Printing and painting photographs on canvas...

This is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I love canvas and have seen photos printed directly onto it before. I decided it was time to try it out! I started with the following:



*photo printer paper
*canvas
*Glue Arts FabricBond cartridge/ GlueGlider Pro
*clear acrylic sealant spray
*Creative Inspirations paints
*large paint brush, scissors

Step 1: Trace your photo paper onto a piece of canvas, and cut out. Try not to fray the edges as you go.




Step 2: Now adhere the canvas onto the photo paper. Place a few strips of FabricBond onto the bottom edge of the paper. Line up your canvas edge as evenly as you possibly can. Add more strips of adhesive on the rest of the paper, and flatten your canvas down onto it.






Step 3: Now smooth out the canvas, and go over it briskly with a brush. You are trying to get as many fluffy fiber bits off of the surface as possible. Spray your canvas liberally with acrylic sealant. This also helps control loosened threads as it feeds through the printer.





Step 4: Let your canvas dry for at least thirty minutes or so before printing on it. When it comes out, you'll have something like this:



At this point I seal it again and allow it to dry...

Step 5: Time to paint! Use water to clean your brushes out between colors, but dry them well. Excess water will turn your black ink a sickly green.




This seems like it's time consuming, but it really isn't bad and I found it very fun! Is it something you might try?

Here's the page I used the photo on: