Image transfer

[ltdann]

While I wait for my pre-carve to finish, I've been reading and perfect techniques, both silver wire and carving.  I'm the first to admit that I can't draw worth a hoot so I was scouring the internet for designs .... basically cruising the carving websites when I came across this little tip.

Find whatever design you like to apply to your stock, size and orient it the way you want it, then print a mirror image of it on a LASER printer.  Lightly mist the paper with water and place it on your stock (like a decal-print side down) so that it conforms to the stock.  Using an iron without steam, firmly iron the paper and the laser ink of your design will be transferred to your stock.  I tried it on some scrap maple and it transfers perfectly.  Enjoy.

[Bill Raby]

I use a vinyl cutter for this sort of thing. Computer cuts the design from an adhesive sheet of vinyl. Use it to mask off the design and draw it in with a marker. This how the custom paint job guys do it. Except they use paint instead. Works great.

[ltdann]

So here is an example of an image that I printed on the laser printer.  Found the design on the web, manipulated it to what I wanted, flipped it horizontal and ironed it on to the wood.  Viola!  instant template.

[Jim Kibler]

That's a neat process.  I would suggest mirroring your design so that the convex side of the main c-scroll is nearest the top of the stock.  Will look much better.

[ltdann]

You know, I considered that.  With compass scroll work finial so close, it sort of looked busy to me.  But who am I to judge, if I had any artistic talent I'd have drawn it!  

I can't change it now, I started the silver wire work last night, c'est la vie.

[P.W.Berkuta]

That is a VERY clever idea . I can't draw worth a lick unless it is with a templet -- I got to try this .

[ltdann]

I tried on brass, but no joy.  I believe the surface has to be porous to take the heat transfer of the ink.  I works on fabrics as well.

Like you, I can barely draw a straight line with a ruler.

[J Henry]

 White liquid shoe polish!!  I put a coat of W.L.S.P. on let it dry and then apply the transfer.

[ltdann]

White liquid shoe polish!!  I put a coat of W.L.S.P. on let it dry and then apply the transfer

.

What a great idea.  When I did the brass star, I used dykem and carbide pen....it took a long time to get right.

[gumboman]

Is a laser printer required or will an ink jet printed pattern work?

[J Henry]

 Laser

[ltdann]

yep, laser printer.  It has to do with the ink.  The inkjet is sprayed and dried on the paper.  The laser uses powder and a heat transfer drum to transfer the image.   Since heat put it on the paper, an iron will take it off. 

I tried both.  Fortunately, these days laser printers are fairly cheap, on par with a good inkjet.

After some experiments, I did away with the spraying the paper with water and just taped it on with masking tape.....less chance of the paper ripping.

[T*O*F]

I tried on brass, but no joy.  I believe the surface has to be porous to take the heat transfer of the ink.

To use it one brass and other metals, tape your transfer on the wood so you can lift it and it will return to the same position.  Take a Q tip wetted with acetone and moisten the paper, then burnish it on.  The acetone will release the toner and it will transfer to the metal.  Lift your pattern to make sure you have burnished all of the pattern.  Then remove the paper and give it a spritz of women's hair spray as a fixative.

[J Henry]

acetone  =  fingernail polish remover..

[Gaeckle]

That's a neat process.  I would suggest mirroring your design so that the convex side of the main c-scroll is nearest the top of the stock.  Will look much better.

I agree.....flip it.

[ltdann]

It's too late to change it now, I've begun to inlay the wire, but is this what you mean?

BTW, I really don't like .999 silver-dead soft.   Not stiff enough.  Next project will be half-hard sterling.

[Chowmi]

I'd rotate the above image 90degrees clockwise.
I think that is probably what Jim was saying.

[Mark Elliott]

I would flip along the vertical centerline so that the leaves spread open toward the heel.  Just a thought.

[Gaeckle]

I would flip along the vertical centerline so that the leaves spread open toward the heel.  Just a thought.

Yup, that's what I'm thinking too.

[Herb]

How do you print a mirror image?

[Rolf]

How do you print a mirror image?

Easy, ask Your son/dather !! Sorry abit flipant answer. Most printer programs have a function thats called mirrior image. Where you find it Depends on what printer you have.

Best regards
Rolf

[T*O*F]

How do you print a mirror image?

Anyone who is going to be posting pictures should have one of the simple photo manipulation programs that allow you to do things like cropping, resizing, mirroring, flipping, rotating, adjusting color balance and other things.  There are many free ones out there or you can spring for Adobe Photoshop or one of the other paid programs.

For something like the graphic pictured, you would be able to resize it to fit in a certain area or stretch certain parts of it out so it wasn't so round.

[tayrolly]

Hmmm, I've never heard of this method, and I think I'll try. Strangely, I have been working in this industry for a long time, and I didn't know about this trick but anyway, thanks... I don't like it when people in the photo look beautiful, though, and the background is explicit. In this case, I will have to change the entire background from the picture. Still, that last used application with payment until friends have recommended using an online image background remover. It's unpaid, and it suits me perfectly.

[elkhorne]

Would have loved to see the design but evidently “Tiny Pic” has gone the way of YouTube and removed even photos of things like designs. Can the original design be reposted from another source? Thanks.
elkhorne

[Scota4570]

Use Dropbox for pictures and Rumble for videos. 

We now have an obligation to completely boycott  those who "cancel" us.