Double Sided Vellum Printing

by PC Smart
(sandbox serendipity - my art blog)

This is something i have been doing for years but have only really started playing with seriously. I did a few technique articles for craft magazine and i also taped a segment for a diy network show (craft lab) about this printing technique ( Printer Play ).
This image was created by printing the statue on one side and the passports on the other (you have to be careful with text, sometimes you will have to print mirror imaged if you are viewing the text behind the front side image). The passport image was done by laying a bunch of old passport pages on the scanner and scanning at 300 dpi and cropping. My daughter and I created the image for the front cover of a report she was doing on immigration...she was unable to "overlay" images in photoshop elements at that time so I suggested she do it this way (they had to do all the work themselves). Of course now she can out layer me anyday in Photoshop....
The idea is simple - print on one side, flip the page and print on the other. There are a few tips/tricks to getting it to look really cool: * use the perfect printing pouch on the vellum before printing (scraperfect) - it really makes a big difference in print quality * let the first side dry completely before reinserting the paper * make sure you are reinserting correctly so the text/orientation is not reversed or upside down. (do a test sheet on draft if you are unsure) * if you are graphic talented - overlay the images digitally first before printing to see what they will look like
Advantages to this technique over the pure digital overlay: * the look of two layers of imagery/text without two layers of paper * the vellum adds a haze between the printed layers, using colored vellum or subtle watermark printed vellum would be even cooler. Thicker vellums will give a more opaque haze between prints than the more translucent vellums. * front image defintely more prominent than the other, so you can view it from two sides and see slightly different images. * create the look of digital overlay without the digital manipulation (great for those without software or for kids' projects)
Ideas for using this technique:
* cards, expecially frame fronted ones
* layouts where you want a subtle image layering or text with photos
* tags - metal rimmed would look awesome but don't put the metal through your printer

Now it is your turn! Show me your double sided vellum printing experiments!