How can I make charms for jewellery using my own photos and images?

07 Mar 2010

7 Mar, 2010 photo jewelry making

I am setting up a handmade jewellery business and would love to be able to make charms with my own photos. I have heard of shrink plastic but I can’t seem to find any UK suppliers.
Thanks

There are lots of ways of making "charms" with photographic images on them besides using shrink plastic and I don’t even know if it would work all that well. If you’re really interested in finding and using shrink plastics though, check out this page at my site for brands, lessons, tips, etc.:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/MISC.htm
(…click on SHRINKING Plastics)
Then try googling a brand name or just "shrink plastic" in quotes along with the word UK.

Other ways though are to basically just decoupage images (photos, photocopies, inkjet prints, magazine images, etc.) onto a surface.
Or to put those images under a coat of epoxy resin or epoxy glue (or cast in molds with polyester resin) or just under several layers of gloss polyurethane… other things will work too but may be more scratchable so give a final coat of polyuethane.

There are various ways to "transfer" images too from transfer or other special papers or to make "decals" that can be put anywhere you like.

There’s more info on those things on these pages at my site if you’re interested:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/transfers.htm
http://glassattic.com/polymer/other_materials.htm
…and here for decoupage:
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+decoupage

HTH,

Diane B.

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5 Responses

Robyn B
2010 Mar 07 1

If you go on the forums on http://www.craftster.org you might be able to get some more specialist advice from the people there at the jewlery section, I’m sure I have seen people doing stuff like that on there and they should be able to show you how.
References :
Shala K
2010 Mar 08 2

Try rubber stamping supply stores in the UK for shrink plastic. But you can also use resin and print out a picture on paper, seal it, then put it in a mold with resin. Also look for photo transfer techniques with polymer clay.
References :
jazzy!
2010 Mar 08 3

well u could alwayss print out ur photots on photo paper but make it small useing photo shop and stick it to a button and cover it with a clear plastic =]
References :
♥ Cute ♥ Kitty ♥
2010 Mar 08 4

If you go on the forums on http://www.craftster.org you might be able to get some more specialist advice from the people there at the jewlery section, I’m sure I have seen people doing stuff like that on there and they should be able to show you how.
References :
Diane B.
2010 Mar 08 5

There are lots of ways of making "charms" with photographic images on them besides using shrink plastic and I don’t even know if it would work all that well. If you’re really interested in finding and using shrink plastics though, check out this page at my site for brands, lessons, tips, etc.:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/MISC.htm
(…click on SHRINKING Plastics)
Then try googling a brand name or just "shrink plastic" in quotes along with the word UK.

Other ways though are to basically just decoupage images (photos, photocopies, inkjet prints, magazine images, etc.) onto a surface.
Or to put those images under a coat of epoxy resin or epoxy glue (or cast in molds with polyester resin) or just under several layers of gloss polyurethane… other things will work too but may be more scratchable so give a final coat of polyuethane.

There are various ways to "transfer" images too from transfer or other special papers or to make "decals" that can be put anywhere you like.

There’s more info on those things on these pages at my site if you’re interested:
http://glassattic.com/polymer/transfers.htm
http://glassattic.com/polymer/other_materials.htm
…and here for decoupage:
http://www.google.com/search?q=how+to+decoupage

HTH,

Diane B.
References :

Jewelry Making