The Fine Art of
DYE SUBLIMATION
Exciting new products and improved durability make a difference
By Bill Leek
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ALL IMAGES COURTESY THE AUTHOR
’ve been involved with the sublimation
industry for over 20 years. I’ve survived
the early years when sublimation was
considered more of a novelty than an art.
This was a time when imprintable items
were few and inks/coatings were neither
durable nor particularly light fast. Colors
were inaccurate, and clogged print heads
were common.
Since those early days, things have
really changed. Ink manufacturers, coating
and imprintable and printer manufacturers, distributors, retailers, and sublimation consultants have pushed the
industry forward at a rapid pace. Today,
it is possible to produce heirloom quality
items that will last for generations in both
residential and commercial indoor settings. Color is accurate and brilliant, and
sublimation coatings are highly durable
and flawlessly applied.
Following, I review some recent products from Universal Woods/ChromaLuxe,
Condé Systems, Laser Reproductions, and
Johnson Plastics that meet the criteria as
fine and commercial art sublimation products. I also offer general
suggestions that will allow you to
create the highest quality sublimation finished products.
(above) Laser
Reproduction's
glass plate allows
window light to
shine through.
New ChromaLuxe tabletops open up
a new market.
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UNIVERSAL WOODS/
CHROMALUXE
ChromaLuxe sublimation aluminum is simply
the finest coated product
available for photo,
graphics and fine art
reproduction. It is available in gloss white, matte
white and clear (silver)
finishes. The finish is flawless and mirror-like. Color
reproduction is vivid and
accurate. Image depth is
unmatched. Available sizes
range from standard photo sizes to wall
panels/large sheets. Unique decorative
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Condé Systems
SubliSlate
offers a unique
natural look.
Johnson Plastics Galley Wraps.
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aluminum shapes are also available.
ChromaLuxe is scratch, abrasion, graffiti,
and stain resistant. Light fastness is excellent. All these characteristics have made
ChromaLuxe aluminum the product of
choice for photo labs, artists, professional
photographers, designers, and serious
consumers throughout the world.
NEW TABLE TOP LINE
A new ChromaLuxe Table Top product
line has been introduced for medium
and wide-format applications. The blank
moisture-resistant MDF tabletops are processed with a new sublimation coating
that is more scratch and abrasive, stain
and chemical resistant than previous
MDF coated products. They wipe clean
with any non-abrasive cleaner. These
tabletops will not yellow with age and
are color-fade resistant. They display the
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aLuxe coating technology.
Tabletop sizes include
23.625-inch and 29.375inch diameter round, and
23.75-inch and 29.5-inch
square. These are 0.75
inches thick. Sheet sizes
are available in 49.5-inch
by 98-inch/0.75-inch
thick, and 50-inch by 98.5-inch/1.125inch thick sizes. Universal Woods provides
a list of sources for pedestal leg designers.
With ChromaLuxe, it’s possible to
design and produce beautiful high-resolution photo quality, custom tabletops
with minimum production labor and
turnaround time. Material cost is competitive. Marketing opportunities and applications are limitless. Major markets include
restaurants, cafés, taverns, hotels, schools,
military, government, company cafeterias, stadiums, airports, country clubs,
food courts, and more. Custom table
designs are only limited by the imagination. Theme ideas include photo collages,
maps, game boards, retro designs, company logos, memorabilia, history, informational, sports, foods, ice cream, coffee,
patriotic, and college mascots. Design
charges can add to your profit, especially
on smaller jobs.
CERAMIC, PORCELAIN, AND
TUMBLED STONE TILES
Tiles have been a popular imprintable
choice from the beginning. Tiles are versatile. You can create murals, mount them
in a frame, stand them up in an easel,
use them as coasters, and insert them in
a wide range of gift items, like wooden
boxes, metal trivets, and other heirloom
gift items. Indoor residential and commercial mural creation can be good business.
I recently received tile samples from
Condé Systems and Laser Reproductions
(LRi). Both of these companies coat their
own tiles and sell direct to sublimation
decorators. LRi has improved its coatings and production through the years.
Condé recently began coating its own tiles
in order to better control the quality of
the tiles it sells. Both vendors supplied
an assortment of ceramic, porcelain, and
tumbled stone tiles with gloss, satin, and
matte finishes, which were all professionally coated with excellent overall appearance. Additional major tile suppliers in
the U.S. include Johnson Plastics, Bison
Coatings, and Premiere Finishing.
Some things to check when purchasing ceramic, porcelain, and tumbled
stone tiles:
• Any imperfections or dirt in the coat61
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A 10,000-piece 2-inch
sublimation tile mural
designed by Sierra
Custom Designs in
Bishop California.
Tumbled stone coaster set.
ings and any chips on the tile images.
• Select tiles for photos that have the
whitest coating. They will provide
the widest dynamic range and images
that pop.
• Check the vendor’s packaging, particularly for tiles larger than 8 by 8
and 8 by 20.
• Select a supplier close to you. Shipping and handling charges can get
expensive.
• Make sure your supplier provides
detailed pressing instructions for
each type and size tile.
• Not all tile coating/ink combinations
produce the same colors. Stick with
one supplier and fine tune colors
with a custom ICC color profile if
necessary.
• Most sublimation tiles have three
coating options: gloss, satin, and
matte.
• Gloss provides a great-looking finish
but has the least scratch resistance.
• Satin has a great finish and is very
scratch resistant.
• Matte is scratch resistant and provides a flat, natural appearance.
• Always obtain samples before ordering
case quantities from a new vendor.
EVOLUTION OF FINE ART
SUBLIMATION GLASS
The widespread use of coated glass for
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sublimation occurred after the release
of coated ceramics. One of the first
offerings coated the front of the glass,
providing a less-than-appealing double
image appearance. After the rejection of
this technique, all glass items have been
coated on the back. Initial tiles utilized
a clear sublimation coating.
This was problematic, as the transferred colors appeared washed out; sublimation inks are transparent and need
a frosted or white coated background
to provide good color density. Sublimation glass with white coating has become
the most popular over the last decade.
Recently, LRi with its Crystal Award Glass
coating, and Condé with its Solapix glass
coating have independently developed
unique sublimation glass that allows
high density color images that can be
viewed from both sides of a glass item.
These coatings allow light to be transmitted through the glass, adding a great
deal to the aesthetic qualities of the finished products.
The most popular uses for sublimation
glass include tiles and murals, awards,
cutting boards, coasters, custom photo
gifts, and ornaments. Select glass that is
clear with minimum green tint. The green
can affect the accuracy of the transferred
color. In some cases, color adjustments
or a custom ICC profile may be used to
increase color density and image depth.
ADDITIONAL PRODUCTS
Johnson Plastics Gallery Wraps
This new product makes creating
museum quality canvas wraps easy. Bulk
polyester sublimation canvas has been
available for a while, but traditional canvas
wrapping can be a challenge, especially if
you are not doing it frequently. A finished
gallery wrap displays prized photos and art
with the look of rich oil paintings. First,
images are heat pressed onto the gallery
wrap’s special sublimation canvas. The
canvas is then stretched over a frame to
create a work of art similar to professional
works of art exhibited as in professional
galleries and photo studios.
Using the Gallery Wrap kits, the finished
product can be ready to display in just a few
minutes. All necessary supplies are available
from Johnson Plastics. The Gallery Wrap
Corner Guide Starter kit contains four corner
guides, four ounces of glue, and ten pins.
Frame stretcher bars (8 inch by 10 inch or 11
inch by 17 inch) are sold in kits, or 8-inch,
10-inch, 11-inch or 14-inch bars are sold in
pairs depending on the size of the photo. Precut sublimation canvas is available for 8-inch
by 10-inch or 11-inch by 14-inch size images.
(The actual pre-cut canvas size is 11 inches by
13 inches or 14 inches by 17 inches.)
Condé SubliSlate Plaques
SubliSlate is a unique natural sublimation substrate. It is carved out of real slate
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with chiseled edges and a polished flat
imprintable surface coated with a white
sublimation coating. It has a high-perceived
value and a “back to nature” look. I find it a
perfect match for outdoor sports, vacation
photos, landscapes, and black and white
photo photography. It is available in several
shapes and sizes for both vertical and horizontal display. Smaller pieces come with
tabletop stands. Larger plaques are designed
for wall mounting and come with necessary
hardware. The finished transferred images
display good color detail.
LRi Natural Wood Photo Boards
These laminated birch wood photo
boards have a beautiful matte finish.
The boards can be laser engraved or
dye sublimated. The unique wood
finish of each piece is subtly visible
through the transferred image, producing a natural appearance that is
perfect for creating indoor décor, signs,
and art for both home and office.
The special dye sub coating formula,
designed especially for wood, insures
bright, durable colors. The photo boards
are 5/8 inches thick and are available in a
variety of sizes. Each piece is key-holed for
both vertical and horizontal mounting.
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FINAL COMMENTS
I’ve mentioned just some of the thousands of fine art sublimation options
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ChromaLuxe metal print in
an antique frame will last
for many generations.
An upscale craftsman
frame adds a great deal
to tile presentation.
available. To achieve fine art
results, follow these basic
principles:
• Use brand name inks,
quality printers, and good
color management.
• Select imprintables with
quality coatings, even if they are
more expensive.
• Use a quality heat press that provides
accurate temperatures and even pressure over the entire platen work area.
• Buy from established suppliers
that provide support and detailed
instructions. Follow the instructions
carefully.
• Don’t just fall in love with the sublimation process. Fall in love with
the sublimation business. Do some
research and establish your niche
markets, concentrating on products
with high profit margins and minimum production costs.
Bill Leek of Houston, Texas
has over 33 years’ experience in digital decorating
system development and
graphics design. He has
developed several lines of
color imprintable products
utilizing inkjet, sublimation and color laser transfer
technologies. In addition,
he has extensive working knowledge of color
management and product durability testing and
has consulted for many of the industry’s leading
companies. He may be reached at wfleek@jblA&E
graphics.com.
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