How to transfer sketches to watercolor paper
Ever created a drawing you really love, then decided that you wanted to paint it in watercolor (or transfer it to another type of paper)?
Or, are you super frustrated with getting smudges and eraser marks on your crisp expensive nice paper.
Maybe you have a digital sketch you like, but you want to turn it into a traditional painting.
This is a tutorial to solve all of this.
Start with a sketch on plain cheap copy or sketch paper, then transfer it over like this:
First, take your sketch paper and un-attach it from your sketchbook, or print it to size if it’s digital.
Next, flip the paper over and put it on top of a light box, or against a window (so you can see through it). Take a graphite pencil and roughly trace the entire thing on the back. I’d recommend using HB graphite and a non-mechanical pencil.
At the end, it should look something like this.
Here is an example of what both sides look like, with a corner peeled over:
Now, attach it to your nice paper. Use tape on two corners (so it stays in place, but you can peel up some corners to check it).
Tips for easily released tape: Cut the tape to your desired length and put it on fabric, like your pants, and pull it off. Repeat a few times. The oils from your fingers plus the fibers will make it less sticky!
Here is it unattached, printed original sketch side up (not the graphite colored side):
See how the tape looks messy in the bottom photo? That’s what you want!
Now, trace the original side of your sketch with a ball point pen! You need a very sharp tip and to be able to see where you’ve drawn, so definitely use a ball point pen for this.
Use firm pressure!! (Your hand will probably be sore if you do this all at once). Make sure you’re on a hard surface, too.
Make a copy of your original sketch and use that to transfer, if you don’t want to ruin the original drawing.
And, when you complete the whole thing, you’ll have a light but visible transfer! Perfect for painting over. Here’s a sneak peek when I lifted a corner!
Any questions? My inbox is open! Here are my other art tutorials, too.
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