o today my mentor teacher and I were struggling to figure out how to transfer some copier images onto our lino blocks for Art 2 printmaking project. I remembered when Iw as playing around with linocuts at home and I used Distilled White Vinegar to transfer the image. WORKS LIKE A CHARM! You have to burnish and rub for a while, but first make sure the image is very HIGH contrast (super dark black). The vinegar breaks down the toner in the copy image and sticks right to the lino.
Now, for the next problem: transferring a copier image to another piece of PAPER. Hmm. Could be arty paper, such as watercolor paper, etc…
Now, using CitriSolv, one can do this instantly, but I don’t have the funds or local to get the stuff. I could order it via the net, but I need it tomorrow. Hmm, what to do?
Oil of Wintergreen is the next go-to. What is it you may ask? Well, I bake… A LOT at the holidays and you can get oil of wintergreen in these teeny, tiny little bottles for candy making. You can find them at candy stores or, if the season is right, baking isle of the super market. Now, I can’t go out to the market right now, I just put the baby down… so what to do?
Let us consider the chemical name of Oil of Wintergreen. It is methyl salicylate.
Know what in your house has that in it? LISTERINE.
So, I marched into my bathroom, found my off brand mouthwash and checked the label. Sure enough! There it is on the ingredient list!
So, I found a copied image, got out my watercolor paper and tried it.
After much burnishing in my kitchen, with a metal spoon, I DID IT.
So if you find yourself short on materials, look around the house for randoms.
If you have any other tips on how to transfer images without having to trace them, etc… shot me a message!
