Julie LaPier on mon 6 aug 01
I was wondering if anyone does waterslide decals onto ceramic tiles. I
have very detailed designs and would like to come up with a method of
creating my tiles faster. Do they hold up as well as hand-painted tiles?
Is the start up very expensive? and if so where do you get the supplies and
equipment for set up.
Jim Tabor on sat 11 aug 01
Check the archives for posts I sent on July 10, 11. Let me know if you have
questions. Also, I sent out plans for a simple vacuum table as requested. Supplies
and equipment to start would be less than $100. if you have a shop-vac or canister
style vacuum cleaner to use with the vacuum table. If you haven't done any
screenprinting, consider having a company make your first screen or supply them
with the paper, inks, and covercoat to print your first run.
Screenprints are capable of fine details in line art and 85 line halftones can be
hand printed. A lot of information is available on screenprinting.
"Ceramic Screen Printing" by Albert Kosloff may be helpful. Ceramic Corner, Inc.
of Azusa, CA and Standard Ceramic Supply, Co. of Pittsburg, PA. have supplies.
Everything about ceramic printing and printers can be obtained from the Society of
Glass & Ceramic Decorators of Bethesda, MD. Screenprinting & Graphic Imaging
Association International of Fairfax, VA has everything there is to know about
screenprinting. In 1983, I joined them and attended their conference (about 12,000
attended) to get information (they provide manuals covering 3 feet of shelf space
with everything to know about screenprinting - ceramics too), buy materials and
equipment. None of the 154 ink makers there produced ceramic inks so I went to the
SGCD conference to fill in the gaps. Heavy industry. The SGIA conference will be
in Anaheim, CA, Sept. 19-22.
To answer your questions: Yes, decals work great on tiles if you can't get by with
directly printing on them. Registration is simple for multi-color prints but to
cover the cushion edge or print on uneven surfaces, decals are the answer Also,
decals can be used as needed or clipped into different elements for different
designs. Clouds of really nasty smoke will burn off decals when the kiln is full
of tiles. Plan good ventilation and/or leaving your studio while the covercoat
burns off (about 3 hours). Printing tiles by hand will provide 75+ and with
decals, several designs can be grouped in the screen for more images per hour.
Image size, details, and color registration are limiting factors.
I used glazed commercial tiles, bisque tiles and quarry tiles I glazed to print
for outdoor installations. I only made tiles when the commercial tiles would not
work for the project.
Commercial ceramic inks are essentially china paint (firing at 018 to 016). They
are soft, contain lead, but give a good range of color and have been milled so
they pass through a 305 mesh screen for printing. On hard glazes, they will sit on
top and softer glazes will allow them to settle into the glaze. Make your own inks
from frits, stains, and sometimes clay for greater freedom.
If you want to call for more info in greater detail, my number is 918.6652871. I
am home most evenings 5-10 central time zone.
Julie LaPier wrote:
> I was wondering if anyone does waterslide decals onto ceramic tiles. I
> have very detailed designs and would like to come up with a method of
> creating my tiles faster. Do they hold up as well as hand-painted tiles?
> Is the start up very expensive? and if so where do you get the supplies and
> equipment for set up.
>
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