would love to see pics of "can painted" models

[peteski]

ummm, not necessarily true.

 

The way I interpreted Harry's comment was that on your model the the decal goes right over the door line and it is solid red, even in the gap between the door and the fender. On the real car that is not done - the gap shows up as a dark line. If you were to take a a fine dark color marker and ran it in the door line, or apply a dark wash, the model would look more realistic.

[Snake45]

You forgot to mention the Red Bull logo crossing over the door panel line. Would never happen in real life.

First thing I saw on that model, too. MUCH more eye-jarring than any of the "flaws" he pointed out, which barely show up even in the excellent photographs.

[Pete J.]

I would suggest that this is more a function of the way I shot the photo.  On the model, there is a definite recessed panel line across the decal.  From the angle it was shot and the very diffused light that I used, that line does not show and I agree it is very jarring.  I know many people use graphics pens and other methods to highlight panel and shut lines.   To my eye that just doesn't look right.  In the real world, these lines are extraordinarily thin and present a fade line rather than the sharp black like the some modelers favor.  The builders are really trying to mask these lines as much as possible as they disrupt eye as it flows over the body lines.  I appreciate what you are saying.  As I said, this model is "flawed" in many ways. 

[Dann Tier]

I would suggest that this is more a function of the way I shot the photo.  On the model, there is a definite recessed panel line across the decal.  From the angle it was shot and the very diffused light that I used, that line does not show and I agree it is very jarring.  I know many people use graphics pens and other methods to highlight panel and shut lines.   To my eye that just doesn't look right.  In the real world, these lines are extraordinarily thin and present a fade line rather than the sharp black like the some modelers favor.  The builders are really trying to mask these lines as much as possible as they disrupt eye as it flows over the body lines.  I appreciate what you are saying.  As I said, this model is "flawed" in many ways. 

I usually re-scribe my panel lines. this in conjunction with the fact that clearcoat amplifies scratches, means that when the clear partially fills in a panel line, it makes a realistic shadow without adding any. Out in the "full-scale" world, Details we know are there are often unseen. In art school, my instructor told me to "draw what you see, NOT what you KNOW is there. Realism is quite often un-detailed".

Edited November 10, 2016 by Dann Tier

[Pete J.]

I usually re-scribe my panel lines. this in conjunction with the fact that clearcoat amplifies scratches, means that when the clear partially fills in a panel line, it makes a realistic shadow without adding any. Out in the "full-scale" world, Details we know are there are often unseen. In art school, my instructor told me to "draw what you see, NOT what you KNOW is there. Realism is quite often un-detailed".

Dann, with some modification that could easily be a model building mantra, "Build what you see, not what you know is there"  We often forget that this is an art.  . 

[Harry P.]

Whenever you lay down a decal that crosses a panel line, slice the decal with your X-acto along the line and let the decal snug down into the panel line...using a bit of setting solution if needed. In real life graphics don't cross over opening panels in one piece.

[Casey]

Whenever you lay down a decal that crosses a panel line

A what??  Never heard of those.  

 

 

I agree 100% with Harry on this one, and even better is to separate the just-cut edges of the decal over that panel gap just slightly. It's difficult to get the decal to cling to that small radius bend over the panel edge, and over time the ends of the decal tend to lift up in my experience. Cutting it again when the decal is dry isn't a great solution, either.

[Snake45]

Whenever you lay down a decal that crosses a panel line, slice the decal with your X-acto along the line and let the decal snug down into the panel line...using a bit of setting solution if needed. In real life graphics don't cross over opening panels in one piece.

I scribe out my door lines. When I decal goes over the line, when it's dry, I run a SHARP blade on BOTH sides of the line and completely remove the "kerf" piece.

[Dann Tier]

Dann, with some modification that could easily be a model building mantra, "Build what you see, not what you know is there"  We often forget that this is an art.  . 

In my opinion, its the best art! -its a collection of many great art forms all rolled into one!!

[D. Battista]

Didn't want to copy all the pics... Harry those are some awesome builds...Excellent rattle can work also...!!!!

and a lot of nice work by posted others too..!

really enjoyed this thread...

[Pete J.]

Whenever you lay down a decal that crosses a panel line, slice the decal with your X-acto along the line and let the decal snug down into the panel line...using a bit of setting solution if needed. In real life graphics don't cross over opening panels in one piece.

I don't know how many decals I have screwed up that way, especially a curved line like the bottom of a door panel.  The line almost always comes out uneven and then I try to run some dilute paint or something else in there to clean it up and it looks like ...well, you know.  I have another model and I am working on the sixth or seventh paint job because the decals or the paint has defeated me.  I am not proud to admit it, but for me, if it ain't right, it ain't right.  Now to be fair, I have been experimenting with new paints, but it is a very complex decal job.

[Pete J.]

I scribe out my door lines. When I decal goes over the line, when it's dry, I run a SHARP blade on BOTH sides of the line and completely remove the "kerf" piece.

When the door line is relatively straight that works, but often the doors I work with have a moderate radius at the bottom that the blade will not follow easily.  That scares the hell out me to do that because by that point the model is almost done.

[Harry P.]

I don't know how many decals I have screwed up that way, especially a curved line like the bottom of a door panel.  The line almost always comes out uneven...

I don't know why it's not working for you. Just let the panel line guide the knife, you need almost no pressure. I can't imagine why you're having problems, it's really a super simple operation. Slit the decal, apply setting solution to the edges, and the decal edges will snug right down into the panel line. No paint needed. 

[Gt fan]

These decals cover every inch. The lambo is just decals . It took three sheets to complete. There is no paint on the body at all. The mac is the kit decals.

[Pete J.]

I don't know why it's not working for you. Just let the panel line guide the knife, you need almost no pressure. I can't imagine why you're having problems, it's really a super simple operation. Slit the decal, apply setting solution to the edges, and the decal edges will snug right down into the panel line. No paint needed. 

 

Can't get around the curves without the knife going astray.  Do you use a #11 blade or something else.  Lately I have been trying a #23 scalpel.  It works great as long as the panel line is straight but it is like a drag racer.  I just can't get around the curves without it getting out of the groove or making a ragged cut.

[Harry P.]

Sounds like you are trying too hard, and holding the knife too tightly. Take a scrap body and just practice letting your knife blade follow the panel lines. I use a regular old #11 blade... just let the panel line guide the knife, don't try to "follow" the curve yourself. The panel line will guide the knife without you trying to help. There's a knack to it, but once you "get it," it's super easy.

[Snake45]

Can't get around the curves without the knife going astray.  Do you use a #11 blade or something else.  Lately I have been trying a #23 scalpel.  It works great as long as the panel line is straight but it is like a drag racer.  I just can't get around the curves without it getting out of the groove or making a ragged cut.

It works best of course if the door line is scribed out deeper. The #1 blade rides the slot just like a slot car--first one side, then the other. Bam!

[Gt fan]

I use a scalpel with a step blade. I get them from my mother-n-law she is a doctor. With some decal set you can just touch it with the blade and it goes right though. On a really tight curve I use the red label decal set or the scale motorsports stuff and a hair dryer . Q-tips work well dipped in decal set as well.

[PARTSMARTY]

What Harry said is spot on-decals shouldn't be so hard.