IMAGE & DESIGN TRANSFER TECHNIQUES

Transcription

1 IMAGE & DESIGN TRANSFER TECHNIQUES Edited by Paul Andrew Wandless lives and works in Chicago creating art that combines ceramic processes and printmaking techniques to create clay prints that are also incorporated into freestanding and wall-mounted clay sculpture. In addition to authoring several books and numerous magazine articles, Wandless is also featured in Ceramic Art Daily s video Fundamentals of Screen Printing On Clay featuring his techniques. Wandless holds an MFA from Arizona State University, an MA from Minnesota State University-Mankato, and a BFA from University of Delaware. For many years, ceramic artists have used printmaking, drawing and photography to enhance the surface of their work. Using underglazes, slips, and glazes it s entirely possible to take advantage many 2-D mediums to decorate both functional and sculptural work. Image & Design Transfer Techniques covers more than thirty techniques that can be used on greenware, bisqueware and glazeware. You ll discover ways to create and transfer images and designs using appliqué and paper transfers, decals, stencils, silkscreening, etching, stamping, embossing, and more. An expert printmaker-turned-clay artist, Paul Andrew Wandless presents you with many of his own discoveries where he found clay receptive to his many printmaking skills. In addition, he includes the methods of many talented artists who have developed a variety of applications that can add a whole new dimension to your clay surfaces. Whether you re looking for the perfect book to start decorating or you need expert information to expand your skill set, Image & Design Transfer Techniques contains a wealth of information for every clay lover. Printed in China Wandless The American Ceramic Society IMAGE & DESIGN TRANSFER TECHNIQUES Paul Andrew Wandless currently Ceramic Arts Handbook Series

2 The American Ceramic Society 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Suite 210 Westerville, OH by The American Ceramic Society, All rights reserved. ISBN: (Paperback) ISBN: (PDF) No part of this book may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, microfilming, recording or otherwise, without written permission from the publisher, except by a reviewer, who may quote brief passages in review. Authorization to photocopy for internal or personal use beyond the limits of Sections 107 and 108 of the U.S. Copyright Law is granted by The American Ceramic Society, provided that the appropriate fee is paid directly to the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc., 222 Rosewood Drive, Danvers, MA U.S.A., Prior to photocopying items for educational classroom use, please contact Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. This consent does not extend to copyright items for general distribution or for advertising or promotional purposes or to republishing items in whole or in part in any work in any format. Requests for special photocopying permission and reprint requests should be directed to Director, Publications, The American Ceramic Society, 600 N. Cleveland Ave., Westerville, Ohio USA. Every effort has been made to ensure that all the information in this book is accurate. Due to differing conditions, equipment, tools, and individual skills, the publisher cannot be responsible for any injuries, losses, and other damages that may result from the use of the information in this book. Final determination of the suitability of any information, procedure or product for use contemplated by any user, and the manner of that use, is the sole responsibility of the user. This book is intended for informational purposes only. The views, opinions and findings contained in this book are those of the author. The publishers, editors, reviewers and author assume no responsibility or liability for errors or any consequences arising from the use of the information contained herein. Registered names and trademarks, etc., used in this publication, even without specific indication thereof, are not to be considered unprotected by the law. Mention of trade names of commercial products does not constitute endorsement or recommendation for use by the publishers, editors or authors. The Publisher advises the reader that certain decal applications onto glossy substrates may be subject to Patent No: US 7,622,237 B2. Publisher: Charles Spahr, Executive Director, The American Ceramic Society Managing Director: Sherman Hall Series Editor: Bill Jones Editor: Paul Andrew Wandless Graphic Production: Pamela S. Woodworth Series Design: Melissa Bury Cover Image: Swirls and Stripes, 10 1 /4 in. (26 cm) in diameter, earthenware, slip, underglaze, glaze, laser-toner decals, commercial decals, and gold luster, by Jason Bige Burnett. Frontispiece: Wheel-thrown and altered platter with layers of pattern created using both monoprinting and toner-resist techniques, by Martina Lantin. iv

3 Table of Contents 1 Image Transfer & Application Newsprint Slip Transfers 1 Jason Bige Burnett Ink Transfers for Greenware 6 Doug Gray Underglaze Transfer Paper 11 Jessica Knapp Projecting Patterns 13 Shana Salaff Monoprinting and Toner-Resist Transfers 16 Martina Lantin Photolithography Transfers 21 Kristina Bogdanov Graphite Transfers 26 Judith Berk King Rice Paper Transfers 32 Kate Missett 2 Decals No-Fire Decals 35 Brendan Tang How to Make Laser Toner Decals 39 Frank Gaydos Using Laser Toner Decals 41 Justin Rothshank Designing Custom Full-Color Decals 46 Linda Gates Masked Patterns and Laser Toner Decals 50 Andrew Gilliatt Acrylic Medium Images 53 Juan Granados v

4 3 Relief, Etching & Stamping Printing and Embossing with Linocuts 55 Paul Andrew Wandless Reliefs with Photosensitive Polymer Plates 62 Paul Andrew Wandless Etching a Glazed Surface 69 Ann Ruel Light Sensitive Emulsion 71 Jessica Knapp Underglaze Stamp Pads 74 Holly Goring 4 Stencils & Masking Using Single-Color Stencils 75 Kip O Krongly Multi-Color Stencil Decoration 80 Paul Andrew Wandless Friskets 85 Frank James Fisher Die-Cut Stencils 89 Paul Barchilon Using Stencils 94 Hannah Lore Hombordy Dimensional Stencils 99 Ann Ruel Wax Resist Inlay 102 Sumi von Dassow vi

5 5 Screening Building a Silkscreen 105 Paul Andrew Wandless Using Photocopy Film Negatives 111 Paul Andrew Wandless Ultraviolet Light-Sensitive Emulsion Screens 114 Paul Andrew Wandless Silkscreen Printing on Wet Clay 117 Brad Menninga Thermal Screen Printing 121 Alice Drew Screening Multi-Color Images on Clay 127 Paul Andrew Wandless Image Transfer for Volumetric Forms 132 Forrest Lesch-Middelton vii

6 Preface Clay has a history of being combined with, and included in, other creative practices, such as printmaking, drawing and photography. Clay and print have an especially unique relationship due to their natural compatibility. Utilizing printmaking techniques with underglaze, slip, and glaze to address clay surfaces allows one to take advantage of the best of both mediums. Image transfer onto clay is a great way to explore and experiment with different mediums and see what exciting possibilities can be visually incorporated in your clay work. Having the ability to transfer an image, design, or text gives you the ability to take full advantage of your creative ideas. Over the years, several informative articles have appeared in Ceramics Monthly and Pottery Making Illustrated addressing clay and image transfer. A wide variety of methods have been covered to address the surfaces of greenware, bisqueware and glazeware with printing and transfer techniques. This book is a collection of information curated from these past articles, along with a few new ones written specifically to be included in this book. Most of the processes covered are water-based and safe to use in your studio, which makes it user friendly for everyone to try. Along with process information, there are also tips and instructions on how to make some of the printing tools to help you customize your work even more. Appliqué and paper transfers are a great introduction to transferring images if you re new to this way of working. All you need is newsprint and underglaze to get started. Patterns and designs can be created on newsprint with both underglaze and slip, then transferred to greenware to create new and dynamic surfaces. This can be done on flat slabs for handbuilding purposes or directly onto the curved walls of vessels. Decals have been a popular choice for artists to add photographic images, designs and text to clay for decades. A variety of decal options are covered, which address different visual effects that can be created on work. Non-fired decals are a great choice to add images, but not add another firing. Laser toner decals are a good choice for sepia-toned images that have a more subtle visual impact. Commercial decals, diecut decals and layering decals to make a complex collage are more options to explore, if you re interested in further personalization. Relief and embossing are image transfer techniques that allow imagery to be printed or impressed into clay. Relief in the forms of linocuts and photosensitive polymer plates are used to print and emboss on clay. Your ideas can be carved into linoleum and photographic images can be burned into photopolymer plates. For simpler ideas, rubber stamps can be used to create small reliefs to decorate greenware or bisqueware. Glaze etching and light sensitive emulsions can be used to work on glazed surfaces and bisqueware. Work that s already glaze fired can have patterns and designs etched into the glaze surface. The matte, etched areas contrast nicely with the glossy, un-etched areas. Photographic images can be projected onto bisqueware that s been coated with light sensitive emulsion. The emulsion hardens and leaves an image behind that can be fired. These two techniques produce unique results and are readily available as common art supplies. While stencils seem like a fairly simple tool, they can be used to make very complex images. They can be used on greenware, bisqueware and glazeware. You can go from cutting silhouettes for simple, single-color images, to combining multiple stencils to create a complex, multi-color image. If hand-cut stencils are not viii

7 for you, you can have them commercially made. Information to have die-cut stencils is covered so you ll know how to prepare the image files for best results. Friskets are another variation of masking technique you can employ directly to the surface of your work. Screen printing is the natural evolution of stencils to use images with greater detail. This certainly is one of the most widespread and popular image transfer technique used by artists. Instructions of how to build your own screen for printing, will allow you to build custom screens that are best suited for your ideas. All you will need are common hand tools and a few supplies from an art store. Photocopy film negatives are a cost-effective way to make custom images to burn into screens using diazo-sensitive emulsion. This saves the trouble of making transparencies or darkroom film negatives. If you want to work without a darkroom to burn screens, UV sensitive emulsion screens are covered. The unmounted screens give you the option to print on flat or curved surface and can be used on greenware, bisqueware and glazeware. A variety of screening techniques are introduced to screen single color images, multi-color images and even screening on vessel forms. This collection of clay and printmaking techniques has something for everyone, regardless of your level of experience. There are several easy-to-follow processes for someone just wanting to experiment with clay and printing for the first time. There are also several processes for someone looking to expand their current skill set or learn new variations for screens, relief, paper transfers and decals. Then there are some technical articles for those who like to make their own tools and equipment. Regardless of where you fall in this spectrum, there will be something to try and hopefully make that image, pattern or design you always wanted to, but weren t quite sure how to do. Paul Andrew Wandless ix

8 Image Transfer & Application NEWSPRINT SLIP TRANSFERS by Jason Bige Burnett Too Much Television, uses newsprint and slip decoration combined with incised decoration, decals, luster, and glaze, creating dimensional surfaces that also pop with color. My childhood interest in television cartoons influenced my current ceramic forms and surfaces. The bright colors, graphic patterns, and illustrative qualities recapture and celebrate my fascination with whimsical domestic representation. I m inspired by the stylized hand-drawn utilitarian objects like a coffee mug in a cartoon character s hand or the mixing bowl displayed on the shelf in their kitchen. The combination of commercial stained slips and newsprint is a paper transfer process. By applying slips saturated with bold colors onto newsprint, then transferring the drawn images to a slipped clay object, I can achieve an animated surface. Playtime doesn t end there; I continue by introducing stamps, stains, and stickers to further enhance the ceramic surface until the desired effect is fully achieved. Creating Newsprint Transfers This newspaper transfer process mirrors the traditional monoprint process. Instead of drawing on a metal plate and transferring the image to paper, I m drawing on newspaper then transferring directly to clay. As with all monoprints, keep in mind that the image you create will be reversed. Text must be backwards and layers of color must be applied foreground to background (figure 1). Whether it be stripes, shapes, illustrations, or a color field, start with an idea of how you would like to approach the surfaces of your piece before you start. Apply your pattern or drawing to strips or blocks of newsprint, varying the colors of slip using brushes, slip trailers, and sponge stamps. Use caution as the paper causes the slip to dry; and if it dries too much, it may chip off. Use a spray bottle to keep the image damp but don t spray too much water as it could puddle and smear the slip. Regular newspaper works well but I prefer using Strathmore brand Newsprint Paper available at any art supply store. The thickness and tooth of this paper is durable and tough enough to hold and transfer slip. Swirls and Stripes, 101/4 in. (26 cm) in diameter, earthenware, slip, underglaze, glaze, laser-toner decals, commercial decals, and gold luster. 1

9 Image & Design Transfer Techniques 1. Create patterns with colored slips. Paint the foreground layer first and the background last. 2. When leather-hard, blot and brush on the background slip, which also serves as a transfer coat. 3. Gently apply the newsprint to the piece. Use a soft rib to ensure contact and pierce any trapped air. 4. When the slip has had time to absorb and the newsprint has lost a lot of its moisture, slowly peel it away. Slip it and Stick it After you ve completed the newsprint image, wait for the slip to become leather hard and then apply a slip coat over the drawing. Lightly dab the first coat of slip on (figure 2), wait for this coat to become leather hard and then brush on a second coat. A hair dryer assists in getting the slipped newsprint to leather-hard. If the slip has a glossy sheen then it s too wet to continue. The slip application works best on leather-hard clay. Using a hake brush, apply a moderate coat of slip to the surface. This layer of slip shouldn t be too thin or too thick and it should be the consistency of heavy whipping cream. This slip coat creates a tactile surface perfect for pressing newsprint into and absorbs transferred slip and imagery well. When the slip-coated clay piece and the slip decoration on the newsprint are both at leather hard, you are ready to print. There is a narrow window of time here where the surface of your piece and the newspaper are perfect for application. If one or the other is too wet when applied, the result could be sloppy and undesirable. If the image and object are too dry, then this affects the quality of adhesion. When the slip on the object is soft but not tacky and all the slip on the paper has lost its sheen, you re ready to transfer the image. Carefully pick up your piece of newsprint and slowly bring it toward the object. You ll see the image through the newsprint and that assists with placement. Once any part of the newsprint transfer touches the object, gently press the rest of the newsprint onto the surface (figure 3). Note that air pockets result on curved surfaces. These are 2

10 Image Transfer & Application 5. Apply damp newsprint strips and press down all edges to prevent the second slip coat from seeping underneath. 6. Brush additional slip coats of any colors you wish over both the first layer and the damp newsprint strips. 7. Create more of a tactile surface by applying another layer of thick slip onto a fresh piece of newsprint and wrapping it around the object. 8. After allowing the slip to absorb into the surface for a minute or two, peel away the newsprint again to reveal the varied, textured surfaces. addressed later. Gently press the transfer onto the surface with your hands, working over the general area. The trapped air pockets can be removed by piercing them with a needle tool or a small X-Acto blade. If the air pockets are not taken care of, they can cause defects or misprinting of the transfer. Now that the newsprint has been applied to the object, there s a layer of moisture trapped between the object and the paper. Within the first minute or two the clay object begins absorbing that moisture. Using a soft rib, press the newsprint down, applying more pressure than before. Between thirty seconds and two minutes is about the time when you ll notice the newsprint drying out again. Take a slightly harder rib and, with more force than before, rub the newsprint one last time into the clay. Rubbing too hard could smudge the slip un- derneath or tear through the paper. Practice and experience with this method is the best way to find your limits. Grab a corner or take the edge of the newsprint and slowly begin to peel away (figure 4). It s important to do this slowly so you ll catch the spots that did not adhere to the surface. Just place it back down gently and massage the spot down into the surface with the medium-soft rib. Repeat if necessary. Not addressing the spots creates potential reservoirs for stain and glazes later. Now that your image is transferred, handle the piece carefully. Applying slip onto leather-hard clay will make the clay soft and malleable again. I suggest waiting until your piece becomes firm and the slip isn t sticky to the touch before applying anything else to the surface. 3

11 Image & Design Transfer Techniques 4 9. Mark the surface with stamps, rollers and carving tools, creating new patterns and echoing the lines of the form or of the colored bands. 10. Take advantage of the piece being leather hard and carve away some larger areas of the slip, revealing the contrasting color of the clay. 11. After the work has been bisqued, apply underglaze or stain over the object and wipe away to accentuate the process marks. 12. Apply soda ash wash, wax resist, and glazes to desired surfaces. This is the time to plan for a final layer of decals and lusters. Additional Decorations relaxed with this and just gently pat down the strip. If you want a contrasting decoration in an adjoining area, apply another coat of slip to the leather-hard clay. This time, try cutting out stripes or shapes of plain newsprint, spritz with water until slightly damp, and lay them over the slip coat to act as a stencil resist (figure 5). Brush over the piece with another slip, again any color works, and let sit until the slip firms up (figure 6). On top of the slip and strip layer, I also like creating built up textures of slip. Brush a moderate coat of slip onto a wide strip of newsprint and vary the thickness of application. Once leather hard, place the wide strip over the slip-coated object with the newsprint stripes still in place (figure 7). Be more Give it a variation of rubs and pressings, then peel away and notice the loose quality and nature of the slipped surface (figure 8). Any sharp edges of slip should be tapped down or pressed in with your fingers. After this surface has been bisqued, stains and washes enhance the loose look, suggesting surfaces such as torn wallpaper or chipped paint. Next, carefully peel the stripes away. If locating the paper and peeling it away is difficult, lightly heat the surface with a blow dryer until the slip above the newsprint becomes noticeably different in color and dryness. Now the paper can be removed with the aid of a needle tool or an X-Acto blade.

12 Image Transfer & Application Stamp It Out wash over the piece in two generous brush coats. Since the object is still leather hard after the newsprint and resist techniques, more adornment may be applied. You can create additional marks using stamps, etched lines, and texture rollers (figure 9). Larger areas of slip can also be carved away and create more surface depth (figure 10). To make the soda ash wash, combine 57 grams of Layering After the Bisque and then do a second firing of the iron toner decals Staining the work with an underglaze creates more depth and enhances the process marks and indentations previously made on the surface. Coat the entire piece with one or two layers of underglaze, let dry, and sponge it away from the high points leaving it in the recesses (figure 11). I use a black underglaze to give my work a distressed look. Let the underglaze dry prior to applying wash and glazes. Since the whole object will not be covered in glaze, some areas will remain matte. If the matte surfaces remain untreated, they come out looking chalky and dry. To prevent this, apply a soda ash soda ash to 1 cup of heated water and stir to dissolve the ingredients. Allow the piece to dry again. The soda ash wash will cause the matte surfaces to retain a moist and saturated look. I fire the stains, glazes, and soda ash wash together to cone 05 04, (see page 39) to cone 08. Finally, I do a third firing of gold luster and commercial decals together to cone 017. I ve fired the soda ash wash up to cone 2 but not past that. I use a variety of shop-made and commercial glazes. For many, glazing is the last and final step, but I find glaze firing is only an intermediate step when pushing surfaces even further. When glazing, try setting up areas for decals and lusters by selectively applying the glaze (figure 12). Remember, decals and lusters reflect the surface below them and work best when applied to a shiny surface. Circus Stars and Stripes, 7 inches in height, earthenware, slip, underglaze, glaze, iron-toner decals, and gold luster. 5

13 Stencils & Masking USING SINGLE-COLOR STENCILS by Kip O'Krongly My work in clay is intimately connected to the exploration of layers. The physical layers built up through ceramic processes allude to the more abstract layers of issues currently occupying my pots; the following leads you through my current process of handbuilding and decorating a platter using stencils. Making Stencils Before I make a platter, I come up with a design and stencil for the imagery. Stencils can be as simple or as complex as you like, but I find the detail that s achievable an exciting aspect of the process. You can work from any drawing or photograph, but high contrast images are the most straightforward to cut. Once you select an image, make a photocopy (don t ruin your original!), and use a permanent marker to clearly delineate the areas you will include. All of the sections you intend to retain in the final stencil must be connected to the whole or they will drop out of the image. Corn Duster, 17 in. (43 cm) in diameter, handbuilt earthenware with hand-cut stencils, slip, sgraffito, underglaze, and terra sigillata. Single fired in oxidation to cone 04. I cut stencils out of thin plastic tablecloth, which makes them reusable. Since these cutouts often take more than four hours to create, I cut through as many layers as possible at one time to create multiple stencils. If you leave the tablecloth folded out of the package, you ll cut through six layers of plastic and end up with six identical stencils. After choosing your imagery and determining the areas to be cut away, tape the photocopy to the still-folded plastic (figure 1). Using a fresh X-Acto blade and working on a self-healing mat, begin by cutting the interior sections of your stencil. Starting with interior cuts provides the most structure possible during cutting. Compress delicate areas to prevent the layers of plastic below from shifting out of place (figure 2). Try to begin each cut from one end of a line, cut to the 75

14 Image & Design Transfer Techniques Tape a photocopy of the image to an unopened part of tablecloth. Retain black areas, cut away white areas. 2. Cut interior sections first to keep the stencil strong. Compress delicate areas to keep plastic from shifting. 3. The stencil with all interior sections removed prior to cutting the exterior. 4. Drape a ½-inch thick clay slab over a bisque hump mold. Trim the edge and immediately attach a foot ring. midpoint, then cut from the other end to meet in the middle. This method helps avoid inadvertently slicing beyond joints. Have tweezers on hand to remove small areas as you cut, so you can see your progress. Once all interior segments are removed (figure 3), carefully cut along the exterior image border to release it from the surrounding plastic. If you re careful, you can use the negative image as a stencil as well. For this particular project, I cut four stencils: One crop duster from a full-size copy of my original, one stencil of the dust using a second photocopy of the original, one stencil from a photocopy of my drawing reduced to 75 percent of the original size, and one from a 50 percent sized copy (plus a few canaries to add into the dust). Once all stencils are cut, you re ready to build a form for surface application. Building a Platter Platters are an ideal vehicle for surface decoration. To form a platter, drape a ½-inch thick slab over a bisque mold (figure 4) and attach the foot immediately after draping. Once dried to firm leather hard, flip the platter and attach a coil rim (figure 5). I roll out or extrude a coil, then lay it in a spiral on a banding wheel. With the platter on another banding wheel, I attach the coil, then slowly spin the platter s banding wheel as I work so the coil always feeds to the rim at the same spot. Let the rim and platter set up together under plastic overnight. The following day, mask out the rim and foot with latex to protect from slip while decorating (figure 6). I use Laguna s Goodrich Latex because it is water based (no stinky ammonia, and it can be thinned with

15 Stencils & Masking 5. After allowing the clay to set up overnight, attach a coil rim to the platter. 6. Mask all areas that you want to remain bare with latex and let set for 24 hours under plastic. 7. Tack the first stencil down with water once you re satisfied with the placement. 8. After the base layer of stencils is secure, apply a layer of slip over the surface. water). Applying latex allows freedom of gesture with slip decoration and gives a clean, crisp line when removed. Let the platter with latex set up under plastic another 24 hours prior to decorating. This extra time under plastic makes for easier latex removal following surface work. too much water, the stencil will float on the clay Layering the Surface courage folds that disrupt the image as little as Plastic stencils adhere best to leather-hard clay so keep forms well wrapped prior to decorating. Once you have determined placement for the first layer of stencils (three crop dusters in this case), tack them down with a small brush dipped in clean water (figure 7). The beauty of using this thin plastic is the ability to see water spread under the stencil, which helps ensure edges seal to the clay. Use as little water as possible just enough to make the clay surface tacky. If you use rather than stick. Following the lines of your cutout, gently work the stencil into the clay. If you re decorating a curved form (concave in particular) your cutout may need to fold to accommodate the shape. Enpossible and take extra care to ensure edges firmly adhere. Once the first layer of stencils is set and no wet areas remain on the clay, brush slip over the surface (figure 8). Apply with care so that if brush strokes show, they appear intentional and fit with the movement of the piece. After the slip sets to leather hard, use a very soft pencil to sketch out areas of sgraffito. A light spritz of water will erase pencil lines. I use a Kemper K23 tool for most sgraffito decoration (figure 77

16 Image & Design Transfer Techniques Sgraffito areas of drawing into the surface. Note the crop duster stencil still under the slip. 10. Mask out any areas of corn that fall within the dust stencil using latex. 11. With the dust stencil set, brush underglaze into the unprotected space. 12. Apply the canary stencils and more underglaze, then remove the bird stencils. 9), but sometimes use an X-acto knife or pin tool for variation of line quality. With sgraffito complete (minus the corn tassels), use latex to mask out corn that will fall within the dust stencil (figure 10). This results in corn imagery that appears in the foreground and visually pops off the platter surface. Once the latex has set (10 20 minutes in this case), apply the dust stencil. Use extra care when adhering this stencil to avoid marring the slip below. With the dust stencil in place, apply slip or underglaze into the stencil area (figure 11). After the underglaze loses any of its sheen, add canary stencils using the above method of stencil application, filling them in with additional underglaze. Once set, gently remove each canary stencil with tweezers (figure 12). When the surface is back to leather hard, carefully remove the latex masking the corn (figure 13) along with all layers of stencils (figure 14). Note that if you remove stencils too early, the slip may run underneath. In contrast, if you wait too long, the edges may be ragged. Try to find a window where slip is firmly set, but not yet dry. If slip has dried too far, mist with water to soften before removing stencils. If you find spots where slip has bled under your cutouts, use a sgraffito tool to scrape the clay body clean. Alternatively, use a small brush with water to erase any areas of unwanted slip. Once all stencils are removed, add final sgraffito details or any other cutouts to the surface (figure 15). I single fire my work to cone 04, so prior to removing latex from the rim, I coat the sur-

17 Stencils & Masking 13. When the surface returns to leather hard, peel the protective latex coating off of the corn imagery. 14. Next remove all layers of stencils and clean up any areas where the slip bled under using a sgraffito tool. 15. Sgraffito in the corn tassels and any other details you would like to add. 16. If single firing, apply glaze prior to removing latex from the rim and foot. face with glaze (figure 16). To apply glaze at the leather-hard stage, ensure that your glaze recipe has a healthy portion of clay so it shrinks along with your piece. If you have minimal clay in your glaze, it may be better to wait and spray the glaze on at the bone dry stage to single fire. With the glaze firm, remove latex from the foot and rim and let the platter dry slowly. If you re working with earthenware, apply terra sigillata to any areas of exposed clay at the bone dry stage to seal the surface and add a lovely satin sheen. blot clean with a sponge. Once dry, the stencil will stick to the Plexiglas until next needed. Note that the more complicated your stencil, the more likely it is to twist up following use. To help with untangling, choose a plastic tablecloth that has a pattern on only one side. That way, you can easily identify which side is up and which is down as you clean and reshape your cutouts. Working with stencils provides the freedom to explore possibilities of repeating imagery in different combinations and on different forms. While there is an initial investment in creating a new cutout, once cut, there are many decorative possibilities. Since this process works at any firing temperature and to range from simple shapes to intricate designs, I find this surface method a valuable and inspiring studio tool. Cleaning and Storing Stencils To clean stencils after use, place on a smooth surface (a piece of Plexiglas works well) and spray liberally with water. As you spray the stencil, it relaxes and becomes easy to manipulate. Gently 79

18 Screening ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT-SENSITIVE EMULSION SCREENS by Paul Andrew Wandless Image on a hi-res screen by Chicago artist Tom Lucas, used to print on clay. Screen printing ranks as one of the most popular printmaking techniques because it can be used to apply images to virtually any surface. Clay artists are always looking for simple options to transfer complex images, designs, patterns, digital images and photography onto their ceramic pieces. While some image transfer techniques, such as decals, require chemicals and equipment, I ve discovered a simple, commercially available screen that requires minimal effort and items to create an image for printing. The product is called EZScreenprint Stencils (available at and it s designed for use with simple black-and-white photocopies and the sun. You can go from an idea to screening an image on clay in about an hour! How cool is that? EZScreenprint Stencils are screens pre-coated with ultraviolet (UV) light-sensitive emulsion. Instead of needing an exposure unit to expose (burn) an image, you simply use the sun as your light source to expose (burn) the screen for 7 minutes. Its then soaked (developed) in tap water for about 15 minutes. After the exposed areas have developed and set during the soaking, rinse the screen with water to wash away the unexposed emulsion and create an open, stencil version of your image. The final step is going back out into the sun for another minutes to harden the emulsion. Experiment with the test strips included in the kit to get the hang of exposing and setting the screen before using a full sheet for your final image. Exposing times can vary based on the time of year and the strength of the sun for where you live. 114

19 Screening 1. Peeling protective covering off the screen. 2. Black felt covered board, screen centered over photocopy placed on Plexiglas and fastening clips. Image, Paper and Screen For best results, the type of image and screen mesh size and must be suitable and compatible with each other. Though your image can be simple or complex, it must be black and white. It can be line art, an illustration, photograph, digital image or halftone. Line-art images have few, if any, small details and consist more of bold lines and shapes or silhouettes with high contrast and no mid tones, so those are considered simple images. Illustrations, photographs, digital images or halftone images that typically have finer lines and smaller details are considered complex images. (Note: If the line or image parts are too fine or small, the screen may clog when printing.) Once you choose an image, make a black-and-white print or photocopy using standard printer paper. EZScreenprint screens come in two mesh sizes for simple or complex images. The Standard screen is 110 mesh and the HiDef screen is 200 mesh. The 110 mesh has larger openings and is best for simple images, while the 200 mesh is a tighter screen (with more threads per square inch, resulting in smaller openings) and is best for the more complex images. Both screen meshes come in a variety of sizes. The image in figure 1 started with digital photographs of tools in my studio, which were altered in Photoshop to make them high contrast blackand-white images. You can arrange the images on the screen in a group, leaving half-inch spaces between individual images for easier printing. You can also fill the screen with just a single image, pattern, text or any combination of these. The image was printed on standard printer paper. Setting up the Exposure Frame With the black-and-white image on paper, you re ready to set up the exposure frame. Everything needed is supplied in the EZScreenprint starter kit one inch exposure frame (black feltcovered board with clips and Plexiglas), two sheets of 8½ 11-inch Standard Stencils, small test strips, a plastic canvas and a small squeegee. Work in a dimly lit room while setting up the exposure frame to avoid prematurely exposing the screen. Remove the protective covering from both sides of the Plexiglas and place it on a flat surface, then align your black-and-white image in the center. Take one of the screens from the protective black envelope then close the bag tightly so the unused screen inside is still protected. Peel the protective backing off the screen (figure 1) and immediately place it shiny side down on top of the black-andwhite image (figure 2). Place the black board on top of the screen with the black felt side down and clamp together with the clips provided in the kit. When done, take the frame out into the sunlight. Keep the Plexiglas side down to keep light from hitting it or cover it with a towel to protect it from light before and after exposing it to sunlight. 115

20 Image & Design Transfer Techniques 3. Rinsing screen to remove unexposed emulsion. 4. Dabbing off extra water from screen. Exposing and Setting Once outside, turn the exposing frame Plexiglas side up to face the sun. Expose for 7 minutes during a regular sunny day and for 9 minutes if it s a slightly overcast day. Dark, cloudy days with no real sunlight are not optimal and success varies if exposed under these conditions. I exposed this screen for 6 minutes on a partially cloudy day, but had good sunlight through the light clouds. Once exposure is complete, turn the frame over (Plexiglas side down) or cover with a towel and go inside. Unclamp the frame and submerge the screen in a sink or container filled with cool water for a minimum of 15 minutes to develop your stencil. Soaking longer than 15 minutes doesn t harm the stencil in any way. After a minute or two, the unexposed areas blocked by the dark parts of your image appear light green. The exposed areas turn dark, and these darker areas become the stencil. After 15 minutes, place the perforated plastic canvas provided in the kit under the screen and rinse with cool water from a faucet or kitchen sprayer (figure 3). The plastic canvas acts as a protective backing for the screen during the rinsing process. Rinse both sides of the screen to remove the unexposed emulsion (light areas). Take more care when rinsing the emulsion side. Keep rinsing until all the residue from the unexposed emulsion is completely removed. Use a soft nylon brush if there are some small detail areas that did not rinse out well. This happens more with complex images in the HiDef screens because of the tighter mesh. When thoroughly rinsed, hold screen up to the light to check it. You should only see the white threads of the screen itself in the open areas. If you still see a thin film of residue, rinse again. After completely rinsing, place the screen emulsion side up on a paper towel and dab off all the excess water (figure 4). Put a fresh dry paper towel under the screen with emulsion side up and take it outside to re-expose in the sun for minutes. This hardens the stencil and making it durable and long-lasting. Using the Screen Once the screen is hardened, it s ready to use! Since the screen is unframed, it s flexible and can be used around a vessel or on a flat slab. Any surface you can bend the screen around is fair game to print your image. Be careful not to make creases in the screen if you try to bend it around sharp corners. If you group several images onto one screen, you can use scissors to cut it into smaller individual screens (stencils). Experiment and have fun with this easy to use product. It s a great way to create images for screen printing on clay that you thought were only possible with a darkroom. You can screen images directly onto greenware, bisqueware or decal paper using both underglaze and glaze. 116

21 IMAGE & DESIGN TRANSFER TECHNIQUES Edited by Paul Andrew Wandless lives and works in Chicago creating art that combines ceramic processes and printmaking techniques to create clay prints that are also incorporated into freestanding and wall-mounted clay sculpture. In addition to authoring several books and numerous magazine articles, Wandless is also featured in Ceramic Art Daily s video Fundamentals of Screen Printing On Clay featuring his techniques. Wandless holds an MFA from Arizona State University, an MA from Minnesota State University-Mankato, and a BFA from University of Delaware. For many years, ceramic artists have used printmaking, drawing and photography to enhance the surface of their work. Using underglazes, slips, and glazes it s entirely possible to take advantage many 2-D mediums to decorate both functional and sculptural work. Image & Design Transfer Techniques covers more than thirty techniques that can be used on greenware, bisqueware and glazeware. You ll discover ways to create and transfer images and designs using appliqué and paper transfers, decals, stencils, silkscreening, etching, stamping, embossing, and more. An expert printmaker-turned-clay artist, Paul Andrew Wandless presents you with many of his own discoveries where he found clay receptive to his many printmaking skills. In addition, he includes the methods of many talented artists who have developed a variety of applications that can add a whole new dimension to your clay surfaces. Whether you re looking for the perfect book to start decorating or you need expert information to expand your skill set, Image & Design Transfer Techniques contains a wealth of information for every clay lover. Printed in China Wandless The American Ceramic Society IMAGE & DESIGN TRANSFER TECHNIQUES Paul Andrew Wandless currently Ceramic Arts Handbook Series