July 23, 2008
The Details on Decal Paper for Ceramics
In
today’s feature, Philadelphia ceramic artist Paul Andrew Wandless gives
a primer on using decals on ceramic work. Paul discusses the various
options of decal papers that can be used on ceramics and pottery. We’ll
follow up on Friday with a video from Pittsburgh artist Justin
Rothshank, who will demonstrate how to apply decals. - Jennifer
Harnetty, editor.
There
are three kinds of decal paper that can be used for just about any
image: traditional, laser and Lazertran. All three types are applied
using the water slide process, which consists of soaking the decal in
water until it separates from the paper backing then sliding the image
onto the surface (this will be demonstrated in Justin Rothshank’s video
on Friday). The process varies with each type of decal paper.
Use the water-slide process to apply decals on already-fired glazed
surfaces. Refire using the suggested temperature and firing schedule of
the overglaze or china paint being used, usually Cone 023 - 018
depending on the color. Leave about 2 inches of space around and above
the piece in the kiln to allow for fuming during firing. If you bisque
and glaze fire in the same kiln, you should fire it empty to Cone 01 to
burn out any sulfur build up in the softbrick of the kiln. Sulfur fumes
not only effect decal adhesion, but can also effect how your colors
turn out.
| Safety Precautions Some kilns have venting systems capable of handling the fumes, but check the manufacturer’s instruction book for your kiln to determine its ventilation capabilities. Unventilated kilns can be fired with the lid propped slightly and the spy holes open so fumes can escape. Close the slightly propped lid and plug the spy when the kiln reaches red heat inside. |
Traditional Decal Paper
Laser Toner Decals The image becomes fused to a very thin plastic layer over the
gelatinous layer already on the backing paper so a cover coat is not
needed. Different brands of laser printers and laser copiers have different
percentages of iron, which affects the lightness or darkness of the
image. Some may not even have enough iron oxide to produce any image.
Bubble jet and inkjet printers won’t work since they use little or no
iron oxides in the inks. You can use traditional decal paper to make
laser toner decals, but you’ll need to spray them with a coat of
lacquer before transferring them to a clay surface. Laser decal paper,
however, cannot be used for anything but this process. These nonfiring, full-color decals are fairly durable with good
image clarity. They don’t permanently fuse with the glazed surface like
a kiln-fired decal does, which makes them vulnerable to scratches, but
the image can be coated with an acrylic sealer for added protection.
Note: This type of decal is for aesthetic or decorative purposes only
and is not food safe or to be used on functional work. Use the water-slide process to apply the decal to a fired glazed
surface then use a solvent, such as odorless turpentine, to adhere the
image. Brushing on a very light coat of turpentine softens the gum
substrate and the decal image essentially melts onto the glazed
surface. The image bites into the surface for a secure adhesion, but
isn’t physically part of the glaze itself. After a few hours of drying,
it’s done. The unprinted areas of the Lazertran decal used in color
copiers will be transparent after they are adhered with turpentine.
Unprinted areas will stay white on the inkjet decals, but a coat of
polyurethane can be applied after it’s adhered to make it transparent. Paul Andrew Wandless is a studio artist, workshop presenter,
educator and author. To see more of his work,
visit www.studio3artcompany.com.
Traditional decal paper comes with a thin, gelatinous layer already on
the paper, which appears as a shiny surface. An image or design is
created on this gummed surface, then a lacquer cover coat is applied
sealing the image to the backing paper. The image needs to be
sandwiched between these two layers so it holds together during the
water-slide process. Oil-based overglaze or china paints are typically
used creating rich and vibrant colors when fired. Single or
multicolored overglaze images can be screened, handpainted or both onto
the decal paper.
Laser decal paper is used only in laser toner printers and copiers to
create black- to sepia-toned images (the pitchers in the photo below
have laser toner decals on them). The color results from the iron
content in the toner and can be fired at a variety of temperatures in
the kiln. Bel, Inc.. makes a laser/copier decal paper in 8 ½ by 11-inch
sheets.
Lazertran Decal Paper
Lazertran makes two specialty decal papers for ceramic surfaces that
don’t require firing or cover coating. One is used in a color printer
to make a full-color reproduction of an image and the other is used in
inkjet printers. You can print any kind of image onto these decals
making this process an appealing option for nonfunctional work.
Tags: decal paper, Paul Andrew Wandless
nancy | January 5th, 2010 at 10:47 am
I have had very inconsistant results firing Bel decals. I’m firing decals on 06 glaze with 06 cone, holes and lid open until start of third hour. Usually everything is fired off. I’ve tried different print shops. Is there a home copier that works best?