Imagination is everything. It is the preview of life's coming attractions.
Albert Einstein
'Live-Laugh-Love'
'I Hope You Dance'
'Believe'
OMG! I am LOL because it has all just gotten so ridiculous, IMHO....
Is that what life has become- someone else's catch phrase? Does it really reflect your thoughts and wishes for the day? I am thinking "we can do better than this".
By now you know I love quotes and Bible verses. I find great inspiration and comfort in many of them. I think words hold great meaning. You probably know someone that has a favorite verse as well. So wouldn't it be great to give someone (or yourself!) the gift of a word phrase that actually has some deeper meaning? I'm going to show you how with just an inkjet printer and a few inexpensive supplies.
For this project you will need:
- A few ceramic plates (or tiles)
I pick them up all over. You may have a few lying around, but each of these were purchased for anywhere from .49-$2.00 ea.
- Denatured Alcohol* (find it @ the hardware store)
*flammable- please use in well ventilated area away from flame
(click on above link to see where to buy)
Lazertran has a TON of applications, but for this project we are applying it to a ceramic surface. I used black type, but you can print colored images if you choose. Don't worry- We'll have more fun with it another day.
- Spray Polyurethane* (gloss or satin/matte)
* note: MUST be a urethane- acrylics will not dissolve film!
- a few cotton balls
- a pan of water about 1" deep large enough to hold transfer
- inkjet printer
There are basic instructions that come with the Lazertran, but believe me- it is nothing compared to the voice of experience here. A few things to consider:
Choose a plate with a specific rim/edge detail to ease the transition from the Lazertran to the edge. You can see a faint line of the transfer on some types of plates more than others, especially with a curved inner edge.
Try to make your image a large enough size to come close to the transition line. It just looks neater.
I thought the gloss urethane gave a better result on my ceramic plates, but consider the original sheen of your item to give it a authentic look.
If you need to sand out any imperfections in your urethane finish- be sure it is fully cured and use a scotchbrite style sanding pad (fine grit) and lightly sand the surface without putting any real pressure on the pad. Then apply a light final coat. You may also need a sharp pin/needle to prick air bubbles in the transfer.
Measure your plate ahead of time to determine the size of your phrase. I like to use Publisher because it has a handy ruler on the side of the page, but use whichever program you are familiar with. You do not need to "mirror" or flip your image! Also, I do at least one 'test' sheet on regular paper to be sure I have things the correct size before I print on the Lazertran sheet. I would much rather waste a cheap piece of copy paper getting things right.
When you have things the way you want it- print on the white side of the Lazertran. I'm cheap, so I try to get 2 or more projects per sheet. Allow it to fully dry- 30 mins or so. If you are impatient you can try a heat gun, but no promises- OK?
I like to find a circle 'template' to use to get the size/centering correct. You may have a circle cutter. I do.....somewhere! If your plate is square, measure twice, cut once ;-)
Use a pencil to mark your cutting line- then cut just inside the line.
Gather your materials on a covered surface
It's good to check the back of the plate so if there is a logo you get it orientated correctly with what will be your finished product.
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