Making your own decals

[Stretch79]

I wanted comics on a bike and experimented a bit. In the end, I made water slide decals myself. The decal film is available to buy as a sheet and can be printed on with a laser printer. I used PowerPoint to arrange everything on the sheet because I didn't have any other programme at the time. It was very easy to apply to the painted frame as they were water sliders, so you still have some room for manoeuvre if something is crooked. In theory this way I could do every picture that could be printed.
However, clear varnish must then be applied as otherwise they are not durable. And it works best on a light coloured frame with dark coloured decals because the material is very thin.
The frame has now lasted almost 15 years.
View attachment 892569
I also had a vinyl cutter and monochrome lettering works very well as long as the lines are not too thin (see the green bike).
View attachment 892570
I drew the designs myself using Sketchbook and then prepared them for cutting using the plotter software. This has always worked quite well.
View attachment 892574View attachment 892575
I've also made stencils for painting or etching (headbadges, quite small) but also decals that have held up quite well so far, but that's more down to the film.
View attachment 892571
The plotter was about 200€ inkluding the software, sketchbook is free and the vinyl is around 1€ per DIN A4 sheet (ca. 4-10 decals).

Mate that looks very good indeed. Defo need to try it.
If I traced the decals can I upload to the computer and trace it via PowerPoint or similar? Then I’ll need to get this to print off, assuming you didn’t use vector?
Seems a load of options

 

[novocaine]

you need to trace it using something like Inkscape. it's free.
this will let you create a vector file (.svg) or a shape file that can be loaded in to a cutters control program (my silhouette use's silhouette studio, other applications are available).

the transfers that Kay did doesn't need a vector, it just needs the graphics file.

 

[Stretch79]

you need to trace it using something like Inkscape. it's free.
this will let you create a vector file (.svg) or a shape file that can be loaded in to a cutters control program (my silhouette use's silhouette studio, other applications are available).

the transfers that Kay did doesn't need a vector, it just needs the graphics file.

Ah that makes much more sense now. Thank you tons.

I’ll look at that today. Almost finished tracing the decals onto tracing paper so if needs be will draw black lines over the pencil in case it doesn’t see it once scanned in

 

[novocaine]

Ah that makes much more sense now. Thank you tons.

I’ll look at that today. Almost finished tracing the decals onto tracing paper so if needs be will draw black lines over the pencil in case it doesn’t see it once scanned in

good way to do it. you can adjust a few things so inkscape can autotrace it but it isn't perfect and you'll need to do some work with it afterwards.

 

[KayOs]

you need to trace it using something like Inkscape. it's free.
this will let you create a vector file (.svg) or a shape file that can be loaded in to a cutters control program (my silhouette use's silhouette studio, other applications are available).

the transfers that Kay did doesn't need a vector, it just needs the graphics file.

I had another look at one file I used. It is a .png that was created when I exported the drawing from Sketchbook. The Silhouette Studio was able to use it. Don't know if .png is a vector graphic...

That's the drawing I made


That's the stencil.


There is a button in Silhouette Studio and I clicked that. Auto trace or something like that.

 

[Stretch79]

good way to do it. you can adjust a few things so inkscape can autotrace it but it isn't perfect and you'll need to do some work with it afterwards.

If it brings them out as I want then I don’t mind playing about. It’s more getting used to the programme and working it.
Will jump on this. May even buy a printer if I need too so I could sell some as they’re not commonly out there. Thank you

 

[Stretch79]

I had another look at one file I used. It is a .png that was created when I exported the drawing from Sketchbook. The Silhouette Studio was able to use it. Don't know if .png is a vector graphic...

That's the drawing I made
View attachment 892599

That's the stencil.
View attachment 892600

There is a button in Silhouette Studio and I clicked that. Auto trace or something like that.

You’ve got some art skills it appears! Unfortunately my skills somewhat suck a lot lol

 

[KayOs]

You’ve got some art skills it appears! Unfortunately my skills somewhat suck a lot lol

Don't say that, try a few apps for drawing, the advantage is that you can import images, use hundreds of layers, symmetries and copy - paste and undo mistakes immediately. You can even use them on your Smartphone.

 

[Stretch79]

Don't say that, try a few apps for drawing, the advantage is that you can import images, use hundreds of layers, symmetries and copy - paste and undo mistakes immediately. You can even use them on your Smartphone.

Lovely. I’ll defo look into. Thank you. I’m only tracing decals so hopefully that’s straight forward enough

 

[KayOs]

Yes, that's how it starts and then you'll want more