Here is Liam Molina, a graphic design major using the heat press to transfer his design to the pencil. “We hold this event to show the students how to use the heat press and we would like to see them make their own design and heat press it,” Perea said.
Command G hosted a workshop on March 26, teaching students how to use the heat press on vinyl. To use a heat press, artists start in Adobe Illustrator and simplify a design so the cut line isn’t overlapping on itself. If it overlaps, it will just keep cutting through the vinyl. Once artists are satisfied with their design, they export it by compressing it and choosing a vinyl of their liking. Then the design is sent to the plotter with the heat press vinyl and they cut on the matte side. They don’t want it to cut through the plastic side because the plastic helps it stick to the fabric that you have, whether it be a t-shirt or a pencil bag. Before you put in the heat press you have to weed out the plastic part that you don’t want to be transferred to the fabric. Because you cut your design on the vinyl you still have to weed out the design. When you take out all the vinyl you don’t want it to get transferred to the fabric. In the end, after you have heat pressed it, you have to let it cool for thirty seconds then you can peel the excess plastic and then you’re done. (Jose De Luna / Hilltop Views)
Command G had pre-cut the design and provided pencil bags to print on, but if students wanted to they could have brought their own fabric object. This is where all the pre-cut designs that each student has available to choose from, coming in a variety of designs and colors for their pencil bags. (Jose De Luna / Hilltop Views)This is what the heat press looks like, with the protective fabric that is used when you use the heat to protect your design which helps transfer design to whatever fabric you are using. “We designed them for the students and printed them because we know that it can be a pain,” President of Command G Jade Perea said. (Jose De Luna / Hilltop Views)After heat pressing your design to the fabric, you have to let it cool down for thirty seconds. After you let it cool down you can peel off the plastic and your design will have transferred over to the fabric. (Jose De Luna / Hilltop Views)These are some of the students that finished their pencil bag designs. They mentioned how creative and relaxing this process can be. (Jose De Luna / Hilltop Views)These are everyone’s pencil bags. They designed the pencil bag by using the pre-cut designs that Command G provided. (Jose De Luna / Hilltop Views)
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