I tried printing decals with my inkjet printer on clear decal paper. Looks good on paper. When applied to a dark surface the gold (the printer version) lettering disappears.
Are you using a decal solvent? The solvent may dissolve the lettering. You may need to use a sealer over the printed lettering.
Nothing went wrong. Optical Physics. Light color decals need a solid white backing. It sure how decal printers do it anymore. The only printer that could print white is long out of production. The white creates a light block so the dark doesn't absorbe the light allowing the light color to be visible. It's a physics of optics and light thing. So printing your own light color decals is either printed on white decal paper or a white baseunder the light color. i did see a custom printer who would do individual sheets for 30 a sheet. bill discount available. Not sure of any method to print light colors without a white background design. I print my own decals but have design everything dark.
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
Shane is correct, when printing pale colors, including white, yellow and gold, you need to print on white paper. So the trick is to find the proper color for the background (e.g., black for a steam engine), and place letters of the proper color in a box with the appropriate background, using your favorite wordprocessing software. Print and cut out the "boxes" and apply. Lately, I've been using sheets made by Experts-Choice, and lazer print them at a print shop (Staples, in Canada). At about 7$ a sheet (paper plus cost of printing), it's much cheaper than buying color cartridges for a printer at home.
Simon
I have made lots of white/light lettering on dark background decals. I first used the Evan Designs decal paper which would give you a faded white/light lettering look if you did not paint the area under the decal white. However, I recently switched to the Micro-Mark white background decal paper which produces nice opaque white/light lettering on a dark background without having to paint the area under the decal white. This decal paper seems to be thinner than the Evan Designs decal paper, too. Overall, I'm much happier with the results.
Now the "trick" to this technique. Unless the desired background color is black (and even that isn't a slam dunk), it can be difficult to perfectly match the background color to that of the model receiviing the decal. I have found that it is best to choose a background color on your computer that looks closest to the model. Next place a small square of this color in the top center edge of your decal paper. Next, place another square to the left of the first square with a shade of color just slightly darker than the first square. Continue adding color squares to the left successively darker than the previous square. Do the same to the right of the first square using successivley lighter shades of the first color. Now, print out these color squares on the actual decal paper -- Not plain printer paper as the decal paper will take the ink colors differently than plain paper. With the color squares printed out and sealed, compare the color squares to the model to see which one will work best. Even if the color match isn't perfect, a little weathering will go a long way toward making any mismatch difficult to detect.
Good luck!
Hornblower
I know clear decal paper adjusts the color of the decal when on dark surfaces. Also, make sure you clear coat the decal so the ink wont come off in water.
-bmtrainmaster
I was very disappointed in my own attempts at homemade decals. A yellow decal for a dark blue loco. Not sure that I printed it at photo quality, but I was so disappointed I never tried it again.
Nor do I know what this statement means. How does it "adjust"?:
clear decal paper adjusts the color of the decal when on dark surfaces
There was a company that advertised White Laser cartridges. I never saw a review in this forum of that product.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
The problem is that decals are semi transparent. If you put them on a dark background the background will blend into the decal and make it hard to see. If possible paint the surface white or gray and then put the decal on top of it so it will show up. This works best for re-numbered cars and locomotives, or for graffiti where the paint will look like it is covering the old number or old graffiti. I hope this helps.
BigDaddy There was a company that advertised White Laser cartridges. I never saw a review in this forum of that product.
Actually, there was a company making white toner cartridges for certain modern laser printer models. The downside was that these toner cartridges cost over $300 EACH! It also meant you had to already own or purchase one of the printer models these cartridges would fit. A little too steep for the average modeler, me included.
There are "Ghost" white cartridges available for certain HP Laser printers, that replaces the black cartridge, you would print the clear decal lettering first as "Black" which would use the white, then reprint over it again in "Color". This would create the opaque decal even on light colored lettering on any background color.
The laser printer is cheaper than the white cartridge price... It would be worth it if you were doing a lot of custom decal work. Someone like me doing one model here, one there, it's less economical.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.