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Packing Tape Photo Transfer
by Beth Madland

Make a copy of your photo on a copier machine that uses toner. Most home “inkjet” printers do not use toner. I went to a chain office supply store and made the copies in the self-service center.

Reduce the size of the photo so it is less than 2 inches long or wide. The packing tape is roughly two inches wide and it must cover the entire copy of the photograph.

Trim around the copied photo using your paper trimmer. If you prefer, use scissors.

Place a strip of clear packing tape over the copied photo covering the picture with the sticky side of the tape.

Use the edge of the ruler or bone folder tool and go over the top of the taped photo. This is to ensure the tape has adhered to the entire copied photo.

Place the copied photo in a bowl of room temperature water. Let it soak for at least five minutes. You will notice the photo curling in the water. This won’t affect your photo.

Now you have two options. You can remove the copied photo from the water and begin rubbing the paper off the back of the photo under a running faucet. Or, you can rub the paper off while the copied photo is still in the bowl. Caution: do not use your fingernails to do this; use your fingers and the paper will rub off eventually. Your fingernails could rub off some of the design on the tape.

You will notice the black and white image remaining on the tape. Set aside to dry. When it has dried and you notice some paper still remaining on the back of the tape just repeat steps six and seven until only the black and white design remains on the tape.

Comments: This packing tape technique is not acid free (unless you have found acid free tape). I use this method to create accents on my page that do not touch my photos.