Page Name:
Tips and FAQs
Page Content:

What does this service cost?

This service is free. We provide readymade sets for download for a small charge on our "Sets" page.

Where do I get decal and dry transfer paper?

We recommend Papilio, a Texas based manufacturer of inkjet and laser specialty papers.

I'm looking for _______. Why isn't it on this site?

Sometimes it's because there is still an active trademark on the sign or logo. But if not, we're always looking for new material.

Send us a copy of a sign, logo, herald, drumhead, or any other image you'd like to see added to our library, and we'll add it--as long as we can obtain a license or the image is in the public domain. Attach the image to an email to this address: rjensen@altusinternet.com. We'll get back to you as soon as we know whether we can add your sign, logo, or herald to the catalog.

The sign looks really fuzzy on my screen. Will it print okay?

When you use the resize feature to adjust the size of the sign, it will almost always look awkward on the screen. This is because most browsers are not very good at shrinking an image. The good thing is that printers are. Try it out on a piece of normal paper. You'll probably be amazed at the amount of detail that your printer can reproduce.

The color seems to be off. What gives?

A word on color reproduction: We have endeavored to choose colors accurately, but doing so based off scanned images and photographs is not always easy. If you have technical information to share about the colors we use (for instance, a Pantone® color), please pass it on using the contact form at the bottom of the sign with the incorrect color.

If you are using a printer that is less than 5 years old and you are using OEM inks (HP ink, Canon ink, Epson ink, etc.), color reproduction for flat colors should be quite accurate. Color reproduction for photos will depend on the quality of the paper.

We suggest printing on a high gloss photo paper to mimic porcelain enamel signs, and matte photo paper for other surfaces. Reproducing reflectorized highway signs is a challenge. Glossy paper has too much sheen under regular light and matte paper lacks the proper gloss under lamplight. For best effect, try a light coat of clear acrylic over matte photo paper.

Can I print white? What about other light colors?

White is tough. You can't get dye-based white ink (ink jet printers use dyes). You have to use a pigment. That means you can't, say, swap a white ink cartridge for a black ink cartridge and print black for white. The best option right now, for decals, is to use a white substrate decal paper (Papilo sells one). However, this means you need to cut the decal out almost perfectly.

You should use a white substrate decal paper for other light colors if they're going over a darker surface, to minimize the amount of the darker color that will show through.

What can I do with these signs and logos?

These signs and logos are made available for personal and non-profit use in scale model building and related activities.

Contact:

Name (Req'd): 
E-mail (Req'd)
Phone
Comments