New Polymer Clay Image Transfer Technique That Works with InkJets

I simply cannot wait to try this!!! I tried to leave a comment at Valerie's site, but couldn't get it to work. I so appreciate both of you sharing your ideas and creativity with all of us!

Me too Marsha!!! Unfortunately haven't had the chance to get to Costco and buy parchment paper yet, being the holidays and all! Also our ink jet printer is low on ink and isn't printing all the colors. Will have to pick of some of that too! Could try it on my laser printer though. Will let you know how it goes!

Dear Cindy,

I tried this awesome technique,too,
and was impressed, how good my (german;-)
baking parchment held the colour…
The transfer onto the clay went easy and
looked very promising, but, unfortunately
the inks didn't "heat-set" in the oven…
I think there's a difference in the inks,
the printer uses. Mine is a CANON Pixma…

Many greetings from Germany,

Susanne

Hi Cindy,
I just googled myself and found this! What a wonderful entry. I am selling baking parchment thru my Etsy shop at a very nominal cost (less than $5 for 20 sheets and that includes shipping to US & Canada). I want to make it possible for everyone to give it a try.
I am also of the school that art should be enjoyable. Overpriced supplies and inaccessibility decrease that joy for me!

@Susanne: That's too bad! I was wondering if you were to trap the ink in a very thin layer of translucent if that would solve the 'ink not setting' problem? It would be nice if you could get the technique to work for you with your current printer! Let me know if you try to seal the ink in in some way. I'd love to know if it works!

@Valerie: Thank you! I tried to do a trackback to this post on your blog but it didn't work. Congratulations on getting 'Best in Show' in Beadstar Magazine! You must be giddy with pride! What a fantastic honor… there was a lot of beautiful work submitted!

**BTW for anyone in Canada and the US that is looking for parchment paper that works I found a paper at Costco that works that I will be posting about tomorrow or the next day so look for that.

I have been all over the net looking for inkjet info for transfer. Thought only toner would do. Got all the materials. Can't wait to get going. Yeah! Thanks Cindy

Sorry about all the problems with my weblog. Please make sure you are at valerieaharoni.com NOT valerieaharoni.blogspot.com. The second one Blogger is working on…there is a problem on their end.

Re posting comments and link backs, sometimes it takes more than one try…again a Blogger issue. Please try. I do so enjoy 'seeing' you!

Cindy are the papers from Costco 'pan liners'? That seems to be the ones that work the best. However as I have mentioned, I have tried 3 brands and all work!

Hi Susanne! As I mentioned to Susanne, I am using a new spray fixative that is very promising. I have it on clay now for about 4 months. Another couple of months and I will advise everyone of its magic! I sppoke to the chemist who developed it and we discussed its use on polymer clays and he is certain it will be just fine. I am in the process of proving it! I am very excited. I was looking for something to seal the metallic Krylon pen inks. I have this issue of the ink rubbing off the edges of items after wear. This spray goes over the Krylon beautifully! I have since sprayed a pendant I received from another artist that was tacky and it dried smooth, no tackiness and clear. I am excited….another couple of months…

@Mary Ellen: That's exactly what I said when I read about it… Yeah! It sure is exciting when a technique becomes easier, faster, cheaper and can be done with more than one type of equipment!

@Valerie: Yeah, it seemed like there was some script running in the background on your blog, cause it had trouble loading and some of my readers tried commenting there and it didn't work. Good to know about using the right link… Thanks!

If you read the post I wrote today (link by my name) you will see the paper I used. It comes in a giant roll and it extremely cheap. I posted my results if you're interested.

The Krylon spray sounds really promising. Do come back and let us know how it holds up! If it works it may be a great product to use to seal in pigmented powders too! Very exciting!

I am so happy I ran across you!! People that experiment are my kind of people!

Paying my respects to your excellent polymer clay site, Cindy! My apologies – I visited the last 2 times without dropping any comments. I get unfocused sometimes!! >,<

I tried to get the image transfer materials from an Australian supplier but the very odd thing was, no matter how many times I asked for a price and address to send my cheque, their email reply was like a tape-recorder. Those days (about 5 years ago) you could seldom find one online supplier who sold such stuff.

Now it all seems easier as you can find online retailers offering everything you ever need for polymer clay.

BTW Cindy, yours is a very good example of why hobbyists and professional craftsmen should start a blog! I will return because you have so many stuff here to read!

Thank you Kelly! Yeah I can sure see the difference in what's available online now than even just 6 months ago! It is just so much more convenient to sit down at your computer and type for what you need rather than go from store to store looking! Same thing goes for taking classes. It is so much nicer to watch a video online over and over until you get it, than to be rushed along in a class and forget it all! Isn't it amazing how things have changed?!

Hi Cindy–
quick question; is the Costco parchment paper you're referring to the same as the big roll of the butcher's paper? I have some here at home but haven't tried it in the printer yet.

The paper I used is not butcher's paper, which is a little different material. If you want to see the exact brand and what the box looks like, click the link by my name and you will go straight to a post with the info.

Unfortunately I tried the parchment from Valerie with all 3 of my inkjets (Canon, HP and Epson) and all of them with same result. All transfers got sort of a 'droplet effect', that is they bead on the parchment and because they are wet, one cannot 'burnish' them onto clay or the ink spreads. I tried regular printing, higher resolution, less ink…nothing works…the transfers all bead on parchment and smear/spread on clay. This method still works best with a laser, not an inkjet.
My best method for inkjet still holds for me. I wrote an article years ago in PolymerCAFE about using Varathane as a transfer medium for inkjet. All you need is high quality or Photo quality Ink Jet Paper by Epson. It is High resolution coated paper. Brush varathane onto raw light coloured polymer clay, burnish transfer onto it, bake, soak and peel off.

That's too bad about the parchment not working for you Tina but the Varathane things sounds really cool! Will have to try that myself! How about the paper, is it expensive or hard to find?

Hi Cindy,
I just saw a craft show that used a product called "Perfect Printing Pouch". Since I have tried to print on parchment paper on the inkjet to do a transfer without much success on the printing, I began to wonder if this product would work better for the transfer process. Do you have any knowledge of the printing pouch? The craft show was using it to print on vellum paper, which doen not print well with ink. They also used it for stamping. You run the pouch over the paper or object before printing and there is no bleeding or ink bubbling up.
Sounds like it might work.
B

That sounds like a promising product for this technique Bette. If you try it let us know how it works. In the mean time I'll keep an eye out for it!

So excited to find this thread! Cindy, have you had luck with the parchment paper? I have the kind that is on a roll that you can just buy at the supermarket and would love to try this. I was thinking a thin sheet of transcluscent over the top would be protective, I wonder how the spray coating worked? Is there a name for that?

And how about the Varathane method? That sounds promising!

All the best for 2010!

@Marsha:
Hi Marsha,
The parchment I use is packaged for commercial use and comes flat in large 16×24" sheets. 1000 sheets to the box is the only way I have seen it sold.
I do sell precut sheets 20/package for everyone to try before investing in that huge commercial box.

Also for those using inkjets where the ink is not permanent on the clay after curing, I tested a sealant. You can see my results on my blog. It is called PYM II. I do believe Shades of Clay in Canada is carrying the product. It is unbelievable! (no connection, just a very happy find!). I use it all the time to seal my Krylon gold.

take care,
Valerie

@MalindaJ: oops!!!! that comment was for you Melinda!
take care,
Valerie

@VAharoni:

Thanks so much Valarie! Your work is really, really awesome! I would love to buy some sheets from you, can you let me know how to do this?

Also, I bought the Varafane, water based acrylic finish. It looks like that is another method though. So Valerie, with your method you just burnish, remove the parchment and then bake? And I assume then add a finish such as Future or the Varafane?

P.S. I have not even made any beads yet because I'm waiting for my supplies to arrive! I work with wire and found Cindy's site and got so excited! I don't have any classes around me and her video instruction is like a one on one personal class and I can't wait for all of my clay tolls and materials to arrive and start playing! I, of course, want to do some canes and beads but this transfer looks so fun and neat too!

Many thanks! Malinda

Yes thank you Valerie for helping Malinda. That was very kind of you!

@Malinda: Thank you for your kind words about the tutorials! I am so glad that you like them. For the inkjet image transfers, not every ink is permanent even after baking and may smudge if you're using a brush on liquid like Varathane. The PYM II Spray is your best bet for this technique. I love the stuff and use it on many of my polymer clay beads and pendants including image transfers. If you want to read about it and get the links where you can buy it, click the link by my name.

Try not to wait too long before you start making beads. You don't need a whole bunch of stuff first. Just get a lump of clay and start working with it. You are really going to enjoy the whole process. Glad to have you along for the ride!

Thank you Cindy! I'll check that out. BTW, that flexible ruler you use….I can NOT find one anywhere!! Do you know where I might be able to find one?

Oh yes! I will be starting with the beads first ; ) I just need my clay to get here!! I can't wait to get my hands in it. I'll just have to make sure my computer is right near by, I may need to do a lot of stop, rewind, starts on your tuts ; )

@MalindaJ:
Hi Malinda,
I do not care for Varathane or Future or any of the other brush on sealers/finishes.
I only add a finish if the transfer/surface is not stable. I do not usually use any type of finish routinely. I prefer to sand and buff.
With laser prints there is no need to use a fixative.

enjoy the clay,
Valerie

@Melinda: I don't remember where I found the flexible ruler, but you could keep an eye out for them in an office supply or even a dollar store. I bet you are excited for your clay to arrive! It is very fun and you are really going to love making beads!

@Valerie: I agree. I prefer to sand and buff all my pieces rather than add a finish. Like you said, there are times when you may need it to protect a transfer, mica powder, ink pen etc. or when you need that extra shine. Thanks for all your help! I really appreciate it!