How to Transfer an Image to a Candle - the Easy Way

4 Materials
$5
20 Minutes
Easy
I wanted to share a super easy way to turn a plain old candle into something special. I made this one in less than 30 minutes.
All you need is a hairdryer, a serviette or a white paper napkin, some wax paper, sellotape or scotch tape and a pretty image. Oh and a candle lol!!


(P.S. this bit has been updated after reading all the comments and questions - it seems us South Africans don't speak the same lingo as the rest of the world, oops never meant to confuse anyone)
Remove the back of the serviette and stick it onto a piece of A4 printing paper using sellotape. The A4 paper on the back of the serviette prevents it from crunching up when it goes through the printer. Print your image on the serviette. Carefully remove the serviette from the paper and cut the image out.
Position the cut out image on the candle and then cut a piece of wax paper a bit bigger than the image and stick it over the image with sellotape. Turn your hairdryer on high and blow over the image until the wax starts melting slightly. Carefully remove the wax paper and your done.
P.S. The candle wax melts into the porous serviette embedding the image in the candle. Any kind of thin paper; tissues, napkins, kitchen toweling - the paper kind etc. will work, just remember to stick the porous paper to some normal printing paper so that it doesn't mess up your printer when you print the image. Hope you have as much fun as I did making your own custom candles :-)
Suggested materials:
  • Candle
  • Serviette (paper napkin)
  • Hairdryer
See all materials
Michelle Leslie
Want more details about this and other DIY projects? Check out my blog post!
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Frequently asked questions
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3 of 21 questions
  • Maureen Grogan Gusz Maureen Grogan Gusz on Dec 08, 2017

    CAN U USE THE FAKE CANDLES

  • Marcy Marcy on Jul 29, 2019

    I don't understand why you are copying the image and using the copy. Why wouldn't you just use the single layer of the napkin?


  • Donna Kitchen Donna Kitchen on Jul 31, 2019

    Ok...I am going to give this a shot. I’ve tried every other type of transfer...onto tree rounds...onto regular wood...and while it works, they all come out almost patina(ed). Maddening!


    SO...forgive my ignorance but I have a question. You’re taping the napkin on paper to avoid scrunching inside of the printer...?....but for the LIFE of me...that makes no sense to me unless you’re taping top AND bottom (underside)...cuz, wouldn’t the untaped side still get scrunched? I’d just try it...but, if it clogged up my printer, I’d be REALLY frustrated.


    Anxiously awaiting clarification.


    Thank you you so much.

    D

Comments
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3 of 87 comments
  • Denise Hardy Denise Hardy on Aug 02, 2019

    You've done a nice job Michelle :) And... by the way - In the UK - we also call a paper napkin and a cloth napkin, a serviette and we usually use the paper ones when we're having a BBQ outside - so they can be thrown away and keep your nice cloth ones for when you have Dinner and/or Guests. Hope this helps to those who don't know what 'Serviettes' are

  • Katherine Katherine on Jun 24, 2021

    I will try this thanks for the instructions 😍

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