Transfer black and white photo to wood

How to Transfer Photos to Wood (Two Easy Methods)

By Megan Kennedy

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Learning how to transfer photos to wood is a unique and simple way to display your photographs. It is one of the easiest yet most original DIY photo projects you can carry out at home.

I’ll take you through two ways to transfer your own beautiful print on wood. It’s up to you to choose which final look suits you best.

[ExpertPhotography is supported by readers. Product links on ExpertPhotography are referral links. If you use one of these and buy something, we make a little bit of money. Need more info? See how it all works here.]

How to Select a Photo to Transfer to Wood

The pictures you select to make a photo transfer to wood are limited only by your imagination.

You can choose to incorporate a colourful photo or print in black and white. Add text to your design or just use a single photo. You can print to the edges of the wood or leave some room for the picture to breathe.

It’s up to you how you make the photo transfer to wood unique and creative!

Open your selected picture in a photo editing program like Lightroom or Photoshop and resize it to the dimensions of your piece of wood. The printing size you can achieve is limited to your printer (typically A4).

You can divide your picture in your photo editing software and print a larger one in A4 segments. You can then fit together the pieces during the transfer process.

How to Print Your Image

When you place the photo down, you are flipping it horizontally. This means the picture will turn out in the opposite way than it was printed. Make sure you reverse any text you want to add to your photo.

Use a laser printer or a dry toner printer and do not use real photographs.

2. The Mod Podge Method

Mod Podge is a craft glue and sealer method that we can use in a bunch of ways. The Mod Podge method to transfer prints to wood takes longer than using label backing paper but delivers more detailed results.

What You Will Need

Mod Podge (bought at most craft stores)
Sandpaper
A paintbrush
An image laser printed on a piece of copy paper
A slice of wood (plus several extra pieces for testers)
A cloth or sponge
Something to scrape the bubbles out of the image
A laser printer or dry toner printer

How to Prepare the Wood

To help give the ink an ideal surface to transfer to, you’ll need to sand the wood back to roughen it up a little. Sand your piece of wood in a circular motion until the very top layer of wood has been sanded off.

Give your piece of wood a wipe down with a slightly damp cloth to remove any wood dust. Traces of dust could affect the transfer process.

How to Transfer Photos to Wood

Take your printed image and cut it to the dimensions of the wood.

Then apply a thick layer of Mod Podge to the print and place it face-down on the surface.

Apply pressure to the back of the picture, smoothing out wrinkles and air bubbles. Let it dry completely.

I usually let it dry for 24 hours.

How to Reveal Your Picture

After the Mod Podge has completely dried, it’s time to reveal your work of art!

Take a damp cloth or sponge and start rubbing at the paper gently to expose your transferred photograph.

Make sure you are gentle when rubbing the surface. If you rub it too hard, you will scrape off the whole photo.

When you removed the first layer, let it dry a bit. Repeat the process until you are happy with the result.

And here we have our final artwork! All we need is a little wiping after the image has completely dried out.

After this, you may want to use some sandpaper to fade-in the edges. This makes your picture look more vintage.

And voila! Here is the final image. The texture from the wood starts to show through the photograph, making it unique and different every time.

1. The Label Backing Paper Method

This is probably the easiest method to transfer photos onto wood. We’ll use the backing paper of a page of labels. This way, we can create a ‘stamp’ for transferring the photograph.

You can grab your own on Amazon for a quite low price.

What You Will Need

Several pieces of unsealed wood (one for your final image and several testers)
Sandpaper
A cloth
A piece of label paper
A printer
Keycard or credit card

How to Prepare the Wood

Like with the mod podge method, preparing the surface of the wood will help your picture to adhere better.

Get your sandpaper out and sand the surface of the wood in an even circular motion to remove the very top layer of the wood.

Then carefully wipe it down to remove any dust particles.

How to Print Using Label Paper

Once you’ve resized your images to transfer, it’s time to start printing! Take out your piece of label paper and peel off the adhesive labels, leaving only the backing paper. Load this backing paper into your printer, with the shiny side orientated for printing.

Because the printed image may come out lighter or darker than the image on your computer screen, it’s a good idea to make a tester first. Press print and carefully feed the backing paper into the printer.

A normal copy paper would absorb the ink. But the plastic seal of the backing paper prevents the paper from doing so. Instead, the ink sits on top of the plastic, creating your transfer stamp.

Transferring the Image to Wood

Take your slice of wood and lay it on a flat surface. Press your ink transfer face-down against the wood, pressing firmly and smoothing any bubbles. Avoid moving the transfer on the wood or your work will smudge.

Grab your keycard and slowly run it over the back of the ink transfer. Make sure that every part of the backing paper makes firm contact with the wood surface.

Once you are happy that you’ve transferred all the ink from the backing paper to the wood, carefully peel off the backing paper and have a look at the results.

If the transfer is looking too dark, use your photo editing software to adjust the brightness and contrast of the original image and repeat the process until you’re happy with the final image.

Conclusion

And there you have your artistic DIY photo results! Two easy ways to transfer photos to wood. Give them a try and show us what you come up with!

Transferring photos onto wood is one of the topics we cover in our creative photography course, Wow Factor Photography. If you’d like to learn more, check out the course here!

How to Transfer Photos to Wood

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Jump to How-To

Learn how to transfer photos to wood in three simple steps! All you need for this photo transfer to wood is your favorite image and a medium. It’s easy! Don’t forget to watch the video in this post that shows you exactly what to do.

Skills Required: Advanced Beginner. A photo transfer to wood takes some knowledge of how to apply mediums as well as a little bit of practice.

NOTE: This tutorial uses a laserjet image and Mod Podge photo transfer medium. If you’d like to do a transfer with an inkjet image and regular Mod Podge, go here.

Hi, it’s David from Cheltenham Road with a quick tutorial on my favorite thing to do: a photo transfer to wood with Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium. This medium is easy to use and creates terrific results. In fact, I’ll show you how to transfer photos to wood in three simple steps!

Any painting of the wood is an additional step if you choose to do so . . . the photo transfer itself is simple as can be and makes great decor on its own. (get more craft ideas using Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium!)

Table of Contents

Transfer a Picture to Wood

If you’re wondering how to transfer photos to wood, it’s a relatively simple process. You’ll print a photo out on a dry ink printer (like laserjet or an HP). You’ll paint a medium on the front of the photo, and then smooth it onto an unfinished or painted surface.

The image will need to dry on the surface overnight, and then you will wet the surface and rub off the paper, leaving the image from the ink and the dried medium behind. This particular medium will give your image a white background (as opposed to clear).

Choosing Pictures

If you follow my blog you know I’m all about vintage graphics, so I thought I’d use one of my favorite images and just do a simple transfer to a piece of everyday plywood. Black and white photos look great with this technique since there’s a rustic vibe, however, you can use color photos as well.

When you print out your photo(s), make sure they 1) they fit the surface you are transferring to and 2) any words should be backwards. When they are transferred to the surface, the words will be going the correct way.

Transfer Photos to Other Surfaces

The exciting thing about this project? You can use this same method to transfer photos to fabric or canvas. I’m showing you how to do it on wood, but don’t limit yourself. Oh, and if you want to learn how to transfer photos to glass, that’s an entirely different method you’ll see here.

Learn how to transfer photos to wood the easy way below!

DIY Photo Transfer to Wood

Here’s what I used for this Mod Podge wood transfer:

1/4″ plywood cut to 13 x 8 (you can also use a wood plaque from the craft store)
Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium
Matte Mod Podge
Folk Art Milk Paint: Plymouth Rock
Foam Brush
Damp rag
Image printed on regular paper using a laser printer or photocopier
Sharp craft knife
Brayer (useful but not absolutely necessary)
Silicone craft mat (useful but not absolutely necessary)

I started off with just a quick coat of the Milk Paint on the edges of the plywood. It dries super fast, so while it was drying I worked on my picture (painting is optional).

Since the photo has text, I reversed the image before printing it onto plain paper using my laser printer. Laser prints work as well as DRY ink toner prints (like HP ink). You may have to do some research or experiment to see if your printer has dry ink.

For step one, I squeezed out a generous amount of the Transfer Medium onto the image . . .

TIP: I laid everything on my Mod Podge Silicone Mat which is great for this – you can use wax paper if you’d like but make sure to protect your work surface.

. . . . and, using my foam brush, spread it out until the picture was mostly obscured.

For the second step, I laid the picture (image side down) onto the plywood and smoothed out any air bubbles using my fingers and the brayer (the brayer is great but if you don’t have one use a rolling pin, a glass bottle, etc).

Make sure to keep a damp rag nearby to clean up any oozy extra transfer medium (like you see on the bottom edge of the plywood in the picture) as when it dries it dries pretty hard and it tough to get rid of.

And now the hard part: patience. I set my wood craft aside for 24 hours to dry.

Once it dried I used a damp cloth to gently rub away the paper, revealing the picture (this is the third step!).

After removing that top layer, I let it dry a little and then did it again to catch any spots I missed or left-over paper fuzz. It’s better to rub gently and repeat the wetting process than to rub too hard and rub the image away.

I wanted a very vintage/beat up feel so I went in with my sander and sanded away the edges of the graphic revealing the plywood and once I was happy with the look I sealed the whole thing with two coats of Mod Podge Matte.

Now you know how to transfer photos to wood! Easy, sorta quick (if you don’t count the passive drying time) and inexpensive wall art!

TIP: I’ve worked with Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium a lot, but if you’re new to it, do a little tester piece before tackling a big project. And please check out the extremely useful list of tips that Amy has compiled for working with Transfer Medium here.

Prep Time 10 minutes

Active Time 20 minutes

Dry Time 1 day

Total Time 1 day 30 minutes

Difficulty Easy

Estimated Cost $5

Materials

1/4″ plywood cut to 13 x 8
Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium
Matte Mod Podge
Folk Art Milk Paint: Plymouth Rock
Damp rag
Image printed on regular paper using a laser printer or photocopier

Tools

Foam brush
Sharp craft knife
Brayer
Silicone craft mat

Instructions

Print the image to fit the surface using a dry ink or laserjet toner printer. Remember to reverse any words so that they will read correctly.
Paint the surface with acrylic paint (optional) - we used FolkArt Milk Paint. Let dry.
Place your image on a mat with the ink side up. Squeeze a generous amount of Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium onto the photo and spread with a foam brush.
The medium should be obscuring the image. Be sure to get the corners well.
Lay the picture image side down onto the surface. Smooth down, removing any air bubbles. A brayer helps here, as does a wet rag (see Notes section).
Set aside for 24 hours to dry.
Place a damp cloth down onto the back of the photo for several minutes. Start rubbing away the paper.
After removing the top layer of paper, let dry a little and then repeat. It's better to rub gently and repeat the wetting process several times than to rub too hard and rub the image away.
Once you're satisfied with the image, further distress the piece of you like.
Add a coat of Mod Podge Matte (or two) on top and let dry.

Notes

Your best source for laserjet printouts is a copy store like FedEx Kinko's! But I'm sure you can order them online as well.

Are you ready to see the video of a photo transfer to wood? Just click PLAY on the video in this post. In this example, you’ll learn how to transfer an Instagram picture to a wood block. I’d love for you to check out the following posts as well:

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Photo transfer to wood. Master class.: leaneska — LiveJournal

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Promised to show a cheap and angry way to transfer photos to wood.
So, if you live near a decoupage store, then this wonderful master class is for you. Estimated cost of materials in our birches is 40 USD.

And if you are like Leanesca, then we will be smarter.

For the implementation of the project, it was decided to choose a retro photo of the early twentieth century - a photograph of the Italian courtesan opera singer Lina Cavalieri.
Alpina Yachtlack 0.75l worth 10.54 USD was used instead of gel and decoupage varnish. This amount of varnish is enough for several dozen works. Harvesting - the remains of wood (pine). The image is printed on a laser (!!!) printer. Otherwise, it will not be transferred to the bar.

Step 1. Prepare the wooden block. Saw off uneven edges to the desired size.

Step 2. Very carefully clean the bar with sandpaper, it should be completely smooth.

Step 3. Mark the image area and cut it out. It is better to cut with a clerical knife.

Step 4. Varnish the bar. The first thin layer is applied for two minutes, then covered with a second, thick layer of varnish. Make sure that there are no streaks, and the varnish lies in an even layer. The varnish should be transparent, without tinting.

Step 5. Glue the image face down onto the wet polish, removing air bubbles. We try not to tear the paper. Although, of course, it is better to initially glue without bubbles. Take your time, the varnish hardens very slowly.

Step 6. Dry with a hair dryer on the maximum setting for 10 minutes, then leave to dry for 6-8 hours.

Step 7. Wet the completely dried bar with water and erase the top paper layer until the image appears. Do not be afraid of scuffs - this will give the photo an old look, which is what we are trying to achieve.

Step 8. After the bar is completely dry again from water, cover with two layers of varnish, allowing each layer to dry for at least 6 hours. The work is ready.

In my MK I repeated many steps of the video tutorial, but I tried to focus on some important points, because everything seems fast and simple in the video, and I messed up three blanks before getting a more or less acceptable result.
I hope someone will find my method useful.

Tags: other needlework, master class

Epic embroidery game "Way of the Samurai". Start.

It's dog cold outside, so let it be summer at KDPV. Suddenly, I actively returned to the world of embroidery, and my friend and I decided to arrange for each other ...
How I was engaged

My niece's boyfriend is a wonderful romantic guy. He decided to make an offer according to all the rules - to woo, engagement ring, ask . ..
Santa Claus, chandeliers, squirrels and pigs.

After all, the magazine is called "Embroidery and Life", so the posts will consist of two parts. Embroidery Less than two years later, I finished sewing ...

Photo

Hint Start.

It's dog cold outside, so let it be summer at KDPV. Suddenly, I actively returned to the world of embroidery, and my friend and I decided to arrange for each other ...

How I was engaged

My niece's boyfriend is a wonderful romantic guy. He decided to make an offer according to all the rules - to woo, engagement ring, ask...

Santa Claus, chandeliers, squirrels and pigs.

After all, the magazine is called "Embroidery and Life", so the posts will consist of two parts. Embroidery Not even two years have passed since I finished it…

0001

Interior elements made of wood make it more elegant and attractive. This decor can be done by hand. The simplest option would be a wooden board with a pattern that is applied to the surface in accordance with a certain technique. To make the product correctly and beautifully, you need to know exactly how to transfer the pattern to the tree in several ways.

How to decorate wood with a pattern

There are several techniques in which a pattern can be projected onto a wooden surface. In each situation, it is worth knowing exactly how to transfer the drawing to the tree:

Burnout with a special device. The drawing is clear and embossed. The contours are noticeably limited, you can create the effect of a shadow or shadow transition.
Decoupage is the most popular and simple drawing technique. As a result, the image can turn out to be color or black and white, the drawing can be of any complexity.
Wood carving requires a sketch that is projected onto the surface in several ways: using carbon paper, redrawing, embossing with sharp tools.

You can partially combine several techniques in one job. This is possible, provided that the person has artistic talent, which will help to abstractly present the result of the work.

Preparing the wood surface

Before transferring a design to wood at home, it is worth preparing the surface properly. Both the process of work and the result depend on the quality of the wooden base. The service life is also directly determined by the quality of the preparation of the tree.

Wood surface preparation:

Select the correct wood. It is best to work with pressed plywood sheets, chipboard and other analogues, but natural material is quite suitable.
Decide on the dimensions and shape of the wooden base. Immediately get rid of excess parts, sand the edges.
The surface itself must be smooth and level. To do this, you should use a grinder, and treat hard-to-reach places with sandpaper or a file.
Only then is a sketch of the image itself prepared for transfer.

Thus, the preparation consists of three simple steps that even a child can do.

In order for the burning procedure to be carried out quickly and efficiently, it is necessary that the pattern on the wood surface be as accurate and high-quality as possible. To transfer the image to the surface, several methods are used. The most popular option is transfer by carbon copy.

How to transfer a drawing to wood for burning using carbon paper:

You need to take a carbon paper sheet. It is advisable to use paper that has been used more than once.
Lay carbon paper with the ink side against the wood surface. Lay out a sheet with a pattern on top and secure the structure with tape or electrical tape.
Use graphite pencil to trace the lines of the image. You need to work carefully, limiting the interaction of hands with paper as much as possible.
Remove the layers of paper when you have finished tracing the lines. The drawing for burning is ready.

This method is very reliable, but requires special care in execution. During the translation process, traces of carbon paper may remain, which are almost impossible to clean from the surface of the tree.

Drawing without carbon paper

In order to learn how to transfer a design to wood without carbon paper, you can use several methods. Each differs in a set of tools and materials, but is simple in terms of implementation.

Image transfer methods:

Graphite imprint. Take a simple pencil with a soft core and trace the outlines of the drawing on paper. Rotate the image to the wooden base and quickly press without shifting. In order for the graphite to be imprinted with high quality, it is possible to draw a hard roller or a plastic strip over the paper.
Thermal transfer. First you need to pick up an image taken on the right device. With the help of thermal exposure, a photocopy or printout made on a powder printer is printed. Attach the back side to the wooden base and heat the paper with an iron.
Reprinted with white spirit. The picture must be printed on a laser printer or copier. Attach the sheet with a pattern to the tree and wipe it with white spirit. On a cotton pad, it is worth applying a little means so that the paper does not become limp.

There are other options, but the principle of implementation is much more complicated and requires more time and money.

Preparing wood for carving

There are only a few basic rules you need to know to create an image on board or plywood. If the work is done incorrectly, the carving process can become much more complicated.

How to transfer the design to the wood for carving in order to comply with all the rules:

Apply a grid on the surface of transparent paper. The size of the cage will depend on the required size of the pattern.
If you want to create an ornament, then put part of the image on the tracing paper and fold the sheet in half. Circle the image on the second half of the tracing paper with a pencil.
The pattern can be symmetrical by using carbon paper.

The method of transferring an ornament or image can be used from the above options. The main thing is to lay the sheet with the applied ornament so that the direction of the pattern coincides with the location of the fibers.

Decoupage technique - a simple way to transfer images

Often, not only the production of interesting decorations for the interior with an image on a tree is required, but also a more practical application of the technique. Knowing how to transfer a drawing to a tree, you can restore old furniture, make a wooden element design.

Decoupage technique is used to implement such ideas. The principle of such work is simple and does not require special skills, the presence of unusual materials or tools.

How to transfer a pattern to a tree using PVA glue, using the simplest algorithm: