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<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]-->I?m currently using Tamiya Acrylic Clear X-22 straight out of the bottle on my transfers and it works well enough. The problem is that it is too thick and I have to paint the entire area (like fill the marine?s shoulder pad) or when I paint over the edges you can still see them. I didn?t want to add the paint thinner (which is recommended) as I have no idea how it will affect Citadel colours. It recommends Tamiya acrylic thinner X-20A, has anyone used this successfully? <!--[endif]-->

Also I have heard people talking about a chemical that ?melts? the transfer on. Melts is kind of a strong term though, it sounded like it turns to mush and then sets flat on the surface? has anyone heard of this? If so have they used it with Citadel colour painted mini?s?

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Any other advice on applying transfers would be very welcome.

<!--[if !supportEmptyParas]--><!--[endif]--> Thanks all
Usiel ? sticking it to the little man!

I use Micro Sol, its a decal solvent that breaks down the decal. Problem with most GW decals is in the aplication of a flat decal to a rounded surface not so much anything else. The Micro sol lets the decal from to the serface. A good trick I picked up is gloss varnish! Coat the area you will be decaling with a small amout of brush on gloss varnish. Let it dry then follow the diredtions on the micro sol bottle ( the stuff is about $4 and can be found at most model shops and even some game shops) Basicaly they want you to coat the srface (over the gloss varnish) with the sol then apply the decal and coat it with the sol. Let it dry and continue to add sol in small amounts until the decal is they way you like it. When your all done you can coat the decal with gloss varnish to protect it from sratching or just straigth shoot it with Matt top coat. Either way you will not see that "halo" around your decal.

I wish the pic was closer but its the best one I have at the moment to show what I mean.n There is a small bubble on the top of the left one that I just did not smooth out enough but other that that they are golden.  Lots of people thought I had painted the decal on.

 

Those are really nice looking!

Any idea where one could find appropriately sized decal images to download for printing on blank paper... ? I've tried resizing some Konji, but they end up looking way too blocky once down to the 1/2" I need them to fit on the shoulder pads.

KW

@ Captain Vyper: Thank you! The finish on your models is superb I can't wait to use it on my marines. I'm sure I'll be able to track that down or the equivalent that's stocked in Australia.

As to the brush on gloss varnish, do you use Citadel Colour 'ard coat? If not what do you use?

@ kwade: My friend and I make decals with photoshop, we take the image we're after and shrink it down then fiddle till it looks right (and is the right size). We made Deathwing decals this way.

Thanks again
Usiel - Multi coating it to the little man...

thinning acrylics ? the best & cheapest I have found is rubbing alcohol i have used it on just about every acrylic from tamiya to bagin craft store stuff to the overpriced glorified poster paint crap from GW! sorry i just had to vent, but it works great for airbrushing,thinning,& general cleaning.

Use what ever brush on varnish you can find, as long as its a gloss coat. I cant remember if the GW ard coat is gloss or not. I use the vellejo stuff. And the key to decal is patience, Let the stuff dry before you mess with it, it take a little while but if you rush it, your gonna regret it. Take the time and it will work out.

Wow Captain Vyper, excellent suggestions and excellent work.

Fantasmajestically Splendiferous.

kwade: instead of resizing, try increasing the resolution of the digital image, it'll boost the file size somewhat, but you will be almost guaranteed smooth decals since the pic is using the same number of pixels. most photo editing packages (photoshop, etc) will let you do it, I use the software that came with my HP camera. You can get it free from their website.