airbrushing paint on laser decal paper

[busnproplinerfan]

I heard of using an airbrush to paint on decal paper but can't find anything on it. I use a laser printer and laser paper if it matters. I want to know, should I use just acrylic paint and do I put the decal film on before and/or just after.

[Giorgio N]

Not sure if I understood the question correctly.. anyway, airbrushing on any decal paper is not a problem, however better avoid paint that is too thinned, as sometime the paper does not absorb the paint too well. Paper made for inkjet is better in this respect as the surface is rougher but laser decal paper works well too.

If for decal film you mean a liquid like Micro Decal Film, then this is not necessary, once an acrylic paint is dry water has no effect on it.

[busnproplinerfan]

14 minutes ago, Giorgio N said:

Not sure if I understood the question correctly.. anyway, airbrushing on any decal paper is not a problem, however better avoid paint that is too thinned, as sometime the paper does not absorb the paint too well. Paper made for inkjet is better in this respect as the surface is rougher but laser decal paper works well too.

If for decal film you mean a liquid like Micro Decal Film, then this is not necessary, once an acrylic paint is dry water has no effect on it.

Ya, that's pretty much what I mean. i want to lightly use smoke or clear black specifically on the decals for a shaded effect. I do mean the Micro decal film, the stuff you put on after printing the decals.  You did answer what I meant in your last line. So I would then print the decal, put the decal film on, then do the airbrushing and put the decal on as usual, correct?

[Giorgio N]

If you're using laser then there's no need to apply Micro Decal Film, that is one of the nice things about using a laser printer. Of course you can use it if you feel that your artwork may have problems in surviving the handling, the Decal Film sure make the decal more robust, but it's not necessary. Personally I never use it and my steps would be simply print the decal, airbrush on it, let dry and apply.

Regarding the paint, of course I mean acrylic modelling paints, like Vallejo or Tamiya and so on. Never had a problem with these in the water, I often paint small section of clear decal in the colour I use for cockpits so that I can cut strips to reproduce the framing.

[Steve Noble]

As already stated you don't need to seal the laser decals with Microscale liquid decal film. Just design and print them and cut out and apply them like any other decal. If you want to apply smoke or tint them I would do that via airbrush and spray apply it while they are still on the decal sheet..

[busnproplinerfan]

7 hours ago, Giorgio N said:

If you're using laser then there's no need to apply Micro Decal Film, that is one of the nice things about using a laser printer. Of course you can use it if you feel that your artwork may have problems in surviving the handling, the Decal Film sure make the decal more robust, but it's not necessary. Personally I never use it and my steps would be simply print the decal, airbrush on it, let dry and apply.

Regarding the paint, of course I mean acrylic modelling paints, like Vallejo or Tamiya and so on. Never had a problem with these in the water, I often paint small section of clear decal in the colour I use for cockpits so that I can cut strips to reproduce the framing.

I'll try a small piece without the decal film, just the way I am, I do take your word on it. Like your idea on cockpit framing.

[busnproplinerfan]

4 hours ago, Steve Noble said:

As already stated you don't need to seal the laser decals with Microscale liquid decal film. Just design and print them and cut out and apply them like any other decal. If you want to apply smoke or tint them I would do that via airbrush and spray apply it while they are still on the decal sheet..

The smoked effect I also thought would be best on the decal sheet like you say, this way I don't have to mask the model. Glad you said it to.