How to Apply Posterized Photos to Colored Canvases

Posterization effects soften the color depth of images by expanding their light spectrum. As color depth decreases, the separation of the image's individual colors become more pronounced. Posterization is generally a product of digital manipulation, but it can be incorporated into a standard paint canvas. With the help of Microsoft's Paint application and some photo transfer paper, you can apply posterized images to colored paint canvases.

Things You'll Need

• Photo transfer paper
• Color canvas
• Clothes iron

Instructions

• Launch Microsoft Paint. Click on the "Start" button in your taskbar, then type "Paint" into the Start menu's search box. Click on the "Paint" shortcut when it appears in the Start menu.
• Click on the blue "Paint" button in the top-right corner of the program. Select the "Open" option from the Paint menu. Browse for your posterized photo, using the file explorer window that appears.
• Click on the "Select" button beneath Paint's "Home" tab. Select the "Free-Form Selection" option from the context menu that appears beneath the button.
• Select the portion of the image that you'd like to apply to canvas, using the selection tool. Hold down your mouse's left button while tracing the perimeter of the desired object or area.
• Click on the "Crop" button on Paint's "Home" tab to remove the unwanted portions of the photo. Click on the "Rotate" button, then select the "Flip Horizontal" option from the context menu.
• Insert your photo transfer paper into your computer's printer. Click on the "Paint" button, then select the "Print" option. Click on the "Preference" button when the Print menu appears.
• Select the "720 DPI" option from Print Preferences menu's "Image Quality" menu box. Click "OK" to return to the Print menu. Click on the Print menu's "Print" button to print out your posterized selection to your transfer paper. Give your transfer paper at least five minutes to dry before handling it.
• Place your colored canvas on an ironing board; alternatively, you can place a towel on a coffee table and place your canvas on top. Place your transfer paper, face down, on top of the canvas. Plug in your iron and set it to "High." Allot at least 10 minutes for your iron to heat up.
• Iron the transfer paper onto the canvas. For smaller transfers, iron the paper from side to side. Iron in sections for larger transfers. Carefully remove the transfer paper while it is still hot the paper will adhere to the surface as it cools. After a minute or two of cooling, your canvas will be ready to be handled.