Transfer-print
Encyclopedia
Transfer printing is a mass-production method of applying an image
to a curved or uneven surface. It is most commonly used for printing
on porcelain
and other hard surfaced pottery
.
Transfer printing evolved in England
in the 1750s. The image is first engraved on a copper
plate, and then different ink colours added - often mixed with oil
and heated to allow the colour to run deeper in to the engravings. Then it is transferred to a special paper and placed on the ceramic. This is known as the 'bat' and gives the process its alternative name: 'bat printing'. This is then placed on the ceramic object in its unglazed state after its initial firing to transfer the image to the object; the object is then glazed and fired again to make the image permanent. Seeing as there are a great number of steps to be taken, transfer printing is the most expensive and time consuming.
Prior to the invention of transfer printing, images could only be placed on ceramic objects by hand-painting in enamel
s; its invention was therefore a major step in the production of decorative ceramic wares for the mass market. It is believed that it was developed by John Sadler and Guy Green. However the improvements made by Wedgwood
are generally credited for the widespread popularity of the method enjoyed during the next hundred years. In the modern days we tend to use special wax printable crayons as they are easier onto a polyester
or cotton
material.
Image
An image is an artifact, for example a two-dimensional picture, that has a similar appearance to some subject—usually a physical object or a person.-Characteristics:...
to a curved or uneven surface. It is most commonly used for printing
Printing
Printing is a process for reproducing text and image, typically with ink on paper using a printing press. It is often carried out as a large-scale industrial process, and is an essential part of publishing and transaction printing....
on porcelain
Porcelain
Porcelain is a ceramic material made by heating raw materials, generally including clay in the form of kaolin, in a kiln to temperatures between and...
and other hard surfaced pottery
Pottery
Pottery is the material from which the potteryware is made, of which major types include earthenware, stoneware and porcelain. The place where such wares are made is also called a pottery . Pottery also refers to the art or craft of the potter or the manufacture of pottery...
.
Transfer printing evolved in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
in the 1750s. The image is first engraved on a copper
Copper
Copper is a chemical element with the symbol Cu and atomic number 29. It is a ductile metal with very high thermal and electrical conductivity. Pure copper is soft and malleable; an exposed surface has a reddish-orange tarnish...
plate, and then different ink colours added - often mixed with oil
Oil
An oil is any substance that is liquid at ambient temperatures and does not mix with water but may mix with other oils and organic solvents. This general definition includes vegetable oils, volatile essential oils, petrochemical oils, and synthetic oils....
and heated to allow the colour to run deeper in to the engravings. Then it is transferred to a special paper and placed on the ceramic. This is known as the 'bat' and gives the process its alternative name: 'bat printing'. This is then placed on the ceramic object in its unglazed state after its initial firing to transfer the image to the object; the object is then glazed and fired again to make the image permanent. Seeing as there are a great number of steps to be taken, transfer printing is the most expensive and time consuming.
Prior to the invention of transfer printing, images could only be placed on ceramic objects by hand-painting in enamel
Enamel
Enamel may refer to:* Tooth enamel, the hard mineralized surface of teeth* Vitreous enamel, a smooth, durable coating made of melted and fused glass powder-See also:* Enamel organ, a cellular aggregation that functions in the formation of tooth enamel...
s; its invention was therefore a major step in the production of decorative ceramic wares for the mass market. It is believed that it was developed by John Sadler and Guy Green. However the improvements made by Wedgwood
Wedgwood
Wedgwood, strictly speaking Josiah Wedgwood and Sons, is a pottery firm owned by KPS Capital Partners, a private equity company based in New York City, USA. Wedgwood was founded on May 1, 1759 by Josiah Wedgwood and in 1987 merged with Waterford Crystal to create Waterford Wedgwood, an...
are generally credited for the widespread popularity of the method enjoyed during the next hundred years. In the modern days we tend to use special wax printable crayons as they are easier onto a polyester
Polyester
Polyester is a category of polymers which contain the ester functional group in their main chain. Although there are many polyesters, the term "polyester" as a specific material most commonly refers to polyethylene terephthalate...
or cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
material.