Printing Graphics Onto Leather

[KandB]

Hi everyone,

We're new on the forum, and have been working with leather for a little over a year now. On etsy, I've seen a few sellers who print designs onto leather (it looks like for the most part they're printing on to vegtan, but I'm not entirely sure..

http://www.etsy.com/listing/98992256/leather-iphone-4-4s-case-dragon-tattoo

http://www.etsy.com/listing/95007066/iphone-4-case-genuine-leather-black

Does anyone know how to do this?

I've tried using t-shirt transfers the way one tutorial said to, but the results were less than stellar.

Would love your thoughts!

[Sylvia]

hmmm.... If I were to attempt something like this I would use a screen print method normally used on Tshirts and banners. The trouble I see with that though is the inks are rather thick.

I did find a few videos on printing on leather at Youtube.

Here's one of them showing printing on a chunk of wood.

here's one of the flat bed printers.

http://www.kmajet.com/leather-printing/

[ironhead13]

I have never used transfers but I do screen print. In a nutshell, the cold peel transfers use plastisol which needs material like a t shirt like material to bond too. Thinking of veg tan leather, the oils in the leather will probably be your enemy here. I don't know, but I would say plastisol may not be the answer here. However, plastisol is a plastic, so maybe coating the leather with acrylic coating may help..... but most if not all brands of plastisol also cure at 320 degrees... which may have a negative result on the leather just thinking off the top of my head. Never thought about it before....

They do make a graphics ink for leather, but again... never used it. Try looking into nazdar, color fx etc. But those inks work different and are solvent baised so they do not require heat. But, you'd have to be willing to put some money into chemicals, screens, a decent press if doing multi color (or you can rig up a simple set up for 1 color), and have a decent understanding of a decent graphics program like photoshop or corol draw, etc.

[Justinicus]

I also have no experience but a couple ideas. If you're not looking for "production" output, you might try a hybrid hand-painting method. Print out the design on a film, stylus (yes, that's a verb now) it into cased leather, then dye the design in with a brush (or more likely several brushes of varying sizes). Some DIYers do this with t-shirts and textile ink rather than just building a frame and buying photo-resist.

I would also probably try proper silk-screening. As Sylvia said, the inks used for screen printing are really more like a paste. Leather dye might need some sort of thickener to keep it from flowing under the screen, feathering and/or smearing the image. I have essentially no experience at all with leather dying (just tried dying and burnishing my first edge last night -- only to figure out it was chrome-tanned leather!), so I don't know if a thickened dye would still be able to penetrate the surface and such, but I don't see the harm in experimentation!

[TomG]

I also have no experience but a couple ideas. If you're not looking for "production" output, you might try a hybrid hand-painting method. Print out the design on a film, stylus (yes, that's a verb now) it into cased leather, then dye the design in with a brush (or more likely several brushes of varying sizes). Some DIYers do this with t-shirts and textile ink rather than just building a frame and buying photo-resist.

I would also probably try proper silk-screening. As Sylvia said, the inks used for screen printing are really more like a paste. Leather dye might need some sort of thickener to keep it from flowing under the screen, feathering and/or smearing the image. I have essentially no experience at all with leather dying (just tried dying and burnishing my first edge last night -- only to figure out it was chrome-tanned leather!), so I don't know if a thickened dye would still be able to penetrate the surface and such, but I don't see the harm in experimentation!

I can think of 2 methods to do this. First, is to use a product called "Picture This" from Plaid. It's seems to be an involved process, but I've seen pictures of some very nice work done on leather wallets with it.

The other method, and the likely one, is that it was printed on using a DTG printer.

A DTG printer is basically a high-end Epson color inkjet printer engine that has been modified/built to print on T-shirts and other items directly. Yo would just place the item on the flatbed table carrier and print.

Drawbacks??? They start at around $15,000. . TO try it, you might check with screen printers who have them and see if they would do a test run for you.

Tom

[katsass]

The only one I know of was unfortunately,( VERY unfortunately) Dave Cole (DCKnives) who was a member on this forum until he passed away. You may look up his website --- it's still active --- and see if there is anything in the tutorial portion there. He would inlay photos etc. in some of his work Mike

[Northmount]

The Canon Pro 9000 Mark II inkjet printer will print on up to 11" x 17" on flat board, etc. Has a special front feed for flat stock, no curves in the paper path.

It doesn't cost a fortune like others, yet will also do real photo quality as well if you like to do that kind of work too. I need to try it on leather one of these days. Have been thinking about it, just always busy doing something else.

CTG

[KandB]

Thanks everyone!

When I searched for other people on etsy who printed on leather, one person tagged their item with "screen print". The only thing is, from my limited knowledge of screenprinting, aren't you restricted to only a few colours? The people who are doing it on etsy seem to have quite the colour array on theirs.

I found this tutorial initially - but when I tried it the print scratched, crackled and rubbed off.. http://justsomething...ing-techinques/

I tried the dark transfers like they suggested, but that didn't look good at all, so I tried the light - which looked good, but didn't stay.

I don't think all the people on etsy doing this have access to printers that cost $15k or complex screenprinting setups, most people on etsy are crafters (like me) who DIY from home.

If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know. I read somewhere that there's a technique called "sublimation" that may work - but no idea what it is or how to do it.

Thanks everyone!

When I searched for other people on etsy who printed on leather, one person tagged their item with "screen print". The only thing is, from my limited knowledge of screenprinting, aren't you restricted to only a few colours? The people who are doing it on etsy seem to have quite the colour array on theirs.

I found this tutorial initially - but when I tried it the print scratched, crackled and rubbed off.. http://justsomething...ing-techinques/

I tried the dark transfers like they suggested, but that didn't look good at all, so I tried the light - which looked good, but didn't stay.

I don't think all the people on etsy doing this have access to printers that cost $15k or complex screenprinting setups, most people on etsy are crafters (like me) who DIY from home.

If anyone has any other suggestions please let me know. I read somewhere that there's a technique called "sublimation" that may work - but no idea what it is or how to do it.

OK, more hunting, found this tutorial: http://www.lilblueboo.com/2011/10/glittery-leather-cuff-w-transfer-a-tutorial-and-download.html

Might be the next thing I try since it looks closer to what they're doing.

[camano ridge]

Here is a site with tutorial that might intrest you. It is a photo transfer method for leather using a product called picture this. The first site is take you to billy 2shews site that has a tutorial for doing things such as pictured below. I have included another web address that show several examples of the process. It is a little bit of work and not as easy as letting a printer do the work.

www.leatherworker.net/whois.htm

[Northmount]

1337898205[/url]' post='249477']

I don't think all the people on etsy doing this have access to printers that cost $15k or complex screenprinting setups, most people on etsy are crafters (like me) who DIY from home.

Canon Pro 9000 Mark II is not a $15k printer. Current US price is $500. They come on sale occasionally for as low as $300. I need to test mine to see what it can do on leather.

CTG

[Kustom]

Very interesting thread.

What I found on the Google:

http://justsomethingimade.com/2009/12/working-with-leather-image-transfers-sewing-techinques/

Leatheroo's thread on leatherworker.net:

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=30822

[Northmount]

I just did a simple experiment printing color graphics on leather with the Canon Pro9000 inkjet printer. There was no leather prepartion, just grabbed a low quality piece about 3 oz, already cut to about 12" square. Set the printer up to feed straight through from the front tray (the paper path is flat, no bends). Took a few trials to get the settings correct to feed. Leather needs to be flat. Edges that curl up catch and jamb.

First picture is of the leather right after printing. 2nd is after applying an acrylic finish using a wool dauber very gently.

So the acrylic finish pulled some of the ink up and smeared it around a bit, as I expected it would with a dauber. So it needs to be sprayed on. (Need to try out that Preval stuff I bought a couple years ago.)

The paper path on this printer is limited to 57 mils (thousandths of an inch). That just happened to match this piece of leather.

Not too bad for a first try. Might have to do some more. I was going to make a double photo frame for this photo and a log house for the owners. Might just print the photos directly on light leather for the inside and tool some 7/8 oz for the outside of the folder and sew it together.

CTG

[Paul Hirst]

Hi All

My name is Paul Hirst I run a company called Octi Tech which specializes in the process of Dye Sublimation Transfer. Over the last few years we have been working very hard on developing a process for imaging leather and within the next couple of months we will be launching it onto the market and if it's okay I wouldn't mind engaging in conversation with you all to get some opinions and feedback on what we are doing.

Let me first explain what we are doing so there are no misconceptions... I would assume that most people would like to be able to take any piece of leather or PU leather they have and be able to put an image on it. What we have does not allow that, people can only use leather that has been treated by us so it works with the process. I accept that that might be limiting for some but as you can see from the attached images once leather or PU is treated for our process the results are truly stunning so while we cannot please everyone there are a huge amount of customers that will utilize our process

Our main focus is to produce a range of pre made items such as phone cases, kindle cases etc that can then be imaged afterwards with personalized designs but it's obvious from reading forums like this and seeing some of the INCREDIBLE work some of you guys do that there will be a demand from people that want to purchase pre sized leather, image it and then cut and sew it into various finished articles.

For those not familiar with the dye sublimation process it has a relatively low cost of entry probably around $1000.00 to get set up if you take a look at this site there are some videos showing you the process imaging other substrates http://howtosublimat.../how-to-videos/ The process allows you to place extremely high quality and durable images in full colour onto a wide range of substrates using a small desktop printer, sublimation inks and a heat press.

I have attached a few images of some of the beta products we have made up and would like to hear peoples views on imaging leather and what you might be looking for out of the process

Thanks :-)

Edited June 9, 2012 by Paul Hirst

[JohnBarton]

I am interested in purchasing your process if that's what you are selling. We are a small shop that does custom work and low volume production. I have been looking for a consistent and dependable solution to imprint images onto leather for a while.

Or please send me some info on what exactly you are offering to jb@jbideas.com.

Thanks,

John Barton

Hi All

My name is Paul Hirst I run a company called Octi Tech which specializes in the process of Dye Sublimation Transfer. Over the last few years we have been working very hard on developing a process for imaging leather and within the next couple of months we will be launching it onto the market and if it's okay I wouldn't mind engaging in conversation with you all to get some opinions and feedback on what we are doing.

Let me first explain what we are doing so there are no misconceptions... I would assume that most people would like to be able to take any piece of leather or PU leather they have and be able to put an image on it. What we have does not allow that, people can only use leather that has been treated by us so it works with the process. I accept that that might be limiting for some but as you can see from the attached images once leather or PU is treated for our process the results are truly stunning so while we cannot please everyone there are a huge amount of customers that will utilize our process

Our main focus is to produce a range of pre made items such as phone cases, kindle cases etc that can then be imaged afterwards with personalized designs but it's obvious from reading forums like this and seeing some of the INCREDIBLE work some of you guys do that there will be a demand from people that want to purchase pre sized leather, image it and then cut and sew it into various finished articles.

For those not familiar with the dye sublimation process it has a relatively low cost of entry probably around $1000.00 to get set up if you take a look at this site there are some videos showing you the process imaging other substrates http://howtosublimat.../how-to-videos/ The process allows you to place extremely high quality and durable images in full colour onto a wide range of substrates using a small desktop printer, sublimation inks and a heat press.

I have attached a few images of some of the beta products we have made up and would like to hear peoples views on imaging leather and what you might be looking for out of the process

Thanks :-)

[KandB]

So after all the hunting around, it seems that the heat transfer/sublimation technique that is done usually to transfer images onto t-shirts is the best way. But it looks like you need the transfer press, a special printer and particular inks. I don't know that I want to invest in all that without the guarantee that it'll work.

[Rubo]

Hi folks, my company LeatherFx does just that - full color leather printing -the image is actually printed onto thge leather, it's not a poly - laminate or sublimation - that requires a polyesther coating - the inks are infused into the leather permanently. You can check my web site : LeatherFx.com to see some samples of work we produced.

If you have any questions please contact Rubo @ rubo.gevo at yahoo dot com or call 818 640 4640

[KandB]

Hi Rubo,

Yes, I know your company does that. But I don't want to have to outsource whenever I want to print something, not to mention I don't have large runs that I need printed, making it not a cost effective solution. I am looking to learn how to print on leather at home.

[Studio-N]

I ran across this while googling for dye sub on leather: http://www.subtoner.com/page_leather.htm

Looks a lot like some of the results I get by laser engraving but without a lot of the cost.

Cheers!

[Studio-N]

BUMP.

Any new developments in this area? SubToner removed their link for using the monochrome sublimation on leather so I don't know

if anyone else is having any luck.

[Palermo]

You can also try polaroid emulsion transfer. Dont know of it Will work