Useful tips for starting out with home made transfers

[Freight Connection]

Good evening to all

 

Iv'e just copied this over from a layout thread in the hope that anyone new to this will benefit, of course there are lots of methods..And there may well be very little here for seasoned modellers.

 

It probably sums up the mistakes I've made over the last few years.

You can't beat decent commercially available transfers i know but for one offs these are ideal... Lorry sides, shopfront signs etc ( Stickers also an option )

 

• Do all your trials & fits in grey scale / low quality.... Saves your ink
  
• Do your text and art in the largest res you can manage, then shrink them down at the end
  
• My printer floods transfer paper on fine... I printed these in normal / standard
  
• When you seal in the finished transfers with lacquer, just mist the first coat on. Otherwise you'll run the colours.
  
• I use Halfords ( Or any I suppose) acrylic... You can get 2-3 light coats on quickly. Don't make your 2nd and or 3rd coats too heavy.
  

The transfer below was placed onto water, you can see where the water has crept in at the edge. Yes I sealed it, but then I had to cut it out. Otherwise I may have struggled to get it off the backing...  The top went as well and has been re airbrushed ( But it's a faff )

• Therefore.... Place your transfer face down onto tissue, ' Paint ' a small amount of water onto the rear, and push it towards the edge, don't flood it over. Leave it for a minute or two and your good to go. Don't flex it, just make sure that gently between your thumb & forefinger that it wants to move. Any creasing will leave a big white line...
  
• Also, flooding the face of these immediately leaves the colours looking less vibrant.
  
• I use a film of Decalfix underneath ( I know some don't get on with it ) But it does pull it all down tight.
  

Just two pics to show the point, subject model / era unimportant... Transfer is complete hood side, rest is paint

 

 

This one was moistened only on the back

 

 

Thanks for looking, any extra advice always gratefully received

 

Steve

Edited November 11, 2018 by Freight Connection