Can anyone share new technics apart from profesional screenprinting to make a perfect rice paper logo ?
I am asking because the logo I am using is very thin and very dificult to get by screen printing.
My options at this point are changing it so the lines are much thicker (requirements of the screenprinter - which is good by the way) but I’ld rather avoid that ; or using another technique that could handle well laminating.
Any ideas out there ?
Thanks everyone.
download inkscape. It’s free. Import your logo. click on choose and highlight logo. Then go to path and hit trace bitmap. Move out the created and vectored copy. You may want to clone the copy depending upon how you want to make the logo. Go to top of menu and hit the seciont that allows you to fill or change the thickeness and preceed. It can be tricky at first, but you should figure it out.
I always had the problem of my logo's not being opaque enough when put on top of a colored background. I tried white acrylic on the back of the logo and was not pleased with the results(although it was probably me screwing up). Lately I have been printing my logos out on standard printer paper and cutting them out perfectly on the border of the logo so that no white is showing outside the logo border. my logo is an oval shape so it is not very tricky to cut perfectly but the results are VERY VERY professional looking. super crisp and clear and it looks like a screen printed logo if you cut it out straight. put catalyzed resin under the logo, and smooth out any bubbles as usual...then glass as normal. Try not to bend the paper during any of the process' or it will not lay down flat. good luck and hope this helps
flong,
I’ve done all mine per advice here, inkscape, inkjet printer, scroll style roll of rice paper, and opaque white acrylic behind the color on the logo, and they turn out very nice. I use white out of the tube and paint it on with a brush, which takes time, but I can be exact and get a nice even coat.
This logo was done in said fashion, and I couldn't see the stringer well enough to line up the mid points. Just keep trying different types of paper and printer ink plays a big roll as well.
As for what Astevens does, I've seen this work before on a repair that came in and the board didn't show any signs of weakness in the logo area, but I suspect you will get a weaker lamination at that point because the paper doesn't wet out completely or lay as flat under or between the glass. Therefore, you'd likely sand through a bit where the logo is.
I.e. avoid putting the logo in a stress area, or doing any printing of considerable size.
-Good Luck!
Thanks for the input guys.
I’ll try on spare pieces of foam first and see what happens before laminating a custom surfboard though !
Cheers.
pico,
you are correct about the logo not laying flat sometimes, but I have found that if you so not bend the paper and try to keep it as flat as possible while cutting it out, etc, then there should not be a problem. I know the white acrylic on the back works because I have seen some excellent results posted on this site. I have not had it work for me so I attempted this method a while back. Also, I failed to mention that I do not put my logos under the full length lam of the board, but rather on top of the lam, and put a patch of glass over them. takes more time, but I'm a backyard hack :)
I made mine in inkscape which rules btw… and then my sister took pdf copies and printed on a photo printer. They look badass for first try but you can tell the paper is there because i didnt really cut them close to graphi because i was hoping the paper would dissappear when wet. Now that i know i cut it as perfect as possible and am in search of printer inks that can take a UV beat down. By the way rice paper went thru our printer no problem by itself. 5 bucks from AC Moore for a pad that should probably get me thru 20 boards or more :). Made in china but… uhhh so is rice!!! Haha
Curious where you found rice paper in AC Moore??? I looked all over for it in our local store.
I asked the nice ladies who work there. “Got any rice paper?” “You mean for scrapbooking?” It was the very last item bottom shelf at the far left corner at the end of the woodworking birdhouse aisle. Big pad like artist sketchpad size. Your store may vary im up in wharton
Pad was labeled 16.95… i said “whoa thats pricey” and the lady put a $5 sticker on it for me 
How was the package labeled??? Is it labeled as Rice Paper??? Or something else???
Astevens,
Thats a great way to go about doing that with the printer paper, at least it wouldn’t affect the strength in lamination against the board. Still use that method on opaques too. Hate blending it, I always see a little weave which kills me on a perfect dark opaque lamination.
…professional labelling are not made on rice paper and water based inks
I buy rice paper in a roll from one of the art stores. I cut it the size of printer paper, tape it to printer paper, and run it through my printer. Sometimes I just use printer paper, but I certainly don’t recommend this. I also have a flyer from the surfboard expo in Santa Cruz a few months ago from a business called Silkworm sreenprinting. (sikwormsceenprintng.com). In Ventura. One color, 10-24 sheets, is $7.72 with a one time $40.00 set up fee. I know nothing more about them and have never used their service. Mike