Giant Painted Signs, how is it done?

[rrebell]

George used the sanded paper method and got most of the signs from books on oldadvertising signs, yes he just cut them up.

[Bob grech]

Having built many craftsmen kits, including those offered by Mr Sellios (Fine Scale Miniatures) I can assure you the method he uses to apply large signage on structures is all done with paper. The paper sign is printed ( some from books, mags, or internet) on paper, cut to size, and applied using full strength white glue. If the paper is a little too thick, it is sanded down using 600 grit or finer sand paper. This is not as difficult as it sounds, The trick is to work from the center out towards the edges in order to prevent tearing. This method is also used by all of the other well know craftsman kit manufactures such as FOS Scale and Bar Mills.  The trick in making the sign appear as if it was painted on is to work the paper into the grooves of the bricks or clapboard using your finger nails. Once dry, the face of sign is then dry-brushed in order to highlight the edges of the brick or clapboard. 

Here is an example of a paper sign I added using this method.

 

20150405_165520 by Bob Grech, on Flickr

[chutton01]

Graffen

It's easy to do, just print the sign mirror imaged. Then apply the glue like liquid on the print and apply face down on the surface.  Press and  squeeze into place and wipe away the excess.

When dry, wet the paper and start to gently rub it away with your fingers or a sponge.

What is left is the print.

For those of you who prefer videos, here is one method for the print-transfer process using plain paper on hot wheels cars (I have no problem shamelessly stealing techniques from other modelling communites)

[Graffen]

ctyclsscs

But wasn't there an article somewhere not too long ago about how you can make signs like that by using color copies and somehow getting the ink or toner to transfer to a model? Or am I imagining it?

Jim

The transfer method is great.

I bought a special liquid for the technique from Daler Rowney.

It's easy to do, just print the sign mirror imaged. Then apply the glue like liquid on the print and apply face down on the surface.  Press and  squeeze into place and wipe away the excess.

When dry, wet the paper and start to gently rub it away with your fingers or a sponge.

What is left is the print.

[BigDaddy]

That is helpful because it led me to https://t2decals.ecrater.com/

He also sells on ebay, no affiliation.  His O scale might be the Giant signs.  HIs Ghost decals look very much like the weathered signs on F&M.  Not my thing but he also has graffitti decals and "skid row" decals

 

 

 

[gmpullman]

ctyclsscs

But wasn't there an article somewhere not too long ago about how you can make signs like that by using color copies and somehow getting the ink or toner to transfer to a model? Or am I imagining it?

 

The June 2016 M-R, Pg. 34, issue had the gel-transfer article in it.

This thread has some good information:

http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/205673/2250041.aspx

Sadly, Photobucket has obliterated the images from so many other sign-making threads it isn't even worth linking to them 

Hope that helps, Ed

 

[BATMAN]

One way you can do it is to print out the sign and carefully cut out the letters to make a stencil and airbrush the letters/sign on. Multiple colours and more intricate designs can be done using multiple stencils and doing layers. 

Airbrushing looks good whereas sticking most things on will be too thick to be proper scale.

[j. c.]

CGW121

RMC had an article on this in the past year or so. I dont believe I kept the magazine I usually dont keep them

 

i kept that mag but made a few inprovments on the way it was done in the artical .

 

to OP pm me.

[CGW121]

RMC had an article on this in the past year or so. I dont believe I kept the magazine I usually dont keep them

[BigDaddy]

Woodland Scenics offers those.  They don't meet my GIANT criteria.

https://woodlandscenics.woodlandscenics.com/show/category/SignsAndPosters

 

[mbinsewi]

I thought a manufaturer offered a dry transfer for this type of signage, but I haven't searched for anything yet.  I think dry transfers you use a burnishing technique, but I've never done it.

Mike.

[BigDaddy]

mbinsewi

There was a contributor on here that used to post old signs for your railroad.

That was Tomkat-13  He got photobucked.  But he is on Facebook for those of you who haven't #dumpFacebook

https://www.facebook.com/pg/MissouriArkansasRailway/photos/?tab=album&album_id=2042099646048284

I have never heard of sanding the backside of paper.  That could explain the right half of the beer bottle and Bud ad in the photo, but I'm not sure the face is paper.  His weathering is excellent BTW. 

I do remember an MR article where a sign was printed backwards and rubbed on to a building.  I don't remember what caused the ink to stick to the building.  I don't think that explains the signs with the big white lettering.

I did try to print out a decal with clear letters and a black background.  On paper it works.  On decal paper, you can see the individual black lines, which means there are individual white lines with no ink.  I think the ink spreads better or paper.

 edit  6 typos! really?

 

 

[mbinsewi]

ctyclsscs

I think he probably looked through very old magazines until he found some ads and pictures he could use and then followed the sanding technique that others have mentioned.

That makes a lot of sense,  and what an idea to try.

There was a contributor on here that used to post old signs for your railroad.  Maybe some of those could be printed, than use the sanding tecnique.

Mike.

 

[ctyclsscs]

I may be mistaken, but I believe that many of George's buildings (and signs) were made a good number of years ago before everyone had home computers, scanners and printers. I think he probably looked through very old magazines until he found some ads and pictures he could use and then followed the sanding technique that others have mentioned.

But wasn't there an article somewhere not too long ago about how you can make signs like that by using color copies and somehow getting the ink or toner to transfer to a model? Or am I imagining it?

Jim

[HO-Velo]

I've used the aforementioned technique of plain paper sanded on the back and glued to structure walls. 

Following DTD kit instuctions coated both the back of the sign and wall with rubber cement, when glue is dry firmly affixed the sign & pressed it down into the bricks over a plastic sandwich bag, running my fingernail along the motar lines.  Then lightly rubbed the sign further with a soft cloth over the plastic bag.

The sanding of the back of the sign is tedious and once the ink begins to show thru the thin paper can tear very easily.  I use a dental pick to carefully remove parts of the sign to further the appearance of age and deterioration.  Some brick color powders/pastels helps with the weathered look.

Practiced the same method on the roof top wooden bill board.

Regards,  Peter

 

 

[dknelson]

MisterBeasley

Some modelers print the images on plain paper and then use sandpaper to remove the back side, given them a thin paper sign they can glue directly to the wall.  This is an older technique from the time when decals for the home office were not readily available.

I have seen that technique used very effectively.  You affix the thinned paper with diluted white glue.  The biggest challenge is sanding the paper evenly and without tearing it.  

Another way to do it, and maybe George Sellios is one of them, is where the entire side of the building is a photograph, usually photoshopped to correct distortions -- sign, bricks, windows, everything is a photo. 

Dave Nelson

 

[MisterBeasley]

I'm not sure how he did it, but I use decals for mine.  This is one of my favorites:

I simply downloaded the image and imported it into MS Paint, where I added the red border for a clean edge.  Then, I imported that int MS Word for sizing and printing.  I painted a white rectangle on the building, let it dry and applied the decal.  I sealed it with Dull-Coat.

Some modelers print the images on plain paper and then use sandpaper to remove the back side, given them a thin paper sign they can glue directly to the wall.  This is an older technique from the time when decals for the home office were not readily available.

 

[BigDaddy]

I was looking at George Sellios's F&M.  In the old days, painted signs on buildings were common.  He has them and some of the are huge, as in lettering that is multistories high.  

I've done small signs with stick on lettering, white paint underneath, black paint on top and remove the stick ons.  In the shot below, the letters are different size in Borax, and how did he get the face on the wall?