The CrossDelta decals are opaque so I prime the figures in either black or gray but then I gloss coat them so the decals stick. I also use Microscale Micro Sol for the decals to conform to the creases and folds. The CrossDelta decals also need a protective coating over them as the ink does crack and peel off over the sharp edges of the creases and folds. I coat them with Microscale liquid decal film with just a paint brush. Even though I do coat them to stop the ink from cracking and peeling off, they still do but less with the Microscale liquid decal film protective coat over them.
The Trumpeter figure camo decals are opaque as well so black or gray primer is fine if using the Trumpeter decals. I also use the same techniques as described above for the CrossDelta decals as some of the ink will also crack and peel off but much less than the CrossDelta decals.
Some other decals like FFSMC are transparent so you must prime the figures white first so that the decals show the actual colors of the ink. If you do not prime them white, the decal colors will not show properly the actual colors. The FFSMC decals are home printed so you definitely need to have the protective coating to help prevent the cracking and peeling of the ink and again, even so, they still crack and peel but the liquid decal film protective coating helps.
I have some Live Resin figure camo decals as well but haven’t used them yet so not sure if they are opaque or not.
These were done using the FFSMC decals. I used the Microscale liquid decal film over the decals before applying them. There was still some slight cracking and peeling of the ink which you can see if you zoom in.
These were done using the CrossDelta decals. You can see the sharp edges where the ink cracked and peeled from. I touched them up later with a brush. This was before I knew to coat them with the liquid decal film. Even after using the liquid decal film on different figures, the decals still cracked and peeled at the sharp edges but less.
I used the Trumpeter figure camo decals on the three color desert camo backpack. The Trumpeter decals are actually very nice to use. They conform very well even without the Micro Sol. For this one, I didn’t use the Microscale liquid decal film over the decals before applying them and very little to no cracking and or peeling of the ink. I have had issues with other Trumpeter figure decal sheets cracking and peeling though so you should still use the Microscale liquid decal film over the decals before applying them to be safe.
One thing I do with the figure camo decals is, I cut them into small pieces to fit around other parts that will not be decaled. Those areas will be hand painted. It is much more time consuming and tedious but looks better overall when finished as the decals don’t cover a lot of the details. In this photo, you can see where I cut the decals into the small pieces and fit them around the areas that will be hand painted.
Unfortunately true for some. I’m surfe you’re not that bad. But… one can find examples on this site where Bradleys and other vehicles literally look like they were dipped in paint. All of the bolt detail is completely softened. I don’t understand how using the basic rules of spraying can result in something like that. Airbrush or rattle can, the concept remains the same.
The gun analogy is pretty good. I never went full auto in combat (unless it was with the .50) and I like to be equally precise with my airbrush shots.
This conversation is very reminiscent of the ones I’ve seen in the Wargaming world. Back around 2000 or so (possibly earlier or later), we started seeing pre-painted figures hit the market. From Superheroes (i.e. Heroclix), D&D minis, & even some historical minis lines. And there was just as much discussion there as I’m seeing here, whether it promotes laziness, lack of detail/fidelity, etc.
In the end, for minis gamers, there is a spectrum of desires they want out of it. Some just want to push little plastic men around the table. Others see their figures as works of art, to invest time & effort into, with gaming a bonus on top.
I personally ascribe to the latter group. And will actively decline games with people that consistently show up with grey or primer’d armies, that never see even a lick of paint. As is my choice. I get called an elitist gate-keeper for my approach to minis wargaming, & that’s fine. Having standards, boundaries, & a clear idea of what I want is important, healthy, & good (I like my wargames to look more like an interactive diorama, rather than a glorified boardgame with felt “forests” & hills made by putting books under a mat) Similarly, as modelers, having standards will also be important. But at a guess, this is not going to stop someone wanting to slap together a pre-painted model in an afternoon.
Wait, why does any line need to be drawn? Everyone has their own ideas of what they want from this hobby. If you want some zillion piece resin masterpiece with aftermarket brass parts you need a microscope to see, great! If Legos or prepaints or even die cast is your thing, why not? We all draw our own lines based on skills, experience, money and umpteen other factors. I don’t see a point to gatekeeping the hobby.
I don’t know what’s all the complains about this. It’s like complaining about McDonald’s and saying you should cook your burger at home.
In building a model kit, the painting step is the step that can go wrong very easily and for me it takes at least three days to paint a model.
I don’t have the free time I used to have before, so a well pre-painted model is a good thing for me.
My point of building model kits is to have a model as close as possible to the real one on my shelf.
I’m thinking of buying one of this kit but still wait for better reviews of the parts and the paint job before I buy this.
Pre-painted? Never!
This model builder needs special decals for a specific vehicle.
That is what I call dedication to the craft.
I simply settle for one of the provided options, I usually go for the most “colourful” one
or a marking which lets me avoid the extra work to paint camouflage …
The pictures provided in the review link have the contents in the upper right quarter of each image. Have to zoom in but it looks like what the kit will be in the box.
I decided to just let that one go. But for me, I’d already have that project completed in the time it took to post multiple times to that thread.
OP wants A-13 to become A-11, in exactly the same font.
Fair enough. I’d cover the three with a piece of the sand colored decal, and put a “1” over it, cut from a thin piece of black decal if necessary.
I posted examples in that thread, which I don’t need to repeat here, of markings I’ve done with dry transfers. The larger font he wants for the names is available in white and black, possible more if you look at railroad decals, which I also use.
I know nothing about the guy. Maybe his eyesight isn’t that good. And if he has the time and money to get custom decals made, then why not? Again, I’m not one of those Armorama “elitists” here to tell folks how to enjoy their hobby.
I do often share techniques that I think will help modelers do something more easily, or in a way that produces better results. The difference is in almost every case it’s something I’ve done and that I know works, I’m not just tossing out wazoo ideas like taking a kit barrel to a gunsmith, or turning bombs on a lathe to paint stripes on them.
We never see the results of those nuggets.
Yeah, I missed it somehow the first time. The way the parts are attached to the sprues, looks like we will have to do some paint touch ups after snipping them off. To me, defeats the purpose of having them pre-painted if we still have to paint them.
