Laser Print Image Transfer on the Gel Plate: Do's and Don'ts!!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 8 ก.พ. 2025
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Come and join me as I try out the Laser Print Image Transfer technique for the first time. I had very mixed results but am happy with my last print, so please do stick around until the end of the video. There are lots of tips throughout too to give you guidance on the do's and don'ts of this technique.
I love experimenting with new techniques and absolutely adore working with the Gel plate, so please do consider subscribing to the channel if you want to see more.
You can also follow me on Facebook @Gailjuliemakes
Take care and keep crafting.
Gail xx
Love, love, love the softness and “imperfections”! It’s perfect. 💓💓💓 Top notch image. Thanks for making this. 😊
Thank you so much for your kind comment. I agree the imperfections are what makes the gel plate process interesting. I love it for its grunginess and you put it so well by talking about it's softness. Happy printing. 🙌😊
Most TH-camrs don’t share their imperfect results so I am grateful to you for doing that. I’m thinking that this process is not for me.
I like to show a process from start to finish as honestly as I can. If you see my latest video on this...I get to a result I am happy with. th-cam.com/video/xStq-1RtXhY/w-d-xo.html
Gracias! Nadie mostraba los actos fallidos , aprendí un montón!❤
Glad you found it helpful...we always learn from mistakes so I don't mind including them. 🙂
This is def not an epic fail but since we are on the subject..
I think 'fail' videos should be shown. I think we can learn just as much from them, if not more. There's always something positive to gain and as long as we are learning from it, the demonstration should be considered a success. Learning what NOT to do is equally as important as learning the correct method.
So in reality there's actually no such thing as an 'epic fail' demo is there? lol
You did well Gail! 🤩
@@MissIdolize I have definitely had a lot of people take comfort from this video when they are struggling with the process. Experimentation and mistakes always lead to new ideas too so it's best just to go with the flow and have a go. 🙌
I'm glad it's not just me. Have often tried with laserjet but resullts are rarely good. Strange how it sometimes works. Liked the olive
Definitely not just you. As I always say...you need the Goldilocks effect...just right. Keep trying...it's worth it! Yes, the olive works really well. Thanks 😊👍
appreciate your attempt. I watched your last transfer, was amazing! I am having troubles, so good to see it is not a perfect science!😅
As I say... it's very much the Goldilocks effect. Keep trying - it is worth it when you get a satisfying pull. 🤞🙌
Thank you for doing this. My prints kept failing and I couldn't understand why. This was really helpful and also sometimes you fail and sometimes you succeed. It is good to see both sides for a change.
Thanks so much. I'm glad you found the tutorial helpful. I had such high hopes going into this so I know how disappointing it can be when you get a fail but that is the wonder of Gel printing - you never know quite what you're going to get - it can be frustrating at times but really exciting every time you pull a print too. Hope you get that elusive print that you're looking for...but mostly just keep enjoying trying. Very best. Gail x
I too have tried numerous times to do image transfer with a laser printed image & I too have failed miserably...but I'm glad that you finally did get some results...think I need to keep trying
Yes, it's definitely worth the effort. It's just getting enough toner on your printout. I'm hoping to try image transfer from books soon. Keep an eye out in the next couple of weeks for that. 😊
This made me feel better about my numerous fails. Thx. 😊
Good to show some fails I think...we do learn a lot from them. I'm trying laser transfer again tomorrow so expect another tutorial over the weekend...fingers crossed it works. I've tried a different copy shop! Gail x
Thank You! I just bought a laser printer this week so I could do transfers to the Gel Plate. No success so far. I even made my own Gel plate, and have a 8x10 commercial Gel plate. I tried 2 different brands of black acrylic paint. No success on the purchased Gel plate, but my homemade one, I did get a measure of success
Keep experimenting...it can take a while but eventually you'll get there. I've also tried water based inks and got some interesting results. I have a video on that...the inks are Elements inks by Lavinia stamps. Stazon is another interesting ink to use. I've never tried making my own plate...interesting that you had more success with it...I wonder if you need to wear your bought plate in a bit more. Keep me posted on how you go with it. I do find leaving the laser prints for a few days or even weeks seems to work better than trying to use them straight away too. 🙌
You just saved my sanity. Thanks!
Glad to hear it! 🙌👍
I have exactly the same issue so would be very interested to hear about any solutions you may discover
I have done a couple more image transfer vids since with more success. Watch this one th-cam.com/video/xStq-1RtXhY/w-d-xo.html
I explain in more detail what I did at the local copy shop. 👍
thankyou so much for posting this video...I couldn't figure out why I had a fail when I went to the trouble of laser printing...now I know not enough toner and my design was not the type of think to transfer- thin drawn outlines of a bouquet design. I can see now the type of pics people are printing a photographic style...btw I was thinking of marching down to the copy shop to question their machines 🤣
Hi Jen, sorry I didn't respond sooner. I'm glad the video was useful for you. I thought I'd do a warts and all kind of video because I got really frustrated, like you, thinking it would just work straight away from laser copy. As we find with the Gel plate there are always exceptions and I wanted to show this. Trial and error as usual. Definitely query those machines. He he. Once you find a method that works just stick with it. For example I find liquitex Paynes Grey and Country Life magazine always work for me with magazine image transfer. Good luck and happy experimenting xx
Thank you so much for this! I was trying to do an image transfer on gel and it wouldn't work. We tried several laser printed images, a magazine image, and some news print, along with several different types of paint. It was helpful to see it *not* work for someone else. I'm going to go to the library and make a photocopy of the laser printed image and see if that method leaves more toner on the paper.
Check out my latest video on laser transfer where I get much better results. Here is the link. th-cam.com/video/xStq-1RtXhY/w-d-xo.html
Good luck with it x
tHANKS Gail, appreciate this..x
Yes, there is a Goldi Locks effect... so a LOT of toner, High contrast. Run the print through the printer at least 3 times.... I am going to experiment with a glossier paper
Hi Caelidh, sorry I'm only just replying...we moved house, hubby set up a new business and I got a new job, so hectic times. Have you tried the glossier paper yet? I'd love to know how you get on because I want to use my own images more and as you know it's a huge learning curve. X
hi there! thanks so much for this real process video. i'm not sure if i missed this information, but what kind of laser paper did you print that picture of your grandparents on? i've been trying to find the right paper, something glossy but not too glossy, based on research i've done
Hi, so pleased you enjoyed the video and that it helped. The paper was just normal printer paper but printed on my copy shop's Lazer printer. I've moved since and now have a new copy shop but it worked with them too. Here is another video with results from my new copy shop's lazer printer. I hope you enjoy it.
th-cam.com/video/xStq-1RtXhY/w-d-xo.html
Helpful suggestions!
Glad you found it useful. I have a more recent tutorial that has better results. th-cam.com/video/xStq-1RtXhY/w-d-xo.html
You can do it with inkjet but you need to press it directly onto the gel plate with no paint then apply paint on top before you pull it but obviously don't use black paint or you won't see it.
@@maidenfan7117 interesting...thanks for letting me know... I'll give that a try 😀
I bought a laser printer and those prints haven’t transferred. I even went into the photo & edited it to be super high contrast. Still nothing. I guess I’ll return the printer because it still hasn’t worked. I haven’t yet tried running the copy through the printer more times so THANK YOU for the tip!! I’m dreading trying it for another fail. But thank you all!
I have a video going up in the next couple of days where it worked really well. So don't give up. Subscribe and hit the bell an all notifications if you don't want to miss it!! X
ist seems like it has to be photocopy and not regular laster printer? no luck with trying my laser pinter
Sorry only just replying. I get photocopies done because I take a printed picture in rather than get the copy shop to mess around with my usb stick etc. It just seems the easiest and quickest way. They do have a big - what I would call more industrial sized printer than what the average home would have...so could be to do with that. Good luck with future transfers and Happy New Year. Gail 🙌
have you tried different lazer printers? i like to get one, and not break the bank, but not get something that won' work
I've only had them printed via Lazer copiers at print shops so can't really advise there as their machines would be more expensive than your average home ones. You could ask in a gel printing group maybe. I don't do enough image transfer to warrant buying my own printer at the moment.
@@gailjuliemakes thanks.
Have you ever been able to get this to work better? I have tried so many times; type of paint makes a difference, but mostly the amount of toner on the print. Very frustrating when I see people making it work but I can't. Sort of glad to see your fails.
Yes, it can be frustrating I haven't tried again as yet. I am hoping to go and take some photos of trees to experiment with and then try with a different copy shop (I have been out of action on the channel for a while as I was moving). I will post a video when I try. Fingers crossed. All we can do is keep trying for that elusive print. Good luck. Drop me a comment and a picture of your next try... I'd love to see. Xx
Sherry, I finally got around to trying again with the laser transfer and the results are much better...here is the tutorial if you haven't checked it out already. Gail x
th-cam.com/video/xStq-1RtXhY/w-d-xo.html
Any chance that this would work with inks? I struggle with paints on my gel press.
I have had some success using Elements inks to do Image transfer from magazines. The depth of colour isn't quite as strong but it tends to work each time and it depends what effect you are going for. Check out my tutorial on using Elements inks for image transfer. Elements inks are available from Lavinia Stamps in the uk but should also be available in other countries from suppliers of Lavinia Stamps. Hope that helps. Gail 😁
@@gailjuliemakes Have you tried pulling a print off a laser printed sheet with the Elements ink? I would love to copy some old black and white family photos I have.
That's exactly what happened when I tried to use a photocopy. The whole lot came off.
@@Midgy21747 I think it just depends on the quantity of toner on the photocopy which is why in my other TH-cam tutorials, I experimented with the paper going through the copier twice so it had extra toner...also I found it needs to be colour toner and not black. Hope this helps.
@ thank you
Did you find a printer that works best?
I just use my local copy shop that have a big laser printer that would probably not be suitable for the home. May be worth asking around on some of the Gel Plate pages x
Did you say your mom and grand dad got married? Wow! Could you say a bit more about how that happened? 🤓
No I said 'nan', a term used locally for grandma. If the subtitles said that...they often get my accent wrong and misquote. 🥴
@@gailjuliemakes Thanks for the clarification. That said, I listened again and about 13 seconds in it really sounded like you said "this is my mom and grand dad". So it should have been mom and "nan dad"? Or did I hear that wrong as well? It is totally possible that I am hearing it wrong.
It is not a big deal. The video was helpful and I am grateful to you for it. The image is a nice one. It is easy to misspeak, especially when making videos. Just thought, if what I heard was what was said, it might shine a strange light on my beloved Aussies. 😁
Glad you found it useful. I do have a more recent video where I nail the technique more. I definitely say nan and grandad though and not an Aussie...I'm British. 😅 But I do love an Aussie accent. 🙂
Does the first layer of paint on the gel always need to be dark, black etc. Or would a bright colour work please ?
It should work with brighter colours too. I have a tutorial where I use elements inks to image transfer from a magazine. I used various colours then. Elements ink gives you a very subtle ghost like print but it does work and should work with other colours in acrylics if you find a brand that works for you. I have a more recent video and laser transfer but again I use my old faithful Paynes Grey. Give it a go... experimenting is the best way to find out what works for you. Have fun. Gail x
@@gailjuliemakes . Thanks so much x
Timing is critical, perhaps transfer image should be laid down when paint is more wet!
In my latest video I have cracked it. But yes you are right lots of different variables.
@@gailjuliemakes 👍👍👍