Although I voted for decals, I do paint a lot of detail on freehand and also use moulded upgrades. There's a lot of factors at play here: Unit type, ease of transfer placement (flat spaces are easier than shoulder pads), space for transfer, the design I'm looking for.. and so on.
I couldn't work out decals - they always looked like they were about to peel off to me, so I do some detail (eyes) by hand, but the larger stuff I just ignore.
if i', doing details I'll use an ultra fine brush, thougb i find for symbols and things, especially on vehicles i find that using a fine felt pen can really help.
It depends. For Space Marine vehicles, chapter waterslide transfers are great. Same with Eldar runes. I will free hand text/writing on banners, though. (actual words, like naming models, not just squiggles on purity seals, although that works too )
I could have answered this question several ways. If there isn't any detail on the model i'll paint freehand or sculpt with GS if i have the time/patience.
I prefer to have a mixture of GW bitz with added details, Green Stuffing my own details as I am pretty good at it and free hand painting the remainder. I try at all costs to avoid the decals as I have always felt that they simply do not look as good as the other aforementioned options.
In the past I've always tried to freehand things like insignias and numbers, but I'm not particularly good at it and I think I'll probably switch to using decals on future projects.
Most of the time I draw the symbols with a thin black marker pen, and then fill the colours in (I'm not too good at painting freehand symbols without liners). Sometimes I take them from codex etc or just invent my own, depends on the model.
I like to use decals for chapter/clan logos and then paint over them. This actually helped me to understand freehanding, which I use for other small details such as numbers, ork dags etc.
I kept screwing up decals because I am clumsy I started painting the Fists sigil freehand because all my decals got torn up. Now I like my fist design better than GW's (but FW's is still nice).
I like to paint fine details by hand. I would make custom waterslide decals, but I don't like the finish they give and I find them far more fiddly to apply than simply painting the detail on.
I've become a big fine of the decals and etched brass from FW - both are worlds better than trying to use the crappy decals that come with GW sets.
The decal sheets in particular are fantastic value (and very well thought out - squad markings come in groups of 11 rather than 10 so you aren't stuc if you mess one up, etc)
I prefer the molded parts. I think it gives the model a little bit more dimension plus it is easier for me than freehand especially considering the shoulder pads don't handle transfers all that well. I've done my share of freehand with them but I'm just not to that skill level yet for consistently nice freehand symbols and iconography.
I do a little bit of all of it except for buying flavorful bits. It really depends on the 'custom bit' size, desired detail, working space and time, how important it is to the army as a model, so on and so on. Wish i was as good at the green stuff as some are, in which case I'd do more of it.
I try my best at free hand.... The big Ohms symbol is easy as are numbers and such, but chaos marks, and other marks like that, my girl does for me.... she is all about it.
Freehand unless it's something complex and standardized (I drew the line at Astral Claws lion heads, after it took me 1/2 hour plus to do one marine's shoulder).
I know I might sound quite the noob, but when putting on decals I always rip them or get them in the wrong place. I also find them hard to cut out. So in my opinion I strongly dislike them. But I do have good eyes and a small brush, so freehand all the way man!
I always go basic, painting all the details on 1000s of models over the years gets tiring. As long as I use enough colors to make them look decent.
I spent more time on terrain though.
I agree that when working with decals it often feels like they're going to fall apart to me. I do a fair amount of small details and flourishes, but if I can't do it by hand I'll paint over it or alter it just to not have to mess with decals.
I would say it would depend on the model in general for me since i sometimes apply decals to some and others i try and add some extra green stuff details to them.
I do a mix on my Tau. The Caste symbols I do using decals, apart from on the little round bit on the back of the battlesuits just because it's easier.
I also use the writing to denote pilot names under the cockpit.
However, unit markings I do freehand, due to size and the lack of suitable decals. And in general I hate using decals anyway.
On most basic models, i don't worry too much about details, but if I'm doing them, I prefer to do them freehand, much more freedom that way to make it look exactly how you want it to look.... and cheaper than "custom parts."
I play Black Templar.
For standard troops I use a decal on the left shoulder.
Everyone else, where possible the molded symbols.
I add extra crosses "free hand" on knee pads and other areas that seem appropriate.
Prefer to Greenstuff details on to get a personal touch on marines and such, but for orks I freehand it. I don't like decals that much, have a whole collection of them though...
I use upgrade kits and parts more often than freehanding. when I want a cross or wing. I still need a good chapter symbol for my marines.
My current chapter name is the Tears of Epsilon, but that may still change. Since I am a modeler and not a player this gives me more creative freedom at the cost off the fun it is sit down and pen up a background story. for my guys.
Since my army does and contains things and Inquisitor would at least put a flamer too and at maximun call an Exterminatus.
Using Xeno and Chaos tech, disregarding both Imperial, Ad Mech and Astartes regulations and doctarine. Building things that are not STC tech and reverse engineering verhicels, weapons and armor even if considered sacred or corrupted all without propper prayers and insense.
My free hand and brush control Kung-Fu is weak so it takes a very long time for me to do fine details. Decals look great if applied correctly and save me a ton of time. So for now...transfer sheet? Yes please!
I'm working with a combination of media for my Salamanders. Standard decals. Forgeworld brass. Kromlech shoulder pads for some 'veteran/sergeant' tagging. At some point, home produced decals for mimicing Salamanders markings found in various sources.
I try to paint them. The paint job is terrible, (it's Salamanders and I have the precision skills of a malfunctioning crane on caffeine) but it means I don't have to change the decals every week or so.
I chose other, because this is a single-option survey, and I actually use several of the methods listed.
I freehand when doing individual designs. I use decals (both hand-made & printed, and stock ones) where uniformity is important. I've bought the extra forgeworld parts with raised details for several armies.
There is no one answer - it's really about picking the right method for the task at hand.
It really does depend on the model for me. For example Thousand Sons rubric marines look better with their ouroboros transfers than the Iron Warriors or Death Guard do with theirs. Then again I do try to avoid freehand as much as possible because of how frequently I make mistakes. I'd just be redoing the whole thing again and again until there's a build up of paint that can't be left that way nor can it be wiped off because then it'd leave a line where the layers broke off on the finish. Freehand is just too high risk in my opinion. Fortunately for CSM there are a lot of conversion kits that GW still sells.
I probably use decals most, although attempt to free-hand if its a very simple design - something like a cross, triangle etc. I honestly think the decal is the gamers equivalent of the microwave - it might not get the 'taste' suitable for the connoisseur, but you can get amazing results in a tiny fraction of the time needed otherwise.
A lot of the symbols on things I have would be impossible to freehand well, such as a US flag on the side of a 15mm tank for instance.
And, if I'm painting 30 of these guys, as much as I would love to have the time (and skill!) to freehand, it would be something like 2016 before I had finished painting the designs.
With a high-quality decal, and some soaking solution painted on to it, add a bit of weathering and you can make the decal look part of the miniature. I quite often have comments about being amazing at freehand, and then have to point out that actually its a decal.
I'm actually really, really surprised at how high the percentage is of people saying they use free-hand! Would love to see in which context it actually refers to (i.e. what models are they painting, what are they using freehand for).
Years ago I was great at doing freehand, but now that I'm coming back to the hobby, I can barely keep my hands still enough to keep the mini in place. It might take a bit more practice than I thought it would, but that's the fun of it, I guess.
I can't get decals flat enough on pads. Have used them on banners. I'm not talented enough, for my critical eye anyway. To do free hand so I try and model or use existing features.
I voted for use the detail on the original model as my preferred method. I'm total rubbish at painting freehand symbols or markings, so that's right out. If the detail isn' there I don't mind using decals, although that's second choice for me. Buying upgrade parts is another option, but can often be cost prohibitive when we are talking about anyone except character models.
GS'ing and freehand. In my relative young journey in WH40K I never used a decal. I hated them when using revell-models and don't know if I will ever use one. But maybe I will change my mind, I have seen some amazing decal work.
I use to just paint the miniature and not add any symbols. However, now I add decals using mico set, micro sol, and Vallejo decal fix. It takes some practice but I'm getting to the point where the decals look painted on.
I only use decals on vehicles, as nice flat surfaces take decals better than space marine shoulder pads. Tried to do the shoulder pad ones, then said feth it and badly freehanded the symbols.
I freehand, then paint over it, then try again, then paint over it, then try again... fine details usually take me at least 3 tries. Perhaps I should get me some transfers. I did just start cutting out some from super-thin plastic, then painting over them, and so far, it's working pretty well. It adds just a tiny bit of relief to the design, and you can cut out as many as you need until you get one that looks good enough to superglue to the model.
I used to do decals but I've never been happy with the result, and they're just a pain in the ass to do.
My preference is to find, or add, detail on the models and pick them out in some way that distinguishes them how I want. Otherwise it's just a basic paint job.
For Dark Angels though I've found that the Dark Angels veteran and Ravenwing sprues are just fantastic; I've gotten a tonne of mileage out of just one of each, plus the veteran sprue lets you build five robed marines, you just need to add spare special/heavy weapons from your own collection to complete them.
I'm not sure if the Veteran sprue is available on its own anymore, but the Ravenwing Accessory Pack still is. Lots of great bits in there for bikes and vehicles, plus the parts needed to convert a land speeder for Sammael.
Other. I tend to use a little bit of everything. Different techniques for different applications. Standard decals, custom decals, and thrid-party custom bits primarily.
By the way... I've recently learned how decals are supposed to be applied properly, and I have moved my position from "no thanks" to "awesome for tabletop quality".
The thing is, if you're using proper decal solvent, the whole "sticker" look goes away and they practically look painted on.
I use Decals from a variety of sources, not just the appropriate GW decals but from other kits as well.
In addition I source also actual military kits for insignia, warning symbols, and other markings.
I've been referring to the wonderful Osprey books which show complete color schemes as well as insignia and markings, and highly recommend them to other modelers and hobbyists!
I voted "other" because it all depends on what scheme I'm going with.
For my Crimson Fists, there were no decals available when I started, and the old Imperial Fists pewter shoulder pad symbols were not to my liking, so I hand painted about half a chapter worth when they came out with better pads and decals. I try to stay with my hand painted symbols for continuity, but models like Kantor and Cortez are premolded.
As far as every other army I use, I will use decals if they exist and apply. Past that, I will paint. I don't pay extra for detailing, so 3P molded parts or custom decals are right out.
I think I have painted the black templar chapter symbol like 200-300 times. it was so difficult the first couple of times but now I can whip that up in a minute or two.
I do either brass etch, water transfer or buy upgrade parts,
For example my veteran tactical squad has crux terminatus pauldrons, I don’t like the flatness of transfers/ etch when terminators have tha same, also it’s an honour to be in the 1st company so why not have relic armor
Personally I use most of those: mostly I use the details on the model itself. At times I use decals, like for banners and flat drapes for my DoK amd Darklings, but I do some really easy freehand for my Kharadrons.
With Adeptus Titanicus though, I'm planning to try out the transfers.
I'm always of the mind that whatever way is easiest for each application, is the way I do it. I always try and find the way of least resistance for any project, and anything that saves time is a go-to.
In the past I often used a combination of standard decals, upgrade / detail kits and free hand painting.
I dont know how common the detail kits are in Wargaming/Tabletop, but in model building we are often use photo etched parts to detail the interior and exterior of models. A good example for this would be the Czech Manufacturer Eduard, which has a buch of this in his shop.
I have no idea what this discussion is about or what half the options mean. What are decals? What is GS? How can you buy upgraded parts (you mean the bits that Forgeworld sells for some 40k stuff)?
Jandgalf wrote: I have no idea what this discussion is about or what half the options mean. What are decals? What is GS? How can you buy upgraded parts (you mean the bits that Forgeworld sells for some 40k stuff)?
Decals refers to waterslide decals, ie text and/or iconography printed on paper that when soaked in water, produces a soft decal you can place onto the model to reproduce said text or iconography.
Some people are very good at freehanding detail, for example, painting script lines onto a parchment or purity seal. I myself am terrible at freehand, so lean on decals to reproduce those details.
GS is green stuff, a 2 part epoxy that is commonly used in this hobby to sculpting. Prior to digital sculpting, many models were made of green stuff before being cast. It's still commonly used to fill gaps and sculpt details, and of course, traditionalists still sculpt entire models out of it.
Upgraded parts can mean either forgeworld, or 3D printed details that you either design or print yourself or buy elsewhere such as shapeways, etsy, ebay, or otherwise.
So, recent thing that worked.. ish:
Did this really cool celtic knot wolf for my McFarlane marine shoulder in Illustrator, but even making the "cords" bigger, the detail was way too intricate. So, got a piece of plastic, flipped the image and printed it. then went and rubbed the ink off to the shoulderpad... It didn't come out 100% and I had to go back and redo the lines in both black and the background color. It did make a kind of old, worn feeling- buuut, the scale was way larger than what I'm used to, and even then the curvature was screwing up the flat plastic, and the ink smeared.
I vote we all look into mixing 3d print technology with a super-fine airbrush so that you can print vector designs onto a mini!
I have become a fan of 3D printing stencils for vehicle markings. Loads of handy tools to do text and symbols, and so easy to extrude to a thin, flexible stencil.
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I started painting the Fists sigil freehand because all my decals got torn up. Now I like my fist design better than 
