Get Creative With These Top Projects That You Can Do Using Laser And Inkjet Waterslide Papers
Summary
If you like arts and crafts and want to decorate your stuff at home then all you need is a computer, a printer and some special waterslide decal paper. This article explains the sort of projects you can do and explains how to do it. This article will explain to you about the four types of waterslide paper, their differences, how to use them and some popular projects.
Waterslide paper is manufactured for both laser and inkjet printers. The two are quite different so it’s important that the correct printer paper for your printer is chosen. You can choose between Clear or White. When you print onto clear, any area of your picture not covered by print will be clear, hence clear decal paper is often used when making decals for light colored surfaces, for example, placing your favorite photograph onto a white ceramic mug or plate. White decal paper retains its solid white background, just like conventional stickers, hence white decal paper is used for applying pictures onto dark backgrounds. White decal paper retains its solid white background, for instance, printing a Ferrari like logo onto a black mug for a permanent sticker like appearance. You should also apply a couple of coats of clear varnish onto the decal after completing.
The Difference Between Laser And Inkjet Waterslide Papers
Clear varnish is required as part of the production process when using inkjet waterslide paper. If you have a laser printer, clear spray is not required – you basically skip this step of the decal making process when using the laser version of the paper. However,
if you are an arts and crafts enthusiast, you’ll know that having some clear varnish spray around can provide a long lasting finish and added protection to hundreds of craft projects so even though it’s not required, you may wish to coat your finished work after you have completed your project depending on the project itself.
The wonder of decal paper is that you can customize, transform and change almost any surface imaginable with pictures, text or designs that you have saved on your PC. The decal making process is as follows: Print first then wait for the print to dry. Then spray with clear varnish (2 to 3 coats separated by 10 minute intervals), then cut out , then drop into water and wait for 30 seconds (the backing will start to slip off). Then slide onto your surface and smooth away any remaining water from under the decal with your fingers and thumbs. Pop in the oven for 10 minutes at 110c.
Some Popular Decal Paper Projects To Get You Started
Print your own decals and apply them to: Die cast models : Candles : Dolls Houses : Photo’s onto mugs and plates : Action figures : Miniature plastic models : Guitars : Kitchen containers : Glass’s and Glass coasters : Christmas baubles and family themed decorations : Pendants : Mirror frames : Mobile phone covers : Pens : Soap and even finger nails.
Example Waterslide Paper Project – Glass Art
For this decal paper project, either start with four colored glass squares or if you have clear glass squares or coasters, you will need to drop your flower images onto colored backgrounds inside photoshop or your computers photo editing software. The top tip here is to then go to Google images and do a search for flower silhouettes. This will provide you with dozens of potential decals for you to choose for your waterslide decal paper project.
Once you have picked your flowers, you’ll need to size them up according to the size of your glass coasters or glass art squares. I use Microsoft word for this and simply make a test print onto regular printer paper before printing onto my waterslide paper. If you are happy with the sizes, you should proceed with the same steps as explained earlier in this waterslide paper article.
A final word of caution. Making your own decals can become addictive. With so many arts and crafts projects to try, which project will you master first?
Resource
If you are interested in arts and crafts and want to brighten up your everyday items at home then this is all possible if you have access to a computer and a printer. By using inkjet waterslide decal paper or laser decal paper you can produce some really excellent results. All you need are some high quality images and the by using the techniques described in this article you can make some really professional looking decals for mugs, kitchen containers, drinking glasses, mirror frames, mobile phone covers and a lot more.