How to Make Decals for Fused Dichroic Glass Pendant
Make decals for your fused dichroic glass pendants with dichroic-coated paper. Dichroic-coated paper is made by placing dichroic paint on a special material called a binder, that has been added to decal paper. Dichroic-coated paper is also called dichroic paper or dichroic slide. Cut out your own designs or use paper punches to make different shaped decals; then place them on glass to create personalized dichroic glass pendants. Dichroic paper decals are added to pieces of the glass in the same manner as adding a dichroic coating to glass.
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Things You'll Need
- Scrap piece of paper
- Paper punches
- Craft knife
- Dichroic-coated paper
- Distilled water
- Small bowl
- Tweezers
- Clean glass piece
- Paper towel
- Glass cap piece (optional)
Instructions
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Use a scrap piece of paper to experiment with paper punch designs, or cut out your own designs with a craft knife. Once you have settled on the final design, transfer it to the dichroic-coated paper.
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Punch out the design with paper punches, or cut it out with a sharp craft knife. Take care when cutting it out to create clean cut edges. Cutting slowly will also prevent you from accidentally injuring yourself.
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Pour the distilled water into a small bowl. Place the dichroic paper cut-outs into the distilled water. Let it sit and soak for two minutes.
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Pick up the decal with a pair of tweezers and slide it onto a clean piece of glass. Gently rub the surface of the decal with a finger to remove any air bubbles or wrinkles that may have formed when you placed it on the glass. Use a piece of paper towel to gently blot the decal and remove any excess water.
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Wait 30 minutes, or until the dichroic decal paper is completely dry. Place a "cap" piece of transparent glass over the decaled glass, if you are using one.
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Fire up your kiln and heat the glass according to its type and the kiln manufacturer's instructions to create your fused glass pendant.
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Tips & Warnings
Dichroic-coated paper has no coefficient of expansion and can be used with any type of glass that you wish to make a fused glass pendant with.
Dichroic paper changes color once it has been fused: magenta green changes into a teal blue, blue gold turns into green, cyan copper turns into yellow gold and clear red changes into burgundy or dark red.
