How to Transfer Images to Stone or Metal Using a Silk Screen

A three-dimensional surface can take on a new look with the right superimposed image. This technique will allow you to transfer an image using a silk screen.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Silk Screen Fabric
• Silk Screen Frames
• Silk Screen Inks
• Silk Screen Squeegees
• Spray Polyurethane Finish (for Metal)
• Stones Or Metal
• Acrylic Matte Medium
• Rubbing Alcohol (if Necessary)

Prepare the Silk Screen

1. Use a loose silk screen to print onto a rounded or irregular surface. The more rounded your target object, the looser your silkscreen should be.

2. Prepare a silk screen specifically for this task if necessary, and if you don't have an adjustable silk screen frame (which is expensive). You can't adjust a silk screen after it's been stretched.

3. Place the silk screen over the surface you wish to print on. You probably won't be able to use your silk screen printer to print on an irregular surface like you're using for this project.

4. Have a trusted friend hold the screen steady over your surface as you pull the squeegee across it, or rig some kind of system to hold the surface and silk screen frame steady.

Prepare the Surface

5. Choose your stone or piece of metal. Keep in mind that an image will show up better on a light surface - and that for this technique, you'll need a relatively flat surface.

6. Prepare the surface: Wash or wipe it down; scrub it if necessary to remove loose particles. Degrease it with rubbing alcohol if necessary.

7. Coat a metal surface with two coats of spray polyurethane and allow it to dry fully to seal the surface and prevent it from rusting.

8. Coat a stone surface or sealed metal surface with two coats of acrylic matte medium and allow it to dry fully.

Tips & Warnings

• If the surface is relatively flat, try to position the silk screen just above it so you can take advantage of the "snap," which will make for a cleaner image.
• If you're printing on a rounded rock, try using a crew of three: Two people can roll the screen over the rock surface while the third squeegees.
• The normal squeegee blade is flat; for printing on rough or irregular surfaces, you may want to experiment with rounded or angled blades, which deposit more ink.

[hansonstudios]

on 2/10/2009 I learned alot here.
http://nomediakings.org/doityourself/howto_silkscreen_posters_and_shirts.html

Also on youtube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee_8IMx0uMo

[gorillapilot]

on 2/4/2008 Sorry, but this is useless. How do you transfer the image, or text, to the silk screen itself?