Finish over image transferred to a wood Mug ?

[Clarence Martinn]

Will putting a Polyurethane finish on a wood mug that had an image transferred to it, damage the picture ?

[al heitz]

What the ink base for the image? Make a test on the side to see if the solvent in the finish will affect the image. Some inks will dissolve and bleed with an oil base or shellac pre-finish. If so, try a water base finish. If not, for example I use inkjet photos, I use a rattle can shellac. But permanent markers and Sharpies would bleed with any poly or shellac.
Shellac or poly works fine over laser etchings.

[Clarence Martinn]

What the ink base for the image? Make a test on the side to see if the solvent in the finish will affect the image. Some inks will dissolve and bleed with an oil base or shellac pre-finish. If so, try a water base finish. If not, for example I use inkjet photos, I use a rattle can shellac. But permanent markers and Sharpies would bleed with any poly or shellac.
Shellac or poly works fine over laser etchings.

Standard inkjet printer cartridge ink.