Custom Decals - Tips & Techniques?

[Jerry V]

I have an old sheet of decals (mostly black and white with some red and blue) and they have become a bit fragile.  I can clear coat them to increase strength but I was thinking I could scan them and print them on decal sheet.

 

I was wondering if one type of printer is preferable to produce decals that are opaque enough for application over darker colours (especially considering the number of white decals on the sheet)?  Do I need a special type of decal paper?  I have done a bit of custom printing before but never replicated an entire sheet.  Any tips or techniques would be appreciated. 

[Giorgio N]

If you have to apply the decals over a dark surface, then really only black and dark blue can be printed on clear decal paper and then look good over the dark background, at least using commonly available printers like the one you likely have at home. This is true for both laser and inkjet printers

If you have white bits then you have print on white paper and trim. Not easy if the artwork is small. One trick some people do and that can give good result is to print on white paper the artwork surrounded by the background colour, this will make exact trimming not necessary.

 

I would suggest searching this section of the forum, there have been a number of thread on homemade decals here, with some very good advice

Edited October 11, 2016 by Giorgio N

[Jerry V]

Will do.  

 

Think I might see if there are any manufacturers who will do this type of work (assuming no problems with copyright laws)?

[Foghorn Leghorn]

10 hours ago, Jerry V said:

Will do.  

 

Think I might see if there are any manufacturers who will do this type of work (assuming no problems with copyright laws)?

 

Have a look here:

 

http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/131-parkes682decals/

 

Neil

[Jerry V]

Thanks Neil.