I have printed on regular white tissue paper before, but I just got some cool tissue paper, called Gampi paper. It is sheer, but has an aged feel to it, because it has a slight brown tint. I decided to try to print on it, and see how it looked layerd on some paper I had laying around the studio.
First- how to print. The easiest thing to do, is find a spray adhesive that is removable. I use a spray by CC International called Stick and Spray. It comes in a purple spray can, and a little goes a long way. Some folks (myself included) use it to refresh the stickiness on our cutting mats for our digital cutters. For this purpose, spray a light coating onto paper the size you want to print. I normally use 8.5 x 11 inch copy paper. Let it dry, so it will be non-permanent. I also take the paper and lay it sprayed side down onto carpet, so it removes even more of the stickiness.
Then I cut the Gampi paper to fit the sprayed paper and adhere it. Run it through the printer, and voila- a tissue print! Gampi also seems to be a bit less fragile than the regular white tissue paper, so that is nice.
I use medium to adhere the tissue print to another piece of paper or a print or a canvas. I am not choosy about the medium I use- gel medium, matte medium, clear gesso, polymer medium- they all work fine.
Here is one print I layered over shimmery gold cardstock. I am not sure the photo does it justice. In real life, it looks lovely with the shimmery gold peeking through. I have also layered it over glitter paper, although that is even harder to photograph.
Here is another tissue print I layered onto old sheet music. I would re-do this again, and probably soften the sheet music by painting it with a light, watered down (to make it sheer) coat of gesso, so it isn’t competing as much with the tissue print.
Here is another sample where I layered the tissue print onto lacy, rice paper.
This final print could be layered over something else, as both the lace paper, as well as the Gampi, allow you to see though it. Try some tissue prints for a soft, layered look!
