I LOVE the excitement of using something new! And these water slide transfers are brand new to me!!!
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Water Slide Design Transfers: The Basics
If you loved the gumball machine tattoos from your childhood...the ones you applied with water on the back side...then you will love this new process as much as I did!
This gilded damask transfer is not very big but it does come in four small sheets so you have options to use it on various sized substrates.
I wasn't exactly sure how well this waterslide transfer ink would appear over colored paint so I did a random sample board as a test.
I used the three colors I had in mind to blend onto the end table, applied them to a pine board and used a piece of the transfer to test it out.
To say I was impressed with the vibrancy of the gold and the heavy pigment of the ink is an understatement!
Holy holy moly......this transfer showed up beautifully over all three colors!
Not to mention the process was incredibly easy!
Before: Gilded Damask Water Slide Transfer
Time to rock and roll with this gilded damask water slide transfer on furniture!
I happen to have recently thrifted the perfect little dainty side table for this project.
Supplies Used
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Gilded Damask Side Table
Blending a Trio of Blues
I painted this end table in a blend of Savannah Mist, Stormy Seas, and Antebellum Blue.
It is a gorgeous trio of blues that blend together effortlessly.
If you are ready to graduate from a two color blend to a three color blend....I highly suggest these three colors.
I allowed this to dry overnight before continuing with the waterslide transfer application.
How to Apply the Water Slide Transfers
I'll break down the simple and exact steps here for you:
1. Cut your transfer to the desired size and place with the pretty side down/paper or outlined side facing up.
2. Apply a damp cloth to cover the transfer as you see here and gently press which forces a bit of the water into the paper side.
3. Allow this to sit for about one minute.
4. Then use the damp cloth or even a rubber spatula to lightly rub over the back from top to bottom/side to side....gently....while holding the transfer securely in place.
PRO TIP: I noticed a bit of water would pool toward the bottom and I just tapped that with my microfiber rag (or even a paper towel) to soak up the excess water.
5. Gently lift one corner of the transfer and check to see that the design has released and is in contact with the painted furniture.
6. Continue to lift the transfer backing until the new design is fully exposed.
Just look at this!!!! Isn't it gorgeous???
I cannot believe how easy it was.....or how gorgeous it is!!!
I was able to easily lay the second half of my design down to match up with the first half and repeated the process without a hitch....and this is the final result!
I allowed this to dry for a few hours and then applied Top Coat in Satin over the whole end table.
I cannot wait to try the other waterslide transfer options!
Consider design transfers and decoupage as well...
Similar to water slide transfers, design transfers and decoupage offers you the ability to elevate your design without professional artist abilities. I offer several tutorial to apply design transfer and decoupage as well. Check them out below...
Adding Decorative Molds using FormFlex
I finished this piece off with a few molds that I made with FormFlex.....a product that is also new to me!
You can see them on the bottom left and right as well as the center of the door.
I casted my molds....applied with wood glue.....and lightly dusted with Gold Gilding Wax.
Form Flex offered another impressive result!
It was very user friendly and offers so many affordable options for making my own molds!
I plan to do an entire blog on this process very soon....so stay tuned!
The Finished Look: Gilded Damask Water Slide Transfer
I am sure you are just as intrigued by the idea of a water tattoo for furniture as I was......and I certainly hope you will check them out!
I'd love to know your thoughts and experience with them!
More Inspiration
I grabbed a few pieces from the archives that came to mind when working on this piece! I hope you can use them to draw inspiration for your upcoming projects:
Plum Crazy Damask Nightstand - a deep moody blended finish
Victorian Damask Queen Bed - brown boring bed just got a glow-up
Creative Armoire Makeover - dreamy "mini" armoire
Pirates of the Caribbean Bed - say what? check it out!
Click on any photo below for more up-close photos and all the design details
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