Mod Podge Photo Transfer Canvas Project

Here's another inexpensive, cute art project I have put together for the "eclectic gallery wall of randomness" in my kids' bathroom.

I loved this awesome vintage puppy image I found a while back on Just Something I Made and knew I wanted to incorporate it into the gallery wall.  The puppy in the bath tub seemed appropriate somehow.  I printed out the image and held onto it, not sure exactly what I was going to do.  If all else failed, I knew I could just frame it and call it good, but I hoped maybe I could get a little more creative.

Enter Mod Podge Photo Transfer Medium.

I had an 8x10 canvas in my craft closet that was just begging to have a puppy on it.  The first thing I had to do was make a color copy of the picture.  You need a laser-printed image, NOT an ink jet version.  When I made my copy I used the mirror image setting so that the lettering would turn out right on the finished project.

Next I cut out my image and brushed a pretty thick layer {about 1/16"} of the photo transfer medium on the FRONT of the copy.  The layer should be thick enough that you can't really see the image underneath.  I placed the paper face-down in the center of my canvas and pressed it down really well, removing all air bubbles and creases.  I used a damp cloth to remove any excess medium that came out around the edges.  {There wasn't much.}

Now comes the hardest part of this entire project -- wait 24 hours for the photo transfer medium to cure.  I'm not a patient crafter.  Like, not at all.  It was torture.  I actually only waited about 18 hours because it was killing me.  I followed the directions on the back of the card to remove the paper.  Basically, I just used a wet cloth to scrub it off.  The paper comes right off and the cute puppy magically stays put.  It's pretty cool!  You can see how there are a few imperfections where the color didn't transfer as well.

That may have been because I didn't wait long enough or because I didn't press the image on well enough in the beginning.  I don't know, but I kind of like the aged look of it.  It adds to the vintage character.  To finish it off I stuck some washi tape that looks like a ruler around the edges {that will tie in with another element of the gallery wall -- you'll see soon!} and used a pencil to dirty up the edges of the canvas a little bit.

I finished the whole thing off by painting on a couple more coats of Mod Podge.  I love the way it turned out!

Stayed tuned for more bathroom and gallery wall projects.  Have a great weekend!