Additional advice: It is deffinetely worth it to match up your printers resolution (dpi) with the resolution of the printed document. That way you increase the sharpness of the print by a lot!
@@ghrobbs yes. Ideally you will want to set the printer to the highest DPI possible and create a matching file on for example Photoshop with the same dpi
@BOABModels Me too, I build mostly muscle cars & trucks. I wish there were more manufacturers who made a wider selection of "drivers & passengers." I've been using "Americans Diorama" figures lately.
Hello from France, I discovered this vid ,and ... It's the first time, I understand all the process to create decals ! I thank a lot for that, and I hope obtain the same amazing results as yours ! ( The only difficulty is that I'm working only on Mac, and so ... I hope finding software to work with !!...) Have a nice evening, John-christopher
Great video, very informative and helpful. I finally have a need to make some custom decals so I have decided to take the dive. Have a great day. -David
I've been doing this for a while - lucky to have access to a color laser printer, and this will do transparencies as well. One of the big disadvantages of printed decals is they tend to look very glossy, which might not match the model's finish. To get around this, once applied, I hit the entire model with several layers of spray on matte varnish, but your approach of spraying the entire sheet in advance might be better, need to try that.
Great video, really well presented ! I know you mentiomed it in your video, but how do you go about printing white text decals to go on clear perspex - any advice would be a great help - many thanks !
Thanks Thomas, been waiting for this! I have made some decals, but my problem was finding and then manipulating images! I was trying to use Excel, and trial and error! Looks like I will be better learning Publisher.🥴 Thanks again, very helpful!
How about cutting the paper into quarters first, approximately photo-paper sized so they will fit into the respective paper tray that many inkjet printers have these days? And then changing the paper size in your layout program accordingly?
Amazon has a decal paper from a company called Koala. It is a no clear sealer decal paper. I was very skeptical, as the ink on my printer runs if you look at it with watery eyes. but not only did the ink not run, it dried in minutes. The only issue I had was the corners sometimes want to come up as it dries, and you just need to hit it with some more setting solution. It cuts out the entire step of clear coating which saves money on clear, and the clear causes my ink to run no matter how long i let it dry (Canon eco tank printer ink runs really bad).
As somebody who been doing this for years myself I highly recommend a silhouette or cameo where you can print and cut it at the same time yes I know what you're going to say about varnishing but you can still print these varnishing and still put them back through to be cut out at later date as you use a silhouette program full design and printing it will remember the plotting that needs cutting
What do you paint on to the mirror del with the paintbrush before you apply the decal? Is it just water? I’ve seen some others using an adhesive but can you just use water?
You can just use water but I'm using micro sol here. There are other setting solutions such as Mr Mark Setter which I've tried as well. It helps with the adhesion.
Good video, sure it will help a lot of people around there! Is there any way to make custom transparent decals (for example, Marlboro in a clear background)?
Thanks a lot! I maybe didn't make it clear, but yes, if you use transparent decal paper you can do this but it needs to be on light colours. In the bit right at the end of the video I used a transparent Marlboro decal on the figure's torso.
That is a very usefull tutorial Thomas. Always wondered how do they do it. No you have showed me i will try it out. BTW after applying clear coat,are the decals still flexible enough to get them on uneven surfaces?? I know you used decal solution and setter. But what happend with the decal when i am not clearcoating them?? Will the colors run,or do i get smudges??
Thank you, Jan. Yeah, they can flex a bit for example the mechanics had folds in their uniforms and the decals went onto those. Yes, if you don't clear coat the decal, the ink will run. If you leave them in the water too long that can happen too.
@@BOABModels Thanks a lot for this very fast awnser Thomas. Then i will even not try it without clearcoat. Ordering the decal paper tomorrow here in my local printer sale shop. Then i can build a 1-24 tractor and trailer with Eddie the trooper from Iron Maiden. A new world is opening up for me,thanks to you. Have a mighty nice sunday
You say "Jupiter Cards" but I Googled it and finally found you mean "Jupiter Crafts". There's no link to the paper you used in your description. Where did you buy it? I can only see a European supply. Thank you.
Hi. I think the brand I bought is no longer made unfortunately. I bought it from Amazon in the UK so I'm not too sure about non-European stocks but I'm sure if you look on Amazon or similar, you'll find something.
My Canon Inkjet printer is not helping with printing my decals. The ink doesn’t catch the paper and regardless how many times I spray them with varnish, when I dip them in water the smudge or fade away. Any advice? My printer is a really good Canon that has the photo option which I did not use as it will need to be of a certain small size
I'm sorry to hear that you're having problems. I would change the paper quality to photo or premium glossy, which should keep the size normal. What kind of paper are you using?
@@BOABModels i got mine from Ebay, inkjet printer waterslide paper, something similar to the one you use. But no where near your quality. Love your work. Will give it a try again and try and change the paper and see what happens. Thanks for the advice buddy. Keep up the good work.
decal paper you buy around is infinitely lower in quality compared to decals you buy, I want to find out how companies produce them and replicate the process in smaller scale, probably they do pad printing :/
NICE! I wonder what the pro companies do to allow you you handle theirs more? I was going to buy a bunch of toyhax decals, then thought to research how to make my own.
Glad you found it useful. I assume that the printers they use can also target where the decal film needs to go meaning they don't need to be cut out individually.
I try to print on decal, but for light colors i have a problem: when apply the decal it show the color under the decal. Example: if i print yellow and put the decal over a red paint model you can see the red under the decal. Or a light yellow is worse, the decal is almost invisible. Not sure what is my problem. Could be a print setup ? Thank you
Yeah, yellow is too pale on the darker red. If you want to do yellow, get white backed decal paper and cut the decals out. It's a challenge, but can be done.
Additional advice: It is deffinetely worth it to match up your printers resolution (dpi) with the resolution of the printed document. That way you increase the sharpness of the print by a lot!
Thanks for the advice! I didn't mention much about printers as I guess the settings I use may not apply to everyone
So, if the photo is 300 dpi my printer needs to be set to 300 dpi? If I'm understanding you correctly. If so, thanks for the tip.
@@ghrobbs yes. Ideally you will want to set the printer to the highest DPI possible and create a matching file on for example Photoshop with the same dpi
@@rollercoaster3freak Got it, thanks
Finally a comprehensive tutorial.
Glad it was useful
I'm just returning to plastic modelling, and never knew you could make your own decals. Thank you for this very helpful video. Subscribed.
Very glad to have helped you! Enjoy your return to the hobby!
thank you so muchhh that’s really helpful
You're welcome
Very nice tutorial. This is information many of us need. Thanks for sharing.
You're welcome, Michael
That looks amazing. Great job.
Wow . Your craftsmanship with those decals is incredible. Well done 👍 That kind of stuff inspires a budding customizer like myself . Thank you
Thank you very much! I hope it helps
Bro. Those look fantastic.
Thanks very much!
Great work and description.
Glad you liked it!
Thanks Thomas, for sharing your step-by-step guide on making decals. Most useful, cant wait to have a go at it!👍😊
You're welcome! I hope you get on ok with them!
Good Tip !! TKS
Just found your channel while looking for decal tutorials. Excellent video & LOVE your figures. They add so much life to a build
Thanks so much! I'd add figures to all my racing cars if I could
@BOABModels Me too, I build mostly muscle cars & trucks. I wish there were more manufacturers who made a wider selection of "drivers & passengers." I've been using "Americans Diorama" figures lately.
Very nicely done video, thank you very much.
You're welcome
Awesome tutorial!!!!!! Thanks for sharing
You're welcome, Mike
really needed this tutorial!! thank your for this!!
You're welcome, Dean
Thank you so much for sharing Thomas great video mate 👍
Thanks a lot, George!
Hello from France,
I discovered this vid ,and ...
It's the first time, I understand all the process to create decals !
I thank a lot for that,
and I hope obtain the same amazing results as yours !
( The only difficulty is that I'm working only on Mac, and so ...
I hope finding software to work with !!...)
Have a nice evening,
John-christopher
Great Tutorial
Cheers Shaun
Inspiring. You achieved a great effect👍. Regards 🙂
Most excellent!😁
Jman
Many thanks!
Great work 👍
Many thanks!
Very helpful
Glad you found it useful
I hope you found this useful! Please do leave questions in the comments if you have any!
Great video, very informative and helpful. I finally have a need to make some custom decals so I have decided to take the dive. Have a great day. -David
Great to hear, David. I hope it goes well
That's a great tips, thanks :)
You're welcome
Th ask Thomas! Very Interesting!
Glad you found it interesting!
I've been doing this for a while - lucky to have access to a color laser printer, and this will do transparencies as well. One of the big disadvantages of printed decals is they tend to look very glossy, which might not match the model's finish. To get around this, once applied, I hit the entire model with several layers of spray on matte varnish, but your approach of spraying the entire sheet in advance might be better, need to try that.
Great video, really well presented ! I know you mentiomed it in your video, but how do you go about printing white text decals to go on clear perspex - any advice would be a great help - many thanks !
great video! I might actually give this a try. :)
Thank you! As I've done here, print more than you need as an insurance policy!
great job, thanks
Thank you👌
You're welcome, Dave
Great video, you inspired me thanks‼️👍
Thanks for watching!
Thanks Thomas, been waiting for this! I have made some decals, but my problem was finding and then manipulating images! I was trying to use Excel, and trial and error! Looks like I will be better learning Publisher.🥴 Thanks again, very helpful!
You're welcome, Paul. I've been making my own decals for a while now so I've had a good deal of trial and error myself!!
How about cutting the paper into quarters first, approximately photo-paper sized so they will fit into the respective paper tray that many inkjet printers have these days? And then changing the paper size in your layout program accordingly?
Good idea and I have done that since making this video.
Maybe I should update it sometime?
Amazon has a decal paper from a company called Koala. It is a no clear sealer decal paper. I was very skeptical, as the ink on my printer runs if you look at it with watery eyes. but not only did the ink not run, it dried in minutes. The only issue I had was the corners sometimes want to come up as it dries, and you just need to hit it with some more setting solution. It cuts out the entire step of clear coating which saves money on clear, and the clear causes my ink to run no matter how long i let it dry (Canon eco tank printer ink runs really bad).
Great tip, Justin. Thanks! I will look out for this paper next time I need some more!
You do it the same way as I do so thanks for the video, it confirms my technique.
Good to hear, Paul! 👍
As somebody who been doing this for years myself I highly recommend a silhouette or cameo where you can print and cut it at the same time yes I know what you're going to say about varnishing but you can still print these varnishing and still put them back through to be cut out at later date as you use a silhouette program full design and printing it will remember the plotting that needs cutting
Are u using white base or white toner decals?
White backed decal paper as my printer doesn't have white toner.
What do you paint on to the mirror del with the paintbrush before you apply the decal? Is it just water? I’ve seen some others using an adhesive but can you just use water?
You can just use water but I'm using micro sol here. There are other setting solutions such as Mr Mark Setter which I've tried as well. It helps with the adhesion.
Good video, sure it will help a lot of people around there! Is there any way to make custom transparent decals (for example, Marlboro in a clear background)?
Thanks a lot! I maybe didn't make it clear, but yes, if you use transparent decal paper you can do this but it needs to be on light colours. In the bit right at the end of the video I used a transparent Marlboro decal on the figure's torso.
Hi do you do custom pieces for sale, I got the decals but need them resizing and printing!
If you email me (address in description) with what you're looking to do, I can see if it's something I can help with.
Any advise how to print white numbers on transparent watersilde?
You need to find a printer with white toner - they are usually commercial. Sorry I can't help more
Is the printer different for this?
I used an Epson inkjet. The paper you need depends on if you have an Inkjet or laser printer.
Please answer my question: What type of printer do you use or what printers do you recommend? I will buy one. Please reply.
I use an Epson 8600 but I'm pretty sure there are better printers out there
That is a very usefull tutorial Thomas. Always wondered how do they do it. No you have showed me i will try it out. BTW after applying clear coat,are the decals still flexible enough to get them on uneven surfaces?? I know you used decal solution and setter. But what happend with the decal when i am not clearcoating them?? Will the colors run,or do i get smudges??
Thank you, Jan. Yeah, they can flex a bit for example the mechanics had folds in their uniforms and the decals went onto those.
Yes, if you don't clear coat the decal, the ink will run. If you leave them in the water too long that can happen too.
@@BOABModels Thanks a lot for this very fast awnser Thomas. Then i will even not try it without clearcoat. Ordering the decal paper tomorrow here in my local printer sale shop. Then i can build a 1-24 tractor and trailer with Eddie the trooper from Iron Maiden. A new world is opening up for me,thanks to you. Have a mighty nice sunday
Never knew you could do this.. Where can you get the decal paper from ?? Thanks
Glad you found it useful. I've found decal paper on eBay and Amazon from independent sellers.
hi.what printer you use?thanks
It's an Epson XP8600 inkjet. Pretty standard home printer.
@@BOABModels thanks mate
how do they react to decal softeners?
Generally fine but they don't like being handled too much as you can cause them to tear. I've been fine when using just a small amount of softener.
What kind of printer is needed?
I used an Epson inkjet but as I said at the start, there's different paper you can use for laser printers too.
@@BOABModels is it a solvent inkjet printer?
@@BOABModels I know that but what model inkjet? I read solvent are the ones that work
You say "Jupiter Cards" but I Googled it and finally found you mean "Jupiter Crafts". There's no link to the paper you used in your description. Where did you buy it? I can only see a European supply. Thank you.
Hi. I think the brand I bought is no longer made unfortunately. I bought it from Amazon in the UK so I'm not too sure about non-European stocks but I'm sure if you look on Amazon or similar, you'll find something.
This is really hard to follow. Do you have a page I can read and save? My memory is not as good anymore..
www.ehow.com/how_6886053_make-decals-inkjet-printers.html This guide wasn't written by me but it explains the process in a similar way.
What glue do you use. I just got the 1/24 scale revel Shelby cobra 1962 I watch your videos of it and just want to know what glue you recommend.
Thank you. I'd advise Tamiya extra thin cement but you could also use some foam safe super glue for clear parts - just use it sparingly.
I won't be sure about what size for the waterslide decals of X-Wing/Y-Wing helmets for repainting.
That's a challenge. I'd recommend printing a logo in various sizes on paper and then comparing the print out to the helmet to find the correct size.
👍
Thanks!
Hi mate would u be able to make me a couple of decals for a build am doing I pay
My Canon Inkjet printer is not helping with printing my decals. The ink doesn’t catch the paper and regardless how many times I spray them with varnish, when I dip them in water the smudge or fade away.
Any advice? My printer is a really good Canon that has the photo option which I did not use as it will need to be of a certain small size
I'm sorry to hear that you're having problems. I would change the paper quality to photo or premium glossy, which should keep the size normal.
What kind of paper are you using?
@@BOABModels i got mine from Ebay, inkjet printer waterslide paper, something similar to the one you use. But no where near your quality. Love your work. Will give it a try again and try and change the paper and see what happens. Thanks for the advice buddy. Keep up the good work.
lo muñequito de lo cirarro.
This is from a year ago, and that Halfords spray has gone from £7.50 to £11.99 !
That's bloody inflation for you! I'd recommend Wilko but who knows how long they will last.
decal paper you buy around is infinitely lower in quality compared to decals you buy, I want to find out how companies produce them and replicate the process in smaller scale, probably they do pad printing :/
I'd like to know that too but it seems companies are keeping their mouths shut. I assume you need a special printer
Don't you need permission to use the logos or no
I'm not selling them so no, it's fine.
Good to know
NICE! I wonder what the pro companies do to allow you you handle theirs more? I was going to buy a bunch of toyhax decals, then thought to research how to make my own.
Glad you found it useful. I assume that the printers they use can also target where the decal film needs to go meaning they don't need to be cut out individually.
Can I ask what weight paper?
I try to print on decal, but for light colors i have a problem: when apply the decal it show the color under the decal. Example: if i print yellow and put the decal over a red paint model you can see the red under the decal. Or a light yellow is worse, the decal is almost invisible. Not sure what is my problem. Could be a print setup ? Thank you
Yeah, yellow is too pale on the darker red. If you want to do yellow, get white backed decal paper and cut the decals out. It's a challenge, but can be done.