Printing on Stone/Tiles

[Mike Guilbault]

I recently saw some prints made on what looked like stone or tile and was labelled "Tumbled Marble".  Does anyone have any information about this sort of thing?

[jferrari]

Check out "dye sublimation."    - Jim

[aaronchan]

Either dye-sub or uv-cured

[wildstork]

Mike,
My best guess it that the image is probably printed on a substrate such as Ink Aid (applied to a polyurethane sheet), peeled off and applied with something like gloss medium to the stone or tile.  You can't run stone through a printer but you can print pigmented inks on Ink Aid, pull it off the polyurethane and affix it to most anything.

Lawrence

[Mike Guilbault]

That's what I was wondering Lawrence... how he got the stone/tile to run though a printer. I'm pretty sure he's using a 7900 printer. I'll look up Ink Aid. thanks.

[mstevensphoto]

were it me I'd print on something other than the stone and transfer it.

[rubo]

I do that all day:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2PyXcrOqC4g

Find somebody with DTG printer, get some inkaid and you're good to go

[iladi]

Even better:

http://ezhitech.com/Equipment/AzonPrinters.html

I have a DTS WHITE one. Prints directly on stone, tile, glass, aluminium, leather. 10 cm thick objects.

There are other similar brands doing same thing:

http://www.directcolorsystems.com/direct-jet-printers.php

[Mike Guilbault]

hmmm... not interested in another printer I'm afraid. Just wondering if it's possible somehow with an Epson 4900/9900.

[digitaldog]

hmmm... not interested in another printer I'm afraid. Just wondering if it's possible somehow with an Epson 4900/9900.

I think so. I built a number of ICC profiles for a client using some kind of transfer onto tile. They sent me my target printed on pretty thick ceramic tile and I think it was from an ink jet but I’ll check with them.

[digitaldog]

Wow, that was fast, client confirmed that indeed he’s using an Epson. So doable.

[Mike Guilbault]

That's great!  Any chance you can either ask him how he's doing it... or ask if I can contact him directly?

[bteifeld]

Digital Art Studio: Techniques for Combining Inkjet Printing with Traditional Art Materials  ISBN-10: 0823013421
This book describes many transfer processes including some for tile.

Digital Alchemy: Printmaking techniques for fine art, photography, and mixed media ISBN-10: 0321732995
Later book by same primary author; discusses similar and later developed transfer processes

[rubo]

The OP was about "printing" on tiles...if you want to transfer on tiles you don't need a book, you need tattoo paper - comes in rolls up to 54" wide. Forgot the name of the seller - but, as always, Google is your friend.