Fredrick Paget on mon 19 sep 05
>Hi, clayarters,
>A friend of mine asks me for information on how to transfer photos,
>as well as digital photos onto ceramic tiles.
>I would appreciate any ideas, suggestions, advice.
>Where can I get more information?
> Does it require firing procedure?
> Any special equipment/material involved?
>Thanks in advance! Eric Wong
> e-mail: ericwongpottery@hotmail.com
> website: http://www.ericwongpottery.com
>
There is a considerable learning curve involved in doing this.
There are a number of processes. I have written about a lot of them
in the past on Clayart. Ranging from the 150 year old gum -bichromate
process used by grave portrait makers in many countries where that is
a practice to the newest color laser processes and CHROMALIN -ART
processes and ink jet-sticky ink process. Probably the easiest
process is black iron base laser print fired onto a clay surface.
There is also a non fired process using dye sublimation printing onto
a sort of clear laquer. It is very nice but is only baked on and not
really permanent.
I think the best bet is the color laser printing onto decal
paper.Originated by Zimmer. There are at least 5 people or companies
working on this and it will be available soon for only a couple of
thousand dollars. The Zimmer process takes about 31000 Euros to get
into business but the other processors are talking of using cheap
color laser printers instead of the Large Canon copier used by
Zimmer. This method prints ceramic stain onto decal paper and an
overcoat is applied. Zimmer uses a thermal laminator with an overcoat
film containing frit. Liquid over coat or acrylic spray overcoat may
be used. A computer drives the printer and you need Photoshop and
other software too.
Depending on the stain used firing can be anything from cone 019 to
high fire after the decal is applied to the ware.
I have been working with the sticky ink - ink jet process all summer
- very time consuming. I have only made about six pots all summer.
Rest of the time working on the tiles.
I occasionally get good results but a lot of failures too. One or
two colors is not too hard but CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, K=black)
four color printing takes a half a day to make one print.
Her is how the process works: Color separate the picture in
Photoshop and adjust brightness and contrast, print K ,brush on dry
powder K stain and heat dry the paper. Then print C, brush on stain,
etc., until all four colors are printed. Then overcoat it and dry it.
Soak the decal off and apply to the ware, dry overnight, and fire.
Then there is the large failure rate (for me at least).
One problem is finding the right stains to give a good gamut (of
color). A good Magenta is real hard to get. At china paint
temperatures there is a gold base magenta but it won't take high fire
and it costs five times as much as the other colors.
Another problem is the rather junky ink jet printers that are made to
sell cheap and do not last very long. The four colors have to print
in register and this is hard with these printers. Also the paper feed
rollers get stain powder on them and you have to be able to reach
them with a swab to clean them . I had to remove and discard the
outer case of the printer to make this possible.
There is a lot of information on the web. http://www.balteadc.it ,
http://www..glassonweb.com/news/index/2133/&nl=87&user_id=2984 ,
--
From Fred Paget,
Marin County, CA, USA
fredrick@well.com
Charter Member Potters Council
eric wong on mon 19 sep 05
Hi, clayarters,
A friend of mine asks me for information on how to transfer photos, as well as digital photos onto ceramic tiles.
I would appreciate any ideas, suggestions, advice. Where can I get more information? Does it require firing procedure? Any special equipment/material involved?
Thanks in advance!
Eric Wong
e-mail: ericwongpottery@hotmail.com
website: http://www.ericwongpottery.com
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Douglas Gray on tue 20 sep 05
Eric,
I don't consider myself to be an "expert" on anything, but I have been
working on image transfer process in earnest now for several years. The
answer to your question is yes, it can be done and in a surprising
number of ways. I'll just mention a few here...
First and perhaps most primitive is to use good old carbon paper. Print
out your image. Place a sheet of carbon paper between the image and the
clay surface (bisque is best) and simply trace the image. The pressure
of your pencil forces the carbon paper to contact with the clay surface
leaving a very clean and discernible line. The transferred carbon isn't
going to withstand the firing process, so you need to do something to
make the image permanent. Under glazes, wax, glazes are all good options.
If you want to work on the clay surface while it is wet to leather hard,
print out your image on an ink jet printer. The ink is water soluble
meaning it will bleed onto the clay surface when the image is placed
(face down) on moist clay. At the leather hard stage you might need to
apply additional water with a sponge, similar to those temporary tattoos
we all did as children. Soak the paper from behind and burnish the
paper into the clay surface. Peel off the paper and the image should
appear on the clay surface. Again the ink will not withstand the firing
process so something needs to be done to make the image permanent.
Carving, sgraffito, under glazes, engobes, resist water etching, all
will work.
If you want to work with xeroxes or laser prints, you can still transfer
the ink, but water won't do it. These processes involve heat sealing
the image onto the paper and they don't dissolve in water. Instead lay
the image against the clay surface (face down) and saturate the paper
with something that will dissolve the ink. Acetone and any paint brush
cleaning solution works but most are toxic and nasty on the hands. Work
with gloves and in a well ventilated space. The interesting thing about
xerox transfers and some laser prints is that black iron oxide is part
of the ink make up. So these images do survive the bisque firing. They
will be faint because not much ink transfers, but they will be visible
after bisque, like ghost images. I've tried firing them to cone 10 and
they tend to fade into the natural color of the clay.
Finally, if you want to work with post firing transfers consider using
decals and/or a product called Lasertran. There has been some
discussion of decals lately so you can find information about them in
the archives. Honestly I haven't worked with decals so I'm not the best
person to talk you through their use. The Lasertran material is
interesting in that it works like a decal transfer. You print and
image, soak it in water and slide the printed film off the backing paper
and place the image where ever you want and on just about any surface
you want. The do, however, make different kinds of Lasertran, some for
ink jet and others for laser prints. Be sure to specify which you need
when ordering. They have a web site, just do a google search for Lasertran.
Hope this will get your friend started.
Stephanie, hope I didn't give away too much of the presentation material
for the tile conference. If any one is interested in learning more
about image transfer processes, I'll be doing a demo at the Potters
Council Tile Workshop in Pomona, CA October 7th. Again, I'm no expert,
but I'll share with you what I've learned thus far. And the rest of the
line up looks pretty amazing. Stephanie has put together a great event
for us.
Doug Gray
Florence, SC
Thanks, Joyce, for the complement and good luck with the bowls both
double and single sided. Glad to hear you are back on the wheel again.
Karin on tue 20 sep 05
I just bought a great book about that "Ceramics and Print" by Paul Scott.
Karin Hurt
www.laughingbearpottery.com
----- Original Message -----
From: "Douglas Gray"
To:
Sent: Tuesday, September 20, 2005 10:23 AM
Subject: Re: Transferring photos onto ceramic tile
> Eric,
>
> I don't consider myself to be an "expert" on anything, but I have been
> working on image transfer process in earnest now for several years. The
> answer to your question is yes, it can be done and in a surprising
> number of ways. I'll just mention a few here...
>
> First and perhaps most primitive is to use good old carbon paper. Print
> out your image. Place a sheet of carbon paper between the image and the
> clay surface (bisque is best) and simply trace the image. The pressure
> of your pencil forces the carbon paper to contact with the clay surface
> leaving a very clean and discernible line. The transferred carbon isn't
> going to withstand the firing process, so you need to do something to
> make the image permanent. Under glazes, wax, glazes are all good options.
>
> If you want to work on the clay surface while it is wet to leather hard,
> print out your image on an ink jet printer. The ink is water soluble
> meaning it will bleed onto the clay surface when the image is placed
> (face down) on moist clay. At the leather hard stage you might need to
> apply additional water with a sponge, similar to those temporary tattoos
> we all did as children. Soak the paper from behind and burnish the
> paper into the clay surface. Peel off the paper and the image should
> appear on the clay surface. Again the ink will not withstand the firing
> process so something needs to be done to make the image permanent.
> Carving, sgraffito, under glazes, engobes, resist water etching, all
> will work.
>
> If you want to work with xeroxes or laser prints, you can still transfer
> the ink, but water won't do it. These processes involve heat sealing
> the image onto the paper and they don't dissolve in water. Instead lay
> the image against the clay surface (face down) and saturate the paper
> with something that will dissolve the ink. Acetone and any paint brush
> cleaning solution works but most are toxic and nasty on the hands. Work
> with gloves and in a well ventilated space. The interesting thing about
> xerox transfers and some laser prints is that black iron oxide is part
> of the ink make up. So these images do survive the bisque firing. They
> will be faint because not much ink transfers, but they will be visible
> after bisque, like ghost images. I've tried firing them to cone 10 and
> they tend to fade into the natural color of the clay.
>
> Finally, if you want to work with post firing transfers consider using
> decals and/or a product called Lasertran. There has been some
> discussion of decals lately so you can find information about them in
> the archives. Honestly I haven't worked with decals so I'm not the best
> person to talk you through their use. The Lasertran material is
> interesting in that it works like a decal transfer. You print and
> image, soak it in water and slide the printed film off the backing paper
> and place the image where ever you want and on just about any surface
> you want. The do, however, make different kinds of Lasertran, some for
> ink jet and others for laser prints. Be sure to specify which you need
> when ordering. They have a web site, just do a google search for
> Lasertran.
>
> Hope this will get your friend started.
>
> Stephanie, hope I didn't give away too much of the presentation material
> for the tile conference. If any one is interested in learning more
> about image transfer processes, I'll be doing a demo at the Potters
> Council Tile Workshop in Pomona, CA October 7th. Again, I'm no expert,
> but I'll share with you what I've learned thus far. And the rest of the
> line up looks pretty amazing. Stephanie has put together a great event
> for us.
>
> Doug Gray
> Florence, SC
>
> Thanks, Joyce, for the complement and good luck with the bowls both
> double and single sided. Glad to hear you are back on the wheel again.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
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>
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>
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> melpots@pclink.com.
>
Linda Arbuckle on wed 21 sep 05
The easiest way I've seen is to use laser decal paper. Laser toner
usually contains iron (as does copy machine toner). Inkjet doesn't work.
Paper is sold by Bel Decal in FL. The great advance here is that it
requires no cover coat. Just run it through the printer, and use like a
decal on already-fired glazed ware. We had a Photo student buying blank,
glazed ware to put her decals on. Fire to several cones lower than your
glaze. It will take some experimenting to find the right temp, perhaps.
For majolica fired at 03, 07-05 seems to work. For cone 10 reduction
celadon, cone 2 seemed the place. Fire too low and the iron on the
surface rubs off. Fire too high, and the iron melts into the glaze too
much and the image softens. The drawback to all this is that the image
will be iron-colored. Brown to sepia.
http://www.beldecal.com/ Bel Decal home page
http://www.beldecal.com/laser_paper.html Laser paper page. They sell
this for room-temp applications, but works for ceramics as above.
Web site w/more info:
http://www.printandclay.net/ Les Lawrence of Grossmont College has
online tech info and more.
Artist Denise Pelletier has done a lot of work with this and did a good
workshop at UF on transfer methods.
Linda Arbuckle, Professor
University of Florida
School of Art and Art History
P.O. Box 115801
Gainesville, FL 32611
http://www.arts.ufl.edu/artex02/html/ceramics/arbuckle.html
(352) 392-0201 x 219
arbuck@bellsouth.net
Cao Guihong on wed 21 sep 05
Fred,
I am sorry for the delay of sending you the color ceramic decals samples
printed on latest cheap desktop colour laser printrs, I have too some
problems in with my email account and computer after my last posting here,
but anyway they are on the way now.
Most the existing users of my desktop digital ceramic printing process in
more than ten countries are in the porcelain photo business. I'm quite the
process is the most easy way for digital ceramic printing at the moment,
the ceramic colour decals making is just like office image printing.
We are trying to make this process affordable for every clayartist.
Cao guihong
Cao Guihong on thu 22 sep 05
My process is using a latest desktop colour laser printer (with our
ceramic pigments toners) to print images on our Direct transfer paper,
then the colour ceramic decal is ready for use. It's believed to be the
simplest ceramic decal printing process until now.
We are trying to make it affordable for every artist.
Cao guihong
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