An Intro to Creating Custom Decals

Many of us have wanted our own logos or signs for our railroads, but what if you are a freelance modeler? What then?

For many years now, I have been using Adobe Illustrator to create logos and illustrations, like the Shortline Modelers Lounge logo. I have also used this software to create decals for modelers outside the model railroad community with amazing results. Your basic tools are Adobe Illustrator (Any version will do, I am using CS4 for this article.), an ink jet type printer (I have also used a laser printer but not recommend) and clear decal paper.

Now this article is not going to teach you how to use the software but I will go over the fundamentals, which I use on a daily basis as a graphic designer.

When designing a logo or sign it is always good to start with a sketch. Drawing out your ideas first is much faster than starting on a computer. You can quickly make many versions or your idea until you have just the look you are going for. 

Once you are happy with the thumbnail, scan in your drawing and place the artwork in Illustrator.
( File > Place )

Now, open your layers window ( Windows > Layers ) and make the layer with the sketch you just placed into your file a template (Double-click the layer window to bring up the layer options as shown) and name it Sketch.

Create a new layer, make sure it is on top of the template layer, and name it Artwork. This layer you will use to draw your logo.

Trace the sketch until you are please with the results. 

Once the logo is drawn, I will then add my text to complete the logo. As you can see from the image, I have made an adjustment to my final logo, which I think looks much better this way once the text is added.

That is all there is to it. I know, easy for me to say, but after you practice a little with the program, this will get much easier. 

Finally, printing your artwork. While I am not going to go over actually printing the work (I will save that for a later article), but there are a few things you should be aware of. Most ink jet printers do not print white, only colors. You can purchase white decal paper if you need a white background. Keep this in mind when you begin your design.