Wiggy Posted December 18, 2011 Share Posted December 18, 2011 Greetings and happy holidays. I'm working on a 1/48th scale model- with nose art. The nose art I need IS available in 1/32nd scale. Could I scan/copy the larger scale decal, reduce it, and print a "quality" decal in my scale? Looks to be at least six colors in the nose art. Thanks for the guidance, Wiggy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
urloony Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 Greetings and happy holidays. I'm working on a 1/48th scale model- with nose art. The nose art I need IS available in 1/32nd scale. Could I scan/copy the larger scale decal, reduce it, and print a "quality" decal in my scale? Looks to be at least six colors in the nose art. Thanks for the guidance, Wiggy I think you could be pretty successful with a reduction scan. Enlarging of course is where you run into the most problems and loss in quality. Just make sure you do a high quality scan and you should be fine. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 It is possible if you get a good high resolution scan and reduction will potentially increase the resolution as well. However, what color is the nose art going over? If it is a white or light colored subject, the colors should be fine. Over a darker paint, the markings will need a white backup layer otherwise printed colors will be too transparent and the marking won't look as good. This is one of the reasons why ALPS printers are great for decals, since they can print with a spotcolor white cartridge. If you try it with inkjet over white decal paper, when you try to trim right up to the artwork edge you will likely nick the ink pocket and it will ooze. The only solution I can think of for white backup on a color inkjet decal right to the edge is to print a mirror image of the artwork on the BACK side of a white decal sheet, trim out and apply, THEN do a clear decal with the full color artwork and sandwich over the top. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Old Man Posted December 19, 2011 Share Posted December 19, 2011 The only solution I can think of for white backup on a color inkjet decal right to the edge is to print a mirror image of the artwork on the BACK side of a white decal sheet, trim out and apply, THEN do a clear decal with the full color artwork and sandwich over the top. That, Sir, is a slick tip I will be remembering.... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wiggy Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 I think you could be pretty successful... Just make sure you do a high quality scan and you should be fine. Thanks for that. I guess sometimes you gotta' grit your teeth and just do it. I understand the process, but have never printed my own decals. From what I hear, my HP Deskjet F4280 should be up to the task. Thanks again, Wiggy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wiggy Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 It is possible if you get a good high resolution scan and reduction will potentially increase the resolution as well. Over a darker paint, the markings will need a white backup layer otherwise printed colors will be too transparent and the marking won't look as good. ...print a mirror image of the artwork on the BACK side of a white decal sheet, trim out and apply, THEN do a clear decal and sandwich over the top. Hey Man, I want to thank you for the helpful advise. The home-brew decal WILL sit on darker colors: Ocean Grey/Dark Green. I like the idea of a white underlay, but I don't get why I'd print it "on the BACK side" of white decal paper? I understand I'm to spray clear gloss top coat onto the finished decal to seal it from the water/slide process. Apparently the ink is water-based and will disolve away? Thank you for sharing the knowlege, Wiggy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wiggy Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 (edited) Sir.... Greetings Old Man. Glad to see you're still here. All the best to you Sir, this Holiday season. Still learning, Wiggy Edited December 20, 2011 by Wiggy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
SoarinSukhoi Posted December 20, 2011 Share Posted December 20, 2011 Just a little forum tip; you can reply to multiple posts with quotes by clicking MultiQuote on each post you want to quote and reply to and then click Add Reply at the bottom. If it doesn't work the first time try reloading the page and repeating the process. It took me a while to figure it out. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wiggy Posted December 20, 2011 Author Share Posted December 20, 2011 Just a little forum tip... Thanks for the tip- I'll have to try that. Still learning, Wiggy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Spectre711 Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 I was thinking of doing this with some Phantom wing runways. What color paper is your original on? My original is on blue paper an I haven't figured out how to lose the blue without effecting the color of the decal. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted December 22, 2011 Share Posted December 22, 2011 (edited) The reason why you would print on the back side of a white decal if doing inkjet is you know you have to cut out the image anyway and if you cut right up to the ink line on the front side (assuming the artwork is sealed in a clear fixative spray), you are going to nick the ink pocket and it will leak in the water (something I call the "jelly donut" effect). So, if you print on the backside and trim up to the ink edge, the ink may stain the backing paper, but the white decal backing itself should be fine and would still be a 1 to 1 image for the color artwork to trap over. This way, you don't have to cut your color image right to the edge and risk cutting the ink pocket (and getting an ooze effect on your model). As for getting rid of the blue on a scanned decal, that is what photo editing software is for. Photoshop is best, but there are plenty of lower budget photo editing softwares out there (many of which come with scanners) that are almost clones of earlier versions of Photoshop. As such, you can usually select the blue and delete it in place of a white backing or fill it with a white backing so it doesn't print blue over the decal sheet. If there is some clear areas in the artwork, then you will need to select these individually to delete the blue. Usually the contrast of a scanned image is enough that doing this is pretty much a piece of cake with Photoshop's "magic wand" utility. Edited December 22, 2011 by Jay Chladek Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Wiggy Posted December 22, 2011 Author Share Posted December 22, 2011 This way, you don't have to cut your color image right to the edge... OK Jay, I think I understand the process now. Here's the thing: the model I'm building has been "on the bench" over a year. Tons of research work, tons of prep work to get everything "just so", only after looking all over Europe for the correct conversion kit. To be honest, I don't think I have the skills and practice to make this decal worthy of the kit-bash project it will live on. Brace yourself- HUGE question ahead... I realize this might be a lot to ask a fellow modeler: Jay, would you be willing to make this decal for me? I can tell you know what you're doing by the way you explained the process- you know the "tricks". I'll pay you for your time and materials. This is the nose art... Hope you didn't drop your mouse. Please consider this and let me know. This is one of the few Mk.XIVc "Spits" to carry photographically-documented nose art. I've put my best effort into this project, it desirves the best decal I can find. Thanks. In the hangar, Wiggy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Jay Chladek Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 PM sent Quote Link to post Share on other sites
JackMan Posted December 23, 2011 Share Posted December 23, 2011 Now you've got me curious.. How does one use Photoshop to 'capture' or extract a printed image (like the one on that magazine) and somehow convert it to a print-worthy decal image? Is there any Photoshop tutorial anywhere online for that? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.