Gum Arabic Transfer

Gum Arabic Transfer is a great printmakers' way of transferring a photocopy to paper using ink!
Head over to our blog for full instructions: handprinted.co...
Gum Arabic: handprinted.co...
Hawthorn Ink: handprinted.co...
Pipettes: handprinted.co...
Foam Brushes: handprinted.co...
Hawthorn Rollers: handprinted.co...
Paper: handprinted.co...

[@girliedog]

Nice technique, I bought a gallon of gum arabic at an estate sale, and now I know what to do with it.

[@Handprinteduk]

Definitely give this a try then! I think you can also make ink using gum arabic but I haven't tried that myself

[@TheStockwell]

Even when you demonstrate processes and tools I might never use, your tutorials are always fascinating, informative, and edited very well. Thank you, Ms. Handmade! 🐧 💙 🐧

[@Handprinteduk]

Thank you!

[@andreahegarty9262]

Fantastic,tutorial video,so informative and rhank you for showing the types of ink and mentioning types of paper.

[@phyllisjeanfulton]

Magical- I want to experiment with this for Nature Prints Society- you’re exactly what I was seeking - Gum Arabic !!! Yes. So much safer than spirits and easier than Matt Medium and scrubbing off the back paper

[@Handprinteduk]

So happy to help!

[@pgalaxy]

thanks for sharing but I don t understand. if the gum arabic is spread all over the photocopy, and covers the images to be transfereed, how can the green ink stick to the image? please explain

[@Handprinteduk]

The gum arabic helps the ink to adhere to the laser copy but will act as a resist on the blank unprinted paper.

[@curationdept]

@@Handprinteduk ah,. very clever - i understand now thanks

[@lauracastell2449]

Thank you! I am finding that often the paper sticks to the roller so it breaks in some areas and I can only do one print. Any suggestion? Thank you!

[@nahidulislam6444]

thank you very much.

[@nilzeteaguiar7163]

Ola por favor! A goma arábica é misturada com outro produto?

[@digitalbrayer]

Great Video - Have you ever tried this technique with Akua intaglio inks?

[@imaarondanger]

I dont believe it would as i think that the Akua series is water based where as here they are using oil based ink and linseed oil to thin it. Have u had a chance to give it a try since your comment? Im interested

[@tonyvermeer7409]

I learned this 30 years ago in undergrad and had so much fun with it. I printed a photocopy of a large ant on the tile floor of our campus mailroom. Three girls came to check their mailboxes and one finally noticed the ant. They screamed and freaked out. Success!
I'm going to introduce this process to my 4th graders. I'm buying some gum Arabic powder to mix up. Any idea how long gum Arabic in liquid form lasts?

[@Handprinteduk]

How wonderful! I'm sorry but I don't know how long it lasts. We've had some in the studio for a few years that's still working well

[@withonforafteratbyin]

Do you think this would work to transfer an image to a silk screen?

[@Handprinteduk]

We're using oil based inks for this technique which we wouldn't really want on screen printing mesh

[@imaarondanger]

Also if you intended to transfer an image to a screen, you would want to transfer the negative of your drawing or image to the screen mesh rather- so that the screen mesh remained open where you would squeegee water based ink. This means that the negative space surrounding your drawing would become blocked by your transfer, allowing only your drawing or image to be printed when ink is forced through the screen

[@christophercote1482]

why doesn't the ink stick to the white area? or why does it stick to where the ink is?

[@Handprinteduk]

The gum arabic stops the ink from transferring. The dark areas repel the gum arabic so it only sticks to the white.

[@christophercote1482]

@@Handprinteduk how interesting! and is this just printed off an inkjet printer?

[@Handprinteduk]

​@@christophercote1482 It can't be inkjet, only laser prints as it needs the carbon

[@lalitchouhan5550]

Konsepent he ye