I know we've all see a hundred times the posts on how to transfer a photo to canvas. But mine just might be a touch different. Mine is distressed. No, not worried about bills, but distressed meaning roughed up, old, grungy. I like how they look and feel.
So lets get started...
Pick out your photo that you want to use and print it out on a regular piece of copy paper. It can be color or black and white. Just remember that if it has any words on it, you will want to reverse it before you print it. I printed mine out on a piece of 11x17 paper, but you can use any size that matches your canvas size. I would love to find a canvas in 11x17 but I have yet to do so. If anyone knows where these can be found, hook a girl up! My canvas is 11x14 so there will be some to wrap around or cut off at the edges.
This photo is of my daughter's cat, DoDo. She created photos like this of all our pets and we are doing a collage of them on a wall in our dining room.
Next you will pick a medium to use to transfer the photo to the canvas. I chose Mod Podge because it is cheap and as you can see, I have a lot of it on hand.
I bought this big jug at a yard sale for about $1 or so. I intend for it to last me until I die. :)
I then spread the medium on the canvas in a thin even coat using a paint brush.
Then place the photo face down on the canvas and smooth it. Depending on how distressed you want your finished product is how much you worry about getting it smooth. I usually pick an area of the photo that I want to focus on being the clearest. In this photo for example it would be the cat's face. I will spend more time on this area; making sure it is smoother or as smooth as the rest.
Apply a layer of medium on the back of the photo and seal down all the edges..
This next step is messy, but it will help in smoothing out the photo further and removing unwanted bubbles. Use your fingers and smooth out any bubbles and creases. Be especially diligent with your focus area (for mine it's the cat's face). Work bubbles out to the edge of the canvas and if necessary, place a small hole with a pin or the point of a pair of scissors to "burst" the bubble and make the canvas smooth. There will still be bubbles and creases, but how many you leave will determine how distressed your project will be.
Once it is smooth to your liking, set it aside and let it dry. I would let it sit overnight.
I like to think of this project in layers. The canvas layer, the photo layer, the paper layer, and the glue layer. The next step is to remove the glue layer. It will be slick feeling and come off in large pieces. To get started, wet a small area and use your fingernail or my weapon of choice, a toothbrush, to get the peeling started. Once you get it started, peel that layer completely off.
Underneath this layer will be a thin paper layer. You should be able to see through the thin paper and see a muted version of your photo.
It helps to add small bits of water to the edges of the peeled area peel more.
Once the glue layer is gone, you will need to remove the paper layer. You will use water, your fingers, and a wet toothbrush to remove this layer. The paper will roll up under your fingers.
Where bubbles and creases remained, the paper layer and the photo layer will be removed. See circled areas below...
This is all part of the distressed look.
When you are through with removing the paper layer, it may still seem a little muted. But don't worry, it will brighten up in the final steps.
This step is completely optional. Personally, I don't like the white canvas shining through so much so I muted it with some watered down black acrylic paint. I painted it on the white areas and then rubbed it off with a paper towel.
The last step is to give it a final coat of Mod Podge.
Let that dry and hang it on the wall! Here is mine, hanging beside the one I did of my chihuahua Max.
Just 4 more to go!
What do you think of this distressed look?
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