Photo Transfer Tutorial

Creative Photo Projects: Transferring Photos with Photo Transfer Medium

Don't just frame, but do more with your favorite photos! With photo transfer medium, you can create beautiful memories and personal gifts. You might be wondering what it's all about? In this guide, you'll learn everything important.

What is Photo Transfer Medium?
The term describes quite well what it's about: a medium that allows you to transfer the colors from a photo. It's often referred to as photo transfer potch or simply potch. Since photo transferring onto various materials is a unique craft process, the term \"potching\" has become popular among fans of this crafting technique.

Creative Possibilities with Photo Transfer Medium

Almost everything can be personalized with your photos – whether it’s porcelain, ceramics, wood, canvases, metal, or glass. You can even decorate candles with photo transfer potch; a flame-retardant varnish is added. Fabrics can also be designed, provided they are chemical-free and only washed by hand afterward.

Creative Tips:
You can combine different techniques and create collages or work with stencils and various wiping techniques on canvases, tins, or home accessories. An example can be found in this canvas collage:

Here, photo elements were potched on cardboard, perfect for capturing vacation memories. Also, try using old newspaper articles or clippings from fashion or home magazines instead of photos. Travel magazines or holiday catalogs also offer interesting possibilities.

Show your creativity by designing personal sayings and potching them onto bags, cans, cushions, and more:

The beauty of potching is the slightly translucent surface that gives the image a unique texture. Especially with wood, the grain is visible, and the texture remains apparent on canvases and stretchers.

Custom phone cases and covers can be easily designed with the transfer medium. The cover should be firm and smooth. It doesn't always have to be a photo – how about trying it with your favorite quote? Here, you'll find more inspirations. The Kreul company's blog has many potching ideas, and until the end of May, you can participate in a contest. Upload a photo of your potched work and keep your fingers crossed!

Instructions: How To Potch

Potching is easier than it sounds but requires some patience and practice. The process consists of five steps:

1. Creating a print
2. Applying the transfer medium to the photo and pressing it onto the material
3. Drying
4. Moistening and rubbing off the paper
5. Varnishing

Don't forget that the drying phase ideally takes one day.

Step 1: Create a print
Select your photo and mirror it in an image editing program. Print it with a laser printer on regular paper. Alternatively, you can make laser copies of existing photos. Determine the placement of the photo and mark it with a pencil or marker pen.

Quickly spread the photo motif and the marked area with the transfer medium (also known as potch) using a napkin brush. Make sure everything is well soaked; otherwise, the photo won't transfer completely. Then quickly place the image side on the marked spot and smooth it with a squeegee. Any leftover glue may need to be removed with water.

Grab your heat gun and dry the photo for about ten minutes on the highest setting. Let the photo cool down well afterward, preferably for a day, before continuing. For candles, use the cool setting and let them dry in the air for a day.

When everything is completely cooled, moisten the photo and rub off the softened paper until only white fibers remain.

Apply another layer of the transfer medium. This will make the white paper fibers disappear, and the photo will get a satin finish. A special flame-retardant varnish based on wax is used for candles.