How to Create a Rub Transfer Drawing Onto High Quality Paper

If you have ever done a sketchbook drawing, napkin doodle or any other piece of art on "not so good" paper that you wished you could transfer onto a higher quality paper, but didn't know how ... then read on!
Sure, you can re-draw the image onto the more suitable surface (canvas, higher grade paper, etc), but it rarely replicates the same amount of intensity as the original-unless you painstakingly put the time into it. Well, an easier alternative that can shave off hours of trying to duplicate the piece is to use the "Rub transfer method".Sure, there are products on the market that can help you do this, but they cost money, and you have to search art supply stores for them-which takes time and can sometimes kill the initial spark as well as your inspiration. The following technique I'm going to discuss is easy, shouldn't cost you anything (provided you have these basic supplies), and won't screw up your momentum.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• your original source drawing
• a good variety of drawing pencils (in a pinch, good 'ol soft #2's work just as well)
• low "tack" masking tape
• inexpensive tracing paper
• a light box (optional/but optimal, depending upon the amount of detail you wish to copy from the original)

1. 
    
   www.dkimages.com/.../Drawing-Projects-154.html

   Select your drawing. As I mentioned, the source drawing can be anything you've drawn on any type of paper. You may also wish to, as a practice exercise, have an image (photo, clip art) that you may wish to use, to vamp up, modify or play around with. take the piece and secure it to your drawing board by taping down each corner.

2. 
    
   https://shop.ccreplay.com/catalog/images/S010%20LIGHT%20BOX.jpg

   Now, get a sheet of tracing paper, and lay the sheet over your original drawing. If you are using a light box, the original drawing would be taped onto the light box, with the tracing paper laid on top of the original.

3. Once you have lined up the tracing paper, secure it down by taping each corner with a small piece of masking tape, and begin to trace the drawing. Using a soft leaded pencil, try not to trace the image using "sketchy" lines, rather, use bold, deliberate lines which will define the outline of the image you are copying. Try your best not to stop midway, in between a contour/shape, since the point at which you continue will appear obvious to the viewer and will almost always NOT line up with the consistency of the outline.

4. Check your drawing once you've finished tracing it. When satisfied with the results, go in and trace the details (patterns, textures, etc)that you wish to retain and replicate in your new transfer.

5. Once you have finished this and you've checked the tracing, remove the traced drawing as well as the original source sketch/drawing from your light box or drawing surface. Don't get rid of the original drawing, you want to save it as a reference when completing the transfer.

6. At this point, you should have a new surface you wish to transfer the drawing onto. Get whatever it is ready, and tape it down firmly to your drawing surface-securing all 4 corners with masking tape. If you chose to use canvas that is already stretched and framed, place a few books or magazines underneath the canvas frame on the back side of the canvas, so as to "lift" the canvas and keep it from buckling. Any other papers/boards should be easy to secure to your drawing surface.

7. Once the new drawing surface is secured, take the traced drawing and turn it face down onto the drawing surface (make sure you place it down exactly where you want it to appear on your paper/canvas) and then secure it with masking tape.

8. Have your pencils ready and make sure you have quick access to a sharpener-or just keep at least 5 pencils ready ( I suggest using a soft lead). Take your pencil and, holding it so that the side of the point is being used to shade, cover the ENTIRE image you traced on the other side, until you have a big, bold blotch of lead on the side facing you. I usually do this in 2 passes- once vertically, and once horizontally, to ensure total coverage.

9. 
    
   http://z.about.com/d/rubberstamping/1/0/0/8/-/-/pencils1.jpg

   Once you feel you have covered the entire surface of the traced drawing, and there is no more to shade over, stop and lift up one end of the tracing paper. The transferred line "should" be dark, but not as dark as the original line-you'll have time to fix it and add more tone later on. Once you see the transferred line in one section, check the remaining sections-you have just transferred your drawing and can now add color in whatever medium you wish to work in.

Tips & Warnings

• DON'T RUB TOO HARD ON THE TRACING PAPER-YOUR PENCIL POINT COULD TEAR THE PAPER.

[maryellen1001]

on 2/9/2009 Great article. Very good instruction on how to transfer an image. 5*