help with my coasters, please
 

I want to make some coasters, but I’m not sure how to go about it. My prototype has a problem.

http://www.mightywombat.com/etc/coaster.jpg
I created the art with colored pencil and technical pen on paper. I glued the paper to a cork disk with spray glue. Then I covered the whole thing with a clear resin. The problem is twofold –

1) The resin soaks through the paper, thereby making it translucent and dark against the cork
2) The resin dissolves the glue, bubbles form under the paper and it floats towards the surface a bit. The bubbles are formed as the resin hardens, not as a reaction to the glue.

The main problem is the first one. I think that if I let the glue set longer, I’ll be OK. I have come up with a couple of crappy solutions. Hopefully, you guys will have better ones.

1) Coat the paper with something. Clear paint maybe?
2) affix an opaque backer to the paper…but I have no idea what to use.

What are your thoughts?

just a couple variables you should consider testing:

changing the type of paper
changing the type of adhesive
eliminating the adhesive and just laying the paper over the cork, and then coating it with resin

try testing it on some worthless material with a quick color sketch to see how it affects the paper. experiment!!

Ya, but what kind of paper? Even coated stock is going to be absorbant along the cut edge. Maybe I need to draw it on some sort of plastic.

What if you were to use bristol plate, then seal the edges with something clear (nail polish, glue, etc) before adding the resin?

Bristol plate? Is that a coated paper or something else? (dammit, why didn't I take art classes? I would know this stuff!)

Bristol board is a heavyweight paper. (100lb. weight)
often it'll have a vellum finish on top of it that smooths out the texture and stiffens it. I'm not sure how much it'll resist the soaking done by your resin however. Have you tried a plain fixative?

Another option to try is just painting the glue overtop the paper. the glue itself once dry will provide a protective coating to the paper.

Third option: Go to a local sign shop/design studio and ask if they have any spare cuttings of vinyl material. It's like a super-sticker, and won't need an overcoating but you can add one if you want. Also it probably won't hold pencil- you'd have to use a different media on it like marker or paint.

uhmm what's a coaster? Is it the one you put your beers on or what?

Nancy, are you trying to sucker me into another unnecessary English lesson where I end up loooking like an ass?

Well, I can't refuse. Ya, it's for beers.

How about using clear plastic or glass to cover the picture and then just seal the edges to the cork so it traps the picture inside.

sorry Clavus but I just had to make sure I understood it perfectly because my dictionary came up with various of possibilities to the meaning of that word.

that is a VERY interesting subject for a coaster btw.! :lol: :thumbsup:

it would have to be airtight then otherwise the air/liquid will slowly discolour the paper inside (So if you have a drawing in a simple frame with glass go have it laminated :)

Laminate it! There we go. Thanks, Nancy and welsh.

Well, every coaster would be different. That's just a little sketch I had in a notebook. He's pretty cute though. He kind of looks like Giant Hamburger before his morning cup of coffee.

Oh dont thank me, the lamination idea is entirely to Nancy's credit :)

I don't know why I didn't think of this before, but before using the resin, you could try using acrylic medium (matte or gloss depending on what look you're going for) to seal the paper. I can't guarantee it'd work, but that stuff is pretty good for sealing things.

don't mention it :)

So.. you are gonna show us the coasters when they're done right?

when in doubt, back it with felt!!!

Well, I have a bunch of cork laying around. So I decided to make cork-backed coasters. But thanks for the thought. If I run into a bolt of felt, I'll make some felt ones too.

Um, if you guys really want to see some coasters, I'll post a couple when they are done. But it may be a while. I'm working on a toybox, and I still have a bunch of pen and ink drawings to do if I ever want to get paid for THAT monotonous project...

Besides, the coasters are for holiday presents, so I have some time yet.

I genuinely appreciate the help. I WILL let you know how it goes.

Could you paint the pics directly on the cork, then varnish (or shellac)?
Try looking up "decopage" (flashback to grade school Art).

what if you paint the back of the paper, the side that gets glued to the cork, with either white paint or maybe gesso? maybe that would prevent the cork from making the paper look dark?

I was hoping to use the materials I have on hand. Soooo...the next prototype will be done on thicker paper, sprayed with clear acrylic paint prior to covering with resin.

I don't think painting the cork will work. The surface is too irregular and pourus. But I am intrigued by the idea of painting the back of the paper white. I wonder if that will work... I might try that too.

Thanks for the suggestions.

Well. how did it turn out? If you have any overhead projector sheets on hand you might could draw it out on that then buy some laminating sheets laminate it and use clear dry glue as an adhesive. Just a thought.

I'm thinking that the cork isn't porous enough to soak up the paint. It would be irregular, but I'm sure you'd be able to cover it with an acrylic paint with no problem.