Niners Defense : custom, sculpt, paint

[the french guy]

I posed first washes on pants, first jersey coat !

[the french guy]

After 4 coats (ouch!), the white jersey are done. I started to paint the helmets too.

[the french guy]

HI,

Today I painted :

helmets, base coated chinstraps and helmet details. Need to make the helmet stripes and logos, and eyes.

pin stripping between arms and jerseys, pants and jersey, pants and socks : completed. Need to make last details (necks).

The pants, socks and shoes : completed

The arms, arms details and gloves : completed

the hairs : base coated completed

I need to do the numbers too...Tomorrow I'll make a try with the decals paper I've got.

[the french guy]

Some details pics before I go to bed !

(since the figures are showed from front side, they are inversed from left to right = sopoaga is on the right side of the pic, smith on the left, etc, etc...)


First pic :

Isaac Sopoaga #90 , defensive end (left)
Aubrayo Franklin #92 nose tackle (center)
Justin Smith #94 defensive end (right)


Second pic :

Manny Lawson #99 outside linebacker (left)
Takeo Spikes #51 middle linebacker (left)
Patrick Willis #52 middle linebacker (right)
Parys Haralson #98 outside linebacker (right)



Third pic :

Dre Bly #31 cornerback (left)
Dashon Goldson #38 free safety
Michael Lewis #32 strong safety
Nate Clements #22 cornerback (right)

[the french guy]

Finally, it's not so hard to do...I achieved a really decent result with only a free software (INkscape) and a cheap inkjet printer. See the result in the attached pics !

[detroitchild]

Now how do you print out white numbers?

[the french guy]

The only way to print white is to be a pro and have a pro printer with white ink...

For us (hobbyists), the only way to print white numbers is to use white decal paper, and print around the number to match the jersey color. In one word, in the graphics software, you make a rear layer of the jersey color, and pose white numbers in a front layer. Then, you print it on white decals paper so in fact you'll print around the number, making the illusion you printed in white.

The trick is to match the jersey painted color with your printed job... What I would do : I'd scan a piece of paper with some jersey paint on it, then pickup the color in the graphics software. So the result should be pretty similar to the paint...but it's not an exact science if you don't have real pro tools.

It's why pro print graphic designers 's got 5inks print machines, and calibrated screens

[the french guy]

Hi,

Waiting for the decals drying, I'm painting the last details on the figs.

I made the eyes and mouth, chinstraps (fake chinstraps : I just painted them, but it's look like pretty good), helmet details.

Now I just have to split with white the red stripes on jersey (to make it look like 2 very fine red stripes), and make the helmet stripes too.

The numbers and logos will be made with decals !


Another new technic I tried, is to partially varnish the fig : so I have many less fixes to do at the end (since I often remove some paint with my big fingers). You can see my mat varnish (Vallejo Game Color) is quite "satin" effect, especially with bright light.

[Taylor]

What decal paper did you use?

[the french guy]

I can't tell you the brand for now. It's a french friend of mine who gave me a couple of sheets. I know it's decal paper dedicated to inkjet printers : I'll ask him what brand it is tonight.

THe printer is very important too, I believe; I made some tries with my old printer (epson, but I can't remember the reference) a few months ago, without any good result. Today everything worked great on first try with the HP printer. I don't know why


On the HP settings, I set up the paper type to "gloss paper". On other printers, I believe you should choose "photo paper", coated paper, or something like that.