Image transfer

There are a number or formulas being used for image transfer although I find China White to be easy to obtain and use. It can be purchased at any art supply store in tube form and mixed with water, to watery but thick consistency. I have a smal jar of it which I rub on to the metal with my finger.

I print the design from an inkjet printer onto baking parchment which is attached to a piece of printer paper, then tape it on to the metal and use a burnisher to transfer the ink to the China White. I like to print from Photoshop, and make small adjustments to the size of the print out so that it exactly fits the piece that I am working on.

I find that the China White adheres to polished metal okay, or you can rough up the metal surface with some 2000 grit emery paper. As you can see in the attached photograph there is good detail in the image on the metal. When engraving, the China White doesn't chip or flake away, although I wipe it off after I engrave the outline of the design as I like to see the metal surface as I work.

with an area that large, i'd end up with a real mess. i've experimented with parchment, but settled on clear acetate. far easier for me to position a transfer on the object with the clear stuff. do you find the china white smears for you ? or do you coat it with something before engraving?

The acetate sounds like a good suggestion. I will try that. No the China White doesn't smear, and I find it easy to engrave on.

Native-engraver said:

The acetate sounds like a good suggestion. I will try that. No the China White doesn't smear, and I find it easy to engrave on.

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when i use the acetate/inkjet method, i wait 15-20 minutes before actually transferring the design. done sooner, the image usually smears.

monk said:

when i use the acetate/inkjet method, i wait 15-20 minutes before actually transferring the design. done sooner, the image usually smears.

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If "good" acetate isn't available with the rougher side, I let it sit, and if it's something with lots of detail I hit it with the little heat gun. it's a fine line between setting the ink and crinkling the acetate.... Too bad Brownells doesn't carry an annealing powder for that!!!

Bob A said:

If "good" acetate isn't available with the rougher side, I let it sit, and if it's something with lots of detail I hit it with the little heat gun. it's a fine line between setting the ink and crinkling the acetate.... Too bad Brownells doesn't carry an annealing powder for that!!!

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bob: the clear stuff i use, is smooth on both sides. i never tried the material you mention. nor have itried a heatgun.