Westlake Publishing Forums

General Category => Painting & Weathering Techniques => Topic started by: finescalerr on August 21, 2008, 05:42:03 PM

Title: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on August 21, 2008, 05:42:03 PM
Here's a 24 foot narrow gauge boxcar I just completed. It has inkjet printed cardstock sides, ends, and flooring. Scale 1:48. -- Russ
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on August 21, 2008, 05:46:51 PM
Another photo:
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on August 21, 2008, 05:47:51 PM
And a third.

-- Russ
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: marc_reusser on August 21, 2008, 09:32:12 PM
Russ,

Very Cool (Quite adequate as you say ;D). In reviewing these after my discussion with you, I think I have come to the conclusion, much of what I commented on may be caused by the lighting (direct sunlight).

I think this is a great result from all your hard work/experimenting with this stuff.

You should be very pleased.

Marc
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on August 22, 2008, 12:41:55 AM
Marc, you're only saying that because I fixed up the photos to look more like the actual model. (I burned in the overexposed parts.) But I am only partly pleased with the model. I will not be completely pleased until I can equal the quality of your work.

Now if I can only figure out how to add 375 three-dimensional n-b-ws to any model using nothing more than a computer and Photoshop! -- Russ
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: searoom on September 07, 2008, 01:39:55 PM
Have you experienced any fading due to light exposure?

Garry
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: TRAINS1941 on September 07, 2008, 06:13:21 PM
Russ

Very impressive!  Looking forward to meeting you in Portland, and sitting in on one of your clinics.

Jerry
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on September 08, 2008, 01:48:28 AM
Garry:

I have built about five inkjet printed cardstock models in the past three years or so. Fading or discoloration never has been a problem. But I leave no model, printed, stained, or painted, in direct sunlight or under fluorescent lighting. Under typical conditions (incandescent bulbs) I would estimate my models will last longer than I will.

Jerry:

If you do attend a clinic, be sure to heckle me and make a lot of wisecracks. Otherwise it will be pretty boring. After all, everything I say will appear in the December Modelers' Annual only the lucky readers won't have to look at me the whole time; there will be lots of photos to study instead of a live cadaver droning on about trivia. Should you introduce yourself, you will discover I am much more exciting in print. But infinitely cuter in person. Ask any beautiful girl wearing a thong bikini if you don't believe me.

-- Russ
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: chester on September 08, 2008, 02:16:00 AM
I am impressed with the card stock structures Russ but I'm more interested in attending the clinic particularly if you will be having a beautiful thong bikini clad girl there to answer questions.
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: Jerry Barnes on November 09, 2008, 08:45:24 AM
Archer Dry Transfers has some texture/bolt patterns you can use.
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: John McGuyer on November 10, 2008, 09:32:13 AM
!cnU

Immensely inspirational!

Nephew
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: Brian Donovan on January 05, 2010, 10:33:45 AM
Also just catching up with this.

Russ,

Is the the cardstock impressed with the board siding pattern or is that an optical illusion from the printing?

-Brian  (from his corner)

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2F4.bp.blogspot.com%2F_32THbbbgLPk%2FSjJKODiLrsI%2FAAAAAAAAAO4%2Fckj7n0nDrJo%2Fs200%2Fkid%2Bin%2Bcorner%2Bwith%2Bdunce.jpg&hash=f995764f1a19fad7b509afb5db26f35b110b7fb4)
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on January 05, 2010, 01:48:05 PM
Nothing on my cardstock models is phony. Some siding is scribed, some consists of individual boards. All trim is add-on. All doors and windows are built up from laser cut subassemblies. The only difference between my paper stuff and my wood or plastic stuff is that I can print artwork on paper but not on the other materials. -- Russ
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: jacq01 on January 05, 2010, 02:36:49 PM

  Russ,

for my diorama I plan on the 2 modules opposite the mill several buildings as seen in the photo.

(https://www.finescalerr.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fimages50.fotki.com%2Fv1569%2Fphotos%2F7%2F1437817%2F7821034%2Fmumbybaylumber-vi.jpg&hash=df91b7c17898aeb75cb3180d1346733db929de9a)

  It might be a nice comparisson to have a cardstock building in between the wooden ones I have to build.
  The problem is,  I do not have a inkjet color printer nor photoshop  and no direct photo's of comparable walls.
  If you could provide some printed stuff, I can scribe/emboss and built up the building and incorporate it in the scene.

  Jacq
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on January 06, 2010, 12:56:14 AM
Jacq, I would be honored to send what you need. We should discuss such things as board width, color, degree of weathering, trim, and texture. If you actually use any of my artwork, I will modestly take credit for building the entire diorama (including the new dam and, of course, all the machinery inside). -- Russ
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: jacq01 on January 08, 2010, 01:55:36 AM

  Russ, 

  the grey cells have been activated to ponder the construction details AND where my name would appear on the credit list.

  Jacq
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: Fred H. on March 28, 2010, 07:56:28 PM
Hope I'm posting this in the most appropriate thread. Russ, I've bought the last three years worth of The Modeler's Annual (all within the last 10 days) and I've been studying your cardstock thoughts/ideas. I found a VERY interesting online source for various building surfaces (wood, brick, stone, etc.) and developed a work-around for the fact that the artwork comes delivered in a .pdf file. Here's my question: You mention that you haven't been able to get photo paper to work well for you. Have you tried "Photo Supreme" by Staples? It's a double-side, matte finish in 61lb (230g/m2). Brightness isn't marked on the label but seems pretty good to me... probably in the 95+ range.
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on March 29, 2010, 12:42:45 AM
I think I have some here, Fred, or something very similar. That and all similar photo papers have a very thin coating on each side to minimize capillary action and enhance ink saturation. When you scribe or otherwise work with such papers, bits of that coating may flake off leaving minute white specks. I know of no way to recolor those specks to match the rest of the print.

If you can come up with a way to protect the coating and make the printed paper rugged enough to withstand a lot of handling I'll adopt your method at once and switch to matte photo paper.

Russ
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: Fred H. on March 29, 2010, 03:05:33 AM
I thought you'd probably had experience with this paper, Russ. What I'm working on are some background buildings for an indoor 1:24 layout I'm finishing for my adult son, Will. The buildings will be at least 6-8 feet from the viewers and won't get any handling. There are a few foreground structures that will be scratch built. I'm going to give this a whirl and will definitely post some photos with progress (in a separate thread).

-- Fred H.
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on March 29, 2010, 11:54:33 AM
You may be okay with background buildings. The handling that ruined my attempts with photo papers was during construction where I had to drill holes or attach parts. Once a tool slipped very slightly under only the slightest pressure but it was enough to chip the paper, a problem I've never had with printed Strathmore or Wausau ExactIndex or Lanaquarrelle. I also discovered some minor damage from simply setting a model down on my work surface.

No matter what paper you use, printed artwork needs protection.

Russ
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: mabloodhound on April 02, 2010, 07:55:12 AM
Russ,
I wanted to try something else for my cardstock models.   I've been using just 110# cardstock from Staples in the past.
You mention Lanaquarrelle and when I started looking, I found it is available in 140# or 300# and in rough, cold press, or hot press.
Which product do you normally use for printing on.   I have an excellent Canon photo printer i9900 so it will handle most anything (except plywood LOL).
8)
Title: Re: Inkjet Printed Cardstock
Post by: finescalerr on April 02, 2010, 12:58:07 PM
Dave, the useful Lanaquarelle paper is the 140 pound cold press. Don't spend a lot of money on it. I accidentally bought enough to last two lifetimes so for the price of postage and a big envelope I'll send you a few pieces. It takes inkjet printing pretty well with good saturation and not too much capillary action. The tricky part is protecting the surface because, with handling, fibers have a tendency to disengage from the surface. Matte varnish and/or a spray like Dullcote may help.

When you scribe it, the suface is all but indistinguishable from basswood. A few critical modelers looked at a sample under magnification and confirmed that. Its texture also is very good for brick.

If you want a less "weathered" surface, even for wood with peeling paint, you also should look at Strathmore Bristol Velum, available at any Michaels craft store and most art stores. You may distress the suface with a wire brush without raising fibers or tearing the finish. I am using strips for clapboard and they are closer to scale than wood in 1:48 with a more convincing surface texture.

Russ