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Stamping A Logo


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I'm having trouble with the stamping of a rather ornate logo and was hoping someone might be able to give some advice.

 

Had a rubber stamp but it would not leave marks very deep so I purchased a nice metal stamp which should leave nice deep marks to later fill in with glaze. The problem is that when I give it a good push then pull the stamp off the clay it has a tendency to rip out part of the design.

 

I've tried applying various things to the stamp to try and prevent this. Flour, vegetable oil, water and cornstarch have all been tried to no avail. I've considered silicon release but am afraid what that might do in the fire.

 

The clay I'm pressing into (then would later apply to the cup) is eight of an inch thick and the logo is about 2 3/4 inches on each side.

 

Does anyone do this and have much success?

 

Thanks for any advice.

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I had the same problem with my logo. I have an inch square metal stamp and the detail is just too fine.

 

One way I got around it was to get one good stamp using a piece of cling film to stop it sticking. I found cling film to be the best way after recommendations from this forum. 

 

Then cast the good one in plaster of Paris so I could slip cast and get it much thinner than the initial one.

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(I've considered silicon release )

this will burn off in the bisque as well as wd-40

Talc works well as well

You do not want to make the clay any wetter when stamping so watere is not a good idea.

I think stamping when clay is bit drier and also making the stamp from clay or plaster will help you.

Mark

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I had the same problem with my logo. I have an inch square metal stamp and the detail is just too fine.

 

One way I got around it was to get one good stamp using a piece of cling film to stop it sticking. I found cling film to be the best way after recommendations from this forum. 

 

Then cast the good one in plaster of Paris so I could slip cast and get it much thinner than the initial one.

+1  for the plaster cast

 

WD-40 works on anything i have ever tried.

+1 for the WD40

 

Both the above have worked for me when using a rubber stamp.  Not sure if the cling film wouldn't get cut by a metal stamp

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I've attached the logo. Please note this is a smaller version and the one I'm working with is about 2 3/4 inches from tree tip to root.

 

Thanks for all the feedback!

 

That is a lot of detail and fine print (assuming this is close to actual size). I'll throw my vote for WD-40 as others have already recommended.  If you do not find a release agent  successful, I would recommend that you consider shifting to a stamp for just the tree portion of the logo and move to a decal for the detail you need for the small lettering. I do that with a couple of corporate/university logos and the combination of stamp and decal seems to make the marketing/branding people a lot happier.

 

-Paul

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Paul, would you expand on the 'decal' approach?  I'm looking a  commission on logo'd mugs and wanting to understand what is the best approach.  A friend who does mugs with names on them says she stamps the logo on a slab, cuts it out and then slips and applied it to the firm mug.  Seems a laborious approach to me.

How do decals work?  do you get sheets of them or is it something you use over and over?

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I have dabbled a bit in the logo thing this year also.  I have found that the clay has to be at just the right consistency, use cornstarch, and let it dry just a bit before applying.  However, I am interested in Paul's decal idea?  Do you have them made somewhere??

 

Roberta

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@clay lover, @Roberta12 I think there have been previous discussion on making decals using an HP printer with ink that has a high iron oxide content.  The following link is the best resource that I found that talks about which printers, what decal papers to use, and other web sites: Rothshank Artworks.  Short runs of multicolored decals can be had, but things get expensive...see Ceramic Decal Printing.

 

I use an old HP LaserJet 4000TN. My decal paper comes from a company in Miami, FL called DecalPaper (decalpaper.com).  I produce/manipulate artwork in PhotoShop, print the artwork onto the decal paper, cut out the decal, soak it in water for a bit, then slide the decal film off the paper onto a glazed surface.  The printed decals go on black when applied but turn a nice sepia tone when fired to Cone 06.

Here is one of the latest examples...you might notice that the musical score is finely detailed and those details hold up well.

 

decal-example.jpg

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@clay lover, For the slide-off decals that come from my laser printer, those are applied to surfaces that have already been glazed/fired (for me, that is Cone 10)...no waxing, just apply and re-fire.

 

As for custom decal printing: Over at ceramicdecalprinting.com you can layout a 10" x 16" printable area in full color and it will run $40.00 per sheet for the first 10 sheets (the price drops a little with higher quantities).  If you choose a single color, that same 10" x 16" printable area is $150.00 (total) for a 10 sheet minimum order.  Both full color and single color also have an additional set-up charge of either $15 or $20.

 

-Paul

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http://www.foragestudios.com/decal-love/

 

Mariko at Forage Studios just moved to Halifax, but she says the decal printer is running. She charges $20 for each 8 1/2 x 11 sheet, plus $7 shipping to the U.S. for the first 10 sheets. They're china paint decals, so no white as a pigment. And no minimum orders. Ideal for trying it out.

 

Ps those prices are in CDN dollars, so the exchange rate will be in your favour.

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i bought a gallon of wd-40 back about 1993 or so.  it has at least a third left in the original can.  it is easy to use if you cut a piece of sponge to fit in an altoids box, the metal ones that close tightly.  dampen the sponge with wd-40 from a plastic squeeze bottle with a tiny top, like a ketchup bottle.  use it like an inkpad with your stamp.  keep that bottle around so you can also use it to cover a large glass or other non-absorbent form for a drape or hump mold.  a wide sponge brush is great for doing this.  

 

if you put some in an empty pint size plastic storage box and cut a hole in the top edge to allow a wide dollar store sponge brush to fit inside the box, you will be able to cover very detailed cut glass surfaces and press clay over that to take the pattern from the glass. squeeze out only enough to wet the bottom of the sponge brush, do not make it really wet and you will have a way to impress even very complex stamps from all sorts of things.  no need to buy those rubber stamps that everyone has.  be unique.

 

cut the hole sort of the way a honey stick fits into a pot.  no extra space or the wd-40 will evaporate quickly. just leave the brush in the box and keep the squeeze bottle handy to dampen it as needed.

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  • 9 months later...

Hi there all you potters., I am in England. I'd like to use my own sketches on my pots.  Can anyone recommend where (in England ) to get suitable water slide decal paper to create transfers/decals for firing on my pottery. I have a Brother laser printer, thanks in advance.

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