CadillacPat

I prefer to keep bottles of paints in short Tupperware containers away from my work table. Instead of displaying everything you've purchased I like to keep stuff away from taking up space on my work bench. I usually have a color in mind when I need paint so they're easy enough to spot in a plastic container. Everything stays dust free. CadillacPat

But, yes, they are Clear InkJet Decals!!!!!! For a visual explanation of this check out Part III of my Decal Tutorials, CadillacPat

I use Rubber Mold and the whole beauty of my Black cars technique is you don't have to be exact when brushing it over the colored portions of the Decal image. Because-- The car is going to be Black anyway. You need only be sure to cover up all the colored pieces of the Decal image, you don't have to be perfect because you already have your Black background. It only takes a minute or 2 to mask all the images by brushing on the Rubber Mold (or whatever liquid mask you choose). I've used diluted and undiluted Elmers (White, Clear or Blue Gel), Silly Putty, Clear Museum Putty, 3 different Modelers Liquid Mask, and the easiest release Liquid Mask is Rubber Mold Liquid Latex. I don't place prices of my cars on my websites because I build them Custom Order. Some people want more detail and some may want less. The Black WoodGrain Passion pictured here sold for $75. Here's a similar WoodGrain TailDragger that went for more because of the body mod for the BoneShaker engine stacks, CadillacPat

Here I've changed the background color from Black to Red. I've also recreated the Roof, Trunk, and Hood WoodGrain Decals in new shapes to cover more area and fit the casting better. The idea here is to AirBrush a Red that will match the background color of the Decals resulting in a solid Red paintjob just like the Black one. Notice the edges on all the above "in progress" pics. Using the sponges and most of all the 1/2" flat Nylon Artists Brush drives the Decal film completely down against the paint making it look painted on. Using this brush can be the biggest factor in improving how you apply Decals. CadillacPat

A. I'll add these footnotes to further explain the process with some pics. Additionally, Here's how I make the Black cars with Clear InkJet Decals pictured above. A stripped casting, filed and sanded then rubbed down with #3 Steel Wool. Primered, Based with House Of Kolor Shimrin White, Then HOK SnowWhite Pearl, Now the Magic, See the Print Sheet I showed above of Clear InkJet Decals on a Black background, Once I've drawn these templates (Black Backgrounds fitting the left and right sides, trunk, roof and hood) and saved them as files in PhotoShop, I can change the colored graphics on them to produce completely different cars. Here's a WoodGrain Passion design. Remember, these are Clear InkJet Decals. The HOK SnowWhite Pearl layer shines through the WoodGrain, Gold beveled trim and tiny individual Rivets (everything drawn on separate layers for editing). This will give you a visual idea of why these decals are drawn this way. Once I've applied the Decals and brushed Liquid Latex over the colored portions of their Graphics, all I need do is AirBrush the entire car with HOK Black and I get this, (Scroll down for more) CadillacPat

Harry, I've seen a lot of old faded dried up decals with raised edges on a lot of faded discolored paintjobs, because people did not ClearCoat their Models that then sat on shelves for years and years. CadillacPat

What is Duplicolor Clear PreThinned? CadillacPat

Your psi is okay. I usually shoot a little higher around 25 psi for Paint or Clear. That psi ensures fine atomization so you don't just pour the paint on but lay it down in fine overlapping sheets. While it is true that if you dump on enough Clear it will flow out, it's not something to strive for. Just overlap your passes and you'll get the wet look on your 2nd or 3rd pass. How smooth was the Primer and Colorcoat you laid down? CadillacPat

You might also consider how you will be displaying your cars, how they will be exposed to the elements, and what they will look like 10 or more years down the road if they are not Cleared. CadillacPat

I paint everything inside out. This way you make sure all your edges are covered. CadillacPat

Whatever you add to it in trying to fix it is also going to fill in any definition and jam lines. CadillacPat

Looking forward to that!!!!!!!!!!!! Bonnie Parker was my Dad's second cousin!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! CadillacPat

0 degrees? CadillacPat

Same thing for those who collect DieCast. I don't collect but I do buy hundreds of the same castings for my use. I coined a term for this, The addiction of acquisition!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once you've filled several closets, a garage and back porch, and two climate controlled warehouses, much will never be seen again. CadillacPat

The everyday prices of both the Badger 105 Patriot and the 155 Anthem are more than twice that of those same brushes from Dixie Art Supply, delivered. CadillacPat

But with PhotoShop all you have to do is open your image and type in the desired measurements. Done deal, one step CadillacPat

I'm curious, what are you planning to do with it? CadillacPat

Sounds good Chris, Check out the Decal (image manipulation) Tutorials I am posting over in the Tips and Tutorials section. You can find the covers for most any magazine online of any era, and posters of anything and any genre. CadillacPat

I didn't think so!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's been worth its cost many times over. I didn't assume the asker was an occasional user. I read his request as needing solutions so I offered them. CadillacPat

Just type in what you are looking for and select Images at the top of your Results Page. Then resize the images in Photoshop and print on paper, maybe cardstock. CadillacPat

What methods are you using to buff your Clear. Are you sure you are not fogging up the ClearCoat? Proper passes with an AirBrush or even a RattleCan will lay down glasslike finishes. If your Primer is rough you might want to sand that down before your colorcoat. CadillacPat

It's not a good idea to spray extra paint over a mask of any type. Mask and just spray enough paint to fill in. CadillacPat

Everything You Need To Know To Make Custom Decals By CadillacPat Part III Preceding parts I and II showed you what Decal Paper to use and the necessary tools to cut and apply the Decals you create. Before we go further let's look at examples of InkJet Decals and how they are used. Seeing what I make will give you ideas of what is possible for you and your projects with Clear InkJet Decal Paper. All of my work is done with Clear Glossy InkJet Decal Paper from Papilio.com Make sure when you order your paper you ask for Clear Glossy and not Clear Matte. I don't like using the White because it is at least twice as thick as the Clear. White is just too thick for me, especially at my usual 1/64 scale. Let's take a look at what can be done with the Clear Decal Paper. We'll begin with the simple stuff, Clear InkJet Decals on White Cars. Here's a shot of some 6" 18 Wheelers that I did for a Convention. Colorcoat is SnowWhite Pearl that shines through the Decals as though they are backlit. Colors all appear bright and true over HOK SnowWhite Pearl or HOK Shimrin White. Except for the 4 vehicle images everything is created from scratch in PhotoShop. Vehicle images are cut out in PhotoShop, in some cases because of insufficient resolution, colors needed to be enhanced, saturation increased and brightness and contrast fine tuned, edges cleaned up and sharpened. PhotoShop allows you to take okay images (of low internet resolution) and spiff them up so they can be used. Still you always want to start out with the highest resolution possible in your found images on the Net. A SnowWhite Pearl HotWheels Passion, Again, the HOK SnowWhite Pearl shines through the InkJet Decals making them as bright as possible. The stacks and layers of feathered flames are duplicates of this one image that are then widened, stretched or distorted to fill in the roof. PhotoShop allows for one touch spacing and distribution to align everything on different layers. How about some Racing Sponsor Logos that are so popular with everyone, and the ever popular circle with a number in it, The tiny points of light are specs of Brilliant Gold Pearl in the Clear. The Sponsor Logos in some cases had to be touched up in PhotoShop. The text in some cases has been replaced to match the original. These changes make the images clear and distinct at such small sizes. And, to give you some insight, A Print Sheet of another similar design for a NASCAR Passion. Cutting full Decal sheets into Quarter Pages (4.25" x 5.5") allows me plenty of Decals for a single HotWheels design, and saves Decal Paper and ink. Pictures on DieCast, InkJet Clear Decals on colors other than White, You can place InkJet Clear Decals over some colors with very little change in the color of the Decal image, Here over House Of Kolor Zenith Gold, and also over a Duo Blue Green Pearl Ex roof, HOK Lemon Yellow Roof, Pale Gold HOK roof, Bright Green Flames over HOK Lemon Yellow. Covered with HOK Candy Pagan Gold, then HOK Urethane Clear with lots of Yellow Pearl Powder. And what about the Black cars with brightly colored Clear InkJet Decals on them that I make. How is that possible since Clear InkJet Decals disappear on top of Black? Anything can be done, you just have to eliminate all the ways to fail. Here's one of my Black Passions with Clear InkJet Decals. So these pictures will give you some insight to what is possible. You've seen that creating Decals for White cars is real easy and making a previously thought impossible Black car with Clear InkJet Decals is also easily attainable. It's just a matter of out thinking the Printer. There are more steps but they are all easy. I taught myself so I can teach you and I'll try not to leave anything out that I deem important. For a truly unique Model commemorating an event, or just adding on some flames or sponsor logos, your own Custom made Decals can be the key to a whole new dimension of Modeling. Stay tuned for Part IV, CadillacPat

House Of Kolor paint is NOT Lacquer. HOK is Urethane Enamel. I use House Of Kolor paints on all kinds of plastic and while it may craze hard plastics that are not properly primered like Styrene, it will not melt and warp a body like the one you've shown. Kustom Kolor, is not House Of Kolor paint, only their pigments in a special forumlation designed for good adhesion to plastic. Kustom Kolor is also not a Lacquer. CadillacPat

I use Rubber Mold, a pure Latex that people use for making molds of rubber. 10 bucks for a jar that lasts decades. Just brush it on with a soft hair artists brush. I also tell people they can use Silly Putty (got a thread here somewhere on it). But, Silly Putty can change shape in warm weather so you have to mask, paint and remove before it shifts or sags. Good Masking Tape like Tamiya has no bleed under and will confom to some complex curves. CadillacPat