Transferring images to wood is a fun and fairly simple activity which was popular among teens and adults.
Supplies:
- Wooden squares (we did 2 per kit)
- Liquitex gel medium (32 oz was enough for 50 kits)
- Paint brush
- Something flat to burnish with (we gave out popsicle sticks)
- A small bit of sponge (we used a basic rectangle sponge cut into sixths)
- An image the same size as the wood printed with an inkjet printer (we gave patrons the option to email us their images if they did not have a printer at home)
- Instructions on how to access the Creativebug video with their library card
My library got the Creativebug database at the beginning of the Pandemic and this was one of my first forays into creating kits to go along with their instructional videos. This worked very well and was a good way to make patrons aware of the database as well as to save me some time typing up my own instructions.
However, this project is simple enough that you don't NEED and instructional video. You simply cut your picture to size (note that it will mirror your image!), coat one side of the wood in the gel medium, place the paper image-down on the wood, and burnish it with the popsicle stick. Then you wait overnight for everything to dry and use the wet sponge to carefully remove the paper from the wood in the morning to reveal the transferred image. I've found that the more you try this process the cleaner your transfers become.
You could also transfer on to other wood shapes, and with the addition of a drilled hole and some twine or ribbon this could become an ornament program. I didn't bother to add felt or cork to the bottom of the wood to create a truer table-safe coaster, but you can if you'd like!
Amount of Kits: 50
Sign ups: 50
Cost: ~$70
Success: This was a very popular program, which was great since we made more kits than we normally would. Thankfully each necessary item was easy/cheap to buy in that quantity. I definitely think I'll bring this one back with a different twist down the line. The only downside is the fact that you need to wait overnight so it wouldn't be the best in-person program.
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