Before applying the film, the surface to be printed is pre-treated, including priming and sanding. The film is placed in a large container on the surface of the water, and an activator is added. The object is then dipped into the water, causing the ink layer on the water’s surface to cover the object’s surface evenly. This results in the desired pattern or image being applied in a thin layer to the customer’s selected surface. Finally, a glossy or matte lacquer is applied to provide UV and abrasion resistance for the part.