Brooch adventures!

I can't wait to draw the winner of the headband, already i've seen so many books and writers I love. Nabakov's Lolita is probably my favourite novel, the writing is so beautiful. As well as Angela Carters books - i've just ordered another one by her. And the ones I don't recognise, I can't wait to get stuck in to!

So meanwhile, I have begun some adventures with Lazertran decal transfer papers. I've tried these before and had varying successes putting prints on wood plaques. I'll probably try that again in the future, but since the paper is quite expensive I prefer a more reliable medium to transfer onto. Which is why I started trying it on blank glazed porcelain cabochons.

It's turning out quite well but there's still the inevitable experimentation particularly as regards varnishing them. Oil based varnishes seem to crinkle and destroy the paper. I am having success with water based gloss laquer from Fimo and am just currently waiting for one of them being baked. I coated it in Ceramica clear gloss - it may be a disaster but who knows.

Here's the process I used:

• Clean the porcelain with something like white spirits to remove grease.
• Print your image onto the Lazertran (Use a settling like plain paper but with high quality and up the brightness otherwise you get bleeding)
• Wait about 30mins - 1 hour for the ink to dry
• Cut out your print
• Soak it in water for about 30 seconds or until the backing starts to peel
• Place the decal onto the blank and pull away the backing
  

• Dab off excess water with tissue

• Centre it generally where you want it
  

• But look, can you see the annoying crinkles that occur when you put it over a curved edge??

• Here's the really magic bit - use a hair dryer on a low setting and gently blow over it and gradually press down the crinkles until....

• Once you've marveled at this loveliness, varnish it!

This one was varnished with the Fimo gloss laquer, it is touch dry in about 30 mins and permanent in 24 hours. I did about 4 layers.

• Now set it into a nice setting, I have a few of these lovely stirling silver brooch settings

Clearly the best time to do this is when you ought to be doing something else instead, in my case I am meant to be doing a piece for a group exhibition, using an album cover as a base....


So now i'm going to have to set-to-it and do some late-night painting!

The brooches will go up for sale fairly soon, if they're successful i'll hopefully do some more designs.