If you're wondering "Can I sublimate on frosted glass?" the answer is yes...but.
It's possible to do sublimation on frosted glass tumblers, as long as they are sublimation ready tumblers and you have the right equipment, time, and temperature. This sublimation tutorial will walk you through step by step how to sublimate a frosted glass tumbler for the best results.
Supplies to Sublimate on Frosted Glass Tumblers
The trick to getting the best results with sublimation is to combine the best quality sublimation print with the best time and temperature for the sublimation blank you are using. Because all of that varies I am going to tell you the exact materials I am using to achieve the results I did...after a lot of testing.
I do the testing so you don't have to...but keep in mind the results I achieved worked with the exact materials and equipment I have listed below.
When sublimating glass it's important to keep in mind that the image will never look as bold and vibrant as it would on a substrate that's not transparent so dark, bold colors will have the best result while lighter colors like pastels will likely be very washed out. It's also important to remember it takes a long time to sublimate glass.
The sublimation supplies I am using are:
- Thick (11 oz) Mug Press attachment - Part of the 8 in 1 Swing Design Heat Press
- Epson F570 Sublimation Printer with Epson Sublimation Transfer Paper
- Silhouette Studio software
- Glass Can Sublimation Design and Templates
- High Temperature Tape
- Sublimation gloves
- PYD 17 oz Frosted Glass Tumblers with Bamboo Lid (Pack of 6)
How to Print Sublimation Transfers for Frosted Glass Skinny Tumblers
Start by picking your design. There are tons of options for skinny tumbler templates and digital patterns. With the frosted glass I like to use templates and patterns that have a white background so that the negative space stays clear. The sublimation tumbler designs I used are this Monstera Pattern Sublimation Wrap and this Glitter Cactus print which can be customized with a name. Both are 100% commercial and personal use from So Fontsy.
Open Silhouette Studio and adjust the page size to match your printer size. I am printing on my Epson F570 Pro which is a 24" wide sublimation printer. This just allows me to quickly print multiple tumbler wraps at the same time.
From the Page Setup panel select "Printer" as the Media Size.
Open the design in Silhouette Studio. If you're using a digital pattern, use the Draw a Rectangle tool to draw out a rectangle that's about 8.5 x 7.5. These are the dimensions of the PYD 17 oz Frosted Glass Tumblers I'm using. If you imported a sublimation transfer template, adjust the size to match.
Select the design and open the Image Effects tool. From the Color, Contrast, & Brightness tab increase the saturation slightly. This will help make your image pop especially reds and blues. I usually increase the saturation between 30-38, but it will depend on the colors in your design.
If you need to mirror your design do that now by right clicking > Flip Horizontally. The Epson F570 and Epson F170 will do this automatically for you.
When you're ready to print, go to File > Print. If you are using a Sawgrass sublimation printer on a Mac, follow these updated steps to get your design into the Sawgrass Print Manager to take advantage of the color profiles.
You want to print on the highest resolution possible, so find the printer settings and select the options there. These are my Silhouette Studio settings for my Epson F570 sublimation printer when printing directly.
The Epson F570 is a 24" wide sublimation printer which perfectly fits three skinny sublimation tumbler templates in a single row.
Best Mug Press Time and Temperature for Frosted Glass Tumblers
These 17 oz frosted glass tumblers are very skinny so you want to use the straight mug press attachment with the thickest pad. Adjust the pressure knob so it's almost fully extended. Before you turn on the press and it starts warming up, make sure your tumbler fits snuggly with light to medium pressure. You don't want too much pressure or you risk breaking the tumbler.
Warm up the mug press to 400 degrees and set to 120 seconds. You are going to press each half (top & bottom) for a total of 240 seconds, spinning the tumbler 180 degrees at the 120 second mark.
How to Wrap a Frosted Glass Tumbler for Sublimation
Once printed, trim the printed sublimation transfer down so there are no white edges.
Place the tumbler on a flat surface and wrap the sublimation transfer around it using the table as a guide to keep the template straight.
If there's a little lip at the top of the tumbler, you want to trim the sublimation transfer so it's just under that otherwise you'll get a little air gap there. If not, a little overhang at the top should be ok.
Wrap it tightly and hold in place while you using a piece of high temperature tape to tape across the middle. 
Place several more pieces of tape across the wrapped section then one long piece to cover the seam.
How to Sublimate Frosted Glass Skinny Tumblers with a Mug Press
Slide the top half of the tumbler into the heated up mug press and close the press for 120 seconds.
Once the timer goes off, spin the tumbler 180 degrees and repeat for another 120 seconds.
When the first 240 seconds is complete take the frosted tumbler out of the press and slide it in again this time so the bottom half of the tumbler is in the mug press. Press for 120 seconds then rotate 180 degree then press for another 120 seconds.
Wear sublimation gloves to protect your hands while removing the frosted glass tumbler. Wait until the tumbler cools a bit before removing the tape and transfer paper.
These frosted glass sublimation tumblers are so cute! I like the frosted more than the clear glass cans because you can see the design easier.
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I just received one of these glasses . Though the design looks great on them I don’t like the glass because of the lid. It’s hard to drink from it because of the suction.
ReplyDeleteThere is a different brand of these frosted glasses at Walmart, would you recommend the same time and temp?
ReplyDelete