Have you ever wished you had a mug with your family photo on it? Perhaps you took some great scenery shots while on vacation, and think they would look amazing on your plain white vases. By using the quick and easy photo transfer method described below, you can have something pretty and personalized for much less than you would pay in a store. First, you’ll need some solid-color household objects and some images that will look great on them. These don’t have to be photos; they can simply be clip art; as long as you’re able to print them off your computer, you are able to use them. You can keep your creations for yourself, or give them to friends, family or even coworkers as gifts—people will appreciate the personal touch!
Step #1: When you’re ready to start your project, the first thing that you need to do is gather your supplies. Your most essential supplies are images and solid-color objects to affix them to. If you don’t have any solid-color dishes, vases, or other household objects to transfer the images to, you can buy them for only several dollars at Wal-Mart. The images you have must be printable, and you must have a printer which is able to print on decal paper (check your printer’s instruction manual or call customer service if you’re not sure if it has this capability). You’re also going to need to buy some decal paper, decal aerosol fixative spray, and decal mounting fluid. Decal paper costs a bit more than regular printing paper, but can be found at most business supply stores. If you have difficulty finding it, order it online from here Clear Inkjet Waterslide Decal Paper A4 5 Sheets
Step #2: Once you’ve bought all your supplies, and ensured that your printer is able to print images on decal paper, you’re ready to get down to business. Fill a medium-sized bowl with water, and make sure you have a pair of scissors. Print out a few images you’re interested in transferring. Lay the printed images face-up on a table and spray them horizontally with the aerosol spray; let them dry for several minutes, then give each another coat of spray, this time spraying them vertically. Leave them to dry for several minutes again.
Step #3: After your images dry for a second time, it’s time to transfer your first one to an object. First of all, cut out the images. Put your first image in the bowl of water for approximately 30 seconds; do not leave it in any longer than this or the image and the paper will separate. Put a few drops of decal mounting fluid on the specific area of the object you want to transfer the image to, and rub it around a little bit. Once your image is out of the water, place it against the object while it is still on the paper, and gently slide the paper out from underneath. Your photo should now be affixed to your object. Put a few drops of your mounting fluid on the image and rub it around gently, making sure you do not smear the image. Use a paper towel to gently dry the image off, once again, making sure you do not cause the image to smear.
Step #4: Congratulations; you have successfully transferred your first image to an object! If you want the image to be permanently affixed there, you’ll need to either heat the object (put it in the microwave for a few seconds), or coat the image with resin. Resin is a great alternative if you have an image which cannot be heated, such as one made out of metal or glass. Resin can be found at most craft stores; it is fairly expensive, usually coming to more than $20 per bottle, but the preservation of your image is worth the price!
Besides transferring images onto objects that you use at home, do-it-yourself image transferring can also be used within the corporate environment. Transfer the best picture from your last Christmas party to some coffee mugs, or affix your company’s logo to beer glasses. If you offer to mount images on mugs for your company for a small fee, the company will save a ton of money it would have spent ordering them from a professional business. Plus, you’ll be able to personalize the mugs based on the people in your workplace, and put a little extra income in your pocket.
