How to Make Homemade Graphite Transfer Paper for Arts & Crafts

Have an image that you'd like to transfer from paper onto... anything? Homemade transfer paper is easy and saves a lot of money. If you have and image on paper, you can transfer it easily.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

Things You’ll Need:

• Image on Paper
• Pencil

1. Image ~ You must have the image on piece of paper. The paper should be of average thickness, like notebook or printer paper. Thin paper tears. Thick paper won't transfer clearly.
2. Apply Graphite ~ Start with a very sharp pencil. Turn the paper image-side down. You will be applying graphite to the back of the image. Hold the pencil at an angle so that the side of the lead, not the tip, rubs against the paper. You want to make a blurry, hazy layer of graphite. Make sure all of the paper is covered. Gaps will lead to gaps in transfered image.
3. Transfer ~ Place paper image-side up directly on top of the surface you will transfer the image to. Align so that the image is transfered where you want it. With a sharp pencil, trace the contours of the image being transfered. AVOID EXCESSING TOUCHING OR HANDLING OF PAPER as this will cause unwanted graphite to leak from the paper. When finished tracing the areas you wish to transfer, remove paper.

Tips & Warnings

• Always keep a back-up copy of your image.
• Check as you transfer the image to make sure you are getting the desired results.
• You can reuse the paper to transfer the image again.
• Use paper about as thick as computer or notebook paper.
• Once graphite is applied, handle paper as little as possible.
• Do not allow your hand to lean on paper during transfer.
• Use a light touch during transfer or risk damaging the transfer paper and the destination.