Photo Transfer to Soda Can

This instructable shows you an easy and fast way how to transfer photos to soda cans.

The basic process is that you copy your picture first onto regular paper. Then you transfer the photo to a self-adhesive film. Thereafter you stick the film to a soda can. Follow the silhouette of your photo with a soldering iron. The soldering iron will act like a knife and you end up with a stencil on the soda can. This stencil then can either be used to etch the open aluminum or to transfer ink onto the soda can. After removal of the stencil you will have your beautiful picture on the soda can.

To complete this project, you need the following items:

• Soda can (where the ink is removed)
• Edding
• Nail polish
• Vinegar
• Salt
• Cotton pads
• 12V battery and wires
• Knife
• Soldering iron
• Salad bowl with hand-warm water
• Scissors
• Transparent self-adhesive film
• Black and white silhouette picture

Before you start to transfer a picture to a soda can you have to remove the inprints on the outside wall of the can. I already posted an Instructable that demonstrates an easy method for ink removal from soda cans. You can find the Instructable here: How to removal the ink from soda cans

Choose a black and white picture with a clear silhouette. I downloaded my example from Mt. Rushmore from the internet. Another easy example is the cover of the HOT SPACE album from Queen. If you want to create your own pictures I recommend you to download the free software GIMP 2.8. Then search in the internet for tutorials how to generate black and white pictures. Already think about the size that you will need so the picture fits nicely on the soda can.

Then print out your picture on regular paper with a laser printer. Since I have only an ink jet printer I printed my picture at home and went to a local shop to make a laser copy. Adjust the settings at the copy machine to the darkest position possible.

Fix the transparent self-adhesive film over the copy. The quality of the film does not really matter. If it is a thicker one it will melt differently when you later on use the soldering iron. Then cut out the picture you want to transfer with scissors.

Now comes the magic …. fill a salat bowl with hand-warm water and incubate the photo for about 7 minutes.

After 7 minutes place the picture onto a flat surface with the paper side facing against you. Then start rubbing gently to remove the wet paper (see video). The magic thing here is that the black ink will stick to the transparent self-adhesive film whereas the paper is removed. If the water is too warm you will remove the ink also. Maybe you need to repeat that step various times until the paper is completely removed. Then dry the film until you feel that it starts sticking again. Fix the picture to a soda can where you have removed the ink. You can even stop here since you have decorated the soda can with a nice decal.

Now you need the soldering iron. With the hot tip of the soldering iron you follow slowly the silhouette of your picture. The hot tip will melt the film and will act like a knife. With a sharp object you can then remove the cuts (see video). Repeat that step until you have all the black parts removed. Now you have generated a stencil on the soda can like for a spray painting. Fill the open parts with Edding, nail polish or use the etching procedure.

Here is the fairly simple way to etch the aluminum can. Take the negative lead from a 12V battery and connect it with the soda can. The positive lead is connected to a cotton pad. The cotton pad is wetted with a solution made from vinegar and salt (1:1 ratio). Place the wetted cotton pad onto the soda can without creating a short cut. You can even hear the process of etching and the cotton pad is getting a little bit warm. A light etch is produced in 10 seconds, several minutes will give a deep etch. If all the open aluminum parts are covered remove the stencil.

Of course, you can also just fill the open parts with nail polish. As soon as the ink has dried you can remove the stencil. If you do not like the result you can easily wipe off the color with nail polish remover. The result with nail polish or Edding is much more darker than with etching (see picture with the two results).

I hope you like this creative reuse of a soda cans.