Hot stamping with a heat press is a way to add an artistic touch to an item of clothing or a personal accessory. A design, an image or a text can be printed on a T-shirt, a cloth bag or any other canvas object, using constant heat and pressure provided by a heat press (heat press). Follow the steps below to print a T-shirt with a heat press.
Steps
Step 1. Select an image or draw the work of art you want to print on the T-shirt yourself
You may want to print a personal digital photograph, an abstract work of art or a slogan.
Use graphic software to create or modify the artwork for your T-shirt, if necessary. Rotate the image or work using the necessary software
Step 2. Print the image or work upside down on the transfer paper
You can find it in specialized stores or buy it on the internet. The transfer paper should have a matte film on one side.
- Transfer paper with a transparent film on one side is used on white or light gray (ash gray) fabrics. Transfer paper with matte film is used on fabrics of other colors.
- Insert the transfer paper into the printer, so that the design or image is printed on the side of the paper with the film.
Step 3. Cut out the parts of the transfer paper that you do not want to imprint on the T-shirt
Since your work of art needs the film to be imprinted on the shirt, any excess transfer paper you leave will have the film imprinted on the T-shirt.
Step 4. Place your reverse image artwork with the film resting on the chosen shirt
Step 5. Place the T-shirt and the image to be imprinted between the plates of a heat press
Apply heat and medium-high pressure to the press to transfer the design to the shirt.
Step 6. Finished
Advice
- You could also use an iron as a heat source to transfer the image to the T-shirt or other canvas object. In any case, the iron will not be able to apply heat and pressure to the same consistency as a heat press.
- Use professional transfer paper for better quality and longer lasting results, especially if you intend to do it as a business.
- An inkjet printer is the best choice to use on transfer paper, since the ink of laser printers may not withstand the washing of the T-shirt or other canvas fabrics.
- It may be difficult to transfer designs that are not square or rectangular in shape to a T-shirt. However, it will be possible to add a colored box around the image to be printed using the graphics software, before printing it on the transfer paper and then cutting it out before inserting it into the heat press.
Warnings
- Under no circumstances should transfer paper be used with a printer other than that for which it was designed. Using inkjet transfer paper on a laser printer will permanently damage the printer.
- Designs printed with a heat press will always be a bit stiff due to the transfer paper film. If you try to eliminate stiffness by reducing the amount of film, you may get dull colors and the design itself may get lost in the wash.
