Need help making a decal.

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What I normally try to do is to paint a white background, when possible, here same examples:
Tiger badge


Devil badge, also in order to solve the white color issue.


Again a devil badge



Alberto
 
If you're talking about the nose art letters Cory, compare them to the letters behind and above the pilot. If those are standard sizes, it should help you translate. For the tail numbers, I just printed off a bunch of numbers and letters in various font sizes and measured them and stored that info on my big computer which unfortunately, right now, is suffering an illness.

Geo
 
Cory, what I'd suggest you do is get yourself an accurate P-38 profile off the net, then scale it in PS so that the profile length is the exact length of the model if printed actual size (e.g, if the model is 10 inches long, stretch your profile so that it is exactly 10" long in PS). Then create your nose art on a separate layer, using the profile as the reference background for sizing. The picture in the link in post 1 gives a very good reference for proportioning the nose art against the gun cowl of the Lightning. Saving this file and making the print settings to print actual size will print the nose art to the desired dimension. You'll need to get the model dimensions though.
 
One thing which might be advantageous when you set out to make your own decals - look at alternative sources for the materials, rather than modelling outlets.
I get my decal papers from a computer supplies company, at a fraction of the cost charged via modelling outlets, for exactly the same product which they pack under their own label.
This saves a lot of cash, especially when starting out, where mistakes and problems are inevitable.
The company I use is UK based of course, so having it sent to the US (which they can do) might negate any benefit, but if you're really stuck, then you can try:-
Inkjet Papers and Fabrics, Window Stickers and Other Arts and Craft Materials

Hope this helps.
 
Perfect, thanks for the sizing!

Anyhow, sorry for taking so long, but here's where I sit now. Obviously it will be adjusted to the correct size. I've tried to straighten out the photo too, so the decal will look like it's at the correct angle. May still be a little off, but more with the letters. Need to adjust around the base of the nexk too.

 
Being thinking about your project, Lightning.
Though not easy to render, due to the multitude of separeted objects, the vectorization of the drawing is possible, simply needing many hours of eye killing work.
But feasible because of the good quality of your pattern pic.
The decal will be, in my opinion, in need for white pre-coating, to preserve adequate contrast an color density.
If you and your fellow members who already began good work are ok, i'll be happy to hand-vector parts of the nose art, thus participating in giving you a usable file for a professional decals printer.
 
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