# RE: Transferring a Photograph to Canvas and then Painting Over It



## AgentDrex (Jun 28, 2011)

I would like some original artwork to hang in my house but the prices are outrageous (albeit sometimes justified by who created the artwork) and would like to transfer a couple of my photos to canvases and then paint over them so I can have that artwork I desire.  

Has anyone here ever done this?  I've researched for tips and techniques and came across quite a few ideas but was hoping someone here has also done the same and/or knows some techniques they would not mind sharing here at TPF.

Two of the photos I want to attempt this with are the following photos I've taken (and posted here in the recent past):

#1






#2


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## Josh66 (Jun 28, 2011)

I haven't painted in a while, but when I did I would just draw it on the canvas.

Draw a grid on the photo, then draw a bigger grid (same number of lines - just farther apart) on the canvas.  Number and letter them if you like, so you would be able to call a square G9, for example.

Then simply look at what is in the small square and draw it in the big square.


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## Derrel (Jun 28, 2011)

There are some overseas places that will do just what you want, fairly cheaply.


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## ngaerlan (Jun 28, 2011)

I've seen this done before at an art festival, he printed over canvas but did not paint over it, he used some kind of mixture to brush over the canvas to texturize the piece.

www.eternal8photography.com


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## ClickAddict (Jun 28, 2011)

We used a projector to project onto a wall and traced and filled in afterwards.  Could do the same with a canvas.  Might have to use the projector's tilt function If you can't get a good straight on angle without your body blocking the image.  (Hits wall at angle but is projected in a way it still looks straight.  Most projectors have this now I think)


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## AgentDrex (Jun 28, 2011)

All great ideas...one of the ones I may try is to coat the front of the photo with beeswax, lay the print on the canvas, cover whole area with mod podge in a thin layer, let dry...then paint over it to suit...I should also try the grid idea and hope my kinetic tremor doesn't affect the look too much...


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## Bitter Jeweler (Jun 28, 2011)

Uhhhh...water based products won't stick to bees wax. Hurray science!


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## AgentDrex (Jun 28, 2011)

Thanks Butter/Bitter...I did skip a lot of high school so science isn't my strong suit...although I should have known better...how I became a Network/Systems Administrator...I'll never know...


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## KenC (Jun 28, 2011)

Why do you need canvas at all?  I've glued photos to mounting board, then coated them with a transparent acrylic gesso.  You can paint over that with either acrylics or oils.  It's sort of like painting on primed wood panels.


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## AgentDrex (Jun 28, 2011)

OOOOh...great idea KenC...considering I'm in Minnesnowta...that's an awesome idea...you rock man!


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