My Experience Of Pattern Transfer.

[Horrrk]

Hi there folks..

I'm not sure if this has been done before, but I've not come across it in my many hours of thread reading..so just in case, I thought I'd post my experience and hope it helps some others..

The other day I had a go at my first carving.

One of my struggles initially, was getting a design onto my leather, after I downloaded Inkscape and couldn't get it to print out the vector when I'd finished..

So I took a leaf out of Sylvia's book in a posting (Thankyou Sylvia..) and using a photo editing program, I turned a picture into a photocopy image then cleaned it up, before printing it out onto normal A4 paper. (it turns out I actually take some of this info in after all..lol)

I bought some clear folders from the local staionary shop..40pence for 10..(the ones for holding a letter or certificate) and slotted the image inside this.

Once I'd cased my leather piece, I just held the folder flat on top of the leather and traced the outline of the image with my ballpoint stylus, straight onto the leather..

No having to print the design onto clear plastic sheets or transfer the image from paper and also not ruining the paper at all with a stylus on damp leather.

At the end, I could just pull out the design and put it away for another time..

Like I say, I've seen plenty on buying special transfer sheets, etc, but nothing along these lines, so hopefully this will help someone out there..

Regards

Phil

[pete]

Hi there folks..

I'm not sure if this has been done before, but I've not come across it in my many hours of thread reading..so just in case, I thought I'd post my experience and hope it helps some others..

The other day I had a go at my first carving.

One of my struggles initially, was getting a design onto my leather, after I downloaded Inkscape and couldn't get it to print out the vector when I'd finished..

So I took a leaf out of Sylvia's book in a posting (Thankyou Sylvia..) and using a photo editing program, I turned a picture into a photocopy image then cleaned it up, before printing it out onto normal A4 paper. (it turns out I actually take some of this info in after all..lol)

I bought some clear folders from the local staionary shop..40pence for 10..(the ones for holding a letter or certificate) and slotted the image inside this.

Once I'd cased my leather piece, I just held the folder flat on top of the leather and traced the outline of the image with my ballpoint stylus, straight onto the leather..

No having to print the design onto clear plastic sheets or transfer the image from paper and also not ruining the paper at all with a stylus on damp leather.

At the end, I could just pull out the design and put it away for another time..

Like I say, I've seen plenty on buying special transfer sheets, etc, but nothing along these lines, so hopefully this will help someone out there..

Regards

Phil

good creative thinking! However, I think that when you really get into this "artform"you will find that the paper and 2 layers of plastic won't allow you to trace with any detail. Get some vellum or tracing paper and trace the design onto it, and if you need to(tracing paper absorbs water!) take clear shelf paper and stick it onto the back.

pete

[Horrrk]

good creative thinking! However, I think that when you really get into this "artform"you will find that the paper and 2 layers of plastic won't allow you to trace with any detail. Get some vellum or tracing paper and trace the design onto it, and if you need to(tracing paper absorbs water!) take clear shelf paper and stick it onto the back.

pete

Hi Pete

Yeah I bought the folders to peel open and use instead of paper, I just tried it cos I was having difficulty transferring the pattern onto the plastic..lol (I need a better pen..)

It worked for the basic Sheridan design I ended up doing, but as you say, for more detailed work which some of the guys on here, who produce fantastic tooling, it would restrict the detail..

Thanks for your comment, by the way

Take it easy..

Phil

[Lil Doodler]

Howdy,

Most of my projects are smaller, so I print out the picture, drawing, design etc on regular copy paper and put that inexpensive clear packing tape on the backside, so the tape is against the damp leather. If the printed subject is bigger than one strip of tape, I lay down a second, and or third strip.

I tried a stylus, pencils, pens, but found using an exacto knife with an intentionally dulled point works best for me. It does crease the paper and tape a bit, but the good thing about using a computer print out, is that it is easy to make another copy.

Good luck to you!

[mifinne]

Years ago I started using the write on overhead projector transparency film, I would put my image underneath the plastic and I would use a fine tip marker and trace patterns on to it, then stylis onto the leather. As technology progressed, I started doing things on computer which I now print out directly to plastic transparency sheets via my laser printer. This is now the only way I transfer my patterns. The plastic sheets are pretty reasonable in price and once I print to them, I three hole punch them and put them in a three ring binder so I can quickly find them for later use. If you buy the overhead transparency film for copier/laser printers you can find them on ebay for less then ten cents a sheet if you watch for them. As a side note, I have always avoided the transparency sheets designed for use with inkjet printers because it has some sort of gel coating so the ink can stick to it.

[stangar]

Chan Geer taught me to lay some clear plastic wrap (comes on a roll for your kitchen) or clear plastic bag (opened) over the cased leather .. this will keep your pattern dry. Use a different color pen so you see what is done. Be sure to glue down your leather with rubber cement (i use Xray film) or use sticky one side shelf paper to avoid stretching the leather as you pound. Good luck stan from saskatoon SK canada www.stangarchinski.com

[sinpac]

Chan Geer taught me to lay some clear plastic wrap (comes on a roll for your kitchen) or clear plastic bag (opened) over the cased leather .. this will keep your pattern dry. Use a different color pen so you see what is done. Be sure to glue down your leather with rubber cement (i use Xray film) or use sticky one side shelf paper to avoid stretching the leather as you pound. Good luck stan from saskatoon SK canada www.stangarchinski.com

I use theseran wrap method myself. It works well for me!

[Beaverslayer]

What I found works real well for me, is transparent printable shipping labels. They come in a 8 1/2" X 11" sheet, and about 20 per package for $5.00 I think. You just print your design on the label, remove the self adhesive backing, and stick it right down to your cased leather....no slip or sliding around. Granted, it can only be used once, but in my case that's exactly what I need...one only.