Hello! I’m Alison Heikkila and I couldn’t wait to show you the August Blank of the Month from Artesprix. It’s a Glitter Zip Case and it’s beautiful before you even sublimate it! It looks like holographic glitter, without the mess, and when the light hits it, it’s magnificent! Needless to say, I couldn’t wait to see how it looked when I sublimated on it. Let me show you how I personalized mine.
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What is Sublimation Iron-on-Ink?
Artesprix Sublimation Markers, Ink, and Paint are specially formulated to allow you to use basic copy paper to: color, stamp, stencil, and monoprint anything you wish and turn it into a heat-transferable design. These designs are then applied to a polyester or polyester coated substrate with heat and pressure. You can use a heat press or a home iron! These designs, through this process of sublimation, will become permanent on your substrates.
Supplies:
Artesprix Blank of the Month Glitter Zip Case
Sublimation Ink Pads in Pink, Orange, Yellow, and Black
Acrylic Stamp Block
Mirror Stamp Plate
Sublimation Markers: Basic Fine (Black only)
Heat Tape
Protective Paper
Multi-Purpose Cleaner
Gel Press: 8 x 10 Plate
Speedball: Brayer
Hero Arts: July 2023 My Monthly Hero Kit
Stamping Platform (like the MISTI or Tim Holtz Platform)
Isopropyl Alcohol (at least 91%)
Copy Paper
Step-by-Step Tutorial:
Step 1: Apply the Pink Sublimation Ink Pad across the top of the Gel Press Plate (horizontally) by lightly pressing the ink pad into the Plate.
Pro Tip: Using a Gel Press Plate to get a nice layer and ink that’s blended well is a great alternative to using blending brushes, especially if you have dexterity issues, arthritis, etc. Gel printing is very easy on the muscles and joints.
Step 2: Apply the Yellow Sublimation Ink Pad across the bottom of the Plate, and the Orange in the middle.
Step 3: Use a brayer to blend the colors together. Don’t over blend, we want to keep each color prominent, but blend the edges together.
Step 4: Lay your copy paper on top of the inked Plate and rub your hands across it to transfer the ink to the paper. Then, gently pull the paper off the Plate.
This is what my first print looked like. I like it, but I didn’t want quite so much of the bubbling effect. So let’s add more color.
Step 5: Apply the inks to the Plate just as before. Then, lightly spray the Plate with Isopropyl Alcohol. Then brayer as before.
Step 6: Line up your paper to the Plate with the original print and pull your second print. You can see how much more coverage the print has now.
Step 7: Outline the perimeter of the Glitter Zip Case with pencil on your print.
Step 8: Place the wildflowers stamp into your stamping platform aligned with your monoprint. Ink with the Black Sublimation Ink Pad and stamp. Repeat to get a more solid image as necessary.
Step 9: Repeat the wildflower stamp across the bottom of the monoprint. Be sure to extend past your pencil lines on both sides.
Step 10: Let’s add some details. I stamped the butterfly twice above the flowers, and I wanted a third, but I wanted it to look different from the other two. Let me show you a little trick in the next step.
Step 11: I placed the butterfly where I wanted it in it’s third spot, picked it up with the door of my platform, and then applied a piece of Heat Tape (you can use whatever tape you have on hand) right down the middle of the butterfly. Then I inked it, removed the tape, and stamped it. The butterfly now looks like it’s wings are closed.
Step 12: I wanted to use a sentiment from the stamp set, but we need to stamp letters and numbers backwards in order for them to sublimate in the right direction. I grabbed the Mirror Stamp Plate and inked my sentiment while it was on my acrylic block. Then I stamped it on to the Mirror Stamping Plate. Now the sentiment is backwards.
Step 13: Stamp the reversed sentiment onto the design. I used my Fine Tip Black Sublimation Marker to fill in any gaps I may have had.
Step 14: Tape the Glitter Zip Case to the completed design. You can sublimate on either side.
Step 15: Let’s make the "Sublimation Sandwich"! Flip the taped design and Blank over. Cut a piece of Protective Paper that’s larger than the paper and place it underneath the Blank, and another to go on top.
Step 16: It’s time to sublimate. Place the Sublimation Sandwich into your heat press. The temperature should be 385℉, and you’ll press the Glitter Zip Case for 45 seconds. Leave the entire zipper hanging over the edge of the heat press like I did in my photo! We want to ensure proper functionality.
Step 17: Time for the "Peek Test"! Let’s make sure our design sublimated well. Lift up a corner of the design to check the Blank. If it looks good, we can remove the paper. If not, we can re-sublimate without having shifted the design.
Here is my completed Glitter Zip Case with the original design. Look at how beautifully those blended ink colors look! And wait until you really see the sparkle! It’s hard to capture the shine on camera, but it is so stunning in real life! And since it’s a big zip case, you can store lots of things in it.
I adore this Blank of the Month! I think it’s beautiful right from the start, and your customized design will only enhance it. I look forward to seeing what you create with it! How would you like to get more ideas on using Artesprix’s Sublimation Ink Pads, Markers, and Paint? There’s a Facebook Group that’s just for fans of Artesprix! You can click HERE to join. Also, don’t forget to visit the Artesprix store to see all of the available blanks and bundles, so you can get started with sublimation.
Thanks so much for stopping by. Have an inspiring day!
Alison Heikkila
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