Jeff Posted December 14, 2012 Share Posted December 14, 2012 Had a co-worker ask me how I make my minimates and I told her i use regular printer paper and use rubber cement to place it on the figure. She then asked if I had ever tried decoupage. I hadn't. Has anyone ever tried decoupaging a minimate? I'd love to hear if it was successful or not. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted December 16, 2012 Share Posted December 16, 2012 I misread the thread title as decolletage and minimates. And opened it expecting a whole other type of thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted December 16, 2012 Author Share Posted December 16, 2012 I guess it's actually mod podge that you use- decoupage is the term to describe it. Does that help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 Heading out to Hobby Lobby today to pick some up. I'll report back when I start to experiment with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 (edited) Rad's comment would have been worthy of an arch-derailer like myself....for shame Rad :biggrin: I'll try & be out-of-character helpful*..... Decoupage is a technique I have used on occasion to liven up some old wooden boxes....for those that don't know it involves sticking various pieces of paper onto....well virtually anything. It's quite effective & just about any fool can do it....like I said I've done it. Don't bother buying that mod podge stuff though ....unless it's cheap....because I would imagine that it is just generally available PVA with a bit of water.....betcha! PVA is your friend & is perhaps one of the most versatile adhesive you can buy & is also extensively used in DIY projects as a glue (didn't guess ? ) & as a preparatory key prior to final bonding between varying types of materials....wood to plaster etc. I've got a feeling Boyd ,in particular,has used this on a few of his customs & technically IMHO decal application is decoupage. *Howd'I get on ? Edited December 17, 2012 by buttheadsmate Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 What does PVA stand for? Is that what's on the packaging? I'm confused, but appreciate the advice. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyd Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I've got a feeling Boyd ,in particular,has used this on a few of his customs & technically IMHO decal application is decoupage. Ah geez, mention my name and I finally remember this guy: That custom was made using the decoupage techniques you're talking about, Jeff. All I used was craft glue that was watered down. I soaked the paper until it was wet and bendy, then stuck it on the Minimate. I used pictures from old Wizard magazines, so all the paper was glossy and fairly thick, which helped quite a bit. I'm not sure how well this would work with ink jet printouts - I think the decoupage would cause the colors to run and ruin the image. If you're doing your printouts on photo paper or something thick and glossy, I think you'd get better results. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted December 17, 2012 Author Share Posted December 17, 2012 Thanks Boyd. Hob-Lob has the 40% any one item this week so I'm taking along a minimate and seeing what I find there. Maybe a employee will actually understand what I'm talking about and provide some pointers. I'll report back with my findings after lunch. Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Love that custom Boyd....mind you I love all your customs PVA Poly Vinyl Acetate..... white wood glue . You can buy a gallon for about £10 ($15) in the UK ....I all but guarantee that your mod podge is this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lobsterman Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 I misread the thread title as decolletage and minimates. And opened it expecting a whole other type of thread! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted December 17, 2012 Share Posted December 17, 2012 Rad's comment would have been worthy of an arch-derailer like myself....for shame Rad :biggrin: Ah come on, surely I'm allowed one per year? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 The mod podge experiment was a success! It smells and looks exactly like Elmer's glue, but a bit more watery. It dries clear and gives the appearance of a water slide decal or sticker. Upon a closer look and under a light source you'll notice a sheen and brush strokes, but nothing that distracts from the figure. A great way to add color printouts to any mate...and the ink won't bleed or fade. Overall, I'm happy with the end result- I'm applying the same technique to my customs from here on out. Glad I gave it a try. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
emperorshotz Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 The mod podge experiment was a success! It smells and looks exactly like Elmer's glue, but a bit more watery. It dries clear and gives the appearance of a water slide decal or sticker. Upon a closer look and under a light source you'll notice a sheen and brush strokes, but nothing that distracts from the figure. A great way to add color printouts to any mate...and the ink won't bleed or fade. Overall, I'm happy with the end result- I'm applying the same technique to my customs from here on out. Glad I gave it a try. Any pictures? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 Pics to come! (: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
buttheadsmate Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Pics to come! (: I'll be glued to my screen in anticipation Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jeff Posted December 18, 2012 Author Share Posted December 18, 2012 (edited) The decal on the left was applied with Mod Podge- first on the figure, then over the top of the decal. It dried a bit darker than the original printout, but not too much. The decal on the right of Lyja is applied without Mod Podge- just rubber cement to the back. Reasons you'd still you both? Rubber Cement works great for a temporary fix- to make sure colors match or positioning/sizing of the decal. One of the challenges I ran into with applying the Jessica Rabbit decal was that the hair I sculpted was permanent- so the standard wraparound head decal wouldn't work. I had to cut and recut- apply and reapply the modified decal to get it just right- now that I have the correct shape- I can move forward with using Mod Podge. Mod Podge will now be my final applicant once the decal(s) are to my liking. Then if need be, a quick touch up with paint to cover the seams or spaces if any. Here's another pic, where you'll notice a bit of the sheen: Here's what I used, available at any craft store (I prefer Hobby Lobby with their 40% off coupons), originally 4.99 for 8 fl oz. Hope this helps- a great alternative to sticker paper or water slide decals. Edited December 18, 2012 by Jeff Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boyd Posted December 18, 2012 Share Posted December 18, 2012 Wow, that did turn out nice! Thanks for sharing - always good to have another option for decals. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.