Decals as masks?

[trekkist]

I picked up a Lindberg Snark the other day (check "Ollie's," if they exist local to you; great deals), but find myself fearful of the MANY complex white stripe decals to be applied over a red-painted kit.

So I wondered: what if I applied a white base coat, decaled over that, painted over the decals...could the decals then be "easily" removed, taking their paint overcoat along? Or would this require X acto outlining of each and every decal stripe?

[SpaceRanger1]

If decals are not sealed in place with a clear coat, they can usually be removed with sticky tape. Other ideas:

1. Scan the decal sheet, print it, and use the prints as masks. If you have an image editing program such as Photoshop, you may be able to adjust the brightness/contrast so that the white stripes are visible. If not:

2. Trace the decals and transfer the tracings to frisket paper or some other masking medium.

I find it's always a good idea to scan a decal sheet before cutting it apart anyway, just in case.

[Rocketeer]

Don't forget that on most decals, the clear film extends beyond the colored area. You'd have to trim the edges of each decal right up next to the color.

[trekkist]

Thanks to both! Now for the killer: whatever "sticky" mask is used, can it be peeled without first "outlining" its shape (on the overpainted kit) with an X-acto?

[SpaceRanger1]

Thanks to both! Now for the killer: whatever "sticky" mask is used, can it be peeled without first "outlining" its shape (on the overpainted kit) with an X-acto?

It depends on (1) how long you let the paint dry before removing the mask, and (2) how tacky your masking medium is. Unless multiple coats of paints are required, I generally remove the mask as soon as I am finished painting. With frisket or paper tape, it's usually enough to just pick up a corner with the tip of a hobby knife/scalpel and remove the mask by pulling it back over itself.

[trekkist]

GREAT! thanks!