Tokyo_0Wolf

Support needed with Lego face decals!

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Hello!

*Ahem*... I am starting my first LEGO custom mini fig project after seeing some superb custom jobs on Pinterest that I am besotted with. I have messed around with some of the minifigs I have got already to create a few nice pieces which I'm happy with... but I really want to give printing waterside decals a go and have a few questions that I hope you can take the time to help with. I am looking to make a full set of the Watchmen, Hellboy & BPRD and Ripley from Aliens just to get me started!!

I have gone out and brought some clear waterside decal paper and some colour fix spray on the advice of the model shop I got it from, and will be printing on a very good laser jet printer. I have done plenty of miniature customisations with GW miniatures but really want to stay true to the LEGO ethos of simple, clean, precise and effective (i.e. I won't be cutting pieces up or making any green stuff parts!).

From looking over a few vids and guides online I understand the principles of printing and using the waterside paper to customise a standard LEGO torso, but have a few questions about customising faces;

Q1. Would you apply a complete decal strip to go around all of the the head or just cut out the face section?

Q2. Some files have a clear background for the faces and some are coloured. If placing on a LEGO head with the desired background colour already do you edit the original file so the "skin/base" colour is clear, or would you print the colour and hope that it matches with the head colour?

Q3. Are their any other techniques or tips to applying decals to the head beyond what you would do with a torso? All the guides and vids I have found so far only discuss placing decals on a torso not a head. I foresee there being issues with any decals that would require application over a curved surface.

This is my first post on the forum, so please correct me if this is posted in the wrong place or has been covered elsewhere.

Cheers Guys =)

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Hello and welcome!

With regards to clear or coloured decals you need to be aware that transparent decal will only 'multiply' the colour onto the plastic colour that it's applied to. This means that it won't work as well into darker colours... The eye will make adjustments for things such as the eye highlight when it's in a light flesh background but your cmyk inkjet printer won't print white so it won't be on the decal... Hence the reason some people print The skin colour into a white decal and apply that. I'd always apply a full wrap for heads so the ends are basically hidden by the hair or headpiece.

I'd recommend a clear acrylic spray to give a light coat over the piece once the decal is applied to hep protect it.

Google Christo's custom Watchmen figures as they're great places to start for those figures. I'd also research as much as you can to see if there are existing pieces to use where possible such as the Portal dimensions minifig for the vest piece for Ripley.

I was tempted to create a Lobster Johnson custom fig a year or so ago but I found that not many people knew who he was so I didn't get it finished and printed. Good luck with Abe, Liz, Johann and even Daimio. I'd be interested in helping put those together with you.

Good luck!

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Hey... err... Skywanker *cringe* :laugh:

Thanks so much for your time in giving this awesome advise!

I think I just about get what you me about the colours multiplying on clear decal paper. Do you mean that the colour printed on to transparent decal paper will still show through some of the colour from the plastic it is applied to i.e. still remain slightly transparent?

So as I a printing on to transparent decal paper would you advise printing the colour for faces or edit the decal in photoshop to make it clear?

Yup, I always used to use some kind of gloss spray to protect my GW Bloodbowl minis.

I'll look up those pieces you mentioned. I will probably try a few simpler pieces before tackling any Dark Horse stuff, I could see Hellboy, Abe and Yohan posing a few challenges... not to mention the placement of Rogers codpiece/todgerbox!!!

Cheers =)

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Well you can ways call me Robianco which is my username rather than the member title I was blessed with. ;)

Here's the Christo figures:

22651746678_fcef8d2926_z.jpg

Edited by Robianco

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I had a look at these figs, they look great but will probably make a few tweaks. I have downloaded a decal which is VERY simular to these that I will probably be working from. I know the smaller pork pie hat suits the source material better for Roschac (or however you spell it) but feel the Indiana Jones hat looks better, also like some I have seen with a cloth jacket look.

Theres a Lego show coming up in a few weeks in my town (Christchurch, New Zealand) so will see what bits I can pick up and what I can put together.

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I quite like custom cloth overcoats on figures but the way Rorschach has his tightly fastened lends itself to print more than fabric to me.

Have you checked the BrickLink sellers in your area for parts? I think I've ordered from NZ or Australia in the past even to the UK.

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Yeah, I see your point... it help this mini that it has a really good decal that goes down to the legs. Kinda negates the need for a cloth coat. I'll see what trench coat decals I can find...

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