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Gyft Playmat (Icy)

Father Wolf

By Father Wolf
in Graphic Showcase

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Father Wolf

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Crap' date=' that's amazing.

 

I wish this could be playable.

[/quote']

[spoiler=How to Make an IRL custom playmat tutorial]

materials

 

 

Laptop/Computer – You’ll need this to design your mat.

Printer (preferably inkjet) – You’ll need this to print your design out.

Ink – You’ll need this to print, duh. Cost : (this is for my pixima 1600 cannon printer) 16.00 for color, and 6.00 for black.

Transfer paper – HP Transfer Paper. I’ve tested all kinds, and this is the best. Cost: 16.00 at Office Max, Office Depot, or Fry’s Electronics.

Scissors – Nice big blue sharp ones are good. Careful, don’t run with them.

Blank Mat – be sure to get the kind described as “the same material as top 8 mats”

Iron – most generic irons suffice

 

Note: The cost of the printer, computer, scissors, and iron are irrelevant for this guide.

Total cost for materials: $ 48 (with one mat) + taxes = about $54

 

 

Now, be sure you’ve got ALL of your materials, as it will be impossible to make the mat if you’re missing any of them.

 

 

Step 1 -

 

Get on your laptop/computer and find images that suite your taste. Using photo-editing software (this can even be MS paint), crop and edit the images to your liking. Be sure you’ve got them the way you like. Tip: I find it best to put dark borders around your images/ text, which makes it easier to cut them out while adding a vivid image effect to the mat.

 

 

Step 2 -

 

Print the images onto the transfer paper. Be sure to select “Transfer paper” from your printer’s settings, as the images need to be printed in REVERSE. (this is also told to you in the instructions you get when you buy the transfer paper). Tip: Use Microsoft PowerPoint to insert the images into slides before you print. That way you can move them around, stretch and size them to your liking. Furthermore, this allows you to fit more on one page so you don’t waste your precious paper.

 

 

Step 3 –

 

Make sure you have all your images printed out. Take time out to make sure everything printed correctly (reversed). Grab your scissors and begin cutting your images out. Leave a small border of about 1/12 th of an inch in white transfer paper. In other words, don’t cut the picture itself out, but cut around a small “invisible” border on the picture. This will take you the most time, as you want to cut as neatly as possible. Tip: Do not try to make a mat with a lot of small images, they are a pain in the rear to cut.

 

 

Step 4 -

 

Now place your cut images onto the mat to give you a sense of how it will look. Next turn them around (so that the images face down). Make sure you don’t accidentally turn one the wrong direction! You don’t want an upside down picture on a part of your mat! While the images are on the mat, carefully measure where you want them to go. Place small dots (very tiny) to help you place them in their spot when you’re ready to begin ironing. After you’ve done this, remove the images from the mat in an orderly manner and place them in an area that is within reach. While you do this, turn on your iron to pre- heat on it’s highest/second to highest setting. Tip: Do not leave the iron near anything flammable such as: clothing, furniture, animals, small children. (I put my ferrets back into their cage!)

 

 

Step 5 -

 

After your iron is hot, place ONE image back into it’s place on the mat (with the image facing down) and carefully iron it into place. The transfer paper goes into more depth as to how to correctly do this, so read that. In brief terms, just press down with some strength as you iron. Do this for about 1-2 minutes and then add another picture. As you move from picture to picture, revisit old ones with the iron to make sure they completely transfer. Tip: Do the ironing on a sturdy table that is below your waistline, that way you can apply pressure without putting yourself in compromising positions. Also, DO NOT do this on an ironing board.

 

 

Step 6 -

 

Go grab yourself a coke/water, at this point you’ll be sweating form all the heat you’ll be exposed to. You also deserve it for getting this far into the process. As you do that, you allow for the images to cool off on the mat. After a good 15-20 minutes, the images should be completely cool. Carefully pull off the paper. Soon you will have your mat! Tip: If the transfer doesn’t completely work, then don’t panic. DO NOT remove the paper, leave it on. Reheat your iron and give it about another minute’s worth of ironing.

 

 

Step 7 -

 

There you have it, you’re very own mat! Why is there a step 7? Well you need to clean up, of course.

 

 

 

its awesome' date=' but shouldn't the render be behind the boxes so you can still see them?

[/quote']

 

some yes some no i fined the boxes on top kinda kill the epicness of the art.

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