Canvas Pictures

The following instructions will show you how to make canvas pictures. This technique will be using the photocopy method.

Required Materials

A cup of water
Paintbrush
Photocopy machine
Gloss acrylic medium
Photo
Finished canvas

Step 1

Create a black and white photocopy of your work. The photocopy machine should use a toner. You can also print the image and create a mirror image. This is what will be photocopied. This step is needed because the procedure will produce an opposite image.

Step 2

Open the gloss acrylic medium. Protect the work area. Start painting the medium across the photocopy face. Apply the strokes steadily. Make sure also the medium is uniformly applied.

As soon as you are finished, flip the photocopy over. Press it down the canvas. Push on the paper so it will stick to the canvas. To avoid wrinkles, smooth it out as much as you can.

Step 3

To make your canvas pictures, you have to allow the gloss acrylic medium to dry at room temperature. This will take a few days or more.

Step 4

Prepare a cup of water. Dip your fingers in the cup. Rub the back of the paper with your wet fingers. Keep doing this until you are able to get rid of some of the pulp. Don’t rub in a rough manner because the paper will tear.

Step 5

When your fingers dry up, dip them in the water and start rubbing again. Keep removing the pulp. Eventually the image beneath the pulp will start to appear. When the image is the way you like it, allow
it to dry for 60 minutes.

Step 6

Return to the canvas after an hour. Repeat the rubbing and dipping in water process. Keep repeating it until you get the image you want.

Tips and Warnings

Don’t hurry the gloss medium drying time. A hair dryer can speed up the drying process. However, this can adversely affect the way the paper will rub off.

The problem with rushing the drying time is the paper tears up easily. It is up to you to decide how much of the original image you want to show up. In some instances, it is much better to let the paper cloud some portions of the image. It is a matter of personal preference.

This method of producing canvas pictures takes time, but it is worth it. One of the nice things about using this method is you get to combine digital and traditional painting techniques.