Custom Decals for Miniature Projects

[Agent Zehm]

Decaling For Miniature Gaming and Modeling

This article is part review of and part instruction for some modeling products that can really enhance your figure and terrain models.

Micromark.com sells all these products (exclusively) though there may be other manufacturers of similar products. If you know of any, share them in the responses please!

First off, when you consider making decals, what might they be used for? well, in my first experiments I covered a few bases to demonstrate a few different applications:

• Custom dial tops
• Detail areas on figure sculpts
• Alternate TA symbols on dials
• Graffiti details on 3D urban terrain

Let's start by telling you about the products being used. What we're talking about here are special printer sheets of decal film. They come in two styles with two types per style. One variety is for Laser printers, and the other is for inkjet printers. either of these can be ordered in opaque white or clear.
Micromark also offers a decaling finishing system that provides you with all the tools you need to make perfect looking decals. This set includes a solvent, a setting agent, a softener, as well as a clear gloss paint.

For these experiments & my purposes, I wanted to try things out before committing to a large purchase. Therefore, I ordered a sample pack of the clear laser printer sheets and ordered refills of the Solvent and Setting agents. (The softener was not available separately at the time of my order). To see the products and hear the manufacturer's descriptions search the keyword decal on their site.

Keep this in mind when considering which to get: the opaque white sheets will provide you with a solid image, but the clear print will have no white backdrop, so they have to be transfered onto white surfaces for accurate color, but can also be applied to light colors to achieve different effects. both have their advantages. While the solid opaque sheets will require less steps to achieve print perfect results, in order to have a crisp detailed outline you must trim out the decal to the very edge, and small decals may be difficult to apply. Micromark does have a great tool for trimming them out though. They call them squizzers. and they are very small detail scissors with a squeeze control. I have never used them, but they look pretty cool.

While I'm talking about Micromark, I might as well explain that one of the things they are an industry powerhouse of is Model Railroading. Model makers like myself may have discovered that many products for miniature railroading are excellent additions to your toolbox for working on game pieces and terrain. Micromark offers a lot of original products and tools. Not only will you find products and tools you'll want to play with to create great mini projects, but if you need a tool for a special job, and you can design it, they will machine it and sell it to you, and they might start making it available in their catalog.

Creating the Decals

Mostly we're skipping this step, because the images are something you'll have to decide for yourself. I can make a few suggestions. You'll need a file that can be print from the appropriate printer type for the decal sheets you ordered. That means You'll have to use the design software you're familiar with to create a print document, probably a PDF that you can either print on your printer or at a print shop that can accommodate you. That in and of itself is more than just another article, it's more like a course, so I'll assume you know how to get it done, or that you have access to someone who does.

some things I did you may want to consider:

• give yourself enough room around decals to maneuver scissors when you eventually cut them out, but don't waste space. The pages are valuable, and you may need to use more than one sheet if you encounter a paper jam issue.

• I printed out many TA icons so that I would have a supply of them for future projects. many of the official symbols and a slew of my own custom ones.

• To get Realistic Graffiti decals I took some pictures of Real world Graffiti in my area, but I also searched some out online. there's lots of great pictures online in the public domain of street art, and since the decals will be so small, the scale of the images from the web is fine.

• Thinking ahead once again, I made some dial tops for dials I haven't even made yet, but I have Custom Sculpts I want to mount on them. Now I've put myself in a box with the point costs, but I won't have to print the decals again later.

Printing the decals is like printing any other document. Things to account for are:

• If you plan to print from a color photocopier or make decal copies from a master print on a color copier, you will need to use the laser printer paper. (It is also possible to use the same laser printer sheets with Micro-Dry printers, which use a dry ink coated ribbon like a typewriter and can print opaque colors on decals and are capable of printing white as well as metallic... but who has one? not me, and not kinkos that's for sure.)

• If the printer has a setting to account for paper weight, set the weight setting to heavy. This will hopefully help you avoid costly paper jams.

• The two types of paper have different instructions. You need to take care to follow the correct instructions.

• It is suggested that a printer that has just been turned on and warmed up briefly with say, one test print, will give the best results. If the heads are too hot it may produce a sloppy or marred print.

• For laser printer sheets, you will get a more precise and stable print, which will have less tendency to smear or crack, but both will be at risk of this. The decal sheets must be immediately coated with a protective topcoat after printing. A clear acrylic or lacquer may be used. Spray it very lightly but get a nice even thin, but complete coat. Let it dry completely before storing it. Clear coat immediately after printing for best results. (If you are using a micro-Dry printer 2 things~ 1. use dullcote type lacquer only 2. contact me, I would like you to print some things for me)


• I used two clip boards to keep the sheet flat and prevent curling while applying the top coat. i would recommend it. These will curl on you if they get too wet.




Prepare the models

You should have the models completely painted before decaling. The decals are a finishing touch, and results will be best if you don't try and paint on top of them. That said, advanced modders could probably come up with cool ideas for effects and weathering by layering paints and decals. Decals are most effective and legible on glossy surfaces. If you are going to apply the decal to a matte surface, first paint the area where the decal will go with a thin clear gloss paint. be sure the surface is fully dry. Don't worry if you don't want a glossy finish, you can apply a flat top coat at the finish. Once you have a dry glossy surface, make sure the model is clean of dust and residue. If you're using clear decals, you might need to create a white area to apply the decal to. I used a white paint pen. very handy.

THE best custom Dial Tops

Again, the first step here is a whole series of steps and assumes you have a working knowledge of Illustrator. Using the dial top templates here, or files of your own devising, let's assume you've already printed out the dials, that they are accurately to scale (normal based dial tops should be 1.275 inch circles, 2X2 based dials should be 2.784 inch circles) For this article I am walking you through using clear decal sheets. An alternate procedure would be used for an opaque dial top decal.

The dial top in this example is a custom Dr Horrible I made for ChiRocker. I'll also be using him in a later example. The other dial you'll see in these examples is a Clown Prince of Crime promo from the Fort Wayne Distributor conference. I made it into a fully useable proxy. But don't worry: I clearly marked it as a proxy right on the dial, and the gold sticker is still on the bottom.

Step1~ Find a nice disposable common dial. I used a Hammer of Thor Kingpin dial (and a Clown Prince of Crime promo )

Step2~ Dismantle the dial completely. Remove the figure from the base. Seperate the dial into its two parts. If you are printing and installing a custom dial sticker (also a subject for another discussion) you could remove the dial sticker.




Step3~ Using a fine grain sandpaper, sand the surface of the dial top smooth. Don't worry about removing all the print, as long as the surface is flat and smooth. Imperfections in the surface will most definitely show through.

Step4~ Clean the surface, then carefully tape off the edges and the window of the dial. You'll want the tape to cover the window right up to the edge of the beveled hole, and on the sides of the dial for the tape to only cover the edge and bevel of the dial. (You want to be sure not to distort the size of the dial by painting it.) Run your fingernail into the groove of the bevel to ensure the tape has a good seal all the way around.




for the 2X2 dial, I decided to make a "hole" in the middle of the design, which was a handy place to put another dial top and save on waste. This turned out to be a good idea for a couple reasons.









Step5~ Paint the dial top with a Glossy white Primer. the whiter the better. Hardware stores sell spray cans of Kilz contractor primer that is great for this. get a thin even coat. make sure you create a opaque white surface that is smooth, and be sure not to overdo it, too much paint will make the dial difficult to turn, and that is very bad for modded figures.




Step6~ Once the paint is dry, remove the masking. you can take this opportunity to gently shave the dial edges and the indentations on the bottom of the dial top if you want to be sure the dial is not difficult to turn.




Step7~ you're ready to begin the decaling, so have these supplies on hand:

• A small shallow container or bowl for room temperature to warn water
• Two separate small soft brushes
• Tweezers
• Tissue for blotting. Do not use toilet paper, as it is designed to dissolve, use tissues instead, they are soft, but designed to not dissolve.
• Moistened tissues on a small plate
• Have your decal trimmed very close to the edge of the printed dial top.

Step8~ place the decal in the water. it will curl up, then quickly flatten out. Submerge it completely, and let it rest. don't agitate it. Soak it for about 20 seconds, then use the tweezers to carefully remove the decal and place it on the moist tissue. Smaller decals take less time to soak, as few as 10 seconds, and larger ones could go 25 to 40 seconds, but dial tops are ready in 20 seconds.






Step9~ Take the first soft brush and apply some of the solvent to the dial top, moistening the surface evenly.




Step10~ Carefully separate the decal from the backing along one edge. slip the tweezers in-between, and gently peel it from the backing. if you are careful, it can be easy to get the decal started by sliding it between your thumb and forefinger, but use caution tot to wrinkle or crack your decal.




Step11~ Using your tweezers, Drag the decal into position on the surface of the model.




Step12~ With the solvent moistened brush, align the decal on the dial top and smooth the decal flat from the center out, gently pushing any bubbles or fluid out from underneath, applying additional solvent if you think it warranted.

Step13~ use the solvent to soften the edges so you can make them lay flat down into the bevel of the dial. don't rush, and don't be concerned if you can't get the edges to lie down completely but do your best.

Step14~ when you are satisfied that the placement is good, very gently blot with a tissue to absorb excess fluid.

Step15~ take the second soft brush, and apply a conservative amount of the setting solution to the entire decal. Let it soak into the decal for a minute or so.

Step16~ blot again with a tissue.

Step17~ here is where it gets interesting. as it dries you can see that even a laser printer can't get a solid enough coating of ink to make a truly black decal, so, since the dial is white, and the decal is a print of the black negative space, the lettering is white due to the negative space in the decal print, but the printed background shows cracks and is light, allowing the primer to show through. there is a remarkably simple solution: a good old fashioned sharpie marker. Carefully avoiding any of the stats, symbols and text, use the marker to erase the imperfections of the decal. The alcohol in the marker dissolves the surface of the dried decal and stains it with its ink. if you are careful, it will create a streak-less surface. I was very pleased with this discovery.





Step18~ remember when I said not to be concerned if you can't get the edges to lie down completely? now you can use the marker to press the edge of the decal into the bevel, and the alcohol in the pen once again, will moisten it just enough to get it to lie flat.

Step19~ once you are positive the dial top is completely dry, spray it with a thin protective topcoat. A flat finish looks best.

Step20~ when it is finally dry, use a high quality glue to attach your model to the dial top. I used Zap's Zap-A-Gap glue. The thicker formula is more durable in my opinion. You'll want to use a liquid acid plastic glue. it penetrates the decal straight to the plastic, making a perfect bond without the decal preventing bonding and allowing for the decal to remain intact and smooth right up to the base of the model. I opted to use a generous amount of glue, applying it to the feet of the model, and carefully pressing it into place, then leaving it undisturbed for a long while to bond properly.

Step21~ (optional) i wanted to ensure the greatest protection and durability so I gave the Dr Horrible Mod a final Top coat. ( I had already applied the decals to that model by then) I wanted that extra thin layer to cover the figure at the point at which it was glued to the dial top. I'm a big proponent of using many thin layers to protect the model and the paint-job, and now the decals too. Each layer makes it just a little more durable, but you must be careful not to add too much paint on any one layer.

all that remains is installing your custom dial sticker, and reassembling the base, and voila: a head to toe custom figure that is the next best thing to handcrafting it in a chinese factory:

I pulled out all the stops giving you details and cautions but the truth is this: Its a very easy to use process. It is not 100% necessary to use the solvent & the setting agent, (but it was a huge help on the 3D terrain project.) The decal sheets are designed to simply work on glossy surfaces with warm water.

now let's look at what following the same procedures can do for a custom painted figure:

Detail areas on miniature figures

(Images coming when the camera battery recharges)

add a custom team symbol to a dial

(Images coming when the camera battery recharges)

When setting up TA symbols intended for dials, TA icons should be 0.1682 in circles. A neat trick I nearly nailed in my first try was to allow enough space between the symbols that I could simply cut them out using a hole punch. This works very well with the clear sheets, since that extra space gives you plenty of bleed to work with. If you want to try this, spread your symbols out about 50% further than I did.

3D ruined building terrain

These 3D building ruins are based off of 4 copies of the terrain object that came with the Marvel Heroscape Base set. A lot went into their ultimate design and detailing. Here I just show the decaling steps. These decals really enhanced them from excellent to straight up awesome. I'm very pleased with them. They are modular, can fit into a tight square alignment, or can be spread out to suggest a larger ruin, or broken up to be used separately throughout a 3D map They are based on Heroscape tiles. All of them have destoy-able sections.

I wanted to see what one of the decals would look like without the white backdrop. Mostly it was disappointing, but it allowed me to overlap it with another decal, creating a two layer effect. If I had opted for a lighter brick, such as tan or light grey, this would have worked much better... but hey that's what experiments are for~!





to create a realistic graffiti look, I simulated that first coat of spray paint by using my white paint pen to block out a white area, and simulated miniature paint drips. You'll want to use your decal to gauge where and how much backdrop to provide. In some cases you might want to use the decal to mark the edges of its boundary so you have a clear idea. If you had a precision airbrush, instead of a straight white background, you could create a texture of street tags that look like the quick amateur graffiti that cover walls, but are often overshadowed by a larger more impressive piece of art. My airbrush is in rough shape and I need a new one, but I encourage you to try it!





the solvent was crucial in this stage to get the decal to conform to all the details of the brick walls. Gently use the brush to work your way out from the middle, pressing the decal into the deepest parts of the texture (I assume that this is where you would use the softening agent if you had it but the solvent did a great job.) This will take some patience. Don't force it, or you may tear your decal. When you have it in place, blot well and apply the setting agent. this will make the decal tighten around the texture. Your decals will look like they were painted on the surface by tiny little men!










All decals require a clear topcoat when you are done. whether you use clear or glossy is your choice, but either will leave the edges of the decals nearly undetectable while protecting the decal from scratching and chipping.

This might sound or look complicated, but it wasn't. In fact I completed my earliest attempts so easily that it urged me to do many more immediately. What it requires mostly is patience and careful attention to detail; but it doesn't require much more than that! I hope everyone gets a lot of information out of this, and that I might see modders putting some of these tips into use.

[LordEsenwienIV]

That.....is....AMAZING!
+rep

[Quack188]

The decals really give the Marvel wall an awesome look. Sadly, I don't think I'd use enough of them to justift buying it. Awesome job. +rep

[Agent Zehm]

the sample packs are actually fairly cheap and will make tons of decals. Its not a huge investment. I got the solvent, setting agent and 6 or 8 pages for under $20.

[The Deadliest Warrior]

Wow! This is great! +rep

[Wolvie]

Dó you know how The scales from micromark buildings fit into scape.

[Agent Zehm]

they have model buildings in all the Model railroad scales, and wargaming tends to be slightly larger than HO scale.

HO Scale buildings of the right type can be adapted for wargaming, while others might look wrong.

There are definitely some kits they have I would love to take a stab at, but I have never actually ordered any.

I mostly buy tools and supplies from them. You'll find them a valuable resource in that department.