Lazertran - Silk Paper

Lazertran Silk is a a paper designed to be used with any toner based printer as heat is not an issue. It is for use with closely woven silk or satin, ribbons, metal foil, Polyclay and with 3M Photo Mount Spray onto almost any surface.

Lazertran Silk is used to transfer images onto sheer Habuti type silk and also as a fast etch resist and onto metal foil. Students often want to transfer onto open weave silk such as Organza or Chiffon. This is difficult as the toners only adhere to the weave and fall off the holes leaving a ghost of the image. This can be cured by using the 3M Photo Mount method at the bottom of the page.

TO IRON ONTO SILK OR SATIN

1. Copy your image in reverse onto a sheet of Lazertran Silk paper using any toner based copier.

2. Iron your fabric flat with a medium heat iron.

3. Lay the fabric over the image and iron well until stuck. Do not let your iron touch any part of the image as it will melt and stick to your iron.

4. When stuck, do not pull at it, just lay into water, paperside side down, push under the water until the whole peice is wet and leave until the backing sheet falls off.

5. Lift the silk carfully from the water and lay face down onto an ironing surface. Pull flat then using a cool iron carefully, without weight, dry the silk a little. Lift up and place down again and repeat until dry.

6. Lay a sheet of baking parchment, not grease proof paper, over the image and iron through the paper. Allow to cool then peel off. Job done.
   

FOR METAL FOIL

As above, but after putting the foil in water to remove backing paper, allow to dry and return the foil to heat to ensure good image adhesion

TO PUT AN IMAGE ONTO POLYMER CLAY

Print the image in reverse or mirror. Press the image well onto the clay . Leave for 30 minutes then immerse the clay in a bath of water. Allow to soak for one or two minutes then swish the water until the backing paper floats off. If you leave the image for an hour you will be able to bend and form the polyclay as the image will start to melt into the Polymer Clay. When satisfied bake according to the Polymer Clay manufacturer's instruction.

TO PUT LAZERTRAN SILK ONTO OPEN WEAVE CLOTH SUCH AS MUSLIN OR SILK VOILE

If Lazertran Silk is put on an open weave the image will not adhere. To fix this spray the image before applying with 3M permanent Photo Mount Spray and apply face down onto the cloth. Iron at a medium heat then soak in water until the backing paper floats off. Allow to dry.

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TRANSFERRING IMAGES ONTO SILK

Have your own design copied, in reverse onto a sheet of Lazertran Silk paper.

1. Iron silk flat.

2. Set iron hot enough (and this needs to be hot,silk can take it) for the toners to stick to the silk.

3. Lay silk over your image and iron until the silk is stuck to the image.

4. Without pulling at the paper to make sure it is stuck! place the silk, with paper attacked, in clean warm water, paper down and leave until the paper falls off.

5. Lift the silk carefully from the water, lay the image face down and lightly iron with a cool iron until dry.

6. When dry, turn the silk over, image side up, and place a sheet of silicon baking parchment over the image.

7. Iron through the baking parchment with a hot iron then allow to cool. When cool peel off the parchment.

This method produces a beautiful result and can be rinsed in warm water but will not take a vigorous wash.

Problems

If, after soaking in water you find lots of bits of toner floating in the water then your iron is not hot enough.

If the image is shiny and appears to be on the surface then you will need to put a sheet of baking parchment over the image and iron with a hot iron again.

3M PHOTO MOUNT METHOD

Lazertran Silk can now be used to put images onto almost any surface using 3M Photo Mount Spray.

1. Copy your image onto lazertran Silk in reverse or mirror, cut to size and then spray an even coat of Photo mount onto the image.

2. Press onto the surface and make sure it is well stuck. Iron with a medium heat iron if using on cloth.

3. Wet backing paper, allow to soak for about one minute and slide off.

This method can be used on Voile, plastics, wood and in decoupage to put images down without thickness. It is also very good for interior decoration on walls etc.

For thicker materials ordinary Lazertran can be be ironed on.

1. Place Lazertran face down on the cloth.

2. Set iron to hot and iron onto the cloth until it is well stuck.

3. Wet the backing paper and peel off. Wipe off gum and allow to dry, or place, paper side down in a tray of water and allow the paper to fall off. Wash off any gum.

4. Place face down and iron lightly from the back with a cool iron until dry, lifhting when cool each time to avoid the image sticking to your ironing surface.

5. Turn over and place silicon baking parchment over image and give it a good ironing with a hot iron. Allow to cool, peel off silicon sheet and repeat till the image sinks into the cloth.

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