Thanks everyone.
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I'm in the (slow) process of finding my way around Inkscape.
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I'm in the (slow) process of finding my way around Inkscape.
2
Custom Decals
(First of all, my apologies if I've posted this in the wrong forum)
I want to do some custom decals - rally plates and number boards, to be specific. I've checked places such as Patto's and no-one seems to do the stuff I want, so I'll have to do it myself.
I started by copying JPEG images off the 'net and re-sizing them. The trouble I'm having with that is that by the time I get the images small enough, they've lost most of their definition.
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So, my questions are;-
1) Are there any write-ups on DIY decals here for IT-illiterates, such as myslf?
2) If not, is someone able to tell me what format I should be working with the images in, what software I need to working with and where I can get that software?
I could attempt to design my own decals, but I'd still need software I don't have plus a heavy dose of both imagination and artistic ability - which I'm lacking in. I'd be prepared to attempt it if someone could tell me, please, what is suitable software for designing decals from scratch.
TIA
Stuart.
I want to do some custom decals - rally plates and number boards, to be specific. I've checked places such as Patto's and no-one seems to do the stuff I want, so I'll have to do it myself.
I started by copying JPEG images off the 'net and re-sizing them. The trouble I'm having with that is that by the time I get the images small enough, they've lost most of their definition.
So, my questions are;-
1) Are there any write-ups on DIY decals here for IT-illiterates, such as myslf?
2) If not, is someone able to tell me what format I should be working with the images in, what software I need to working with and where I can get that software?
I could attempt to design my own decals, but I'd still need software I don't have plus a heavy dose of both imagination and artistic ability - which I'm lacking in. I'd be prepared to attempt it if someone could tell me, please, what is suitable software for designing decals from scratch.
TIA
Stuart.
1 - 9 of 32 Posts
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Thanks for ^^^^^ that, Mr.M, I'll give it a go.
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Thank you everyone for the input here.
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Something I've realised since my last post is that "pixelating" was not the right word. My bad!
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Here's the problem, described as best as I can..........
I find some images on the 'net and save them to my hard drive. No problem.
Then I go into Inkscape and put all the images together (4 of them, to be precise). No problem.
At this point, the main image is well over 200mmx200mm, so I reduce the size in Inkscape. This is when the image loses definition. It becomes fuzzy/blurred on the screen. Printing the image through MSWord gives a similar result.
Now, yesterday evening, I tried DJs suggestion of using MSWord to resize the image and the results are a lot better. I'd be happy to use the images now as no-one but me will ever see them. Doubtless they are still not perfect, and I'd like to improve them before putting them on my cars, but if I can't then I can live with it.
My printer settings could well be wrong as well - I'll have to look into it - but it's only a cheap HP printer, about 5 years old, so I may not be able to do anything about that. I'm not throwing money that could be better spent on expanding my collection of cars on a new printer just for the sake of printing 30 decals when I'll probably never need to do it again. Again, if this is where my problem - or part of it - lies, I'll just live with the quality I've got now.
Cheers,
Stuart.
Something I've realised since my last post is that "pixelating" was not the right word. My bad!
I find some images on the 'net and save them to my hard drive. No problem.
Then I go into Inkscape and put all the images together (4 of them, to be precise). No problem.
At this point, the main image is well over 200mmx200mm, so I reduce the size in Inkscape. This is when the image loses definition. It becomes fuzzy/blurred on the screen. Printing the image through MSWord gives a similar result.
Now, yesterday evening, I tried DJs suggestion of using MSWord to resize the image and the results are a lot better. I'd be happy to use the images now as no-one but me will ever see them. Doubtless they are still not perfect, and I'd like to improve them before putting them on my cars, but if I can't then I can live with it.
My printer settings could well be wrong as well - I'll have to look into it - but it's only a cheap HP printer, about 5 years old, so I may not be able to do anything about that. I'm not throwing money that could be better spent on expanding my collection of cars on a new printer just for the sake of printing 30 decals when I'll probably never need to do it again. Again, if this is where my problem - or part of it - lies, I'll just live with the quality I've got now.
Cheers,
Stuart.
2
Once again, thank you everyone for your input.
I've got to the point where I'm reasonably happy with my efforts. Here's a pic of 2 of the cars......
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As this is my first attempt, I've done the decals on sticky white paper for now. I've saved the images and at some point, I'll get either some white printable vinyl, or white decal paper and do the job properly. I'm that pleased with the way the WRC one on the Accent has turned-out, I'm thinking about doing the whole of my SCX up to 2002 WRC collection the same. The Rallylegends one on the quattro doesn't please me quite as much, but the pic doesn't do it justice - when you take it to full size, the decals look slightly distorted, particularly on the Accent, but they aren't actually. My wife's camera isn't all that brilliant, and I'm still in the dark ages of celluloid with my own SLR.
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The image in my sig is the bottom of the Rallylegends door decal from the quattro. All my own work!
![]()
I've got to the point where I'm reasonably happy with my efforts. Here's a pic of 2 of the cars......
As this is my first attempt, I've done the decals on sticky white paper for now. I've saved the images and at some point, I'll get either some white printable vinyl, or white decal paper and do the job properly. I'm that pleased with the way the WRC one on the Accent has turned-out, I'm thinking about doing the whole of my SCX up to 2002 WRC collection the same. The Rallylegends one on the quattro doesn't please me quite as much, but the pic doesn't do it justice - when you take it to full size, the decals look slightly distorted, particularly on the Accent, but they aren't actually. My wife's camera isn't all that brilliant, and I'm still in the dark ages of celluloid with my own SLR.
The image in my sig is the bottom of the Rallylegends door decal from the quattro. All my own work!
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