These days you may have to just hobby with what you have on hand, check out how you can still apply decals to your miniatures!
If you’ve got access to Microsol and Microset, it’ll make applying decals way easier. But if you’re like someone (me) who didn’t cover all their bases before social distancing happened, there are still ways to get the job done with what you’ve got lying around your hobby supplies.
Hobbying With What You Got: Applying Decals To Miniatures
For creating that clear barrier to protect the paint where you want your decal to go, you’ll want to use Lahmian Medium for a matte finish OR Gloss Varnish/ ‘Ard Coat. Just paint it on using as many thin coats as needed.
First, cut your decals out like normal and have them closeby.
You’ll want to then soak your decals in water. Use warm water if you want the decal to be ready faster. After soaking the decal long enough, put it on a paper towel and the decal should be able to slide around freely with hardly any force.
Note: Don’t shake the decal back and forth underwater. If you’re using a smaller decal, it could slide right off and sink to the bottom.
Prepping The Model
This part takes a bit of finesse. But once the area that you prepped with either Lahmian Medium/Gloss Varnish is dry, you’ll want to put a little bit of water on the space. That’s so you can manipulate the decal once you apply it. Hold the decal as close as you can to the model keeping a shallow angle, take your brush and gently slide the transfer off onto the area of the model where you just put the water.
That way you can slide it around and get it into position with your paint brush better.
Once you’ve got the decal exactly where you want it, take a brush and push any air bubbles out. Also, make sure that the decal isn’t sitting awkward and caught on any lips/cracks of the model. Once you’re happy with what you’ve got, take a paper towel and carefully dab all the extra water off.
Note: Make sure you are mindful of where you pick up your model. Try not to touch/be rough with the model once the decal is on before it’s dry.
Apply as many decals as you’d like. You can also use that Gloss Varnish to cover any glass pieces/viewports on your model to give it a shine effect. Then make sure everything is dry for the next part.
Sealing The Model
You’ll want to seal the model to protect the decals and Testor Model Master Sprays (either Lusterluss or Matte Coat) will let you seal it in seriously almost any kind of weather condition without crazing or frosting.
Take your Testors can and spray multiple quick bursts all around the model just like you would normally with any spray primer or sealer. Let the layer dry and do it once over again. Then, your model will be sealed and ready for any kind of weathering you want to do!
Note: With the Testors sprays, do not set these in front of a fan to dry, this will cause spidering of the varnish and look bad. If that does happen just hit it with varnish again, and let it air-dry this time.
Have you been forced to hobby with what you’ve got around you since the social distancing measures? Have you tried any new hobbying or painting techniques?
Here’s how to apply them super easy with Microsol and Microset:
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and make sure you enter the latest monthly giveaway for FREE today!
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
