Design Transfer onto Spherical Shaped Surface

[Artist007]

Seems maybe this would be a common question, but can anyone give me guidance or provide a thread/post link on doing a successful transfer onto a spherical shaped surface? For example: the part that protrudes behind the cylinder on the frame of a single action army revolver, or a trigger guard. I usually use the Pictorico transfer method which works absolutely great on flat or cylindrical surfaces. But the Pictorico transparency material doesn't like to bend or flex in multiple conflicting directions, as on the parts mentioned.

Thanks so much,
Chadwick

 

[monk]

not much help . best to develop direct draw skill. saves a lot of time and reduces frustration. alternatively you can draw " gore sections", affix them, transfer and be dissatisfied. then repeat agai and again. seriously, develop direct draw skil.

 

[Artist007]

not much help . best to develop direct draw skill. saves a lot of time and reduces frustration. alternatively you can draw " gore sections", affix them, transfer and be dissatisfied. then repeat agai and again. seriously, develop direct draw skil.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'm comfortable with my drawing skill. That's how I had planned to approach these surfaces if nobody knows a transfer suggestion/solution. But If there's a way to do a transfer in this scenario, I would just like to learn it.

 

[sam]

On some slightly spherical surfaces you can fudge the transfer a bit to make it work and most likely will have to make some adjustments afterward. I don't know of an easy solution and as Monk said, you'll probably have to draw everything and not be able to transfer on some shapes.

 

[DaveAtWeirs]

It might not apply directly to what you're dealing with but when I have to engrave a cup or trophy with compound curves or otherwise non flat bits what I do is:
-put down strips of masking tape on the area I want to engrave. making sure to overlap them at least 1/3.
-draw onto the tape any reference marks/guidelines (sometimes you want the text to be level to the table but the surface of the trophy is all curves so I put reference lines of what flat looks like). They don't need to be perfect, just a guide.
-carefully peal off the tape so it stays together, then cut it into parts so it will lay as flat as i can get it.
-stick the now flat patterns down onto a sheet, scan it in, and then balance the colour and light levels so the reference lines are nice and dark and the background is white and then use photoshop or whatever to stretch it to shape/angle/curve.

I don't know if this will work for something as round as a sphere but its real helpful for getting perfectly curved text transfers that you'd want to be level when on the surface so you might be able to bash it into being helpful at least for positioning reference


oh also, if you don't have photoshop the website 'photopea . com' is an in-browser version of photoshop that's very reliable. doesn't have all the new features but its free so who cares

 

[LahtiM39]

The pictorico transfer will work on revolver firewalls. Cut the art from the transfer sheet as small as possible. Try to register the section with the most coverage and tape it down. Burnish the largest area and then fold down and work your way around. You may have to go back and tweak a little per Sam’s suggestion.

 

[Artist007]

Thanks everyone, for your input. I've heard people mention using "China White" also. I may give it a try.

 

[monk]

Thanks everyone, for your input. I've heard people mention using "China White" also. I may give it a try.

get yerself some windsor & newton china white. it comes in a tothpaste type tube. applied sparingly, it wont crack, flake, or rub off. the w/n version is the only brand i could conveniently rely on. dychem white has uses, but is a bit more tricky to deal with. jmho