Mug Printing Methods
Here we explain the various print methods available to us.
Not for: complex half-tones
An image, usually up to four line colours, is printed within a given area directly onto the rotating body of the mug. The method is used when:
• the design is simple
• there are no complex half-tones although some half-tones can be directly printed
• the registration is not over demanding
• the design is not required to be larger than the print area
There are limitations with this process and it is primarily used for the low budget side of the earthenware market. A direct printer can print several thousand items a day, in contrast to the slower, hand decorated transfer process.
Transfer Printing
Ideal for: earthenware and bone china; more complex art tones; critical registration and full colour work; printing on the full surface area of the item; highly-shaped items
The design is silk-screen or litho printed onto special paper, then cover-coated. The resulting print is then treated as a water slide transfer and applied by hand to the ware. The process is slower and more labour intensive than direct screen printing but is more flexible with colours able to be built up with precision and control. Printing is possible on the full size of a mug, inside on the base, as a back stamp, or just inside the rim.
Transfer or litho printing, as opposed to direct silk-screen, is used when:
• larger than average print is needed
• working with bone china
• printing in four-colour process
• cases where more than four line colours, very fine detail or tight registration is required.
Digital Printing
Ideal for: photo images or cartoon images without bright primary colours; both earthenware and bone china; small print runs.
Not for: any images with strong primary colours or coloured glazed ceramics.
An image is printed directly to a specially coated paper in process colour, using technology similar to an office laser printer. This is then cover-coated, becoming a water slide transfer which is applied to the ware. There are no screen costs, just an origination charge when the design is finalised. You can have one print or hundreds. As with full colour printing, there are limitations on the strengths of reds and pinks but, with pastels and citrus shades, the results are excellent. Because the inks are a natural product, perfect colour matching cannot be achieved on repeat orders and it is not possible to match the primary colour chart, but the technique is excellent for photographic reproduction.
