Homemade Transfer Paper

On my website, I have written an article about how to make your own transfer paper, and here I’m showing the process in action as I prepare a new small (9×12”) painting. Transfer paper is like carbon paper placed between a drawing and a blank surface, and drawing on it transfers the lines to the surface below. Instead of buying some, you can make your own in any color you wish using true pigment instead of graphite. The paper can be reused as is several times, as well as recoated with more pigment.

In this image you can see a sheet of vellum tracing paper coated with a wash of gray pigment mixed with turpentine into a thin paint-like paste. I placed a sheet of paper under it so you could see it better. The mixture should be thin enough to brush on, but not so thin that it won’t transfer clearly. If it’s too thick it won’t adhere very well. Test how it transfers on a scrap sheet of paper. It dries very quickly, usually within 15 minutes or so. Use caution since some pigments can be toxic, and proper studio ventilation is required when using turpentine.

The pigment I’m using here is a ceramic stain I picked up at a local sculpture supply store. I wanted a light gray so the lines wouldn’t be too dark. You could also try grinding down soft pastels, although, you need a good bit of pigment, and the pastel binder may not allow it to transfer very well. Raw pigment works great.

Here you can see the lightly transferred lines. The surface support is an Ampersand “Aquabord” I’m trying out, which is a hardboard coated with a special acrylic primer that feels similar to watercolor paper. I drew the transferred lines with a colored pencil so I could see where I had previously drawn. I went back over some spots with a gray watercolor pencil, lightened some other lines with a kneaded eraser, and fixed it with a coat of spray fixative. Now it’s ready for the first coat of paint.