How to prevent decals from appearing too shiny?

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Decaling
1

Hi everyone!

I am using decals on one of my model but I don’t like the shiny look. Is there a product or a way that would prevent the decals from appearing too shiny?

Thanks for your help!

2

Are you reffering to the decals themselves or the silvering around the edges. If its the decals, then a flat coat will deal with that. Though the type of model your building will determine if it needs a flat coat.

3

I am talking about the decals and the silverings around the edges. I am weathering my kit to make it look like it’s very old but the decals is doing the opposite.

4

Are you applying a gloss coat before you add the decals. And if your weathering, depening on what your useing, its a good idea to seal the decals.

5

I have applied Micro-Set and a few times of Micro-Sol on the top of my decals but nothing else.

6

You need to put on a clear gloss coat before the decals, this will give a smooth surface for the decals to settle down on. Once the decals are applied, add another gloss coat, then do the weathering and then a flat coat.

The silvering is caused by light bouncing off the model underneath the decals in the tinay gaps created by the flat paint. Plus, its generally a good idea to weather on a gloss surface especially if you are useing liquid washes.

Are you building aircraft, armour or somthing else and what weathering products are you useing. When asking a question like this, it helps to give as much info as to can so people can give you the cortrect advice.

7

You can also apply dullcoat over your decals to get rid of the shine,that won’t take care of around silvering around the edges,as was mentioned that needs to handled before time by the gloss layer.

I also filter,wash,and weather my decals with pigments along with the rest of the vehicle do they match up.

8

As others have mentioned, a gloss coat will reduce or eliminate silvering. That occurs when air gets trapped in tiny pits in the surface of the model, under the clear film of a decal. A matte surface appears matte because those tiny pits scatter light. A gloss surface is glossy because light is reflected back.

You may have seen threads here in the forum talking about gloss-coating with Future, an acrylic floor coating. That’s what some of us use, though there is a variety of gloss coat products available from hobby suppliers, too.

You can coat the entire model, or you can lay down a puddle of the gloss coat medium just where the decals will go, but whatever you do, the gloss coat will really help. Sealing with a matte medium afterwards will knock that gloss back.

The setting solutions you used are for helping the decal settle down on the surface, and really don’t have to do with silvering or not.

Another trick some modelers use is to trim as much of the clear carrier film away as possible, when possible.

9

I’ve had luck sanding or roughing the surface of the applied decals. If you are very careful, it helps.

Also, think about which decals might be replaced with paint. There are a lot of nice mask kits available

Bill

10

Thanks e eryone for your help!

I have tried sanding but I must be very careful because the decal has been moving.

Thanks for the tip.

11

You must wait till the decal is thoroughly dry, and use very fine (2000 or 3000 grit). Personally I just usually use dullcoat.

12

I use a brush and paint Model Master Flat Clear Acrylic on decals that have too much shine.

13

A very old school trick is to use a pencil eraser on shiny decals. A clean one of course, not full of pencil graphite. Rub the eraser very lightly across the shiny decal, and that should reduce the shine.