Custom Decal Tips

For those interested in creating your own decals for your own nefarious purpose.  I will share with you some tips based on my personal experiences.  These are of course based on where I am located, the tiny island of Singapore.  So your mileage may vary.    These are water-slide transfers, similar to the ones GW provides in their box sets.


Before I go further, I do recommend you to visit the following pages which provides guides for the entire process itself.

From the Warp - on how to make your own transfers.
From the Warp - on how to apply transfers onto models
Bolter & Chainsword - Decal Resources

While From the Warp provides an excellent guide, I thought I will share with you where you can get computer software to create your own decals.   Which will come in handy if your freehand isn't as good and that you prefer your design to be more precise.

Furthermore, B&C also has a whole bunch of custom decals created by fellow hobbyist as well.  Most of these are custom Chapters or Chapters that Games Workshop or Forgeworld did not officially create transfer sheets for.


As stated by the guides posted above.  We learn that conventional printers DO NOT PRINT WHITE AT ALL. So what does that mean in the Singapore context?

Dark Decal over white color scheme. Courtesy of Cmdr Ryanbo

• Initial design stage is extremely important.   Always ensure your decals are properly sized for the items you are applying them for.  It is always a good idea to print out preview copies to test on actual models to see if they are of the right size.  Be sure the design is your very final one.  Once printed... it will be too late to go back to the drawing block without incurring some cost to yourself.

• Dark colored decals on light background will be much easier.  Painting light color schemes on armor itself... is another issue entirely which we shall not touch here.  Yellow & White being the two most notoriously hard colors to paint on models and look right.

• You can get transparent waterslide transfer paper at Arts Friend locally.  These cost $6.80 SGD per sheet.

• 99% of the printers out there are CMYK. And therefore DO NOT PRINT WHITE.  I have done very exhaustive legwork/phone calls and have not yet found any commercial printers capable of doing this. 

I did find one in Sunshine Plaza but it was not to my satisfaction. Suffice to say, it is not the same level as those you get from GW box sets. Decal medium paper they use is far too thick and the color saturation is too light. When I place it over a black background, the red is visible but does not stand out. Nor do copious amount of transfer solution allow for a "painted on" look described in the above guides.   PS. if you found a place in Singapore do let me know.  ;)

• One other solution is to use white decal paper.  You will print your brightly colored design onto white decal paper, cut it out and apply it onto the model itself.

Take note that this requires you to be very exact and precise when cutting out the decal itself.  If your decal is in basic shapes, squares/blocks/rectangles... then it may work.  But if it has any round edges or special geometry like the one below.   You are going to have a very hard time.  The problem will be exacerbated when you realize you need to duplicate the same effect 30 - 40 over times...

Try freehand cutting them.. I dare you.   You may get a better result trying to paint it freehand.

 

• Art friend and most hobby stores in Singapore do not carry White Decal Paper.  I checked but if you find one that does, do let me know.  Your best bet is to order online but I find the white decal paper tend to be thicker than the transparent waterslide transfers provided by GW.

• The other solution is to use ALPS printer to print out your light colored decal on a transparent waterslide transfer.  This printer is not cheap.

• Alternatively, get someone who has an ALPS printer and pay them to print your decal out for you.  You can approach Bedlam Creations or Fighting Pirannha Graphics.  Both these companies provide decal printing services. 

I do not know of anyone in Singapore that possess such a specific printer.   I have sent emails to Fighting Pirannha since last year July and till date have not receive a reply from them.  Rumor has it that they do not respond to emails that are @gmail.com / @yahoo.com / @hotmail.com

• Getting the decals printed at Bedlam Creations cost me $90.65 SGD inclusive of shipping & printer set-up fee for one 8"x 6" decal sheet.  Price maybe subject to change, get a quotation from Bedlam to be sure before proceeding.  If you are a repeat customer, you may get discounts. 

• Bedlam Creations will typically send you a preview copy of the decals prior to printing. Always make sure you review it, zoom in if you absolutely have to.  If you see any uneven edges or pixelation or any errors.   Do let Josh from Bedlam know so he can correct and do some final touch-ups before printing.

• Bedlam Creations responds to enquiries quite quickly.  However responses AFTER payment has been made can be somewhat slow.  Send a gentle reminder if you don't get a response in the expected time-frame.

• Lead time is 2 - 3 weeks upon confirmation of delivery from Bedlam Creations.  I have always received what I paid for.  Once the item was not delivered due to Bedlam not filling in the correct address.  About a week later after the correspondence, they send a replacement FOC on urgent mail.

Here are some pictures of the actual decal that Bedlam printed for me.  Click the URL below.
http://splooches.blogspot.sg/2015/02/imperial-swords-custom-decals.html

And here is the decal applied on the actual model itself.