Making Custom Decals

[andy12646]

I decided to make my own custom decals for a recent build. I created the decals using Microsoft Word to scale the text and to use the various colors available with the program. My problem is that, when the decal is applied, the text isn't heavy enough. It's as through the text is opaque and doesn't stand out from the painted surface. I'm using an HP Inkjet printer and Testors clear decal paper. The paper doesn't specify that is is for a Laserjet or Inkjet. And I did seal the printed decals with a light clear coat. Does anyone have any input? Sure could use some help!

[aurfalien]

Hi,

I had this very same issue.

You need to switch to white decal paper.

The clear with show whatever base color is on your car.  You simply will never have enough pigment using ink/laser to change that.

This is why Alps printers are the way to go.

HTH as they say.

[Bernard Kron]

Making home made decals is an essential element of my build style. I'd say well over half of the models I've evr built have them. I use an inkjet printer and learning how to get the most out of them was a critical part of developing my skills. ALPS printers are increasingly rare, having been out of production for many years, and expensive to own and operate. Good decal work can be done with inexpensive home inkjet printers but you have to understand the limitations of the medium.

First off, understand that your inkjet printer "assumes" that the surface it's printing on is white. All modern inkjet printers come with a variety of paper settings. When it comes to decal stock make sure that you've set it for glossy photo paper. This will ensure that it prints as much pigment as it is designed to do. Also print to as high a resolution as the printer is capable of. I have a cheap Canon printer and it will print at 600 dpi so I make sure my art is 600 dpi. Whatever the maximum resolution of your art can be, use it. This will help eliminate rough edges and also assure, along with the photo pap[er setting, that you're laying down the maximum amount of ink.

BUT... as I said, the printer assumes a white background, so you need to "pick your battles". For example, I've done quite a few race cars where the background color is light. Then I adjust my colors to deal with the fact that if I'm using clear decal paper, the rsulting dolor of my decal will be a combination of the underlying color with the shade if used in my artwork. This is an example of a bright yellow car with red and green decals. The red, especially, was affected by the underlying yellow shade:

Of course, the simplest thing to do when using clear decal paper is to paint the body white! Fortunately, for race cars, this is a common scheme, like this:

Because the clear stock is transparent and the inkjet ink is translucent, you can also achieve candy and metalflake effects by laying your clear stock printed decal over a metallic base, like this:

As Brian pointed out, another solution is to print on white decal stock. The downside of white stock is that it's thicker than clear, less flexible, and doesn't lay down as well. Also, the white edges show due to the thickness of the stock. But if you trim carefully you can get excellent results. The big advantage is that ensures true color every time. Also, it permits white lettering. Here's amodel currently on my bench where all the decals were printed on white decal stock:

Making your own decals is a powerful creative tool Excellent rsults can be had using an inexpensive home inkjet printer and basic quality decal stock. Like everything else in our wonderful hobby, experimentation and experience are the key.

[Tom Geiger]

Note that professionally printed decals first print a solid white underlay and then print the design on top of that.  That's why you can use a kit decal over dark colors. 

As Bernard said,  ALPS printers were popular because they could print white, gold and silver. There are no printers on the market today that can do that. There are some guys in the hobby that will print your decals on an ALPS printer for you.

Printing decals on an inkjet is all about planning a project. If doing a fictional race car or light commercial vehicle, you can plan your paint job to either be a very light color, or a two tone where your decals will be on the lighter area.  Using dark ink colors also helps a lot.

Blue ink over silver paint worked fine on this one.

For the taxi I used a mix of kit decals for the Checkers logo, the taxi stripe and the telephone. The number "32", the phone number,  (which is my old phone in NJ), the word TAXI and the ad on the topper were all printed on Testors clear decal stock on my Canon inkjet.

Edited May 22, 2017 by Tom Geiger

[Foxer]

This is a dark blue van with a ton of bumper sticker decals I made. I had to use white decal paper but they can even be read! The problem with white is trimming them. Most of these were straight edged but you can see the curved ones I had to trim. It's like Benard said, plan ahead and you can get around the see through character of these.

Edited May 22, 2017 by Foxer

[andy12646]

Great information, Guys. VERY helpful! Thank you! I'll keep trying.

[aurfalien]

Hi,

I've messed with a few different brands and so for me the best white decal paper is Lazertran.  Not real crazy about the Testors white.

 

[aurfalien]

Hi,

This was a car I did using Lazertran white decals, it has a satin sheen to it;

 

The decals have since, started to come off so I suggest spraying them down once dry.

Edited May 22, 2017 by aurfalien

[peteski]

My go-to decal paper  (I use it with Alps printer) is from Bare-Metal Foil (yes the BMF people).  I use the laser paper version -  have never tried the ink-jet version of the paper so I can't comment on that.

[aurfalien]

Interesting, its it shiny or flat or in between?

How thick and flexible is it?

The Lazertran stuff is pretty tough and flexible which allowed me to slightly stretch it over curves on that PITA Renault pictured above.

But I like the BMF brand in general.

Edited May 23, 2017 by aurfalien

[peteski]

BMF decal paper for laser printers has a glossy clear film.  I have never encountered flat-finish decal paper for laser printers. But it might be possible that the ink jet paper has a different sheen as the clear film has an additional ink-absorbing coating which could have satin finish.

[Tom Geiger]

BMF decal paper for laser printers has a glossy clear film.  I have never encountered flat-finish decal paper for laser printers. But it might be possible that the ink jet paper has a different sheen as the clear film has an additional ink-absorbing coating which could have satin finish.

I remember one brand of clear decal sheet that wasn't too cooperative, so I put a coat of Testors Dulcote on the sheet before printing.

Also since nobody mentioned sealing the decals after printing,  I wait 24 hours and give them a few light coats of Testors Decal Fixative

[aurfalien]

I remember one brand of clear decal sheet that wasn't too cooperative, so I put a coat of Testors Dulcote on the sheet before printing.

Also since nobody mentioned sealing the decals after printing,  I wait 24 hours and give them a few light coats of Testors Decal Fixative

Hi,

Yes I found out painfully as the car pictured above is now missing half its decals, the big body panel ones I might add.  I will add sealing to my repertoire.

Edited May 24, 2017 by aurfalien

[peteski]

Yes, ink-jet ink in consumer-grade printers is water-soluble.  Water washes it away. Alps ink or laser printer toner do not have that problem - they are water-resistant.

Edited May 25, 2017 by peteski