Instructions for Making Gel Transfers

 
Tips
 

• Work on a flat surface.

• Use a plastic tray, vinyl tablecloth, etc. to clean the image if removing the paper before adhering transfer.

• Make sure image is smoothed down and is in contact with tray. If it’s not, the image can stretch while removing the paper.
   
  Supplies
   

• Golden Soft Gel (Gloss)

• 1/4” or 1/2” Nylon Watercolor Brush

• Lint Free Towel

Warm Water


Procedures
 
Common Steps
 
1. Find Images of Interest
2. Place on top of clean surface.  (Put down Freezer Paper, Newspaper, something to protect surface)
3. Apply first coat, with, nylon brush, vertically.  (up and down)  Let dry (approximate 20-30 minutes)

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4. Apply second coat with, nylon brush, horizontally.  (side to side)  Let dry. (approximate 20-30 minutes)

5. Apply the final coat with, nylon brush, diagonally.  (Top to bottom at angle)  Let dry totally. Let dry totally. (In my experience it is better to let the transfer dry overnight or use a warming tray to reduce the time to a few hours.  It your transfer turns white when you put it in water, it was not dry enough.)

 

1. Perform the Common Steps
2. Trim away extra paper form images leaving a 1/4” border around image.
3. Place transfer gloss side up, in warm water for a few minutes
4. Take image from water and place image side down on plastic tray, vinyl tablecloth etc.
5. Make sure image is smoothed down and in contact with tray.
6. Use your finger to roll away the paper from the back of the image.
7. When the majority of the paper is gone, use a lint free towel to clean off the rest.
8. Place on flat surface and allow to dry.
9. To mount on surface, use Golden Soft Gel (Gloss) as glue and paint a thin layer on the surface receiving the transfer, and the back of the transfer.
10. Use a wooden roller to smooth and eliminate air bubbles.

 
Adhering Transfers to Porous or Non-Porous Surface
 
1. Perform the Common Steps
2. Trim away excess paper form the images to be transferred.  If the transfer will fill the whole surface it is being transferred on, trim the transfer about 1/4” larger than the surface to be transferred onto.  If the image to be transferred is smaller than the surface, trim away all undesired areas of the transfer.
3. Place image to be transferred image up onto work surface.  Place the piece the image is to be transferred to onto image.  Turn both the piece and transfer over so that the image is now face down.
4. Burnish the back of the image to eliminate air bubbles.  Move onto non stick paper.
5. Heat a tack iron to 250 deg F and place onto the transfer and hold for 30 seconds.
6. Iron the back of the image from the center out for 30 to 40 seconds.  Focus on getting the edges completely tacked down. 
7. Trim away any excess paper from the edges.
8. Soak in warm water 2-3 minutes.
9. Roll paper from the back.  Use a wet lint free towel, in a circular motion, to remove any paper lint.  Let dry.
10. For a gloss finish, coat with another coat of Golden Soft Gel (Gloss) or spray with an acrylic sealer.

 
If after cleaning you find an air bubble, pop the bubble with a pin several times, cover with nonstick paper and re-iron.
 
In most cases your transfer is translucent.  Some card stock and buffed papers leave a white finish on the back of the transfers, but most will be translucent.  To create an opaque finish so the background you mount your image to does not show through, mix Golden Soft Gel (Gloss) with Silver, Gold, or Copper powders and paint on back.  While wet, you can adhere the transfer to your background.  Another method is to paint the back of the transfer with white Gesso or Acrylic Paint.  If you mix with Golden Soft Gel (Gloss), you can use as a glue.