Step#1: Choose your photo Choose your photo and resize it in either Photoshop or Google Docs to the size of your wood. You may also have to flip your image horizontally if you have words or want your photo to have a specific look. Print your photo using an inkjet printer.
Step#2: Gather materials The materials you will need are your printed photo, a piece of wood, two paint brushes, and Mod Podge. I will be using dishwasher-safe gloss Mod Podge. Another alternative to Mod Podge would be gel medium. To keep your space clean, I would recommend putting down a sheet of newspaper to work on. Later on you will also need water.
Step#3: Cut out your photo Cut out your photo so that it is the size of your wood.
Step#4: Begin the transfer process Using the Mod Podge, paint a thin layer onto the piece of wood, covering the entire thing.
Step#5: Continuing the transfer process Using the Mod Podge, paint a thin layer onto your chosen photo, covering the entire thing. Make sure to get NO Mod Podge on the back of your photo. You may need to lay your photo facedown onto newspaper in order to get all the edges and corners.
Step#6: Place photo on wood Now you will place your photo face down onto the wood, so you see only white paper. Add force and push out any air bubbles to make sure your photo binds to the wood.
Step#7: Let image and wood dry To be safe, I would recommend letting your photo dry for 24 hours. This will ensure that your photo has bonded with the wood and won’t rub off when removing the paper.
Step#8: Rub off paper Once the Mod Podge on your photo and the wood has dried, use a cloth or your fingers and water to rub the paper away. Using lots of water to rub away the paper, you will start to see your image left on the wood. You will have to repeat this step many times (at least 4-5 times)because once you rub off the top layer of paper and let it dry, you will have to rub off the second layer of paper and so on.
Step#9: Top layer (optional) Once you have rubbed off all the paper, you can either leave the photo as is or add a topcoat of Mod Podge. This top layer will add a thin layer of gloss and make your product look complete.
Step#10: Completed product You have finished and can now use your complete product however you would like.
