Avoiding wrinkles.

[GrandMagnus]

Hi, so Im experimenting with transfers, something Im not really used to. But the transfers keep getting wrinkles or small pockets of air underneath when I add them to the mini. No matter how much I softly press a tissue against it to flatten it out they just move around on the transfer.

 

What can I do to avoid it?

[Jolemai]

Is everything wet?

[GrandMagnus]

Well, considering Im following the instructions yes, everything is wet. 

[UltraRich]

Use a wet paint brush to move the transfer and if needed push any air bubbles out. 

Using tissue is too harsh and will tear the transfer

 

If its totally in the wrong place use the tip of the brush under the edge and lift it up. 

 

If you also paint ardcoat on first it gives you a good surface to apply the transfer

 

Hope that helps

[Major_Gilbear]

Any paint surface that it matte, is by definison not as smooth as it could be - that's partly why transfers are often hard to move around on the model when applying them, and why they often dry with "silvery" air pockets trapped underneath. Another issue is the film onto which the design is printed; it usually doesn't stretch or flex well to conform to a contoured surface, and the tighter the curve, the worse it generally looks.

 

First, you must give the area where you are applying a transfer a few thinned coats of gloss varnish ('Arcoat or whatever you like). This creates a much smoother surface that the back of the film will seal against much better, reducing the chance of getting silvering. It also makes it easier to move the transfer around when applying it, so that you can position it where you want.

 

Next, you cut out and soak your transfer as normal.

 

Then, using a clean wet paintbrush, pick up the transfer and apply it to the area. Take the time to position carefully, and wick way any excess water with a clean dry paintbrush.

 

Using your Micro-Sol, add a little over the transfer. This is a solvent that softens the carrier film. As you apply it, you can very briefly and gently smooth from the centre outwards on the bigger areas of the transfer to help settle it. My advice is that you only do this very miniamally to bigger transfers the second you apply the stuff, as you do not want to damage the transfer by over-working it! If the transfer is sitting pretty flat, skip the smoothing completely (why risk it?). Let this dry. Seriously, unless you want to re-paint the area and start again, leave it 24 hours.

 

Finally, assess the transfer now it's dry. It should be sitting properly, and it should look pretty good. If it is, thin a little gloss varnish again, and give the thing a light coat to seal it. You can then paint over it, or seal it with matte vanish, or seal-paint-seal again as you wish. If it's not quite right, you may be able to apply a little more Micro-Sol and let it dry again before finishing (if you get a bubble, prick it with a sharp needle before applying the Micro-Sol).

 

This will give you a damn-near perfect finish every time, and the transfer will not look like it's been applied! It does take a little practice though, and I would try it out a few times with some spare shoulder pads or whatever first. My two best bits of advice from the above are:

 

1) Always use the gloss varnish trick. Even without the Micro-Sol, re-varnishing over the top once dry will stop the transfer lifting and give you a good result in a great many cases - especially where the area is flat, like on a tank.

 

2) Try to apply Micro-Sol and then don't touch it at all (if you can, not even to smooth out the transfer) until it's fully dry. Spoiling work due to impatience is heart-breaking.

[GrandMagnus]

Thanks brothers. Gilbear, thank you for that very specific and detailed tutorial, I will give it a try.

[Lucio]

I ignore the GW advice, and get my transfer area really really wet, and rely on using Lahmian Medium to hold the transfer in place afterwards.

[GrandMagnus]

Well, Ive tried some more, wasted about 8 Ultima symbols and have gotten no where. 

 

Im glad Ive been painting freehand for years and I am atleast decent with symbol things such as squad markings and symbols like IF, Ultramarines and crosses. Tougher badges, well I guess I will have to keep trying.

[Kaedes Nex]

Ultramarine decals are even more problematic than other shoulder decals. Try cutting an incision right down the middle, in the blank space between the sides of the U. This will eliminate any vertical wrinkles and help wrap the decal to the surface. Gloss varnish and a decal softener like Micro Sol are also highly recommended.

 

Lastly, you can also do smaller, diagonal cuts in the corners. Top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right, to make a sort of tilted crux terimatus. This will also relieve wrinkles, but you will have small gaps in the chapter symbol where the decal was cut.

[Major_Gilbear]

Ultramarine decals are even more problematic than other shoulder decals. Try cutting an incision right down the middle, in the blank space between the sides of the U. This will eliminate any vertical wrinkles and help wrap the decal to the surface. Gloss varnish and a decal softener like Micro Sol are also highly recommended.

 

Lastly, you can also do smaller, diagonal cuts in the corners. Top left, top right, bottom left, and bottom right, to make a sort of tilted crux terimatus. This will also relieve wrinkles, but you will have small gaps in the chapter symbol where the decal was cut.

 

Good advice!

 

In fact, trimming decals in general (especially those with big blank areas the middle like the Ultramarines' symbol) is usually regarded as good practice in historical modelling circles because it helps the decal to conform, and assists with the avoidance of trapping air bubbles.

 

My word of caution however is that you do this especially carefully, and consider whether you "need" to do it at all - it's vey easy if you trim the decal to then tear it when applying it, because the cuts made can propagate those tears as you handle it.

 

(Good decals usually follow the design quite closely BTW, and the poorer ones often just silhouette roughly around the outside of the design only but are more robust for less experienced modellers to apply... Now you know why!).