DEVELOPMENT AND APPLICATION OF DESIGNS ON CERAMIC WARES USING PRINTING TECHNIQUES

Abstract

Transfer printing as a technique of ceramic decoration is largely unpopular amongst studio potters and ceramist in Nigeria. This challenge seems to stem from the fact that transfer printing technique is viewed as being complex and that the materials used in the development of prints are scarce to obtain. Also, there is nowhere in the country where ready-to-use transfer decals are being sold. All these affect the perception by which people view ceramic transfer printing. The aim of this study therefore is to develop and apply designs on ceramic wares using printing techniques in a bid to encouraging more ceramist in the country to adopt transfer printing as a technique for ceramic decoration. The study employed the use of screen printing and photolithography as techniques for the development of prints. These prints were done on a special paper; that is, a decal paper. Specialised inks were formulated for the screen printing and photolithography operations respectively. Textile ink and ceramic oxides were used in the formulation of the screen printing ink in a ratio of one (1) tablespoon of textile ink to three (3) teaspoons or 60g of ceramic oxides. This ink was used to print on the decal paper through the use of an exposed and patterned screen mesh. For the photolithography, engine oil was adopted as the transfer medium in the deposition of ceramic oxide on ceramic green wares. Subsequently, the printed designs on decal paper were transferred on to the surfaces of different ceramic wares (green ware, bisque and glazed wares) and fired as appropriately. At the end of the experiments, it was observed that textile inks performed optimally as a transfer medium in screen printing of ceramic oxides and in the composition of ceramic inks when compared with vegetable oil, engine oil, petroleum jelly and linseed oil. In photolithography, it was observed that engine oil worked best and that the quality of the prints was dependent on the thickness of the inks composed.