Printing to Transparencies

At this point I haven't had a chance to try to print any stain glass windows, but here's some advice I've gotten from other people, followed by some of my own thoughts:
Most inkjet printers that use color cartridges will also print in color on transparency pages. But be sure to buy the overhead transparency packages for the printer that you have. It has a special coating on the side that is printed on so the ink "sticks" Regular overhead transparency sheets used in copiers won't work as good. If your printer won't print color transparency most copy shops can do a color transparency from your color paper printout.
Also check your printer settings, options, since to get the best output you may have a special option to set for "overhead transparency". I've done lots of color transparencies with my HP inkjet and they work great.
---- Wilma Kinder

I haven't actually tried this yet but I have a H P DeskJet color printer and it's suppose to be able to print on transparency sheets. The printer sheets are a tiny bit rough on one side to grab the ink. The sheets for inkjet printers seem a little flimsy to me so maybe they wouldn't be good for a really big window, but as I say, I haven't tried it yet.
I've found sheets made for inkjet printers in office supply stores like Office Depot, Best Buy, Staples and Comp USA. I imagine that if they can make 'em for inkjets, they do for lasers too.
---- Pam Sollers

What Wilma said about printing on transparencies is correct. I used this method to make stained glass windows in my dollhouse. If you want to see a photo of one of my windows, go to: http://kuoi.asui.uidaho.edu/~nyssa/tennfurn/attic.html
Oh, also, if you use this method, don't get the transparency wet. The coating and the ink are water soluble.
---- Alice

Since transparencies are clear but stained glass windows are opaque, I'm thinking I need to do something to "fog" the window. I plan on printing the image twice (once for the inside and once for the outside), painting the inside of one of the pieces with a white wash, lining the two pieces up so the images are the same, and then laminating them to make them stronger.

Making Paper Transparent

In addition to miniatures, I am an artist, art therapist and used to teach gifted kindergarten art. Around Easter time, I would have the children do a scribble drawing on a piece of typing paper and color in the spaces. Then we would cut out a frame and sometimes "doors" or a cross which we would staple to the front of the scribble drawing after we coated the back of the scribble drawing with cooking oil. Baby oil can also be used but is a little heavier. Once the oil dries, the paper retains a sense of translucence. I wasn't sure about using this idea with the printing inks rather than crayons but it worked great. I oiled the back of the lamp shade and after it dried, even the glue held. All in all I was really pleased with the effect.
---- Mary Lou Hasara

A note on scale

This page was made with images donated for your use. Feel free to print it and pass it along to anyone, but please don't sell them.