How To Use Transfer Paper

Transfer paper is a very welcome form of art for crafty creators because of its many advantages. Since its invention, crafters can now transform their brilliant design ideas into an almost instant reality. Transfer paper is the simplest (if done right) and cheapest choice for beginners to create quality designs with any printer at home. Before we see how transfer paper is used on different materials, let’s first understand what it is.

It goes by different names: iron-on transfer paper, heat transfer paper, or paper sheet. Transfer paper is a translucent film in which designs are printed. The design is then copied on a substrate when pressure and heat are applied. Tattoo artists depend on this science to help them outline tattoo designs for even the most intricate drawings.

But how does it really work?

My simple answer? It works like carbon paper, just much cleaner and used for complex art. Designs are printed on a transfer paper that is then pressed using heat and pressure to completely affix it on the garment.

Do you own a laser printer, sublimation printer or an inkjet? Luckily, you don’t have to get a different printer for your transfer paper projects. All you have to do is to customize the transfer paper to fit the type of printer. If you don’t know how the different transfer papers look, check the wrappings. The different types available in the market are Injekt, laser, sublimation or direct-to-film transfer papers.

The ink choice depends on your printer and the outcome you are targeting. I would suggest either of these inks.

The secret to a flawless transfer is in the type of paper used rather than whatever ink you use. For pressing, if you have any of these in your art corner, you are good to go: Iron on, heat press machine or easy press machine.

When designing, some processes such as this one, work best when you’re not trying too hard, but get keen on every step. I know you’re probably a beginner, at least with using transfer paper. So, I’ll take you through a slow-paced process with simple actionable steps, explaining how to use transfer paper on both light and dark-colored fabrics.

Gather all the materials needed for the job to get done.

Load the printer with light transfer paper and ink. Mirror your design by flipping it horizontally and clicking print for it to appear reversed on the transfer paper, which is exactly what we want.

Unlike with bright-colored garments, don’t flip the design. Print it the right side up because you will be placing it upright on the fabric to transfer.

If your design does not need to be printed, get an exact size of the design on a paper photocopy to be used as a reference point. Use tape to secure the paper on a flat surface and cut the design out on it. securing it is important as you don’t want it moving around in the middle of cutting as it ruins the design’s accuracy.

Place the printed image on a cutting machine and let it do all the magic, especially for complex designs. If a cutting machine is not available, use scissors to carefully cut around the edges leaving a reasonable margin that helps to avoid cutting into the design.

If you look closely at the newly-cut print, you can spot some unwanted parts around the margins. If not removed, they become visible after transferring, especially if you’re transferring on a dark garment. Carefully pull them out using tweezers or weeders.

The fabric should be freshly laundered and dried. To remove any contaminants such as dust or lint over the area where you will be transferring your design, rub a microfiber cloth over it.

Then, slightly press the fabric to remove any water, or creases that might affect the transfer quality. It also helps to warm it up, creating a good environment for the adhesive to easily melt.

Remove the backing to separate the image from the backing and artistically place it on the garment. The print should face down on bright-colored surfaces and be upright for dark-colored ones.

Set the right temperature and pressure on the heat press and press for three to five minutes. Do not forget to place a parchment paper between the print and the plate before you press to protect it from the damaging heat. Although a heat press machine is preferred because of its even heat and pressure application, an iron-on is also okay to use in its place.

After pressing, allow the design to sit for a while before peeling. For bright-colored material, a warm peel is recommended, meaning you can peel it off when everything is still warm. For dark-colored ones, cold peeling is more efficient, meaning you have to wait for everything to cool down before you peel.

When the process goes wrong, we are all quickly inclined to blame it on the paper’s quality. While it could be true in some cases, over 90% of the cases are thanks to negligence mistakes. Making even the slightest error when transferring designs is frustrating and sometimes expensive. Look out for these regular mistakes made by even the most experienced crafters, so that you don’t repeat them.

Because they are engineered for sporicidal use, the prints aren’t as long-lasting as those printed using other methods. They cannot withstand many washings and easily fade, hence garments designed this way are not suitable for sale and are mostly for personal projects.

The application process triggers mistakes often even with the most talented crafters. The application process is complex and requires keenness and precision to avoid misalignment, uneven applications, and peeling incorrectly. This leads to you spending hours on a project that could have taken you less time using other transfer methods.

The edges on dark fabric paper need to be carefully trimmed to avoid leaving out the bright borders that are quite visible. If your designs have complex edges, this can take you ages to get the best final images right.

There's no doubt that your artistic ideas are blowing the top of the roof if you’re already thinking about transfer paper. It's perfectly okay to stumble on a few steps on your first trial with the process, but it only gets better with time and more practice. Get your transfer paper and let’s take your printing and transfer skills to the next level.