Easiest Design Transfer Method You’ll Ever Find

by Lindsay on July 15, 2009

In the middle of a new project that I am working on, I realized that I had a problem. I needed to transfer a very large design (think 4 feet by 4 feet!) than I want to paint onto a primed piece of wood, and I couldn’t figure out how to do it.

I laid the printed design out on the wood and thought I could just trace the design on the paper with firm pressure and a little impression line would be left on the wood that I could just go back and trace. Um, nope.

Then, I tried a ballpoint pin. Nada. How about the tip of a butter knife? Nah. A bamboo skewer? No way.

I was getting pretty desperate at this point. I knew I could run out to the store to buy transfer paper, but my son was napping and that’s prime crafting time as any of you other moms know. I had to use something I had on hand.

Then a light bulb went off in my head: Newsprint! It always rubs off on my hands, so maybe it would rub off on the primed wood. Egads! I was right!

This technique will be especially helpful if you have a very intricate design, a very large design, or you just don’t want to take the time to cut out your design and trace like a stencil. I think this is going to be my go-to tracing technique from now on. It is so easy.

How To Transfer Designs to Wood Using Newsprint

1. Print out your design and cut away the excess white space. Tape the top of your design to the painted or primed wood in the location you want to transfer the design.

2. Lift up the design and slide a page of newsprint underneath it. The classified pages and stock market pages work best, as there is a lot of small newsprint all over the page. Make sure that the entire design is underneath the newsprint.

3. With a pen or pencil (preferably a pink one with your name on it like you are 6 years old) , trace the outline of your design directly onto the paper. Press firmly, but you don’t have to go overboard with the pressure.

4. Remove the taped design and newsprint to reveal a light transfer underneath! I have turned up the contrast on this photo so that you will be able to see the transfer.

5. With your pencil (or with a paintbrush if you are way more talented than me), trace the transfer directly onto the wood.

6. Admire the beauty of your transfer, and then get busy painting!

Try this technique the next time you want to transfer a pattern or stencil a word onto a piece of wood. I’m pretty sure this would work on your walls, too. You’ll be amazed at how quickly and easily you can transfer that design. I’d love to know how it works out for you!

I’m adding this to Kristen’s Works For Me Wednesday blog carnival over at We Are That Family. Head on over there to check out some other great tips!

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{ 30 comments… read them below or add one }

1 Sherrie July 14, 2009 at 9:19 pm

What's that they say about the necessity of invention. Marvolous idea! I will be using this one!
Can't wait to see what it is you are making…
Sherrie

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2 ilovemy5kids July 14, 2009 at 11:07 pm

That is awesome! Great idea!!!

Blessings to you!

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3 Molly Green July 14, 2009 at 11:24 pm

That's a great idea!

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4 Julianne {chasingsnails} July 15, 2009 at 1:07 am

Well! Aren't you a clever cookie : ).

Awesome idea, thank you for sharing, I am sure this will come in handy many times over.

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5 Centsational Girl July 15, 2009 at 1:45 am

Are you kidding me? That is the most brilliant blogggy thing I've read since you painted your laminate. I am SO impressed with your ingenuity. You clever clever girl. I am bookmarking for sure.

Smiles and gasps,
Kate

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6 Cindy @ Chalk it Up! July 15, 2009 at 5:23 am

What an excellent idea!
If you don't have newspaper around the house you can also rub your pencil on the back of the design, but that requires a little more time than your brilliant technique!
Thanks for sharing I will definitely being using this!

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7 Amanda @ Serenity Now July 15, 2009 at 7:58 am

Neat trick!!! :)

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8 Songbirdtiff July 15, 2009 at 9:19 am

This is a brilliant idea! I need a good use for all the newspapers floating around my house.

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9 3XMom July 15, 2009 at 9:59 am

oh my gosh! So awesome! You are a genius!!!

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10 Jenny July 15, 2009 at 10:10 am

that's pretty nifty. :) I should try that out on the wall area above my desk.

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11 the BLAH BLAH BLAHger July 15, 2009 at 11:01 am

Hmmmmm, can't wait to see how this turns out!!!

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12 Michelle July 15, 2009 at 11:54 am

Looks like a great technique…thanks for sharing! I already have a project in mind :) Love your blog, by the way!

Have a wonderful day!
~Michelle
(Treasure the Moment)

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13 sam enriquez July 15, 2009 at 1:23 pm

These Craft Ideas are great! Can these be done by those that are not as artistically talented?

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14 mub July 15, 2009 at 3:59 pm

Wow that is so cool! I don't think I would've thought of that myself =)

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15 Ali July 15, 2009 at 4:46 pm

Brilliant! I love, love, love it when these moments of sheer genius happen!

Ali T. @ My Little Kingdom
alitaylorbloginvite@yahoo.com

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16 Dawn July 15, 2009 at 7:40 pm

This is GENIOUS!!!! Thanks so much for sharing!

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17 Amy {The Red Chair Blog} July 15, 2009 at 7:53 pm

Clever, clever! As a previous poster said, necessity truly is the mother of invention! This is better than transfer paper, because it's recycling!

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18 Kimm at Reinvented July 15, 2009 at 8:36 pm

Fabulous, another use for newspaper! Love it, such a "green" idea!

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19 Rachel@oneprettything.com July 15, 2009 at 10:17 pm

That is WAY cool! I love learning new techniques and I super love your pencil. =) I'll be linking.

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20 Living With Lindsay July 15, 2009 at 11:40 pm

Thanks, guys!

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21 Jaclyn July 16, 2009 at 2:07 am

That is such a great idea!!! Thank you! I am planning on making some wood signs in the near future, and I'll be using that technique for sure!
I gave you an award on my blog: http://madebyjaclyn.blogspot.com/

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22 RootsAndWingsCo July 16, 2009 at 9:25 am

I love it! I had never thought of doing that before. My in a pinch way to transfer something was to scribble on the back of the template with a pencil or chalk. Voila, instant transfer paper. But this is even more simple! Great idea and thanks for sharing. BTW, I love the new look on the blog.

Anjeanette of the R&W; girls

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23 Rebekah July 16, 2009 at 9:44 am

Ingenious! Love the new look of your blog, too, though my first thought was, "What's with the hairdryer?" A second glance cleared that up. Glue gun! Duh! :)

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24 JennTRC July 17, 2009 at 7:54 am

Great idea!! :)

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25 Carol J. July 17, 2009 at 10:08 am

That is a great idea! Plus, I'm thinking that once the transfer and painting is complete, the lines will erase easily. I find that the graphite transfer paper lines don't erase…thank you so much!

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26 HomeSpun Threads July 17, 2009 at 10:20 am

my art teacher in high school showed us to use a pencil and do a rubbing on the back of something we wanted to transfer, then lay the transfer and trace over it, the rubbing transfered over to the object, it was really great for alot of reasons

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27 Vone July 19, 2009 at 7:40 am

Saw you on One Pretty Thing
Great idea – I've done the same as HomeSpun Threads but this seems even easier.

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28 Kimba July 27, 2009 at 8:20 am

This is a really brilliant idea! Transfer paper is actually kind of difficult to find (around here, anyway). You can get the spendy Graphite Paper for real artist type people but not the cheapo stuff that I want.

Kimba

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29 Gwen July 29, 2009 at 12:05 pm

I am going to try this this week!

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30 Melissa January 27, 2010 at 9:29 am

You are my new hero.

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