I'm trying to make yellow lettering decals on clear water transfer decal paper. they print out on the decal paper perfect, the problem is that ounce i transfer the decal off the paper the yellow is very transperant to the point where i can no longer see it. Any suggestions?
I am interested in this answer as well. I am thinking of making some yellow decals. I have heard the same, but cannot recall what was the solution.
The reason it looks good on paper is that the backing paper is white and that allows the yellow to appear bright. As soon as you transfer it to another color background, it's not going to look so good. You either need to print on white decal film (which may be difficult to cut out), or use a dye-sub printer such as an ALPS printer. Your best bet is probably to send out your graphics file to have it properly printed. Steve S
Another possible fix, not that you'll necessarily like it, would be to print double of what you're planning to apply so that you can "stack" the decals. This kind of problem often happens with light colors over darker ones in any number of applications (white in national insignia for military models is a common one)
I know on the Alps you can't print straight yellow. I have to print it in 4 layers - white, orange, undercoat white, and then yellow. Comes out a good VIA yellow.
I came up with the same problem when I tried to make my own 1950s style CNR GTW and CV decals. Looked good on paper, looked wishywashy on the green loco.hboy:
My trick is to use white paper, not clear, and print the background color as close as I can to the paint. Then I can print yellow or white or any other light color. Matching the colors is difficult. I often make a test strip of seven or eight small squares of differing hues, and print it on less expensive photo paper. When I find the correct color, then I print on decal paper, and trim the decal as close as I can. With enough dullcote, it's usually not detectable. In Z scale, sometimes I just print a decal to cover the whole side of a structure, in my case boat hulls rather than car sides. Then I don't have to paint.
The only color combination I ever had any luck with was Black on white decal paper. Works great for number boards or if you are applying to a white (or any light color) base. Last time I tried on my printer, the edges weren't sharp enough to suit me. I have all my decals run custom through Highball Graphics and my number boards from ShellScale.
