Little French Can-Can

I love vintage graphics and labels. I like to make copies of my favorites from my computer and then transfer them onto metal containers that I pick up for a dollar or two at yard sales and thrift stores.  

French label from The Graphics Fairy

French label from The Graphics Fairy

French label from The Graphics Fairy

It took me a few tries and failures to learn how to properly transfer a printed graphic onto a metal container like this one. The first (and most frustrating) mistake I made was not using the right kind of print copies. 

I knew my home inkjet prints wouldn't be waterproof, so I took them to my local Kinko's (Fed Ex) store to have toner based copies made of them. No matter what transfer technique I tried, though, that graphic would not budge from that paper. I almost gave up completely and thought I must be some kind of a numbskull because everyone in blogdom seemed to be having the success with transfers that I couldn't achieve. 

Finally, after reading every graphic transfer tutorial I could find, I came across one that said, "SOME COPIERS USE A NEW INK TECHNOLOGY THAT DOES NOT ALLOW THEIR PRINTS TO TRANSFER." 

Eureka!  

I immediately drove down to my local library to have new copies made from its ancient decrepit toner based copier, and was able that very day to do my first successful so-easy-you-can't-believe-it graphic transfer. I promised to myself I would spread the word throughout the land (or at least to my beloved blog followers.) USE THE RIGHT COPIES!

So here's the rest of the story:
  
Choose a graphic (The Graphics Fairy is my favorite source for vintage graphics of all kinds), size and edit it to perfection and print a reverse (very important) copy using the before mentioned correct waterproof ink. Cut your graphic out. Keep in mind that the paper border around your graphic will probably show slightly on your metal, so cut a shape you don't mind seeing on your finished project. 

You'll also need a rag, some mod podge, a paint brush, some water, and optional fine grit sandpaper.

The galvanized containers I bought were splotchy and looked brand new, like this

I wanted them to look old, and I wanted to rough up the smooth surface a bit for the transfer to have more to grab onto. So I sanded all the surfaces, including the handles, with a fine grit sandpaper until they looked like this

It only took a few minutes, and I love the patina.  Whether you sand your metal or not, make sure it's clean and dry.

Cover the printed side of your graphic with mod podge. Not the blank side too, just the printed side. Place the graphic on the metal where you want it to appear with the mod podged print side facing the metal. (Don't forget it's printed in reverse, so it's a little tricky to get it facing the right way.) 

Carefully and gently smoosh the paper down onto the metal. Some mod podge will squish out and it will slide around a little. Wipe it off gently with a clean rag as you smooth the paper down with your finger. You want to smooth out any air bubbles, make sure all the graphic is making contact with the metal, and clean off any extra mod podge on top of and around the paper. Your graphic will stop sliding around and stick as you do this, so make sure you keep moving it into its proper position.

 Now, go to bed. Seriously. Once you have your graphic in the right place and the excess mod podge is cleaned off, leave it alone to dry overnight. Don't rush it. 

The next day, place your metal container on something absorbent, like paper towels or a rag, and dip your finger into some clean water. Saturate the paper with water and rub your finger gently but firmly over the paper until it starts to come off. 

 

The goal is to rub off as much paper as you can without rubbing off the ink, so work slowly and carefully.

French label from The Graphics Fairy

As you can see here, I probably didn't have enough mod podge under the letter S in Paris, or I rubbed the paper too hard and some of it came off. Oops.

Continue adding water and very gently rubbing until you can't feel any more paper coming off under your fingers tips. You will still see a faint shadow of the paper around your graphic, but it will be very transparent when dry, and the metal will show through it. If you try too hard to rub off every trace of paper, the ink will begin to come off, also. Play with it until you're satisfied.  

Finally, wipe off your container with a clean dry cloth. I use my containers to hold supplies on my craft table. If you use yours to hold plants or where they will get wet, I'd seal them with clear polyurethane.

French label from The Graphics Fairy

And there you have it, a little French can-can.

I hope you'll give this fun, easy, and inexpensive transfer technique a try. 

Thanks for visiting, and have a great day! 

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