Hello everyone,
I am modeling the Coors brewery on my new layout. I already have some structures from the ethanol series that I never built. I will be using some of these strucures for modelling Coors.
How do I create a sign like this? Can I use a photo printer and just glue it to the building?
Michael
CEO- Mile-HI-RailroadPrototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989
yes, that would work ....
it would look better if you could 'thin' the sign somewhat first ..
wvg_cayes, that would work .... it would look better if you could 'thin' the sign somewhat first ..
wvg_ca's suggestion will work well if you want the sign to look like it was painted onto the building. That would be a nice effect if you are modelling an era when signs were still being painted by hand. I don't think that is very common these days.
If you want a more modern look, just glue the printed sign to some thin styrene and mount the panel on the wall.
Make sure you send all of us a free sample of the beer when you get the brewery up and running.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I enlarged your picture and looked at the sign. It is not painted onto the building, so this one is pretty easy.
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I would print it onto white cardstock, and then seal it with Mod Podge Matte.
Simply glueing onto the side of the building should be OK.
You could also do as Dave suggested and glue it to a thin piece of sheet styrene.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
MotleyHow do I create a sign like this? Can I use a photo printer and just glue it to the building
Michael, that is how I did the sign for my N Scale gas station. I also made the ice machine out of styrene and glued a computer printed image to it.
I had already made the gas pumps or I would have done the same with them.
Several posters on the forum told me to do this, but I can't credit them -- I don't remember who they are.
York1 John
I asked my doctor if I gave up delicious food and all alcohol, would I live longer? He said, "No, but it will seem longer."
On the Route of the Broadway LION, the entire tile wall is printed on a color xerox laser printer. I use Serif PageMaker x9 to do the graphics, and then just paste the whole wall into place.
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Motley......How do I create a sign like this? Can I use a photo printer and just glue it to the building?
I've found that the easiest way for me to make signs is to first determine what I want to appear on it, then decide on an appropriate size.
I then get this information to my brother, either via e-mail or in person, who does all of the artwork and layout on his computer, and then submits it to the commercial printer whom he uses for his business. The results are printed on a large sheet of heavy stock, and I use my X-Acto and a straightedge to cut them out, then cement them to sheet styrene, usually with a border around each sign, built from strip styrene.
Here are some examples...
In the above photo, the signage on the fence is painted. Since this coal and ice dealer has outlets in most towns on the layout, I used Letraset dry transfers to create the sign on metallic-clad thin cardstock, then used a #11 blade in my X-Acto to cut out each letter. The pre-constructed fence was then overlaid with the stencil and airbrushed, then installed on the layout.
This "farming-out" method works well for small signs, too...
For signs representing ones painted directly on walls, I generally paint the wall appropriately, then apply dry white dry transfer lettering, as on National Grocers warehouse....
Since the dry transfers usually come in only black or white, you need to use background colours on which the lettering will stand out. However, it's also possible to make the lettering any colour you wish: simply paint the background in that colour, then add the dry transfer lettering. Normally, once the letters are applied, it's recommended to burnish them in place to make them permanent. However, in this instance, the letters are being used only as a masking device - do not burnish them! Next, mask-off the surrounding area, and airbrush the area of the sign, including the already-applied dry transfers, using your colour of choice.As soon as the paint is dry to the touch, use small pieces of masking tape to pick at the lettering, lifting off the transferred lettering and revealing the proper colour.
For this structure, I first painted the area of the sign white, then had my brother print the lettering in black on clear decal paper. He then changed that image to a negative one, rendering the lettering clear, and the background black. It was applied onto the white background in two pieces, as the sign was too long to fit on the decal paper as one line...
The street side got its own sign, made the same way, too...
Wayne
Awesome! I appreciate all the tips, you guys have a lot more experience than I do on this stuff.
I am starting on the first building (the one you see in the photo). Will post pics of it when I'm finished.
Coors will be the first project on the new layout. When its finished I will make sure to make deliveries by rail to all of my new customers at your homes!