Making a personalized photo plate is a great way to add a personal touch to your home. Why not start your wall plate display and call it your hall of fame!
Even better than that, they make wonderful gifts for Christmas, birthdays, or other memorable occasions, such as the arrival of a new baby! Your friend might like a photo plate of their family, pets, or a picture you know they would love. You could even add the year to the photo before printing to make the plate even more special.
Please note that the plates produced by either of these methods are not food safe or dishwasher safe. They are for display only.
How To Make Personalized Photo Plates With Mod Podge
This method is easy. Also, you need to allow some time for drying and curing.
When you’re working with the spray cans, make sure you’re in a well-ventilated area.
You’ll Need
- Glass plate
- Printed paper photo
- Scrap of lace, large enough to cover the plate
- Spray paint in 2 colors
- Mod Podge
- Foam brush
- Scissors
- Glass cleaner
- Paper towel
- Spray adhesive
- Polyurethane spray
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Spray a piece of paper towel with glass cleaner and clean the plate.
- Turn the plate upside down.
- Place the printed page with the photo on top of the plate. Press down on the inner circle to get a round crease on the paper.
- Cut the photo out by cutting along the crease.
- Squeeze some Mod Podge into the center of the plate.
- Use the foam brush to spread it in the inner circle, where the photo will go.
- Place the photo on the Mod Podge upside down.
- Use your fingers to press the photo down completely.
- Wait 20 minutes.
- Squeeze some Mod Podge into the center of the plate on top of the photo.
- Use the foam brush to spread the Mod Podge.
- Wait 20 minutes.
- Spray a light coat of adhesive on the lace.
- Place the lace on the back of the plate over the photo.
- Use your hands to press the lace down to ensure even coverage.
- Spray the first color of paint on the lace, covering the whole plate.
- Pull the lace off.
- Wait 20 minutes.
- Spray the plate with the second color paint.
- Wait 30 minutes.
- Spray the plate with another coat of the second color paint.
- Wait 2 hours.
- When the paint is completely dry, spray with polyurethane spray to seal the surface.
- Allow to dry per the manufacturer’s instructions.
- Turn the plate over and admire your handiwork!
How To Make Personalized Photo Plates With An Iron
This tutorial is super easy, and the last section can be done while you watch TV.
This method will only work if you use a sublimation plate and sublimation paper.
Sublimation paper is a specialized kind of paper that is generally used for printing images onto clothing. This technique uses the heat of the iron to transfer the image from the paper to the plate.
You’ll Need
- White sublimation plate
- Tape measure
- Electric Iron
- Sublimation paper (to print photo) – check that the paper is suitable for your brand of printer
- Printer
- Scissors
- Tape
Step-By-Step Instructions
- Measure the inner circle of your plate to get the dimensions for your photo.
- Print a circular photo on sublimation paper. If you aren’t able to print a circular photo, print a square based on the size of the inner circle of the plate.
- Cut out the photo.
- Place the photo upside down on the plate.
- Tape the photo in place.
- Gently hold the iron over the top of the photo and rotate the plate at the same time. Do this for 15 minutes. Make sure you keep the iron moving.
- Remove the tape.
- Remove the photo.
- Admire!