This started out as the second ghost print — yes, you read that correctly, second ghost print from a traced portrait using my gel plate. If you’d like to see a process video of this tracing technique for an image transfer, have a look at this YouTube video.
I have the complete process for doing image transfers four different ways, including how to modify the first pull, in my self-paced Portrait Printing course.
Here’s a look at the embellished original pull and first ghost print. You can see how each of these is very different, despite using one magazine image to pull the prints. Embellishing can really make your portrait prints look so vastly different!
As you’ll see in this video, I had an outline of the image transfer to start out with. I started out with Derwent Inktense pencils and then picked up some other tools, including stencils, Stabilo Woody pencils, glitter paste, embellishment mousse and glaze pens.
It’s a fun experience to alter images that have been transferred from magazines using a gel plate. I especially like how you can turn these into characters with personality! I still have another ghost print from this one trace on my gel plate and I am pretty sure it will be vastly different from the first three. It’s also cool to have them all together compiled into a journal that I can flip through for creative inspiration.
What do you think of these transformations? Is it something you have tried to do with your gel plate image transfers? Do you have any questions about the process? Let me know in the comments.