How to Print on Tissue Paper
Tissue paper is no longer just for stuffing gift bags. These days I’m using tissue paper in a lot of my art and paper projects because it is so versatile. It’s flexible, semi transparent, thin and printable. Today’s tutorial is about how to print on tissue paper. I suggest you give this a try. You can print photos on tissue paper to incorporate into so many different art projects. You can also print graphics or words. Imagine filling your gift bag with custom printed tissue paper. Enjoy this tutorial on how to print on tissue paper.
You are going to need tissue paper, regular copy paper, some kind of tape, glue or adhesive, scissors, a computer and a printer.
The first thing you need to do is attach your tissue paper to your copy paper. I did this using double sided tape along the outsides of my copy paper.
Once you have your favorite adhesive around the corners of the copy paper place one side of the tissue paper down. Pull the other side taught and stick it down as well. You want to get your tissue paper to lay as flat as possible. If you have any edges of tissue paper that extend beyond the edges of the copy paper trim them down with your scissors.
You may need to print a test page on your printer so you know which way to insert the tissue paper. I like to mark the corners of a test page so I know which side went in up and which corner went in first. However, many modern printers have a handy diagram that lets you know which way the paper should go.
Go to your computer, find the photo or image that you want to print onto tissue paper and click print. Now watch the magic happen!
To get the tissue paper off of the copy paper just trip the edges. Most printers have margins that the printer will not print on so you don’t have to worry about cutting into your image too much. Be careful not to rip your pretty printed tissue paper.
The final tissue paper print. It does need a little bit of time to dry before incorporating it into any projects.
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What type of printer, laser, inkjet?
I used a cheap inkjet printer
Doesn’t the color run or bleed when the paper is wet, e.g. applying glue on the back?
I was able to glue it to a canvas with mod podge without any bleeding but I let it dry for a day or two. I’ve also tried a spray adhesive and had that work a little better than a wet adhesive.
I love this look but I only have a color laser printer and I am sure that it would not be a good idea to use it for this project. Could be a good reason to but a new inkjet!
If you treat the printed tissue with spray fixative or clear spray paint it wont run. You can get the fixative and clear spray paint at any art and craft supply, The clear spray paint can be purchased much cheaper at a hardware supply.
Chelsea, I just found you today!!! I am just getting ‘addicted’
to making greeting cards and I love it!! I love your ideas and especially the fact that I can listen and watch you at the same time. WONDERFUL!!!!!!
Thank You so much…….
This won’t work for me at all. I have a good inkjet (Canon Pro9000 Mark II) and it won’t feed the paper – just crumples it up. Does anyone have any tips?
I find that on some projects that you can spray a VERY light coat of spray fixative or polyurethane on the sign that has the printing you can do pretty much anything you want with it. It also makes wonderful window tissue for holidays.
I wonder if you could use tissue paper ironed on to freezer paper if printer paper doesn’t work. I have loads of tissue paper from an old project and I’m going to try this. I have used acrylic wax before on tissue paper that I had fixed to felt with bondaweb and then decorated with stamps and it looks like leather. It would look great if there was a printed picture on it. Thank you for this great tutorial.
Epson durabrite inks are pigment based and do not smear or run when wet…
Hi just a quick question I have tried many ways of printing on tissue papers but my ink runs a lot I don’t know what I am doing from I have a HP office jet pro printer. What am I doing wrong I have cut the tissue paper the right length glued all around the edges and even tried to over lap nothing works. What am I doing wrong please.