Home printed decals

Started by Papyrus, August 17, 2022, 04:04:44 PM

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Papyrus

Help!

I designed a set of decals for my Peckett saddle tank project and printed them out on decal paper using a laser printer. They are yellow text and lining to go on Tamiya Dull Red paint. I tried a test decal to see how it looked, and I was hugely disappointed to find that the print was so faint as to be illegible against the red background. The decals are set to pure yellow which I would have thought would have given the densest colour. How can I make the colour more intense? The main colour is quite dark, so I don't think darkening the yellow would help.

All ideas gratefully considered.

Cheers,

Chris

NScaleNotes

Yellow is tricky plus the dithering i.e. 'blending' toners to get the right colour.
When I have decals laser printed they always print yellow on top of white. Unfortunately, you're unlikely to have one to hand but this is where 'ghost' white toner comes in.

You copy the yellow lettering you have but make the copy lettering black, place the ghost toner in your black toner slot and print the decals.
You then have an identical set of white lettering you can apply under the yellow.

Ghost toner is quite expensive though and probably only goes in certain printers.

So can you print another set in yellow to put on top of the existing set to see if that makes the colour more opaque?

ntpntpntp

I agree, yellow needs to sit on top of white.   

As I've mentioned in other decal-related threads I'm fortunate in having a printer which can print in white, but it is ancient 1990s technology well out of production now. I print a base layer or two of white to go underneath the actual colour.

If/when my printer finally fails or the cartridges become totally unobtainable then I'll be looking toward something like Ghost White toner.
Nick.   2021 celebrating the 25th anniversary of "Königshafen" exhibition layout!
https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=50050.0

zwilnik

Another option is trickier, but if you paint the area white then print the decal with the background to match the rest of the paintwork. (the tricky bit being getting the colours matched). It's not so difficult on black locos, but getting an accurate colour match might take a few test prints on normal paper first.

njee20

I have a Ghost White toner and I print a white 'under decal', then apply the proper one over the top. I don't do 'two pass' printing, as it doesn't tend to be accurate, I just apply two decals. Makes a huge difference.

The Freightliner logos were done in this way (the white lettering is straight from the Ghost White toner). This really highlights the edge of the decal paper, must sort that! 



Papyrus

Thanks for the replies, chaps, but I don't think a second layer of decals is going to work. They are to go on my Peckett tank model - this is the prototype:



Some of the decals are absolutely tiny. The 'No 10' for instance is 3 separate decals. My chances of getting two decals to register is non-existent. I believe there are companies who will do custom transfers, so I might check them out.

Cheers,

Chris

ntpntpntp

#6
Begs the question why is No. 10 three separate decals?     I'd produce that as a single decal probably with the build plate too unless you've got a brass etch for that?  Preferably with a large enough backing film to cover the entire side panel as far as the rivets - that way the decal edges are less obvious when varnished over.


This unit was re-liveried way back in 2005.  If look very closely you can see a few decal edges which I probably should have made into full panels but it's not bad from normal distance.

Nick.   2021 celebrating the 25th anniversary of "Königshafen" exhibition layout!
https://www.ngaugeforum.co.uk/SMFN/index.php?topic=50050.0

acook




Just did this using Paint.net. using the standard red & yellow. If you can get the red to match..........
If you print on white decal paper this will be fine.

Alan

acook

https://www.rmweb.co.uk/blogs/entry/12905-home-made-lining-lettering-1/

This is an excellent guide to making decal artwork, from "another place"

Alan

Papyrus

Quote from: ntpntpntp on August 18, 2022, 01:45:16 PM
Begs the question why is No. 10 three separate decals?     I'd produce that as a single decal

I would have done it as a single decal if I could, but the superscript, underscored o was so small it had to be in a different font from the rest. I couldn't get it to work as one piece.

Thanks for the link, Alan. I'll take a look at that.

Cheers,

Chris

njee20

Just highlight the individual character and change the font on that. Or compile the elements and then manipulate it as a single image. That's what I tend to do - the difference between 2pt and 3pt font is massive, design the artwork in 60pt, paste as an image and you can do what you want size wise. A two-layer decal will definitely work, but I understand why you'd not want to do it.

NinOz

Quote from: acook on August 18, 2022, 05:08:46 PM

If you print on white decal paper this will be fine.

I thought this would be the obvious answer or is there some problem with white decal sheets.  Accurate trimming perhaps?
To be called pompous and arrogant - hell of a come down.
I tried so hard to be snobbish and haughty.

| Carpe Jugulum |

NScaleNotes

Quote from: acook on August 18, 2022, 05:08:46 PM

If you can get the red to match..........


I think that'd be the biggest challenge, I think most reds will be dithered when printed on a laser printer and that probably won't look too good over a large area.

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