Every so often an improvement to a technique comes along thanks to one of my students. In this case, artist Bob Cook was in my mixed media class and we were learning the traditional xerox transfer method. We were gluing the xerox image face down to a support and then painfully dissolving off the backing paper. He said what we need is a water dissolving paper, and Internet to the rescue, Bob found the answer on the Science Bob web site (No relation. Great coincidence.)!
The Science Bob site specializes in science toys for kids, but also sells a water dissolving paper suitable for Xerox machines and laser printers. The paper on the back of the glued, dried, xerox or laser toner easily comes off with just a small amount of wetting and rubbing! The paper is a glue when dried, so make sure to wet the print again and wipe it clean. This is a vast improvement on typical copy paper and at relatively little cost!
Water dissolving paper at Science Bob’s
Original Tutorial: Xerox, Laser Transfer, and Inkjet Digital Transfer On and Off the Press
9 comments
Skip to comment form
So if you are using the ‘water dissolving paper’ do you still need the glue discussed in the original technique? You say ‘make sure to wet the print again’ but doesn’t that begin dissolving the paper right away? Confused.
The original process uses regular old paper. The only difference in this process is the paper you are xeroxing onto. The special water dissolving paper. Everything else is the same. I hope this clarifies.
would this work on ceramics?
Unless you were using a toner that survives firing it would not work for ceramics. I think there may be such a toner out there but I am not a ceramic specialist to know.
Good morning! I cam across your website and was wondering if I can do a Xerox image transfer to watercolor paper and then be able to paint over the image transfer?
Thanks for your help!
Jeanne
Generally the matte soft gel will stick very well to the toner. The paper can then be wet after the soft gel dries to dissolve it.
I’m guessing that since if dissolves in water that the previous steps of wetting this WD paper is omitted. Do you instead 1) print the image in a Xerox/print machine, 2) apply the matte soft gel to the image side 3) place the image face down on the surface to be transferred, 4) let dry, 5) dissolve the WD paper. Did I understand the improved approach? Does the matte soft gel start the dissolving?
Your work is fascinating! I am particularly impressed with the sea-like creatures created in plastic.
And thanks for the information about ceramic etching decals and water dissolving paper. Thank god for SCIENCE!
Honestly I’m not sure. I have not used their absorbent ground