DIY Toner Transfers
Polymer clay is versatile medium often used in jewelry making. You can create imitation stones, shapes and toner transfers using polymer clay. You can make toner transfers in two ways with polymer clay. Either method is effective, but there is one big difference between the methods. If you use the method that uses liquid polymer clay, your image will appear exactly as you see it. If you use the alcohol method, your image will flip like you are looking into a mirror, so you will have to alter the image before making a photocopy.
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Things You'll Need
- Images copied on a copy machine
- Liquid polymer clay
- Paintbrush
- Parchment paper
- Water
- Bone folder or spoon
Instructions
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Method 1
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Place a piece of parchment paper on an aluminum pan. Polymer clay will burn if it is placed directly onto a metal surface.
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Place the photocopied image that you want to transfer on the parchment paper. The image will not flip when you make the copy with this method.
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Paint a thin layer of liquid polymer clay over the image.
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Bake the clay and the paper in the oven to manufacturer’s instructions.
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Peel off the paper.
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Attach the polymer clay image by painting a thin layer of liquid polymer clay on the jewelry design where you want the image and pressing the image onto the piece of jewelry.
Method 2
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Choose your image. If you want the image to look exactly like the original, you will need to flip the image using your computer before making a photocopy of it. This method of toner transfer will give you a reverse image of the printed copy. Print the image on regular paper.
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Place a piece of parchment paper on an aluminum pan.
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Condition a small piece of white or light colored clay. To condition clay, you will need to roll the clay until it is soft. Roll it into a flat piece large enough to cover the image.
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Put the image face down on top of the clay. Press it into place with your fingers, and then rub it gently with the bone folder. A bone folder is a craft tool that is used to emboss and draw creases into paper and clay. If you do not have a bone folder, you can use the back of a spoon.
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Dampen the paper with water, and rub it with your finger until all of the paper rubs off. You will need to dampen the paper several times as the paper rubs off.
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Attach the polymer clay image by painting a thin layer of liquid polymer clay where you want it on the piece of jewelry, and press the image onto the clay.
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Bake the clay according to the manufacturer’s instructions.
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Tips & Warnings
When you bake polymer clay, always start it in a cold oven. When it is finished cooking, turn the oven off, and crack open the oven. Allow the clay to cool before removing it from the oven. Sometimes the clay will get cracks in it if it cools too fast.
References
- Photo Credit copy machine image by Mat Hayward from Fotolia.com
Comments
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I never put my clay in a cold oven because most if not all ovens spike to higher temperatures before settling at the right temperature.
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polymerclay
Jul 16, 2010
Nice article Sue! Thanks for adding my blog as a reference. Toner transfers are really fun and quite easy to do. Because you can transfer any image, it suits every style of jewelry that you like to make. The only thing I would like to add is that the tip on baking, isn't quite true. Although cooling the bead very slowly will work to prevent cracks, it also works if you cool extremely quickly. I always pop my hot beads straight from the oven into a bath of ice water. This cools the whole bead quickly and prevents cracks. In fact I have never had a single crack develop in my beads, when using this technique. Cracks happen when the outside has cooled and the inside is still hot. Polymer clay is an interesting material and acts a little different than you may think. I just thought I'd let you know. ~Cindy Lietz, Polymer Clay Tutor
