Custom and Commercial Ceramic Decals
J.T. McMaster Ceramic Decal Specialists Website
Several months ago, when I first started posting about my desire to add decals to my work, I was contacted by Lauren Skoll, director of J.T. McMaster – a commercial and custom decal provider out of South Africa. She mentioned that she would be in the Denver area around the same time that the Colorado Potters Guild Spring Show was taking place and I told her I’d love to meet her and see her company’s decals in person.
You know me though (or maybe you don’t) – but I am a glutton for learning…err punishment sometimes. I want to understand the process myself and normally will set out to learn how to do something even though it might be easier and more cost effective to farm some tasks out. Even so, when the Potters Guild event approached, I decided to meet Lauren with an open mind.
Decal samples – hearts, geckos and South African cloth
Lauren came to the sale with a lot of sample decals and left many behind for the guild members to use. I took the decals in the photo above home with the idea that I will play around with these a bit – push the medium to figure out limitations and potential. Unlike the laser toner decals, these are screen printed with ceramic over-glaze colors and fire at a much lower temperature – there are firing instructions on the company’s website. Whereas laser toner decals fire to a sepia tone and the firing temperature depends more on the glaze temperature to which the decal is adhered, these full color decals fire to roughly cone 016.
The other thing that I like about using these is that artists can upload original artwork and specify colors for McMasters to make custom decals – so there’s a lot of potential. Once the proofs are finished, it would be easy to reorder. This would be infinitely easier than learning to screen print oneself and doing all the trial & error proofs before getting good results. I’ve taken a close look at the decals and they are very crisp and clear and am assuming that they would remain so after firing. I suppose one hesitation for me is that I don’t want my work to look commercial – but after checking out the company’s website, there are individual artists who are using these decals very effectively.
I also asked Lauren about prices and sizes, however because each job is custom, cost varies. She did tell me that the currency exchange is very favorable towards the dollar right now and shipping is nominal. The company tries to get as many decals as possible on an A4 size sheet of paper which is slightly narrower and longer than a letter sized sheet of paper (8.5″ x 11″).
Here in the US, Easy Ceramic Decals also makes custom decals – as well as a few other businesses. Just google ceramic decals and voilà! I’ve never used color decals before, so who knows where this venture could lead?
Meanwhile, I’ll play with these and I still have the screen printing supplies to try making my own color decals this summer.
Happy Wednesday,
~Cynthia
P.S. We’re in the market for a pocket sized digital camera for our trip overseas because my camera is way too clunky and heavy. I am seriously considering the Sony Cybershot, the Nikon Coolpix or the Canon Elph. Any thoughts? I had a bit of sticker shock, but in a good way after looking at some in the store. More MP and better digital zoom for a fraction of the cost compared to my 5 year old Olympus. Amazing.
jim
May 13, 2009 at 8:41 am //
thanks for the post… very informative and thanks for the other decal info you sent me. just purchased a camera and didn’t like having to decide but ended up with canon powershot sx110 is, hasn’t arrived yet though
Cynthia
May 13, 2009 at 8:49 am //
I’ll take a look at that camera, Jim – the one we get doesn’t have to be fancy, but functional and portable.
Lauren Skoll
May 17, 2009 at 8:30 pm //
Hi Cynthia!
Just great to see you have posted my website on your blog, thanks a stack!
Let me know how you are doing with the decals and if you need any advice, please give me a buzz or send me a mail.
I am so loving the weather here right now, it is just awesome!
Best wishes and all good things
Lauren
Jerry
May 13, 2009 at 9:21 am //
I have heard nothing but good things about the Elph series of cameras…and they are so tiny it makes for a great pocket camera. But, I have never had one myself.
Cynthia
May 13, 2009 at 3:30 pm //
So many of the new digital cameras are tiny and take good photographs to boot. I’ll probably do the online research – my husband will most likely consult Consumer Reports before making a buying decision.
Linda Starr
May 13, 2009 at 11:13 am //
I have the Sony cybershot and it fits in my pants pocket so if I carry out a piece of pottery to photograph outside, I have my hands free to do so. This is the first digital camera I have had and know so little about them and even this one, but it has been trouble free the whole time.
Great info on the decals. I could see using them if I had a promotional item I gave away like a magnet with a decal on it – actually that’s not a bad marketing idea – my wheels are turning. Of if I was making a large place setting I wanted to produce with the same decals on the each one of the whole set. But I am kind of like you – I normally would want each decal to be unique.
You are such a great blogger, I do appreciate reading all of your informative posts, thanks so much Cynthia.
Cynthia
May 13, 2009 at 3:33 pm //
That size camera sounds ideal, Linda! My older digital camera must weigh close to 2 lbs and it’s bulky. I’m just amazed at how fast technology advances.
I could see using decals for promotional items – especially if it’s a logo or somehow related to your work. I think the ceramicists who use the custom decals do have lines of work that makes it easy to reorder in quantity in order to keep the costs down and keeps things simple.
blushing…
cindy shake
May 13, 2009 at 11:23 am //
Good lead on the decals…I too have been simmering this whole decal process! Now it seems there is still more to ponder
)
For our daughter’s graduation present we just purchased her an Olympus Stylus Tough 6000 Digital Camera. We let her do all the research and this is the one she found. It was around $300 (plus we bought an extra flash card for $35) we bought it at Best Buy. She will be on a research vessel this summer and wanted something “bomb-proof” that would be able to record both high resolution stills and video for her work.
The camera I quickie shoot all of my work with (for reference and Blog postings) is an older Canon PowerShot A530. Great little camera -no problems, it’s not as slim as the newer ones but I don’t lose it either!
Cynthia
May 13, 2009 at 3:35 pm //
I’ll check both cameras out, Cindy – and I do need a “tough” camera. My current one makes funny noises every time I turn it on or off after dropping it on its lens 3 years ago. It didn’t affect the mechanics otherwise, but I’m really hard on it.
Jennie Lorette Keatts
May 13, 2009 at 1:05 pm //
Hi Cynthia, I’ve enjoyed checking in on your blog. You post really interesting and informative info! I’m not a potter but make clay cabs for my jewelry and am interested in handbuilding, so just wanted to say thanks!
Cynthia
May 13, 2009 at 3:35 pm //
Thanks for the comment Jennie! Your clay cabs and jewelry are fantastic!
Lynette
May 13, 2009 at 7:51 pm //
I’m really looking forward to seeing your pieces using the decals and that chameleon decal is really neat looking! Ahhh Cyn, I just read where you and your family are flying to Germany this summer, that is soo exciting!!
Cynthia
May 14, 2009 at 5:27 am //
We haven’t taken a proper vacation (unless you count camping) in years, Lynette – probably since I left my job with United Airlines. We’re pretty excited!