Halloween Inspirational Digital Bundle project: Packing tape transfer card

Halloween was my favorite holiday growing up. Getting dressed up in a costume handmade by my mother and trick-or-treating in the neighborhood was something I looked forward to all year.

I still love Halloween, but now I appreciate it for how it influences my artwork-it allows me to add some spooky and dark touches. I made this Halloween card using one of the tintype images from the new Halloween Inspirational Digital Bundle. Included in the bundle, along with fantastic Halloween and Day of the Dead projects, is a pdf with exclusive tintype and vintage photo images from my personal stash.

You can use them for the "Traveling Back in Time: The Making of Faux Tintype Photos" project by Tracy Roos, but I used one to make another type of image transfer.

If you've never made a packing tape transfer, you're in for a treat. It's a super easy technique with "wow" results. Print the pdf on a regular inkjet printer (laser copies won't work for this). Cut out the image and adhere the front (right side) of the image to the sticky side of a piece of clear packing tape.

Trim the image if necessary, and submerge it in a small tub of room temperature water. Let it sit for a few minutes, until the paper comes off when you rub it. If the paper doesn't come off right away, let it soak for a minute or two more.

Continue rubbing the paper with your fingers, occasionally dunking it in the water to remove the paper bits. When all the paper has been removed the back should feel completely smooth and a little sticky. Allow the image to air dry with the sticky side up, but don't blot the water with a paper or cloth towel, as that may transfer dust and lint. (If there is still some paper residue when the transfer has completely dried, submerge it in water again and repeat the rubbing.)

Any part of the original image that was white will now be clear. Anything you put behind the image will show through, so try out a variety of papers to see how the image looks. For this tintype I chose a metallic silver paper to make the photo look more authentic.

I attached the transfer to the paper with small brads, adhered that piece to pumpkin colored cardstock, and layered that onto patterned cardstock. I then added some hand stitching with embroidery thread and a small piece of vintage lace at the top.

I was lucky to find the October 31st date in a vintage ledger book, and attached that to the bottom of the card. I can't wait to give this to my friend, who also adores Halloween.

There are so many amazing projects in this bundle, and since it's a digital download you'll be able to get started right away. Don't forget to post your projects on our Share Your Art page. And Happy Halloween! ~ Jeannine

P.S. Here's a fun photo I took at a graveyard in Boston that dates back to the 1700s! Perfect for Halloween!

 

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