This must be answered by a printer ink specialist?

Question

I'm making a collage for my Godson who is entering his residency in Invasive Radiology. I've looked up the Hospital he'll be working at, have saved pictures from that site and have looked up the INCREDIBLY long words that are used by doctors in that field.

I want to print pictures of his MD faculty, many of those LONG words, and other items that I can grab off the computer. Let's say I get a pile of 200 such items, ready to be placed on my collage.

To decoupage these correctly, I will first put a coat of decoupage medium [basically a mixture of white glue and water] on the canvas; lay down the printed item; and then coat the printed material on top to seal them on the canvas.

If I print these items on my INKJET printer, I have a feeling the ink will run, when coated.

What would happen if I had all of these items printed with a laser printer? Maybe I should copy them at the local Kinkos - would the toner run when coated?

Ideas?

Thanks computer artists!

Answer 1

I don't think you need a printer ink "specialist" but you will need to seal any ink from a printer that's been printed onto ordinary paper since it will run.  

You could try spraying the dried inkjet print lightly a few times (dry between coats) with an acrylic spray first, then lightly apply the thinned white glue, which will coat and seal it.  Then use the strips in your decoupage.

You could also use photo paper or brochure paper in your printer which will make the inkjet ink waterproof, but that paper will be thicker and may be a bit harder to decoupage.

As you said, you could also use a machine that uses toner instead of ink (on regular paper) though which would be waterproof (a laser printer or a photocopier--bw or color).

HTH,

Diane B.