Any tips for larger than usual decals?

[Axineton]

I’m trying to affix a decal to a redemptor dread shoulder plate and I’m using microsol to try and get it from the paper to the shoulder but it keeps folding up either around my brush or on the plate itself. It’s a silver Templar’s decal if that’s any help. Is there a different technique with larger decals?

Edited March 21, 2020 by Axineton

[Imren]

Yes you are doing it wrong. Microsol (red labelled bottle) is made to "melt" the decal on the surface after you have applied it, adjusted it and when happy you apply Microsol to affix it permanently.

 

Here is what you do:

 

Materials needed:

• Fresh blade in your modelling knife.
• Microset (blue labelled bottle).
• Microsol (red labelled bottle).
• Gloss varnish (preferably applied with airbrush but paintbrush works too if applied thin and smooth thinned down).
• A flat container such as a small tea cup plate or any other container to soak decal in.
• Same paint you used on the background of the decal

 

Procedure:

1. Apply thin layer of gloss varnish on the surface were the decal is to be put on (this will smoothen the surface and reduce any "ghost" lines around edges and on surface of decal).
2. Wait a few hours for the gloss varnish to dry completely and cure a bit (usually varnishes cures in 24h).
3. Cut out your decal and soak it in water on a wet bed of tissue or let it float in water in your tea cup plate  (however you prefer, I prefer having them on a bed of wet tissue.)
4. When the decal is loose from its paper in the water bath then apply a layer of Microset (blue labelled bottle) on the varnished surface on model.
5. Place decal onto the Microset (blue labelled bottle) applied surface on model and arrange it until you are happy with its placement, Using the fresh blade you can roll the blade radially towards edges if you apply the decal on curved surfaces to have a smooth adherence.
6. When happy with decal positioning, apply a layer of Microset (blue labelled bottle) onto the decal and let it dry.
7. After it has dried do a visual inspection, if the decal covers panel line recesses on the model then cut carefully the decal along those panel lines with the fresh blade.
8. When you are happy with the decal then you apply Microsol (red labelled bottle) and let it dry for 3-4 hours.
9. After 3-4 hours of the first application of Microsol (red labelled bottle) then you apply a second layer of Microsol (red labelled bottle) and let it dry for 3-4 hours.
10. Apply neatly background colour with a sponge for weathering and perhaps do some very small and neat scratches to blend in the decal with its background surface.
11. Apply a satin or matt varnish to blend the weathering and to reduce the decal edge and surface ghosting effect.

Microset (blue labelled bottle) is made to soften the decal so that it follows the surface it is applied on smoothly, when applied and dried, you can apply it again and when the dry decal is soaked in it the decal loosens and can be removed. You can use Microset to remove and change out decals if you change your mind during the process.

 

Microsol (red labelled bottle) also softens the decal but also have a "melting" effect so that it gets permanently affixed to the surface and also reduce the ghosting effect. This is a definitive treatment of the decal that cannot be reversed, never have it in contact with decals until the decal is on its final position on model and you are happy with the positioning.

 

Following the above procedure you will have decals that look painted on and as "realistic" as they can get.

 

Happy decalling! :)

Edited March 22, 2020 by Imren

[RazorDaemon]

I understand the pain. Even with my official Chapters like Black Templars I use the 3d/texture emblem so I never, ever have to use the decals...though for some reason I never had much issue with my Necron decals, almost like a mysterious force was at work...NO! NO HERESY! PURGE!

[Axineton]

I actually meant Microset (blue bottle).

 

I use Microset first to get the decal in place then use Microset (red bottle) to melt it to the miniature. My problem is no matter what I do with blue it just wraps round the brush or folds in on itself and I spend about 20 mins trying to unfold or unwrap it from the brush. Normal shoulder decals are fine but bigger decals are really starting to do my head in. 

Edited March 22, 2020 by Axineton

[Bung]

If its bigger one dont use a brush to Transfer the decal.

I use the decal paper and only use the brush to move the decal from paper to model.

[Axineton]

If its bigger one dont use a brush to Transfer the decal.

I use the decal paper and only use the brush to move the decal from paper to model.

Thats what I'm doing.

[Imren]

 

If its bigger one dont use a brush to Transfer the decal.

I use the decal paper and only use the brush to move the decal from paper to model.

Thats what I'm doing.

 

You don't apply Microset on the decal before you have moved it to the model, right?

 

Since Microset softens the decal it will be much more prone to folding and bending and also be more fragile while handling it from the paper to the model. So rather have the decal not in contact with Microset before it is on the model.

[Axineton]

 

 

If its bigger one dont use a brush to Transfer the decal.

I use the decal paper and only use the brush to move the decal from paper to model.

Thats what I'm doing.

 

You don't apply Microset on the decal before you have moved it to the model, right?

 

Since Microset softens the decal it will be much more prone to folding and bending and also be more fragile while handling it from the paper to the model. So rather have the decal not in contact with Microset before it is on the model.

 

Yes that’s what I’ve been doing after watching a tutorial on YouTube. This could be the problem then? 

 

Do you suggest soaking it with water instead to get it off the paper?

[Imren]

 

 

 

If its bigger one dont use a brush to Transfer the decal.

I use the decal paper and only use the brush to move the decal from paper to model.

Thats what I'm doing.

 

You don't apply Microset on the decal before you have moved it to the model, right?

 

Since Microset softens the decal it will be much more prone to folding and bending and also be more fragile while handling it from the paper to the model. So rather have the decal not in contact with Microset before it is on the model.

 

Yes that’s what I’ve been doing after watching a tutorial on YouTube. This could be the problem then? 

 

Do you suggest soaking it with water instead to get it off the paper?

 

 

Most definetely! soak it in Microset once it is on the model (check out step 5 in the procedure above). That way the decal will remain stronger/sturdier while you move it from the water bath/decal paper onto the model.

[Axineton]

 

 

 

 

If its bigger one dont use a brush to Transfer the decal.

I use the decal paper and only use the brush to move the decal from paper to model.

Thats what I'm doing.

 

You don't apply Microset on the decal before you have moved it to the model, right?

 

Since Microset softens the decal it will be much more prone to folding and bending and also be more fragile while handling it from the paper to the model. So rather have the decal not in contact with Microset before it is on the model.

 

Yes that’s what I’ve been doing after watching a tutorial on YouTube. This could be the problem then? 

 

Do you suggest soaking it with water instead to get it off the paper?

 

 

Most definetely! soak it in Microset once it is on the model (check out step 5 in the procedure above). That way the decal will remain stronger/sturdier while you move it from the water bath/decal paper onto the model.

 

Ok Imren, I’ll try this instead of soaking it in microset. Hopefully this’ll fix my problem. 

[Aarik]

Another thing to try (if you haven't already) is using some tweezers to hold the decal paper next to the model where you want the decal to go.  Then use your brush to slide the decal from the paper backing directly onto the model.  That way you're not giving the decal a chance to wrap around your brush.

 

Also, try putting some microset over the gloss varnish on the model so that it is still wet when you try to affix the decal.  That will give a little film of moisture under the decal that will help it slide around so you can position it without folding under itself.

[Kalamadea]

I much prefer a hobby knife to a brush for decals. One of the keys for large decals is to cut the paper close to the decal, soak the paper till the decal loosens but is still on the paper, then slide the entire decal so just the edge peeks out over the paper, just a millimeter or so with most of the decal still on the paper. Lay down a puddle of either some water or some setting solution (I always use water for this bit, I've had decals soften too much and tear with setting solution here), and line the decal up where you want it. Hold the exposed edge of the decal in place with your hobby knife and slide the backing paper out from underneath, the decal should just drop into place (move the paper, not the decal). Do any final adjustments to the decal and wick away the puddle of water with a tissue, you don't even need to touch the decal just the edge of the puddle and the water will be drawn into the tissue and at this point you can use a brish or q-tip or the tissue to press any remaining water out from underneath the decal to lock it in place. Once the decal is down where I want it I'll add a very generous puddle of setting solution on top of it and leave it air-dry, propping up the model so that the decal-ed surface is as flat & level as possible, you want the setting solution to stay on the decal, it may wrinkle up a bit but it'll flatten out again as it dries. Then do another gloss coat over it after it's completely dried and hit the whole model with your favorite dullcote. Been doing it this way for almost 20 years with great success, including these guys a couple years back