custom transfers
- Thread starter Kwapple
- Start date
Ruleslawyer
New member
Various companies make decal sheets you can run through your printer. They come in two colors- white and clear. White you have to be careful about trimming your decal, but colors print more vivid. Clear has issues too. The colors tend to be a little transparent. Go for more saturated colors to compensate. Also very few printers can print white. So you can't have white in your design on clear sheets. Both tend to be very fragile, and require extremely careful handling so you don't rub off the ink.
I wrote an article about my experience awhile back.
http://www.ruleslawyer.bellguard.com/?p=550
I wrote an article about my experience awhile back.
http://www.ruleslawyer.bellguard.com/?p=550
CarbonCopy
New member
I work in printing.
There are currently *NO* commercially available desktop printers that can print white. The only desktop printer that DID print white was the ALPS Microdry printer that used a tape film as the "ink". It has been discontinued for nearly a decade, is extremely problematic to find working units, let alone a supplier for the tape "ink" cartridges.
As for decals, the best quality option and to reduce the delicacy of the final product, only print with a laser printer. Inkjet print decals risk "running" when they get wet. And sealing spray over the print runs two risks. 1) Destroying the print by making it run, 2) making it far too brittle for actual use if you sprayed it too thick.
There are currently *NO* commercially available desktop printers that can print white. The only desktop printer that DID print white was the ALPS Microdry printer that used a tape film as the "ink". It has been discontinued for nearly a decade, is extremely problematic to find working units, let alone a supplier for the tape "ink" cartridges.
As for decals, the best quality option and to reduce the delicacy of the final product, only print with a laser printer. Inkjet print decals risk "running" when they get wet. And sealing spray over the print runs two risks. 1) Destroying the print by making it run, 2) making it far too brittle for actual use if you sprayed it too thick.
RuneBrush
New member
There's quite a few threads on doing custom decals on here as I've looked into it in the past:
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?39530-Making-Decals&highlight=custom+decal
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?4978-making-decals&highlight=custom+decal
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?647-Custom-Decals&highlight=custom+decal
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums...nsfer-paper-for-decals&highlight=custom+decal
The white element on a decal/transfer is basically done from using a white backed transfer sheet to print on (rather than transparent) and not from printing out white on a printer. However because the transfer sheet is entirely white, you need to be very accurate at cutting out else you'll end up with a white umbra around it!
It's also worth looking into the various decal liquids for softening and hardening decals when you apply them
pete
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?39530-Making-Decals&highlight=custom+decal
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?4978-making-decals&highlight=custom+decal
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums/showthread.php?647-Custom-Decals&highlight=custom+decal
http://www.coolminiornot.com/forums...nsfer-paper-for-decals&highlight=custom+decal
The white element on a decal/transfer is basically done from using a white backed transfer sheet to print on (rather than transparent) and not from printing out white on a printer. However because the transfer sheet is entirely white, you need to be very accurate at cutting out else you'll end up with a white umbra around it!
It's also worth looking into the various decal liquids for softening and hardening decals when you apply them
pete
