| Printing Ceramics
All of us have come into contact with decals -- we see the commercial
type every day on mugs, plates and other industrial ceramics. Getting
these types of images on to a ceramic work is not necessarily that
hard. In this feature I would like to have a brief look at some
of the issues involved. Those wanting to actually get out there
and do their own printing, I would like to refer to some of the
technical literature on the subject available in may good technical
ceramic books and magazines. You can also check out this really
neat article by Rimas VisGirda,
who explains his easy decal making process.
Decals
When making decals, ceramic oxides are mixed with a medium into
a smooth paste, which is printed onto a transfer paper (usually
a gelatin coated paper) with traditional screen printing techniques.
When the transfer paper has dried, the decal is ready for use or
can be stored indefinitely. The decal is applied by softening in
warm water. The gelatinous skin with the embedd inmage releases
from the base paper and can be applied to the ceramic ware. It is
then fired to 700-750o C (1300-1380o F), at
which temperature the glaze softens just enough to embedd the oxides.
The printing is done via a screen, which consists of a fine mesh,
stretched on to a frame (usually wood or aluminum). The size of
the mesh depends on what sort of results you want to get and also
on the mesh size of the oxides in the medium. An image can be painted
directly on to the surface of the screen with a suitable paint or
shellac, or it might be transferred using a photographic emulsion.
However this technique may require access to a special ultraviolet
light for curing, although there are methods on the market for home
users. Another method is to place a stencil beneath the screen.
This saves making multiple screens, as the one screen can be reused
with multiple stencils.
Once the image has been established, the medium with the pigments
is drawn evenly over the mesh and onto the paper surface with a
scraper. Scrapers are usually made of a thick slice of rubber held
by a wooden handle.
Printing on to Tiles
It's also possible to print directly on to tiles. In this case the
whole decal making process becomes redundant and the result is much
more immediate. Of course this is only possible on fairly flat surfaces.
It would be difficult, if not impossible to print directly on to
a mug, or a sculpture!
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