How to Transfer an Image onto Clay

[@micheledickey4066]

I am absolutely amazed by this process!!! I can not thank you enough for doing this. I’ve never even heard of this method -!: I can’t wait to try it!! Do you happen to have a video on how you made the box you showed in the beginning? It’s absolutely beautiful and would make a great wedding gift!!!

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi Michele thanks for your lovely comment. Let me know how it goes. Yes, I'm in the process of putting a video together on how I make the boxes! Hopefully it will be ready soon :)

[@micheledickey4066]

@@ThePotteryWheel I looked through your videos and found a box video but it was just the bottom. I would love to know how you glazed the box that was in this video as well. Thanks so much.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

@@micheledickey4066 Yes, I have to do an updated one. It's on my list!

[@jodyann77]

What an amazing comment!

[@LIGIACW]

Muito obrigada por compartilhar essa técnica! Adorei!❤

[@ruthweissart]

Once again you explain with accuracy and knowledge. Thank you for making it look do-able.

[@HALLTOM]

One of the finest instructional videos I've ever watched. Thank-you for sharing with the world.

[@susann2436]

Thank you for sharing this method! I love the hands on quality and that you can use different colours. There is another method of image transfer that also works great, but it’s always a sepia image, because it’s basically fired on iron oxide. It’s a specially coated paper that you laser print. The printer has to be a black-only laser printer that has iron oxide/ferrite in the toner (mainly Canon and HP models). Once printed, you put the printed paper in water, so the coating/film separates from the paper. You use this film like a water slide decal. You apply it to a fully glaze fired piece and bisque fire it again. Search for fired-on images (youtube deletes my comment if I share the link), they sell this paper, explain how it works and have a list of worldwide distributors. They also have a long list of working laser printer models. It’s an easy method and works very well.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

That sounds amazing, thanks for the tip, will definitely check that out!

[@audreyburm8143]

A fantastic clip. Very well done! I am so excited to try this! Thank you so much!

[@ThePotteryWheel]

You are so welcome!

[@baidarkaguy]

I've seen that clay/slip (30%?)added to the pigment and binder will bond it to the clay body when firing to prevent smudging. Learned this from Andy Ward's Ancient Pottery KZbin videos. Different style, but clay and pigments don't know that. I don't know if it will work with this roll on - blot off technique. But give it a try and see what happens. On a completely different note, you have a wonderful voice. Sounds very euphonious to me. Love it, very soothing.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi there, I love Andy Wards Ancient Pottery, I will check his video out. Thanks for the tip :)

[@juliebrown7656]

Or maybe Gerstley borate

[@annewatkis5824]

Beautiful box

[@janeneh.3093]

I just found your site a few days ago and have really learned alot from the several videos I've watched of yours. Hope you continue making videos 👏👏🙌🤩😍👍

[@EmmaEffa]

amazing!

[@rfankushen]

I love this. Thanks for posting. How do you dry the tiles so that the print doesn't become damaged and to keep the tile from warping?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

I put them on wire racks (an old baking rack is fine) and then cover it loosely with a plastic bag. I find if I dry it slowly and evenly it's usually ok.

[@selcouthconcepts]

Thanks for sharing! I've been wanting to make some lithophanes and this looks like a good alternative.

[@nssjn9362]

Amazing!!!!❤️‍🔥 Can i use coated paper instead of pronto? Thank you💕

[@grafkimber]

I am so glad I found you. You have great shares. Lots of helpful information. How did you glaze that beautiful box? Very colourful. Love it. Thanks for sharing🥰

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi there, you might find these links helpful thepotterywheel.com/ceramic-slab-box/ and kzbin.info/www/bejne/nYSkpqiBo6uUn6M

[@pavlentos]

Wonderfully!

[@kevinleong4467]

Wouldn't dipping the glaze also work better? I love this idea

[@LaLaArtStudio]

Hello 👋🏼 I don't know how I missed this one, but I'm so happy to have found it now!! 💗 QUESTION: Do you think any synthetic paper could work, ie YUPO ? Or just that brand specifically? - is the brand you used "reusable" ? I'm seeing polyester papers or plates saying they can be used hundreds of times... so I'm not sure if I've found the right stuff 🤦🏼‍♀️🤷🏼‍♀️ I appreciate you, your insight and your creativity. 🎨 Art'On 🎨 ~Ange~

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hello, you could experiment with different types of paper. I don't know what YUPO is. The polyester papers can be reused a few times, but I find that after a few goes the image gets a bit less defined and seems to bleed a bit. I don't think it would work hundreds of times for this method, but a few times is possible 🙂

[@LaLaArtStudio]

@@ThePotteryWheel thank you for your time in replying 🙏🏼 I was thinking you might know what it was about the polyester paper you use that made it do what it does. So thought I would ask😉 . YUPO is a plastic paper dominant in the world of alcohol inks and such. And works so amazing by not absorbing the liquid allowing it to float on top until it dries, and it can be reconstituted afterwards. I'll do more looking and experiment ... Thank you so much for sharing your experience knowledge and creativity with us all so freely. 🎨 Art'On 🎨 ~Ange~

[@smithuim]

Hi! Tnx for your video, very helpful! Just one question about the printer. Should it be a black and white laser printer? Someone told me that a colour laserprinter would not work (as the colour black is than made up of a mix of the different colour toners/cartridges)...

[@sonjaduplessis7315]

If I may ask, what kind of glaze do you use? Thanks so much for the tutorial 💕

[@johnbelcher7955]

Hi if you put a tiny amount of borax frit to the stain when up make up the ink, it will melt the stain in the firing and either stop it from smudging or making less fragile depending on the amount of frit, to much frit will melt it too much and make the image blurry! If you can't get the paper to print on normal printing paper and coat the back of the paper with shellac and hang it up to dry before starting the printing process works!

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Great tips, thanks John

[@sandracartica4932]

Brilliant!

[@isabelcarvalho7961]

Thanks for share. I didn t understad the mane of paper you use. I made this is past with some paper call fired on, but you have to use just a canon ou hp printer becausecthey have iron oxide in tonner....but now is dificult because many priters stop to use iron oxide in tonner.

[@Tiny_Island_Designs]

I have read that it's sort of vital to pour or spray your glaze on after the bisque. I have not tried this process yet so I'm only suggesting info I read about it.

[@OdetteHarrington-mc8uv]

Brilliant tutorial. Wondering if I could use teak oil instead of linseed oil ? Thanks

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi Odette, you could give it a try. If it doesn't work, linseed oil is easy to get hold of and reasonably priced. Let me know how it goes 😀

[@heidigoldman3475]

Thanks so much so appreciate this info

[@The-Reihl-1]

Have you ever considered narrating a meditation track or blog or what not? Your voice would be so perfect!

[@joyceradesca408]

Hello, thanks for this interesting video It´s a new technique for me Sorry my english I´m spanish speaker See you soon, bye

[@bakezori]

Have you attempted to use a glaze mix or add some frit to the stain mix? Something to make it more stable on the bisque ware?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

That's a good idea, thanks :)

[@bakezori]

@@ThePotteryWheel I ended up going down a bit of an information rabbit hole this morning. Your technique is very similar to polyester plate lithography. Inking the plate may be easier if your mix is closer to a thick ink. So, more of a paste than a liquid. Too thick may damage your plate. Too thin means more applications. If you try a thicker paste, wet your plate before inking. For more information on polyester plate lithography, check out the book by George Roberts. He invented the art print technique back in the 90s. Thank you for the video, it really inspired me.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

@@bakezori funny, I often find myself in the information rabbit hole! thanks for the tip I will check out the book. Sounds very helpful :)

[@kevinleong4467]

Can you use Manganese dioxide instead for this process? It is a lot cheaper than black Mason Stain

[@siupikworld]

Thanks for your nice sharing and really awesome !!! May I know any shop you suggest to buy this pronto plate paper in UK ?

[@43joan]

THANKYOU

[@Thekaratstube]

Thank you so much for taking the time to create and share this excellent video! If you have a moment... in your experience do you think it would be possible to successfully transfer an image that is 91 centimeters by 71 centimeters??

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi thanks for your message and comments, I'm glad you found the video helpful. I think in theory it would be possible to do a large transfer, the only thing you have to be careful about is handling transfer paper and laying it down carefully so you don't get bubbles trapped underneath it. sometimes you just have to give things a go to see if they're going to be successful. good luck with that let me know how it goes :-)

[@KarenRivkaKaufmannTzuriel]

Amasing!! Please ad to the description box the names of the materials you used. For years I was wandering who to transfer a printed imag to the clay!!!

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hello, thanks for your comment, you can check out this article that I wrote, it has a link to all the items that you need :)

[@KarenRivkaKaufmannTzuriel]

Did not see any artical?!

[@ThePotteryWheel]

@@KarenRivkaKaufmannTzuriel thepotterywheel.com/image-transfer-onto-clay/

[@susanneericksson6805]

Thanks for sharing this! I wonder if you can make a mug out of the clay plate after you transfer the image?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

It would be difficult. the image is very fragile and would smudge easily. however you could make the mug and then transfer the image to the mug cylinder. the good thing about the litho paper is that it's flexible and you can wrap it round things. let me know how it goes :-)

[@susanneericksson6805]

@@ThePotteryWheel Okay. Thanks you for your reply! Will try to remember to tell you how it goes. I won´t be able to do this until later.

[@wendydee3007]

Brilliant! Thank yo so much :o)

[@Ingefee]

Wonderful video! Now could you do one where you assemble the transfer so that we see how to deal with the difficulties.

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi Inge, thanks for your comment. Have you tried it and had difficulties, let me know and I'll see if I have any suggestions for you :)

[@Ingefee]

@@ThePotteryWheel No I haven't but it looks very tempting. I really do want to try it.

[@couldwellbe4227]

Fascinating and so informative. Thank you for sharing so generously - really appreciate it 😊

[@CynthiaTrombley-jz9dh]

Can ths method of image transfer be achieved using a laser copy on a regular sheet of printer paper rather than a Pronto plate? And are the Pronto plates reuseable or discarded after one use? sheet of printer paper

[@ThePotteryWheel]

I've never tried it with regular paper. You could give it a go, but I think it would disintegrate. I've found that you can use the pronto plates 2 or 3 times before they stop working well. Hope that helps

[@nadaspencer915]

Are you able to use the pronto plate again?

[@williamhupy-ui7df]

Might I use boiled linseed oil in lieu of raw linseed oil?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

yes, I believe so

[@PATRICIA-zs2qv]

I'm french. Wich "stain" do you use, copper oxyde, black iron, or anything else like underglazes ?

[@RM-lu4hy]

Wow, no gum arabic needed!

[@MaximumMalcolm]

i love you

[@barbaraschwartzman4044]

What happens to the print when fired in the kiln ?

[@sandraburt4782]

Where do you get supply of photo paper

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hello, you can find a link to the paper in this guide thepotterywheel.com/image-transfer-onto-clay/

[@BrenzerM]

If you add the bentonite first the mixing will be easier. It's amazing but my goodness it's such a long process 😮

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Yeah, it seems like its a long process, but once you get into the swing of it, it speeds up :)

[@Paulabreyter]

👏👏👏👏👏

[@jeangarry8189]

Anyone heard of mixing gum Arabic to the solution to stabilize the image

[@ueckbueck]

8:25

[@ElleVerdaat]

Where can I buy pronto plates?

[@ThePotteryWheel]

Hi, I just put a link in the description for where you can buy them 🙂