Anyone who is familiar with image transfer probably knows that almost any adhesive can be used to make a transfer with. I’d figured out that hot glue could also be used a couple of years ago, but couldn’t solve the problem of the glue sticking to just about every surface I applied it to. So, I ended up just discarding the whole idea. Later, I discovered parchment paper, which has a silicon coating that can withstand heat and that doesn’t stick to anything. It was the perfect solution for hot glue manipulation. I found I could even iron over the surface and melt the glue to my desired thickness. These thick, flexible decals can be used to make jewelry, key chains, scrapbook embelishments or they can be ironed onto art paper as an image transfer.
To make them, gather the following materials:
- printed image – either a toner based laser-printer/copier print OR an image printed on inkjet Matte photo paper ( I used Canon Matte Photo paper)
- hot glue (clearer glue sticks make more transparent transfers)
- hot glue gun
- craft iron
- spray bottle
- parchment paper
- flat ironing surface (I use a scrap piece of wood)
Step 1 – Print image (it’s not necessary to reverse the image). Heat hot glue gun and iron (to a medium setting).
Step 2 – Place image on parchment paper. Apply hot glue randomly over the image. Fold the parchment paper over the image.
Step 3 – Iron the image to spread the glue out evenly over the image. Allow to cool before opening parchment paper folder. If there are any gaps, fill-in and re-iron.
Step 4 – Wet the paper backing and rub off to remove.
The result is a strong, flexible, transparent material that can be trimmed to any shape using scissors.
Tips:
- Use a leather punch to turn the decal into a bead/pendant
- Iron hot glue to aluminum foil for a metallic background
- Add crayon shavings to hot glue to create interesting color swirls in the glue
- Create a plain black-and-white decals on glitter glue sticks
Glad I read this, it never even dawned on me to try this kind of transfer, but I have been looking for a way to incorporate a small image onto a wall quilt and this may be “just the ticket”. THANKS!
While I don’t look forward to the rubbing off of the paper, this craft rocks. I have designs for recreations of my own. Thanks!
wow! i love my hot glu gun… its the best crafty item ever invented! but…. now… you have given it a whole new ultra level of super coolness!
thanx!
I love your website! You have the most amazing ideas. I wish I had time in the day to try every technique. This one makes me want to run out and buy a glue gun! (I know, how is it possible a self-respecting craftster doesn’t own a glue gun?!)
Thanks again for all the great ideas.
Elizabeth, I hate rubbing off the paper too! Stay tuned, I will be posting a lesson soon, for a transfer with a paper that does not need to be rubbed off. The downer, it’s being discontinued!
Deirdre- I rarely use my glue-gun, I’m not that kinda girl. I save it for an occasion that I love.
Thanks everyone! For your comments!
Great idea! I make a lot of resin jewelry, and I think this method would work better, in some cases, with the resin than paper images.
I have been trying to figure out the best and easiest image transfer technique for putting the image from a friend’s wedding invitation onto pillow cases for her and her husband. The only transfer paper I’ve ever used was a huge pain in the rear–got sort of scorched and it was really hard to get the paper off the t-shirt I put the picture on. Would you mind letting me in on how you’d do the image transfer with this hot glue gun method? I’m looking forward to using it for card making, too–what a neat idea. Thanks!
Sophie,
I’m not sure this would be the best method for transferring to fabric. I would suggest using iron-ons, just make sure that you are ironing the transfer onto natural fibers because synthetic fibers might scorch the way that you described. Another method would be to use Lazertran Silk, which is released with water. The website for this transfer paper is: http://www.lazertran.com
Good luck with your transfers!
This is a great method that I wouldn’t think of. How well do you think this would work if I did the transfer, trim it, and make it into a coaster? I guess I should try it out first. Or maybe I should just stick to putting the picture in resin? Just thought I’d ask your opinion just in case.
Ooh, coasters, I hadn’t thought about that. The only problem I foresee is if you place very hot items on the glue it could melt. But this transfer method would likely work well for cool drinks.
ya know, i’ve been on the fence on whether i really need to get a glue gun, and so far i’ve held off on buying one…..you’re not helping! lol
and i love the idea of using them for coasters.
This is so amazing! Thanks! I’m going to try this right now as an item for the cover of a card. This is sooo much quicker than using paint medium! Woo hoo!
What an awesome idea! I can’t wait to try it.
Hi Amy and Elizabeth. I too hate the paper removal. I think I might have a couple answers to your woes(thanks to polymer clay forums/sites!) … maybe Amy has had one all along!!!??? What you need is a type of ‘release’ paper that can be run through a laser printer. Copy and paste : http://www.beadsandbeading.com/blog/inkjet-polymer-clay-image-transfer-technique/2028/ or http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RF5q0poJu7E. I have actually tried this with my Samsung ML-3051N mono-tone but it did not work so well for me … toner blistered (small blisters)… but it released freely. VERY IMPORTANT NOTES: Paper MUST have carrier sheet as it will ruin your laser if fed in alone. Just tape it with one strip along top with MASKING or PAINTERS tape and NOT scotch or the like as it will melt! The other solution well … another kind of ‘release’ paper of course(thanks to DIY PCB forums/sites!) which worked EVEN better … no blistering!!! http://www.rcgroups.com/forums/showthread.php?t=616166 or http://www.spambutcher.com/art7/900117/ BTW … awesome transfer idea with the glue gun. Also … has anyone heard of doing a direct toner transfer with spray adhesive only and no other helpers!!!??? Thanks, Aight
Aight, Thanks for sharing! I haven’t done transfers in awhile so I’m glad to hear there are new ideas out there.
Hi Amy … ‘ts Aight again. Wow!!! I just purchased a cheap hot glue gun (JobMate from Canadian tire) with extra sticks, just in case I liked this technique. I can say without a doubt this has to be the best image transfer idea I have ever attempted!!! 5 mins. to convert an image to line art, 20 secs. to glue, maybe 40 secs to set and maybe 10 seconds for complete paper removal (I use glossy magazine paper and therefore no fuzzies) … LOVE IT, LOVE IT, LOVE IT!!! Thanks for this amazing discovery! One thing I did find and hope you can help me with is that the toner is not as durable as I had expected (it will rub of with sufficient ‘nailing’). Could you please tell me if you know if there is any ‘quick drying’ flexible sealant (preferably matte)that I could apply to the toner surface to prevent damage due to excessive wear!!!??? Somebody suggested lacquer to me but I am pretty sure it would not only melt the toner image but also maybe the glue being that it is nitrocellulose based. Thanks again for this inspirational idea and hope you can help
It was there all along … sometimes I just jump in and do very little forethought, excitement, you know. Well the flexible sealant IS the glue (What was I NOT thinking!!!???). So all I had to do was once I removed the paper I then just covered the toner with a very thin layer of glue (so as to not cloud the image but at the same time ’seal it) to enable handling. Custom pendants, here we come!!! Thanks again for this awesome idea.
Aight, I do the same thing. Thanks for sharing this!