water transfer printing? (hydrographics)

Duddeee, I love this video. I laughed that you happen to have linked it. I thought it was fairly esoteric [I notice now 3 million views.] I'm pretty sure I've watched it twice. Once before, then another day whenI just wanted to see it again (and now a third time.) I believe it's called water based silkscreening. Not super easy to do at home.  You can lookup water silkscreening though. 

The gist of it, I believe, is:  Water bed.  Oils. Mask. Take mask, place over water, spray oil paint. Remove mask. Add mask 2. Have image floating on water now. Dip item into water.

But it's trickier than that .

EDIT: it's actually called water transfer printing.

Edit2: A lot of places uses some sort of print that you can place on the water and the backing presumably dissolves. Mask based application of the paint layer is not required

The processes is called "Hydrographics" ; or Immersion Printing.

The print to transfer is on Polyvinyl alchohol which is floated in the vat and an activator is sprayed over it which causes it to dissolve and activates as an adhesive... and then you submerge it down through the layer... remove it and then spray it with a 'top coat'. Its how they usually apply the 'faux wood' or 'faux carbon' finishes to wheels/dashes/center consoles; etc...

An example activator: http://hgarts.com/en/hydrographic-suppl … activators
You also want Clearcoats (the prints are very fragile; need this to protect them) : http://hgarts.com/es/hydrographic-supplies/clearcoats
Base paints: http://hgarts.com/en/hydrographic-suppl … ing-paints
And Primers: http://hgarts.com/en/hydrographic-supplies/primers

I'll let you chase up the MSDS sheets if you want more technical details than that on the products and 'secret sauce'

You could hydrographic print onto a 3D object sure - but not sure any part of this process has direct relevance to 3D printing itself any more than any other lump of object you want to print onto (phone cases, steering wheel, dash board, etc) ...

Local printers can probably do this for you - the immersion machines themselves can be had for about $5k off of Alibaba... search around for immersion printers/hydrographics services.... You can also by the films off of alibaba in the standard types of 'camo', 'carbon', 'metal', etc...  So yeah, the process is pretty straight forward - once you have the submersion bath and the activator and clearcoat... and someway to get the films you want... About $8k inc delivery from Alibaba should see you up and running

As far as texturing a 3d print goes - well - theres no reason you can't think oldskool - standard stucco paint and paint effects work, and model shops tend to sell craploads of texture/effect paints... most of which are designed for use on ABS...

There is another version that doesn't use film, but dyes that float on the water. Very poular with guitars.

The guitar method used on spiral vases would come out real nice.