Hey everyone, last week, while totally dinking around with other stuff, I have stumbled upon the ULTIMATE transfer technique.

It's not cheap, but it works great. Like you have put the rubber into the printer and gotten a perfect image.

Custom, temporary tattoos. Yep, those funny things that you used to wear all over your arms when you were a kid. They happen to stick to rubber (who knew?) giving you a crystal clear image that you can carve from. You can use either a gouge, or an xacto to carve through the image, and it stays in place without issue. Then, when you are ready to take it off, a little rubbing alcohol will take off the reminants.

You can get the sheets here: http://www.texascraft.com/hps/home.php

With shipping, it comes out to about $3 per sheet (8 1/2 x 11). If you are doing a really detailed carve, and you need to be able to see all those little lines, this method is AMAZING!

Thought I would pass it along!

~RavenWolf

last week, while totally dinking around with other stuff, I have stumbled upon the ULTIMATE transfer technique.

Ok, at first I totally read that as "drinking", not "dinking"... and after meeting you and your slightly-less-charming-yet-infinitely-more-eeevil other half at L&B, that somehow made sense.

$3 per sheet isn;t that bad, if it is as clear as you say! What sort of rubber did you try this on - PZKut? Pink Stuff?

-wassamatta_u

Ok, at first I totally read that as "drinking", not "dinking"... and after meeting you and your slightly-less-charming-yet-infinitely-more-eeevil other half at L&B, that somehow made sense.

You're only saying that because he doesn't have an account, and can't counter. But I'll share his response, "Gah! Miserable miscreant. He shall box in his own blood. Should I be prepaing clues on where to find his heart?"

*snicker*

Oh, and he doesn't think you know me that well, and considers himself just "slightly more evil".

I tried it on both the pink stuff, and the white stuff. The only weird thing is it stays a smidge sticky. *shrug* but it doesn't come off, and the transfer is so great, I consider this only a minor side-effect.

~RW

The only weird thing is it stays a smidge sticky. *shrug* but it doesn't come off

I had this side effect when I tried the acetone transfer method (I was using nail polish remover) on the pink stuff... I can't get the sticky off, but it doesn't appear to affect the quality of the stamped image at all. I was really impressed with the transfer though! Quite the upgrade from my pencil transfers! ;o)

HPL

I had this side effect when I tried the acetone transfer method (I was using nail polish remover) on the pink stuff

My bad - I meant that the tattoo is sticky while you are carving it. But after you take it off, the rubber doesn't stay sticky.

Weird that you had that happen with the pink stuff. But I suppose if it doesn't effect the stamp image, no biggie! =3

~RW

Weird that you had that happen with the pink stuff

Yeah, it was really weird... in the spots where the image had a lot of ink, I even had to use tweezers just to get the paper off. It must be a result of one of the other additives in the nail polish remover...

HPL

Custom, temporary tattoos. Yep, those funny things that you used to wear all over your arms when you were a kid. They happen to stick to rubber (who knew?) giving you a crystal clear image that you can carve from. You can use either a gouge, or an xacto to carve through the image, and it stays in place without issue. Then, when you are ready to take it off, a little rubbing alcohol will take off the reminants.

You can get the sheets here: http://www.texascraft.com/hps/home.php

I checked out the link.....it looks like it is a "do it yourself" tattoo? I mean you print it out yourself? That would really be sweet!!!

I was expecting a place where you have to send in your designs and have them printed on some special paper.........

Yeah, can you imagine a special tattoo for a LB event?

KuKu

I checked out the link.....it looks like it is a "do it yourself" tattoo? I mean you print it out yourself? That would really be sweet!!!

YES! YES!

You just get the paper, and you run it through your OWN printer with whatever image you want! You don't have to send it in and wait for them to print it, it's just special paper that you can print onto.

~RW

a special tattoo for a LB event?

How cool would that be!?!
HPL :o)

This could be the way to I.D. each other on the trail. hhhhhmmmm....

Yeah, can you imagine a special tattoo for a LB event?

Easy enough with this paper! Just design the image, print it off, and BAMF! You're ready to roll!

The only thing is the cost. But they do have it in bulk for cheaper. You could split the cost between a few people.

~RW

Are you thinking what I'm thinking:
A whole bunch of people wandering trails with pictures of chenille chicks tattooed to their foreheads?

HPL ;o)

Wow - what an image! I'm obviously not boxing in a very interesting place.

ooooohh, chenille chick tattoos!
i love this idea, and i really don't think the cost is all that high... taco

actually, now i have a question. i just looked at the web site for the tattoo paper. and there are two kinds... one for inkjet printers and one for laser printers (which is also cheaper!). i went back through the thread, but can't seem to find if it was mentioned what type of printer worked for this transfer... does it matter? because if it doesn't, buy the paper for the laser printers for a few less dollars... taco

Please explain this to me........if you create your design, then print onto the paper, what do you do with the rest of the paper? Can it get run through again? How do you adjust for spacing? Those kind of questions.

EM

chenille chicks tattooed to their foreheads?

Foreheads...hhhmm really? i was thinkin'....never mind

deniserows
onto the chenille

i went back through the thread, but can't seem to find if it was mentioned what type of printer worked for this transfer... does it matter?

I used the laser paper, because that is all I have in my house. Someone else will have to try the inkjet paper. But I would imagine that the results would be the same.

Please explain this to me........if you create your design, then print onto the paper, what do you do with the rest of the paper? Can it get run through again? How do you adjust for spacing? Those kind of questions.

I fill up the whole sheet of paper with various designs. If you don't want to do that, you could probably cut it in half, and use half sheets. But I wouldn't print images individually because of the two step process of the paper.

Here is how it works: You create your design (I am fond of both Corel, and Photoshop), set up how you want the image to look (black and white images look the best, and have the clearest lines), decide on the size of the image, etc (usually best to run a test sheet of plain paper to make sure everything looks how you want it) then print onto the special tattoo paper. Then, they also give you a sheet of special medical adhesive. This is what makes it tattoo-able. You peel off the backing on the adhesive sheet, and stick it to the sheet you've printed on. The adhesive bonds to the ink. So then you pull off the sheet that the adhesive was stuck to (once you stick it on the printed paper, the adhesive comes off and sticks to the tattoo paper), put it face down on the rubber, wet the back, and the image sticks to the rubber, just like it would stick to your skin! I know that's a little confusing. Maybe I can get a photo tutorial up...

Does that make more sense? I don't quite understand your question about adjusting for spacing, but did the above explanation answer your questions?

~RW

Foreheads...hhhmm really? i was thinkin'....never mind

I'll show you mine, if you show me yours! ;o)

HPL
*who was so totally dared to type that!*

Someone else will have to try the inkjet paper. But I would imagine that the results would be the same.

After reading your post, I dug around in my file cabinet and found an unopened package of temporary tattoo paper for inkjet printers. Don't really remember why I originally bought it... it's been in the drawer for a few years. This one is made by International Paper and is called "Invent It! Body Sticker Tattoos".

It works the same way as you described. I'll give it a try and let you know how it works.

~SB~

Does this mean there will be a new 'sleazy fairy' box soon?

Spike

A whole bunch of people wandering trails with pictures of chenille chicks tattooed to their foreheads

I was thinking about the LnB event stamp made into one.

Shiloh

if you create your design, then print onto the paper, what do you do with the rest of the paper?

I've been pondering this too. I've no idea if it will actually work, but I have a theory that goes like this:
Print a trial image on a sheet of paper.
Cut a piece of the tattoo paper that's big enough to cover the image.
Take that cut piece and tape it over the printed image, using tape perhaps, but taking care not to tape over areas that will be printed on.
Run this modified paper through the printer again.

Again, no idea of this will work, but it's an idea.
LunaSea

Print a trial image on a sheet of paper.
Cut a piece of the tattoo paper that's big enough to cover the image.
Take that cut piece and tape it over the printed image, using tape perhaps, but taking care not to tape over areas that will be printed on.
Run this modified paper through the printer again.

We use this method all the time to print on shaped papers and card stock pieces. No reason it wouldn't work with this product as well. Bear in mind that you have a higher risk of jamming the printer, so know how to get it unstuck if it happens.

Tee

A little further experimentation has revealed that a light dusting of baby powder will get rid of the sticky feeling on the rubber after you transfer the tattoo.

~RW

OK, so I tried this technique earlier. What I have found is that once the tattoo has dried, if your blade is not RAZOR sharp, the image will crumble. How has it worked for you? Do you keep the image damp while carving?

EM

OK, so I tried this technique earlier. What I have found is that once the tattoo has dried, if your blade is not RAZOR sharp, the image will crumble. How has it worked for you? Do you keep the image damp while carving?

Huh. That's interesting. I've actually never had that problem. The issue I have with tattoo paper is that it is - essentially - medical adhesive and it likes to remain a smidge tacky. A little bit of baby powder takes care of that.

I'm trying to think what would help keep it from crumbling without taking off the tattoo. A thin layer of vaseline maybe? I don't know if that would destroy the image though. Sorry I can't be of more help, I've just never run into that problem. =(

~RW

I got a paper towel and kept is moist. It was one of those tattoos that are mass produced, my mom bought it in a gift store. I wanted to try a few more carves with the tattoos that you get in the machines at the grocery store before I purchase sheets. Thanks for the baby powder idea.

EM