Hot Wheels and Matchbox Customizing Thread

[AOS-]

I know, but that still doesn't mean it's perfect.

I was just nit-picking at a high-level of detail most people don't care about so don't let yourself be bothered that you can't see it.

 

[CodeRedR51]

I could care less about the straightness of the detail lines, you post a better job and I'll agree that it could be done.

I'm more miffed that he can print white decals.

 

[DarkAvengerZR1]

Use 250/250/250 instead of 255/255/255. Lol

 

[AOS-]

Why did I not think of that? If white is read as invisible to printers, then wouldn't a light shade of gray almost come off nearly invisible?

 

[DarkAvengerZR1]

Not sure about what you mean with that...

 

[Cano]

I've thought about that too. Will see if it really works next time I print.

 

[AOS-]

Not sure about what you mean with that...

Imagine you printed a gradient from black to white. If white isn't printed, from the printer's point of view, whatever is white doesn't get printed on the paper. If that's the case, then wouldn't it be illogical for the printer to print a shade of gray just under 255/255/255?


Actually now that I think about it, that's impossible. It won't work. There's no white ink cartridge so it can't possibly paint white. There's only a red, green, blue and black, all of which only serve to darken the surface... it's like taking markers of the same colours and trying to produce a light gray on the page. You just can't.

 

[DarkAvengerZR1]

Just print a really small amount of black color. Besides, decals are not printed in normal printers, i believe.

 

[AOS-]

Not the ones we got. Yeah they're meant for inkjet and lasers. Inkjet sucks and I have to deal with it.


But no, that just gets you a faint black when you go to apply it on. If we wanted a solid white decal, we'd simply have to cut shapes out of white decal sheets, but that's not precise hence why we use printers. We're meant to print on transparent sheets so that we don't need to trim off the excess like a pro... but as I said earlier, doing what you suggested will print black, not a "light gray".

 

[DarkAvengerZR1]

Your problem, not mine. By logic it should be possible, as 250/250/250 is not white.

 

[AOS-]

Then stop telling me that, because you're making it yours by forcing this "250/250/250" on me.

 

[DarkAvengerZR1]

No... because you know that is not white as well. If your printer can't do such thing, it is not my fault, really.

 

[Nessy]

The guy must have used a laser printer or Micro-dry printer:
http://www.micromark.com/html_pages/instructions/decal_instruction.htm

As soon as my boss gets a vacuum bench for his screen printing business, i should easily be able to make white decals. And surprisingly, the cost of the bench and costs involved in producing the decals (screens, inks etc etc), should be a whole lot cheaper than trying to get hold of a laser or micro-dry printer.

 

[AOS-]

Micro-dry gets you white decals.

I'm using Bare Metal Foil's ExpertDecal.

 

[Nessy]

Yeah. I think Micro-dry printers are a form/or is like, sublimation printing.

 

[CodeRedR51]

What's the deadline for the BMW?

 

[Nessy]

End of March i think. Actually, it may even be the 24th.
Yep, it is the 24th.

 

[CodeRedR51]

Wow, ok. No rush then.

 

[ryanr47]

Here is my customized Toyota Celica.

Original:

Taken apart

Checked wheel fitting. Came off a Blvd. Fiero

Paint stripped and ready for paint

After dark grey paint job and painted the lights

Done!

I could've done a better job on the painting but I'm still satisfied. On to the next car...

 

[ryanr47]

Here is an older project that I forgot to post. Sorry, I don't have any pictures of the process.

Mazda RX-7

Original (from hotwheels.wikia.com)

 

[photonrider]

Nice going, Ryan47.

May as well brush up on the rules of posting and read up this whole thread, too, while you are here. Time to get some more detailing on those cars! Wipers, handles, mirrors.. . . 👍

I must say you do a great stripping job; what are you using to get that paint off the cars?

 

[Cano]

I like both, altough the Mazda could use some contrast in the form of black plastic.

 

[ryanr47]

Nice going, Ryan47.

May as well brush up on the rules of posting and read up this whole thread, too, while you are here. Time to get some more detailing on those cars! Wipers, handles, mirrors.. . . 👍

I must say you do a great stripping job; what are you using to get that paint off the cars?

I'm using an aerosol paint stripper. I also use a wire bristle brush to get the paint out of the nooks. People always say not to use wire brushes but they work perfectly fine. You'll see swirl marks but that's it.

 

[ryanr47]

I like both, altough the Mazda could use some contrast in the form of black plastic.

I know man. This was originally red and I messed up while painting the bumpers black. I kinda put this car on the back burner and decided to repaint it again. Maybe I'll take a stab at painting the bumpers again. We'll see...

 

[CodeRedR51]

I know man. This was originally red and I messed up while painting the bumpers black. I kinda put this car on the back burner and decided to repaint it again. Maybe I'll take a stab at painting the bumpers again. We'll see...

I have a template for the center black parts of the bumper if you need them for decals. Brake lights too. 👍

My car is almost finished, just needs clear coat and attachment of the front splitter.

 

[ryanr47]

I have a template for the center black parts of the bumper if you need them for decals. Brake lights too. 👍

My car is almost finished, just needs clear coat and attachment of the front splitter.

Sure that would be cool. email:jdm.hotwh33ls@gmail

 

[CodeRedR51]

I'll send them when I get home.

 

[Sonygamer455]

I could spoon-feed you through this of I had the time, but I don't, and you're not using photoshop. I would grab a round soft brush and play with brush settings if possible to add "noise" (that'll get your the pixely effect you see at the fringes). Hamada is just text.

Well quite honestly i have used Gimp before but all that was at school like 4 years ago and i didn't surface it too much. However since you told me this, it's all starting to com back me now....

I messed around abit on there and so far the airbrush on dissolve mode seems to be pretty good. I also tried the airbrush on Microsoft Paint and it works perfectly for what i need it for, but my only problem is it has a white background behind the yellow graphics. May tinker around somemore to see if i find a solution.

As for the lettering, believe it or not i found out that regular word art on Microsoft Word is actually the best for it.👍 They have the perfect font and color for it and they have shadowing on there and the ability to adjust/move it. Now if i can just get the word art as a JPG i think i can make this work, luckly i know a few methods.

If anybody knows any better ideas, feel free to tell me.

 

[AOS-]

Why does the text need to be a jpeg? Can't you just print on decal paper from Word?

 

[Sonygamer455]

Why does the text need to be a jpeg? Can't you just print on decal paper from Word?

Yea i could, but i prefer to add it into the yellow graphics as one decal on gimp.