mod podge. After they were covered with Gesso these layers formed a nice textured background surface for a photo transfer. 40 Metallic paint transfer Choose an image with plenty of light areas. Cover a laser or inkjet photo with any color metallic acrylic paint, place it face down and press onto the background surface (medium texture real artist canvas, in this case) . When the paint is completely dry, spray water on the back and rub off the excess Mount Vernon, Virginia 2009 paper to reveal the image. The final step, as always is to protect the image with clear UV protection.

Three in one A 9"x12" photocopy was sliced into three 3"x4" pieces and each section was then transferred onto the same size wood panel. Next, using wood glue, the 3 panels were assembled on a larger black painted wood panel.

Rainy day at the Grove, Los Angeles 2010

41 Simple Inkjet Transfer What you need: • Inkjet Printer • Standard Sheet Protector • Receiving surface such as a photographing paper.

Inkjet or printer transfer is a very simple process. It works because the photo is printed on a nonabsorbent surface,like glassine or wax paper, the back side of sticky label paper or my favorite: a standard sheet protector. As you print your photo onto a non-absorbent surface the ink will remain wet for a while. All you need to do now is transfer the image onto any type of photographic paper by pressing the print face down onto the receiving paper.

Now, a few words of wisdom: 1. Printing a mirror image of your photo is recommended, especially if it contains text – otherwise the final transfer will appear to be backwards. 2. If you are using a sheet protector and it does not go smoothly through your printer, try inserting a piece of standard printer paper inside the sheet protector before printing, then try again. 3. Keep in mind that unless you wish to have the ink- smudge effect, the “plain paper” option of your printer's paper settings will work quite well (and will help you economize the use of ink). 4. The ink works well on most surfaces I tried, but if you choose to transfer to a surface that is not so smooth such as canvas it is a good idea to increase the amount of ink by setting the printer to photo paper printing. 5. Using inkjet transparency film for inkjet transfer won’t work since this type of media absorbs the ink rather quickly. However you can still use transparencies for gel medium image transfer (page 16) and transfer to mirror (page 45).

42 Santa Monica pier entrance.

43 Photo transfer to Mod Podge

What you need: • Toner base photo (laser or photocopy) • Mod Podge (gloss or medium)

1. Brush a layer of mod podge over your photocopy. Let it dry completely; the mod podge dries clear. 2. Brush a second layer of mod podge. Let dry again. 3. Turn the photocopy over and spray its back with water. 4. Rub off the paper backing with your fingers. Repeat this step as many times as needed until the paper is completely gone and your photo is transferred to the mod podge skin.

44 Transfer to mirror using transparencies

Transferring images onto a mirror surface makes them appear to be 3D which is always a difficult effect to achieve with two dimensional photographs.

What you need: • Inkjet printer • Inkjet transparency film • Glass Primer (such as Jo Sonja’s Glass & Tile Primer) • Gel Medium (regular or heavy) • Receiving surface: mirror • UV-resistant clear finish 1. Begin by brushing a good amount of glass primer on your mirror and let it fully dry. 2. Set your printer to inkjet transparencies setting and print a mirror-image of your photo onto the non-shiny side of the transparency. 3. Coat the mirror surface with Gel Medium (gloss) and place the image side of the transparency face down onto the mirror. 4. Smooth the transparency gently with your fingers to remove any air bubbles and to help transfer the ink. 5. Let the transfer dry for 30 minutes. 6. Lift the transparency to reveal the transfer. (After the transfer is done you can use the transparency in a mixed media collage).

45 Image t ransfer G a l l e r y

Alley in San Francisco / Mixed media photo transfer on 8"x10" canvas panel

Downtown San Francisco. Photo transfer to ceramic tile

46 Image t ransfer G a l l e r y

Trashy Lingerie, Los Angeles Photo paint transfer on 11x14 canvas panel

Independence Hall, Philadelphia / 5x7 Gel layer transfer

The Grove, Los Angeles / Xerox transfer to 10x8 wood panel

47 48 Textures & Layers

The fastest way to add a new dimension to a picture is to open your photo editor and insert an additional layer which contains texture on top of your original photo. Textures are usually a photograph or a scan of some texture, such as peeling paint, distressed or scratched surface and even vintage paper. These textures can be added on top of your own photo and merged with it by changing the blend modes and opacity level settings. In addition to bringing a layer of depth, these textures often introduce the illusion of dust, dirt, stains and creases to the photo and create a final grungy and dramatic appearance.

Previous page: Foggy day in Chicago. Texture layer 49 Tips

»» There are plenty of books out there (truly, too many to choose from) that can teach you all you need to know about Photoshop and digital imaging, so that is not what this book is about. However some of the processes presented in this book, and this chapter in particular, are methods that engage both computer and non-computer techniques to enhance your photos. And though you don’t need to be a computer whiz in order to successfully master these techniques you will definitely need some computer skills, photo editing software and mainly you will need to know how to work with layers. »» Using layers (www.adobe.com/designcenter-archive/ video_workshop/?id=vid0001) is a good video tutorial explaining what layers are and how to work with them. »» Adobe Photoshop Layers is another video from Adobe TV explaining how to use layers in Photoshop(tv. adobe.com/watch/learn-photoshop-elements-11/ working-with-layers-in-photoshop-elements-11) »» Photoshop is the most popular software for photo editing but if you are short on cash consider using Corel’s Paintshop Pro (www.corel.com) instead. Paintshop Pro is a powerful photo editing program for Windows that in essence is the friendly , low-cost version of Photoshop. »» But if you can’t afford purchasing photo-editing software, there are a few good free ones out there that will be adequate for editing your images as well as working with textures. The main thing you need to look for is the capability of the software to work with layers. GIMP (www.gimp.org), Paint. NET (www.getpaint.net/) and Pixia ( www.ne.jp/ asahi/mighty/knight/) are just a few examples of such free photo-editing software.

50 Layers in Paintoshop Pro (top) and Photoshop (bottom)

51 Canvas background layer Using the canvas layer method is a quick and simple way to spice up any photo. The best choice for this technique is to use practically any photo you like and want to add a special touch to.

1. The first thing to do is make a quick painting on canvas, and if this part of the process leaves you feeling intimidated, all I can say is: don’t be. Since all you are doing is creating a background layer for your photo the painting does not need to be a masterpiece, just something that pleases your eye. In fact, you might have quite a bit of fun experimenting with your canvas painting. It’s a good idea to use an unframed canvas panel so it will be easy to scan when it’s dry however you can always take a picture of it instead. You can use any type of paint that works on canvas; acrylic paints are always a good choice since they are easier to work with and dry quite fast. 2. Scan your work of art at 300dpi into your photo editor.

3. open the photo you wish to enhance and make sure your layer palette is visible (Paintshop Pro: View/ Palettes/layers or F8. Photoshop: window/ layers or F7). Place your scanned canvas painting onto a new layer above the photo layer and blend both images by playing with the transparency settings until you like what you see.

52 Noa 2006

53 Aging a color photo with coffee

Aging a color photo is obviously more challenging than making a black and white or sepia tone image look old – a bit tricky, but definitely not impossible. Now on to the details:

1. The first step is to bring color saturation of the image down so it doesn’t look too vivid. You can do this during scanning or in your image editor by reducing the highlights, saturation, and contrast. Or you can just go for one of your unsuccessful washed-out photos (as you see, unsuccessful doesn’t necessarily mean failed).

2. The next step is to create an aged looking paper, which you can do by using the leftovers of your morning coffee. Really! All you need to do is crumble any type of heavy paper (heavyweight watercolor or bristol paper will be perfect for the job ), unfold the paper and soak it in a tray of cold coffee for an hour. Take the paper out of the tray and let it dry in the sun. Now the paper looks like it has seen many years of hardship.

54 3. Scan the stained paper, open your favorite photo editor and blend it on another layer with your washed out image. And just like before, you will need to play around with the blending and transparency settings until you like what you see. As a final touch, you can darken the edges of the photo by using the darken or burn tool in your photo editor.

Tips

»»Incidentally, if you are not a coffee drinker and prefer tea, no worries; you can do the same process using cold black tea instead of coffee. »»There are many other ways to age paper such as burning, ink stains, distressed ink, antique solutions, or simply use an actual piece of aged paper from an old book.

55 Adding texture to a photo This method is quite similar to the previous methods. However rather than use a canvas painting or stained paper, you place layers containing texture on top of your original photo. As explained before textures are usually a photograph or a scan of some textured surface, but they don’t have to be. In fact textures can be any image that you wish to apply and blend with your photo to give an extra dimension of vintage, distressed or painterly appeal. The texture can be made on the computer, as many of the existing graphics programs offer tools for making such textures and backgrounds. But, it is incomparably effortless to simply scan homemade textures or designer papers (sometimes called scrapbooking or decorated paper). Often, people prefer to use found textures such as peeling paint,

Venice Beach, California / texture layer

56 leaves, fabrics, rust or scratched surface, which they capture with their digital cameras and set as backgrounds for their images. Whatever textures you chose for your artwork, you will blend them in your photo editor on different layers so that your photo will act as the background layer. Play around with the transparency and blend mode settings to let the textures show through your photos.

When blending the textures with your photo, you can insert as many layers as you wish – don’t limit yourself to one type of texture; you can combine as many texture layers as you like for a unique edge. Long Wharf, Boston (2004) / texture layer

57 Quick Photoshop texture tutorial

1. Open the photo of your choice and the texture you are going to use in Photoshop. Photos with lots of sky or plenty of light areas work best and have the greatest effect.

2. Make sure your photo has enough contrast by adjusting the levels of brightness and contrast. Go to Image- Adjustments- Brightness/ Contrast and adjust the settings by moving the slider.

58 3. Select the texture by clicking on All in the Select menu. Now that the texture is selected (with the marching ants around it) copy it (Edit-Copy or Ctrl+C) and paste it on top of your photo (Edit-Paste or Ctrl+V). 4. Make sure the layers palette is open (Window- Layers or F7). Change the Opacity and Blend Mode until you like the effect (Multiply 56% in this case)

59 Make your own textures

Texture from a book cover The texture used for the above picture came from the back cover of an old book which was scanned and used as a background for a photo taken in Richmond, Virginia. The book cover comes from a vintage book (I Claudius by Robert Graves,) which was printed in 1932. It works well as a texture owing to it’s distressed surface. Scanning a book cover or any other found texture around your home is a creative way of re-using and re-purposing materials. It also proves that textures can be easily found if you just look around.

60 Texture from a mixed media collage 1 You can choose any surface for this mixed media background but wood surfaces such as artist wood panel or any type of wooden blocks work best.

What you need: • Wood panel. • An old newspaper or pages from an old book. • Gel Medium • White and black Acrylic paints • A big nail

1) Thoroughly cover the wood surface with acrylic black paint and let it completely dry. 2) Use white acrylic paint to cover over the black paint, but let the black paint show through in some areas. 3) Use a big nail or a screw or any other tool to scratch and distress the surface. 4) Using gel medium adhere a few pieces of old newspaper or old dictionary pages and lightly cover them with white paint. 5) Scan and use as a background for your photo. You can also use this as a background for a transfer (see page 40)

61 Texture from a mixed media collage 2 What you need: • Any size canvas or hardboard panel. • An old newspaper or any designer/art paper. • Mod Podge or school glue • Acrylic or water paints • Optional: distress ink. • Clear finish such as Krylon Clear Finish or Mod Podge • Sure you can make some beautiful textures on your PC and it will probably be an easier, faster and a cleaner process. However, if you like the direct contact with the materials, you will sure love this process. OK, now on to the details:

1. Cover the canvas panel with old newspaper and textured paper adhering it with Mod Podge or school glue. Don’t worry if your work is sloppy and there are creases and bumps as it will add a texture quality to your final collage.

2. Water-down the color of your choice and paint a thin layer over your collage letting the layer beneath show through. Paint the center lighter and go with a darker shade of the same color toward the edges. Cover your work of art with any clear finish; Mod Podge can be used for this purpose as well. 1 2

62 3. When the collage is dry you can scan it and use it as a background texture for your beautiful images (pages 58-59). When blending your handmade colorful texture with the photo it is important that this vibrant background is subtle and does not overwhelm your photo.

Staunton, VA 2011

63 Working with textures and layers Normally, when you work with textures you choose the picture you want to work on, then look around your textures folder and try to choose the right texture for the job. Then you layer the texture on the image and if the texture doesn’t work you delete the layer and try a different texture. This process is not only a tedious one but mostly it is strenuous on your PC’s memory (and probably your patience as well). But there is a better way to handle textures. You can create one file that has all your favorite textures layered on top of each other. All you need to do is layer a few of your favorite textures and save the file as a Photoshop .psd file, this way all the layers are preserved. The file size is going to be somewhat large but still workable. Now you can open the picture you want to work with and add it as a new layer at the very bottom, underneath all the textures. At this point all there is left to do is play around with the transparency of the various layers, “turn off” (make invisible) the textures you don’t need, until you like what you see. Simple solution that makes life much easier!

64 Textures Gallery

65 66 Hand-coloring photos

Hand-coloring your photos not only allows you intimate contact with the photo but also a great deal of creative freedom. Most photographs can be hand-colored using watercolor, acrylic, or oil paints. You might also use gel pens, colored pencils, metallic pens, or even permanent markers. You can print out color photos and give them a whole new life by adding color to washed out areas or improving the color in the dull parts of the photo. But you will get the best effect if you print your photos in black and white and color them from scratch.

The photo should be printed onto high quality photographic or art paper. Semi-gloss or matte are often better choices than gloss paper, which doesn’t hold the paints that well. You can also use watercolor or canvas papers suitable for working with acrylic, watercolor and oil paints. You can find them in any art supplies store. So try printing your photos on various papers and then see how each one of them works with different paints.

67 Watercolor painting

What you need: • Acid free watercolor heavy weight paper • Waterclor paints • Variety of brushes • Spray fixative • Clear UV-resistant finish (matte or gloss)

This photo, taken in Harper’s Ferry West Virginia, was printed on Strathmore cold press watercolor paper. This paper can be purchased in a pad at your local art store (price for a 12-sheet 9”x12” pad is $4 – $6).

68 You can find a variety of fine art watercolor papers in any art store and online. Arches cold press paper, Canson Edition and Langton Prestige Watercolor, to name a few. Though these papers were not meant for your printer they can in fact run through it. Make sure to adjust your printer’s settings to heavy matte paper which has virtually the same thickness. If you are willing to pay more you can purchase specialty inkjet watercolor paper such as Epson Cold Press Bright Textured Fine Art Paper or Brightcube Eclipse Satine.

1. Select a photo to color. Photos with good contrast and plenty of light areas will work best. For color photos, convert to black and white and print on your watercolor paper.

2. Before you begin coloring, coat the photo with spray fixative to prevent ink smudging upon contact with the watercolors. Let it completely dry.

3. When your print is dry you can begin painting it. You can use any brand of watercolors you find, nothing fancy. I got my watercolors at garage sales so I have many different brands, some are more expensive, but they all work pretty much the same. Water-down the paints so they are almost transparent and don’t obscure the details of the photo. You can always add another layer if the color is too subdued.

4. When you are done coloring protect your work with a UV-resistant finish such as Krylon UV-Resistant Clear.

69 Oils on photo paper What you need: • Matte-finish photo paper • Photo oil paints (Marshall’s or Arista) • Cotton swabs and 100% pure cotton balls • Spray fixative. • Clear finish such as ClearShield Type C or Krylon Low Odor Clear Finish

The most suitable surface for oil paints is a matte-finish archival photographic paper. Glossy surface will also work but an application of a non-glossy spray must be added first.

Marshall’s Photo Oils brand was the most frequently used oil paint in traditional photography and can still be found in every art store. Another good source for photo coloring oils is Arista Photo Oils from Freestyle (www.freestylephoto.biz/arista-photo- oils.php)

Remember to prepare the surface of your print with workable fixative.

The best way to color your photo with oil paints is with cotton swabs, cotton balls or even your fingers. This will allow you direct contact and more control over the process. For fine detail use a tooth pick wrapped with a little cotton at the tip. 70 Though the photo oils are rich and thick like artists oil paints they are actually quite translucent and do not obstruct the details of the photo.

When making a mistake you can use a dry cotton ball, a piece of rag or even a vinyl eraser to wipe off the paint. Oil paints take a while to dry so you will have as much as 24 hours to remove the paint. If you are using a brush immerse in paint thinner to clean it but make sure to remove as much paint as you can with a rag first.

And as always when you are done make sure to protect your masterpiece with a clear finish, Oils on canvas The photo here was printed using the black and white printer settings on inkjet canvas called Lumijet Masters Canvas. After being coated with spray fixative it was colored with Marshall’s Photo Oils. The process of coloring an inkjet canvas surface with oil paints is somewhat tricky since the oil paints do not blend as well on this type of surface so you will need to be patient and persistent. The final result however is a nice mixture of a photograph and a painting (a paintograph?)

Glastonbury, Connecticut / hand painted photo on canvas using Marshall’s71 Oils. Coloring with pencils

Coloring pencils won’t work well on a coated smooth surface, such as glossy photo paper. Therefore, its a good idea to select a matte surface with “tooth" to print your photo on. Tooth refers to a surface with some kind of texture that can grip the color. You don’t have to be limited to specialty inkjet papers so try experimenting with acid free uncoated art papers.

You can use any type of coloring pencils and don’t really need to get the expensive artist kind though they will be easier to work with since they usually are softer.

Though it is always a good idea to pre-coat your inkjet print with spray fixative, you don’t have to

72 do so when using dry medium such as pencils. However, if you choose to use watercolor pencils then obviously you will need to prepare your surface with fixative to prevent smudging of the ink.

Using colored pencils is pretty straightforward; use the side of the lead for broader areas, apply more pressure for darker shade and color lightly for a lighter one. You can also build up a darker shade by layering a few lighter coats. To eliminate strokes and blend color better lightly use a cotton swab over the color area. To mix any other color you need, pick two or more colors and use a light hand to layer and blend them together. Again, the cotton swab will be quite helpful when you blend your colors.

Colored pencils are not always easy to remove but if you made a mistake and need to take away some color there are a few solutions you can try: 1. Frisk Film - This is a transparent masking film which is easy to peel and leaves no residue. 2. Tapes for Lifting Color - This one does not fully remove the color but can lighten it to create a soft effect. 3. Erasers - Work only on lighter areas. Can be also used to blend colors. 4. P.M. solution - A corrective solution for blending and removing color. 5. Scraping out color - You can use an artist knife or X-acto knife to lightly scrape away the color.

Protect your colored photo with a UV protective finish such as Krylon UV Archival Varnish.

73 Gouache paints

This photo taken in Downtown Los Angles was printed on Lumijet Masters Canvas Inkjet Paper. After being coated with workable fixative it was painted using Reeves gouache paints. Gouache, like watercolor is water base however it is heavy and opaque so it is a very good idea to water it down before applying. This way it doesn’t cover the details in your photo. The nice thing about using gouache is that the finished photo’s surface looks like it was painted with oil or acrylic and often has a vibrant and substantial appeal.

Inks

Bart station, San Francisco

Photo printed on matte photo paper and painted with colored inks.

74 Acrylic paints

Photo printed onto Somerset Photo Enhanced Velvet paper and painted using standard acrylic paints. Here too, the paints were watered down to make them more transparent. Since acrylic paints dry quite quickly make sure to keep a cotton swab or a piece of paper towel handy to wipe off any mistake right away.

75 Freestyling

There are many ways to color and paint over a photograph. You can take the more traditional approach and color within the outlines of the photo. Or you can try the free-form style, mix different painting approaches and tools, paint rather than color, and even stamp and add text.

Typically, grey-toned pictures are easier to color, but as you can see in the example here, depending on your approach, dark- colored photos can work just as well.

The bottom line is to have fun with it, try different styles and experiment with various ideas and methods until you are happy with the end result. The statue of Liberty. New York 2000

76 A more playful approach was taken here and a black and white (not grayscale) photo of Amit was printed on inkjet canvas. It was then painted using florescent acrylic paints.

77 Distressed /Modified prints Altered images can be a unique addition to various projects, such as collages, altered art, or journals. And since this method is a type of free-form artistic process, you can torment your photo print any way you wish. Only one thing to keep in mind before you get your tools ready is that most distressing techniques won’t work as well with homemade inkjet prints, and for best results you should use a photographic print that was printed in a photo lab or a high- end online printing service. You can begin modifying your photographic print by scratching lines onto the prints using an artist’s knife. Next, use sandpaper to get rid of the gloss appearance, bring out the color beneath the top layer of the print, and give it a truly distressed appearance. If you feel adventurous and are brave enough, try spattering or even rubbing household bleach onto your print. Using a cotton ball or a sponge, you can pat the bleach in purposely to some areas of your print, or you might prefer to squirt it on. Another thing you can do is get a bleach pen and use it to write or draw on your print. If you can’t find a bleach pen, use a skewer or a tooth pick, dip it in the bleach, and use as a pen. Note that the bleach, which starts yellow, will quickly turn into white. If you like the yellowish appearance you will need to wash off the bleach in water right away. In addition you can randomly add acrylic paints or markers and, at last, lightly sand the print again in order to blend the paints into the print. This process works best with color or sepia prints.

78 Westwood. 2004 The Empire State Building. July 2001

79 80 Alternative Photography (cyanotype & salt printing)

Alternative photography is a style in photography that employs the use of historical and non- traditional photography methods. Many of these processes do not require a darkroom and mostly utilize chemicals and other equipment that are readily available. Chemicals can often be purchased as a kit which lets the beginner quickly start experimenting with these processes. In no time you will turn your digital creations into old-fashioned beautiful art while having the opportunity to experience what it was like to be a photographer in the 19th century.

Opposite page: Greenwich Village, NYC Cyanotype on gray tone watercolor paper.

81 Paper negatives Before starting to explore alternative processes it is a good idea to learn how to produce paper negatives from your favorite photos. Cyanotypes and salt prints can be used to create photograms, images made by placing objects on a light sensitive surface, but if you want to turn your photos into beautiful prints with an old world charm you will need to use paper negatives.

1. Choose the photo you are going to print. A good choice would be a bright, sharp image with strong contrast. However, if you are going for the vintage look you want to select images that are softer and more on the dreamy side. Try to choose images that are simple and don’t have too many details such as a busy background behind your posing cat.

2. Open your chosen photo in a photo editor (you will need to scan it if the original is a photo print). Make a copy of your image (so you don’t modify the original) and apply the necessary adjustments until the photo looks the way you want it.

3. Resize your photo to the planned negative size and convert your photo to black and white (or greyscale).

4. Create a mirror image of the photo (In Photoshop: Image -Image rotation-Flip Canvas Horizontal. In Paintshop Pro: Image-Mirror) and then convert it to a negative image (In Photoshop: Image /Adjustments/invert. In Paintshop Pro: Image/negative image). You have now created a negative.

5. You can print the negative onto standard printer paper but if you want it to last longer print it onto a glossy- finish photo paper using your printer’s high settings. Set the output to greyscale.

6. Coat your paper negative with spray fixative to prevent future smudging of the ink in case it comes in contact with moisture.

82 Original color photo (taken in Hinton, West Virginia 2011) is opened and adjusted in Photoshop.

Photo converted to Black and white by going to the channel mixer (Image > Adjustments > Channel Mixer). Black and white with Red filter settings was selected.

A mirror image was created (Image>Image rotation>Flip Canvas Horizontal) and converted to a negative image (Image > adjustments > invert) ready to be printed.

83 Salted paper printing Salt printing is the oldest method for contact printing photographs on paper. The paper, coated with sodium chloride (salt) solution combined with silver nitrate, is UV sensitive which means the print is made by exposing it to the sun. This process was first developed by William Henry Fox Talbot, a brilliant British scientist, during the 1830’s.

A bit of History: Talbot, who experimented for a few years exposing his papers coated with silver salts in the sun, finally published his results in January 1839, the same month Frenchman Louis Daguerre published his daguerreotype process. Though Daguerre’s method was more popular at the time, Talbot’s process, employing positive-negative practice, is the one that all photography was derived from up until the arrival of digital photography. By the summer of 1835 Talbot was able to expose the sensitized paper in a small camera creating a paper negative which he called Calotype (beautiful picture in Greek). These camera-made Calotypes were the paper negatives from which he printed his positive salt prints. With the help of his friend, the astronomer Sir John Herschel, he was able to make his pictures permanent by fixing them in a solution of hypo (sodium thiosulphate). Herschel is also the one responsible for the term photography, which he coined when introducing Talbot’s new process before the British Royal Society in 1839.