Wintergreen Oil Photo Transfers on Wood Panels
Exploring an Unconventional Path to Expressive Mixed Media
There is something quietly magical about watching an image lift from paper and find a new home on wood.
In the Creative Heart™ Membership, we recently explored unconventional photo transfer techniques, beginning with the beautifully atmospheric wintergreen oil transfer; a process that invites both unpredictability and artistic discovery.
A wintergreen oil photo transfer is created when a laser photocopy is gently released from its paper backing and transferred onto another surface using wintergreen oil. What remains is not a perfect replica, but rather an interpretation — softened, nuanced, and full of character.
This is precisely what makes the process so compelling.
What Makes Wintergreen Transfers Unique?
- Soft, Ghosted Edges
The toner subtly blurs during the transfer, creating delicate edges that feel almost like a fading memory.
- Dreamlike Tonal Variations
No two transfers are ever identical. Each piece carries slight shifts in contrast and depth, offering a naturally artistic starting point.
- A Vintage, Textured Aesthetic
The finished image often feels nostalgic as though it has lived a life before arriving on the panel.
- Painterly and Highly Adaptable
Once transferred, the image becomes a foundation rather than a finish line. It can be layered with paint, charcoal, pastel, translucent papers, or glazes to build an expressive mixed media composition.
This process encourages artists to loosen their grip on perfection and instead respond intuitively to what emerges.
- Experimenting on Wood Panel Transfers
Using several membership project samples, I began exploring how different materials interact with the softened imagery.
Each approach revealed a new emotional quality within the work.
Acrylic Painted Background
Acrylic created a strong visual anchor, allowing the transferred image to float gently above the surface.
Water-Soluble Crayon with Pencil Detail
Loose, atmospheric backgrounds paired with refined pencil work on the zebra allowed the subject to remain recognizable while preserving the signature dreamy blur of the transfer.
Pastel with a Group of Zebras
Pastel introduced a beautiful softness that echoed the qualities of the transfer itself, enhancing a quiet connection within the herd.
Crackle Paste with Ultramarine Blue Acrylic Glaze
This combination introduced texture and depth. The ultramarine glaze settled into the cracks, creating an almost weathered effect — as though the image had been uncovered rather than newly created.
Allowing the Image to Guide You
Wintergreen transfers remind us that art does not always need to begin with control.
Sometimes it begins with curiosity.
With play.
With a willingness to see what happens when we step slightly outside the expected.
For many artists especially those who believe they are “not painters” this technique can feel liberating. The image is already present, offering a gentle entry point into mixed media exploration.
From there, the conversation begins between artist and surface.
A Practice in Letting Go
If there is one quiet lesson within this process, it may be this:
Not everything must be perfectly defined to be deeply beautiful.
The softened edges…
The tonal shifts…
The unexpected textures…
Many of these exploratory techniques begin inside the Creative Heart™ Membership a space for those ready to nurture their creative voice.
Ready to explore your creativity more deeply?
Inside the Creative Heart™ Membership, we experiment with unconventional photo transfers, mixed media techniques, and expressive processes designed to help you grow your artistic voice — no matter where you are on your creative path.
Not quite ready to join? Stay connected.
