Using crafty computer papers?

petercharlesfagg · October 23, 2014, 10:57:01 AM

Friends,

Around the 'net there a number of tutorials about using the transfers that can be produced using the subject papers but................

I for one, cannot understand how to produce the lettering in the first place using "Word 2003" and then reduce or increase the size for printing?

The ideas I have tried are either enormous or too titchy to be of any worth! (I have discarded my early attempts because of this disparity)

I DO UNDERSTAND the using of the opaque or the clear ground but getting the size just right is eluding me!

Obviously the size varies from body to body as regards length whereas the height for goods wagons is about average, or at least an acceptably reproduce-able size.

Perhaps there is a formula that a simpleton like myself can understand?

Should I be using some other software editing programme or is there a trick to using "Word 2003"?

Any clean suggestrions would be appreciated.

Regards, Peter.

(PS, I found nothing under the "Tutorials section" perhaps someone with greater knowledge and expertise could construct such?)

Agrippa · October 23, 2014, 11:15:05 AM

I don't use Word, I use a free but similar system now and then though I don't print transfers.

To increase or decrease lettering you use the font size adjustment.

Will experiment and get back.

Agrippa · October 23, 2014, 11:21:26 AM

Further to above when you choose the font style like Times New Roman or whatever there may be a box
at the side to choose the size. If you know the size you need for a goods wagon you could experiment on plain
paper till you get the size exact before printing on the transfer paper. Perhaps someone more savvy can
expand .

Hope this helps.

martink · October 23, 2014, 11:22:14 AM

You could try using Paint to create the text instead of Word. Its Page Setup command includes a "Scaling" field that lets you specify any percentage size you like. You can use the Print Preview command to check it, or print it out once at 100%, measure the result and compare it to the size you want, then choose a percentage that gets you where you want to go. I use this for everything from signal post number plates to station nameboards to DIY paper/card building kits.

bees · October 23, 2014, 11:22:44 AM

Hi there,

Instead of adjusting the font size, you'd be better adjusting the printing size which is usually found in the advanced print option settings, this would mean reducing or increasing as a percentage.

Steven

Dorsetmike · October 23, 2014, 05:12:27 PM

I use the text tool in a photo editing programme, usually working at a larger scale and then downsizing; DO NOT USE .JPG FORMAT, WORK WITH .TIF OR .BMP downsizing jpg's usually results in blurred text or lining.

Do a test print to plain paper first, decal sheets cost a lot more than paper.

If you intend to do a lot of decals, find a cheaper supplier than Crafty, I get mine for USA, less than half of the price even allowing for postage from USA.

petercharlesfagg · October 23, 2014, 05:16:19 PM

Quote from: Dorsetmike on October 23, 2014, 05:12:27 PM
I use the text tool in a photo editing programme, usually working at a larger scale and then downsizing; DO NOT USE .JPG FORMAT, WORK WITH .TIF OR .BMP downsizing jpg's usually results in blurred text or lining.

Do a test print to plain paper first, decal sheets cost a lot more than paper.

If you intend to do a lot of decals, find a cheaper supplier than Crafty, I get mine for USA, less than half of the price even allowing for postage from USA.

Thankyou, can you be more specific about the photo editing programme?

I have the Microsoft Office Picture Manager or Irfanview, are either of those any use?

Peter.

petercharlesfagg · October 23, 2014, 05:19:43 PM

Quote from: martink on October 23, 2014, 11:22:14 AM
You could try using Paint to create the text instead of Word. Its Page Setup command includes a "Scaling" field that lets you specify any percentage size you like. You can use the Print Preview command to check it, or print it out once at 100%, measure the result and compare it to the size you want, then choose a percentage that gets you where you want to go. I use this for everything from signal post number plates to station nameboards to DIY paper/card building kits.

Thankyou, is that "Paint.net"?

There is the version 3.3x , 3.5 loaded on my PC.

Peter.

AC · October 23, 2014, 05:57:18 PM

Microsoft Windows usually has a program just called Paint installed on it which is probably what martink was refering to, but Paint.net works just as well. I haven't got as far as printing off my own transfers yet, but I designed some using Paint.net for one of my OO Gauge projects that I've half started.

The method I used to get the lettering the right height was probably a bit more complicated than this thread really requires, but you can set the amount of space you've got to work on in centimeters or inches to match the size of the space on your wagon before you try using the text tool. That should give you an idea as to how big the text will be when you print it.

Dorsetmike · October 23, 2014, 06:29:08 PM

QuoteThank you, can you be more specific about the photo editing programme?

The programme I use, Micrografx Picture Publisher V10, is no longer published, I've used it since V2 back in 1992, just updated through various releases; it does all that I need, so I've not bothered to change to anything more recent. There are some sites which still have it as free or cheap download.

Most photo editing apps can do the same sort of things, Photoshop, Paintshop pro, Gimp. The photo viewing apps don't usually have the facilities to do much apart from cropping and adjusting contrast and brightness.