for older decals or ones you are worried about tearing, there is a product for that. testors makes a decal bonder spray that you can spray onto your decal sheet to help strengthen the decal. before you soak and slide.
I pulled this up before applying waterslides for the first time and I must say, the Bandai waterslides are WAY more finicky and difficult than what you showed here, but the same basic principles apply, and I was able to get all my decals on without crying :) my EZ8 thanks you!
I find them both to be a pain in the ass. Did the mg full armor thunderbolt with the waterslides it took me twice the time i needed for the build. But it looks cool tho
I recommend also grabbing mark setter and softer if you really enjoy waterslides! Both of these products will simply make the water slides adhere to the plastic better. Mark setter will make the decal stick a lot better onto the plastic whereas mark softer is used to soften decals to be able to kind of mold onto the surface it is on. This is useful for if your decal is slightly over the edge of a part you would apply the softer and it will "soften" allowing it to wrap around the edge and also helping the decal adhere to the plastic better as well! Just be wary as Mark Softer on standard Bandai brand waterslides included in most MG kits will usually end up breaking if you try to adjust them after applying softer or setter which is why I also recommend buying 3rd Party waterslides like Delphi Decal. Have fun!
thank you for your whole channel! i just got some gunpla as a gift and couldn't believe how relaxing they where to build, but there's so much i don't know yet! i appreciate your clear instructions and relaxing build vids!!
Yes and no. They can work, but some of the sizing might be off. Take Kyrios for example, the long decals for the shield won't fit on the HG Kyrios shield, but the warnings and such could still work. If you want to make your HG look smaller, you can use the larger MG decals. If anything grab some RG decals 😁 hope this helps!
Millenial Model Mayhem suggested this guide for getting started with waterslides as I've never done such. Nice and informative, but also simple and easy to follow!
Hey, thanks man! I'll have to thank Liam again later for the recommendation. I love his stuff and I'm glad we have an audience base that overlaps. 😁 If you have any questions, don't be afraid to hit me up! 😁😁😁
@@PlamoTherapist Got any tips for the really tiny Bandai waterslides? I've had issues with those, but not the Delpi Decals ones. Bandai ones like to stick to the cotton swab.
I just got a psycho Zaku and the water decals confused the hell out of me since it's been a long time since I built a model. This was extremely helpful. Thank you for the upload.
Great guide! I bought my first RG kit this past weekend (OO Raiser if you're curious) and I really wanna use the decals it came with to go all out with detail. It looks simpler than I was afraid it would be!
Hey there! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! I know waterslides can feel intimidating, but just take your time and you'll be flying through them in no time. 😁
I just finished my first kit with water decals and I'm hooked it looks so good I'm buying water decals for alot of my kits I already built...I used the base to practice on an after applying about 3 water decals you will feel more confident an I definitely recommend Mark fit I don't have mark soft but I will be getting it
Hey Corey! I'm so glad you enjoyed the decal process. If you don't have mark soft, it's not required unless you're planning on running decals over panel lines. Otherwise water and mark set is more than sufficient! I agree that after the first few, you definitely get the hang of it and at that point it's just more of the same. 😁 Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
thank you, another video of yours that has helped me out. i tried to apply some marking stickers to my HG origin RX78-2 and was having such a hard time. then i discovered some decals can be bought as a replacement for those frustrating stickers. so i'm gonna try it out, i appreciate the pointers.
3 years late to the party. I have literally just painted my first kit and have started using Water Decals. I've watched a ton of tutorials on them, so I had a fair idea of what to do, but I was missing one step and it was proving hard to get the decal into place, as there was simply to much water. The missing step was drying the decal on a paper towel. A bit of brain fade there. Thankfully I've done put 4 decals on my kit and managed to get them into place.
To everyone having problems with waterslides not wanting to slide off and separate, I believe I found a reliable hack: get some of those multi-function plastic toothpicks that come with a floss feature. Direct the floss fibres at the corner of the decal that you want to separate and go at it.. It might take a few tries but eventually one of those fibres will hit right between the layers and do the job :D As a bonus, these also work fairly well as a part separating tool - if you ever need to pry apart some parts, use your fingernails at a sensitive spot, sten go in with the thinnest part of the plastic pick. This will allow you to pry the parts away further without damaging them since the picks are made with a very soft plastic.
After finishing. My gunpla, I noticed fingerprint marks and stains on the kit. I have the astray gold frame MG. How do I clean it and get it ready for waterslides...I would appreciate any suggestions thanks
Hey, great question! If it's the plated gold that I am thinking of, then you can just buff it out with a microfiber cloth and use gloves going forward. If it's regular gold plastic, you can wash it if you want, but the same microfiber cloth trick should work too! Best of luck!
Haha. One other thing that will help is a gloss coat of paint. What you need is just a smooth surface for the piece to slide around on. The matte surface of my paint makes it hard so that's why I use Decal solution.
@@PlamoTherapist gotcha! You need to grab some sewing tweezers they are a game changer. Basically squeeze to open, let go to close which grips that backing paper so you never drop it and can focus on the decal 😁 also lovin' the new look bud! All fresh faced and ready to go!
Hi! Thank you for this great explanation. I was wondering if you had any tips. When I apply my water decals and mark fit, when I roll with my qtips the decal moves with it making it rather difficult to put in a good position.
Saving this. I’m thinking of getting into building MG kits and I’ve heard they’re pretty infamous for using waterslides. Is that all of them, or just Ver.Ka that do?
Hey, thank you so much for watching and commenting! As for MGs only Ver. Ka kits come with waterslide decals in the box. The rest are usually 3rd party from other companies, but those tend to be much better than the Bandai ones. Feel free to shop around online for different brands and designs!
Hello great video mate, i do have a question though. Say I use the mark setter for the decals before and after placing them, do i still need to topcoat them?
Hey, great question! The decals will stay with just mark setter, but I don't know exactly how long that will be. Depending on where your live and the quality of the decals, it could be years before you see any issues. On the flip side, worst case scenario is that it can start to silver and lift a few days, weeks, or months after completion. This is especially true if you handle your kits often. The top-coat acts like a sealant and is a "best practice", but if something is preventing you from being able to top-coat, then mark setter will definitely be your best shot and will definitely improve the chances of long-term survival. Hope this answers your question and best of luck! 😁
@Plamo Therapist alright thank you mate, I recently got a pbandai kit and it came with water decals so I was a little overwhelmed, thank you for the video and the clarification!
Hey! Great question! Personally I prefer just after. I like the smooth glossy surface for my decals as is makes them easier to move into place without risking damaging them, but sometimes they're a bit too squirrelly even for me..my recommendation is if you have experience with 40k that works, give it a go and see how you like it!
Hey there! Great question! Waterslide decals will go before your final topcoat, but sticker style decals will go on after everything else. Hope this helps! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Hey there! The decal setter solution helps to hold the decal in place, but is not the most permanent long-term solution. The only thing that I can say that can help the decal last as long as the kit does is a proper topcoat to seal the decal in. I hope this answers your question. Thank you so much for watching and commenting. 😁
Thanks for this video, 4 month ago I watched it to understand how apply water decals on my MGEX unicorn. Today I finished and now I don't understand how protect my decals. Is there any top coat like liquid? All I saw was in spray bottles and I don't think It will be good idea to use it on assembled model I want use soft brush to apply top coat 🤔
The little questions that I have (maybe you've said it in the vid without me noticing) How long does a decal on average need in the water until it's ready to apply? And is the decal solution really necessary to apply the decals?
Hey there! Great question! Most decals would only need a quick dip for a second or two before you can leave it on the side to dry. The only exception I've found were the G-Reworks which need about 20 seconds and then let it sit on the side. Also, decal solution is totally optional, but can be a good security step of you know the project might take a while before you can clear coat everything. If you're gonna clear coat it right after all the decals go down, then you definitely won't be missing anything without it. Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I hope this answers your question and I wish you the best of luck!
@@PlamoTherapist Thank you a lot for such a fast reply, and thank you for answering in detail, it cleared it all up and I need the good luck, I just got my first Master grade today!
No problem! I try to answer questions as soon as I am able and you caught me at a good time! 😁 Congratulations on your first Master Grade! Have fun and don't let it scare you like it did me. 🤣 You got this! 😁😁😁
Another fine tutorial video! Good tip using the skewer instead of the toothpick! I’m going to use it from now on. I personally use micro sol and micro set for my water decals, but the products you use work as well. Do you cut the transparent film around the decal as much as you can to avoid showing it on your piece, especially if the piece is a dark color one?
Hey, that's an awesome question! I usually don't since what I will do is hit it with a clear coat afterwards which helps even out the shine/matte of the piece hiding the edges better. The Mark Fit, Mr. Decal Softener, and Micro Sol, should help with making the edges less visible if it's too tedious to cut them out that closely.
Thanks for the video. Do i have to put a coat before applying the decal or just apply it directly to plastic? I tried putting some on but some peeled off after..
Hey John! If you're just snap building, you can put it directly on the piece if the plastic is smooth. If you sanded it, make sure it's cleaned up to at least 2000 grit to be safe. Then you can apply just like above. Once decals are down, you definitely want to topcoat it to seal it onto the kit and to keep it from flaking or falling off. If you want an idea of how it looks on bare plastic, check out this video. 😁 th-cam.com/video/Tif4C6-Iy6w/w-d-xo.html
Hey there! The small trays are the Mr. Hobby Mixing Trays! Here's a link to The Gundam Place's website if you want to order your own! 😁 gundamplacestore.com/products/mr-paint-tray?_pos=1&_sid=bd0af7842&_ss=r
Hey there! You definitely can. Sometimes it's just easier to break it down a bit so other parts don't get in the way. Hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck on your build! 😁
Hello, Would i need to use top coat when already have Mark setter and softer? Sought ve stuck between whether i need it or not in order for the decal to stick and not have the risk of peeling off…
Hey there! Great question. While it's technically not NEEDED, proper topcoat is the only way I can safely say that the decals will not ever come off. Setter and softer can definitely extend how long they last, but I cannot say for how long that would be. I hope this helps and wish you luck. Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@PlamoTherapist thanks for the tip, but I also want to have some advice on my next gunpla which is the rg unicorn gundam. I bought waterslide decals and was thinking of a matte top coat for the white armour but leaving the psycho frame as is. At what steps should I apply stickers and then top coat and finally assembly?
Hey, another great question! If you are not painting and just topcoating, I would recommend panel lining on the plastic, followed by decals, topcoat, and finally stickers if you want to use those as well. The RG Unicorn has some tight fits, so my suggestion would be to get everything panel lined, decaled, and topcoated before assembly otherwise you risk breaking parts during disassembly and second reassembly. You can do stickers once it's all put together. Best of luck! 😁
I wouldn't be where I am without my viewers so this is a small way I can say thank you. I genuinely love helping out anyway way I can, so please feel free to ask anytime you have a question and I'll try to respond ASAP. 😁
Hey dude! Great question! 😁 Yes, rolling it dry with a cotton bud is all you need, however for longevity of your decals bw sure to use top-coat to keep it on long after you're done. 😁
@@PlamoTherapist Thanks! I was not thinking to top coat my MG Wing Zero Ver Ka but if the decals will fall, I'll top coat it to secure it! Thanks dude!
I got a wing zero custom ver ka ew Its my 1st time using waterdecals - is it really that easy to fall of for a decal if u use it without solution ? Hear so much in Videos that to use it. Thanks for die video it will help me a lot :)
Hey there! Great question! I think the biggest factor is humidity. If the area where you live has decent humidity, you can probably get away without needing setter solution before a final clear coat to seal the decals in. If you are NOT planning on spraying a topcoat, I recommend using setter to give your decals a better chance of lasting, but it's not completely necessary, especially if you aren't touching the kit to much (i.e. re-posing or moving it around). Hope this answers your question and thank you so much for watching! 😁
Hey there! If you're going to put waterslide decals straight onto the plastic, then you don't need to apply a clear coat before, but you'll most likely need some to seal it in once completed. 😁 If you would like an example, check out this video. 😁 th-cam.com/video/PVzS_wtOOTc/w-d-xo.html
Hey there! A top coat is not required, but it's the best way to ensure the longevity of your WSDs. You CAN get away with just mark setter, but how long that will last, I'm not sure and it depends on humidity where you live and how much you hanlde your kit. I hope this answers your question and wish you the best of luck!
You shaved! Nice. Awesome vid. My strategy for decals is to not. I like the more anime look lol. I eventually want to learn Cell Shaded painting. But that looks intense.
So, something I'm wondering about is when you used the cotton to roll off the solution after applying it, it looks like you used the same side you rolled up the water with. Is it okay for the two to roll onto the same cotton swab/ball/end like that, or should we swap to a dry one?
Hey William! Great question! It's perfectly fine to use the same side. Since you're pulling up the water/solution from the decal it okay if they mix a bit. Of course if you also panel line with Tamiya liner, be sure to keep those cotton buds separate. Hope this helps and best of luck!
Hey there! Great question! If you're still working on the piece and notice it's skewed a bit, you can dip you finger in the water and wet the decal directly. Give it a few seconds before you start trying to get it to separate from your part and move it around. However, if you've applied setter or topcoat, unfortunately, I don't think it can be salvaged. Hope this answers your question and I wish you the best of luck!
Can you please build a model of Tom McEwen drag racer top fuel it's a snap together but it has waterslide decals i personally plan on getting one myself i personally would like to see it being built
Hey! Great question. Most stickers will come on a light green or even a yellow sheet. Waterslide decals will almost always come on a light blue sheet. Most Gunpla will NOT have waterslide decals. The only ones that do are usually newer Ver Ka kits and some P-Bandai kits, but it's not a guarantee. If you are ever unsure, you can always ask and I'll do my best to help out! Best of luck to you. 😁
Hey man had a quick question ! After putting the decals on do you have to top coat ? Or is that just to make the decals last longer while they are on. Thanks I’m advance bro great video 👊🏽🙏🏽
Hey there! Top coat is not necessary, but without it, your decals may start to peel up over time. How long will that take? I'm not sure, but topcoat also helps to blend the edges of your decals to make them less visible. I highly recommend it if you want them to stay for the long haul and even a rattle can topcoat will help a lot. But don't let me pressure you if you don't want to. I'm just giving you all the information for you to make the best decisions to meet your needs! 😁
I have holographics waterslides for the PG Exia, if I top coat it again after I apply the decals, wont that take away from the visual aspect of the stickers? I already have a layer of matte coat that I did after I panel lined. @@PlamoTherapist
If you want one too match the sticker decals with some extra decals, get the Delpi Decals! If you want to do your own thing, see if G-Reworks has decals for that kit. 😁
Hey, that's great to know! I live in a relatively warm area year-round, so for those who live in areas where it gets colder, this will be very helpful. Thanks, Raimy!
i am using some water slides and the one I practiced with still moved even when dried, any solutions to fix it? i don't quite have money to buy the decal solutions
I want to ask bc some people use mark setter to make sure the decal stick better some other people topcoat to make sure the decal doesn't move from it's positon... If i just put the waterslide decal without using mark setter or topcoat and pose the gundam and touching the decal frequently will it like move from it's position?
Hey Aiman! Thank you so much for that awesome question. Mark setter and topcoat are not just to keep the decal in place but to also keep it from peeling up and off over time. If you decide not to use either, the decal can stay in position for a while, but it's more likely to come off completely than to move around on you. Hope this answers your question. Thank you so much for watching and commenting and I wish you the best of luck!
Wait how do i put a water slide on a origin zaku 2 bazooka and ship rifle lens cause i bought a origin multiuse water slides and they have lens that are water slides
Hmmm. I'm not so sure. I feel like I might be missing something. Do you have a link for me to check out the slides? That might help me give a better suggestion if I can see them myself. Thanks for stopping by!
Do you cut around the outline or do you leave some extra space to grab with the tweezers? I'm gonna do my first waterslide tomorrow and its making me nervous.
@@PlamoTherapist Also, do I need mark setter and softer or can I just apply without? I know it's supposed to help with uneven surfaces, but I didn't know if it was necessary.
Hey! I'm so sorry, for some reason I thought this was about masking even though you said decals. 🤣🤣🤣 Let me start over. As long as you cut the whole design of the decal out, that's all that matters. I find that a little excess around the decal helps me to grab the backing without grabbing the decal too. As for setter and softer, they are not required for flat decals on single pieces, however, softer can be useful for curved decals on curved surfaces and decals that go over panel lines as it'll help them conform to the curve and recess into the panel lines for you to panel line over. 😁 Sorry for the confusion and I hope this is a better answer to your question. 🤣
So what should I do then after applying the decal to make them permanently adhere? A matte clearcoat spray or paint? I applied some of my decals and they came off the next day
Hey, is it possible to Re-apply Waterslide decals? I sticked mine like a normal sticker, not knowing much, it's a Waterslide decal. So basically i didn't dip it in water. Sorry, im Pretty new to Waterslide decals
Hey dude, no worries, we all make mistakes. If you didn't topcoat or anything, I'm pretty sure you can just dip it and re-apply. I'm more surprised that you got the decals off the backing without it. 🧐 Are you sure they're waterslides? If you're not sure, send me a pic on IG, and I can confirm. 😁
Sounds like it. I'm amazed you got them to separate. You should be able to just dip in water and reapply. I would probably grab a small section of the backing and hold it under the decal to keep it from curling up in my tweezers. Test it out on some unimportant caution decals before doing the big important ones. Best of luck to you! 😁
after a topcoat the waterslides have a shinier finish than the surface theyre on and it makes the borders on them really visible at certain angles anyone know a way to even them out after the topcoat?
Hey, great question! If you get decals that match the Bandai stickers, you can use the guide in the manual. Otherwise, just get creative! Hope this helps and best of luck to you! 😁
My sheet for the rg gundam wing ew seems to have stickers and water slide on the same sheet? Am i correct about this heing the case or are they all stickers and im just not finding the edge of the sticker?
I always hate waterslides because I try to do it like this but they end up either falling apart or falling off when applied. Have come to despise waterslides because of this. So difficult to work with for me and idk what I'm doing wrong.
Hey there. I am so sorry your experience has not been an enjoyable one. It can be frustrating when people praise something that doesn't give you the same satisfaction and I can understand how that feels. Maybe we can troubleshoot the issue. If you're following what I'm doing here, then I don't think it's a process issue, so let's start at the beginning. What brand waterslides are you using? Let me know and we can go from there! I may not be able to solve the problem, but I'm willing to try to help.
@@PlamoTherapist I only use the waterslides that come with the kits I build. Like, for instance, the last kit I build was the MG Unicorn Phenex. Trying to apply the 03 decal on the left shoulder just ended up causing it to break apart and I eventually just scrubbed it off entirely. I got the EFSF decal on the right shoulder on fine enough, but it was still finnicky. Other kits like the Nu Gundam Ver Ka I ended up giving up on because more often than not the decals end up just getting destroyed whenever I try to apply them or adjust them
So from what I've gathered, Bandai Waterslide decals are the worst of the worst. With that said, have you ever tried non-Bandai / third-party decals? Many of them are far superior in terms of quality and durability when working with them. Companies like Deli decal recreate the original Bandai decals but at a much higher quality.
@@PlamoTherapist I haven't. I might look into checking them out to see if it makes a difference. I usually don't go heavy into detailing my kits with decals and such, I usually only put things on the shoulder armor or shield or what have you, which is why I vastly prefer normal stickers or dry decals over waterslides due to my issues with them.
That's totally understandable. It's your kit and you are free to use or not use whatever decals you want. 😁 But if you decide you want to give waterslide decals another go, look into some third party brands like Delpi, SIMP, and G-Reworks. These are all brands that I highly recommend that many others do to.
![HOW TO APPLY DECALS FOR GUNPLA [EASY] | TUTORIAL TUESDAY](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/_Cl1dYHb25E/mqdefault.jpg)
for older decals or ones you are worried about tearing, there is a product for that. testors makes a decal bonder spray that you can spray onto your decal sheet to help strengthen the decal. before you soak and slide.
Hey, this is awesome! I'm gonna pin your comment, thank you for sharing!
This guy personally replied to every comment mad respect
I try my best! 😅 Thank you for taking the time to comment too! 😁
I pulled this up before applying waterslides for the first time and I must say, the Bandai waterslides are WAY more finicky and difficult than what you showed here, but the same basic principles apply, and I was able to get all my decals on without crying :)
my EZ8 thanks you!
I just realized waterslides seem more like a pain in the ass than dry decals
I find them both to be a pain in the ass. Did the mg full armor thunderbolt with the waterslides it took me twice the time i needed for the build. But it looks cool tho
I recommend also grabbing mark setter and softer if you really enjoy waterslides! Both of these products will simply make the water slides adhere to the plastic better. Mark setter will make the decal stick a lot better onto the plastic whereas mark softer is used to soften decals to be able to kind of mold onto the surface it is on. This is useful for if your decal is slightly over the edge of a part you would apply the softer and it will "soften" allowing it to wrap around the edge and also helping the decal adhere to the plastic better as well! Just be wary as Mark Softer on standard Bandai brand waterslides included in most MG kits will usually end up breaking if you try to adjust them after applying softer or setter which is why I also recommend buying 3rd Party waterslides like Delphi Decal. Have fun!
thank you for your whole channel! i just got some gunpla as a gift and couldn't believe how relaxing they where to build, but there's so much i don't know yet! i appreciate your clear instructions and relaxing build vids!!
This vid really made me question, “wait, does he normally have facial hair or not??” Lookin good bro!
Haha. Thanks dude. The beard has become the normal look over the past several years. 😆 Thanks for stopping by
@@PlamoTherapist can water decals also work on hg even if its for MG kits?
Yes and no. They can work, but some of the sizing might be off. Take Kyrios for example, the long decals for the shield won't fit on the HG Kyrios shield, but the warnings and such could still work. If you want to make your HG look smaller, you can use the larger MG decals. If anything grab some RG decals 😁 hope this helps!
@@PlamoTherapist tnx man 🤣
No problem! 😁 That's what I'm here for!
Getting ready to dive into water slides soon and this video was super helpful. Thx!
I'm so glad it helped! If you have any questions along the way, don't be afraid to drop them below! 😁
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Really helped. Did a ground type gundam with water slide decals the first time in years so this was really helpful. Torrington Base decals.
Hey! Glad it helped you out! Thank you so much for watching and commenting! 😁
Millenial Model Mayhem suggested this guide for getting started with waterslides as I've never done such. Nice and informative, but also simple and easy to follow!
Hey, thanks man! I'll have to thank Liam again later for the recommendation. I love his stuff and I'm glad we have an audience base that overlaps. 😁
If you have any questions, don't be afraid to hit me up! 😁😁😁
@@PlamoTherapist Got any tips for the really tiny Bandai waterslides? I've had issues with those, but not the Delpi Decals ones. Bandai ones like to stick to the cotton swab.
Thank you ! I'm about to try these for the first time and i feel like i know what i'm doing for once
Hey! Thank you so much! So glad you found the video helpful. 😁 If you have any questions, don't be afraid to ask!
Wow you have the patience of a saint, your voice has a therapeutic tone 👍🏼
Haha. Thank you Matt. It has gone through a lot of refinement over the past year. 😆 I used to talk like a Rap God 🤣
So glad you made this. I'm definitely going to use these tricks when I practice and eventually do a full-on kit with 'em
Thank you I will refer to this when I start doing water slides for some of my new models
Dude thanks so much! This helped a LOT! my model looks so cool now!
I just got a psycho Zaku and the water decals confused the hell out of me since it's been a long time since I built a model. This was extremely helpful. Thank you for the upload.
Thank you for the vid. I've been hesitant with water decals, but with your pointers I'm wanting to give it another shot.
Great guide! I bought my first RG kit this past weekend (OO Raiser if you're curious) and I really wanna use the decals it came with to go all out with detail. It looks simpler than I was afraid it would be!
Thank you so much for the video! Was having so much trouble with some tiny water decals
Hey, thank you so much for watching and commenting! I am glad I can help and if there are any other questions you have, don't be afraid to reach out!
Thanks for the great and informative video! I got my first kit with waterslide decals and I'm dreading building it a bit..
Hey there! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
I know waterslides can feel intimidating, but just take your time and you'll be flying through them in no time. 😁
I just finished my first kit with water decals and I'm hooked it looks so good I'm buying water decals for alot of my kits I already built...I used the base to practice on an after applying about 3 water decals you will feel more confident an I definitely recommend Mark fit I don't have mark soft but I will be getting it
Hey Corey! I'm so glad you enjoyed the decal process. If you don't have mark soft, it's not required unless you're planning on running decals over panel lines. Otherwise water and mark set is more than sufficient! I agree that after the first few, you definitely get the hang of it and at that point it's just more of the same. 😁
Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
Top man, great video, great energy, cheers!
thank you, another video of yours that has helped me out. i tried to apply some marking stickers to my HG origin RX78-2 and was having such a hard time. then i discovered some decals can be bought as a replacement for those frustrating stickers. so i'm gonna try it out, i appreciate the pointers.
Yay! Glad I could help. Good luck on those decals! 😁😁😁
Thanks bro. I just done making my friends sazabi I bought from the gundam factory Yokohama. Now I know how to do it. Appreciate it so much😂
Hey that's so awesome! How did you like the kit? Glad you found my video helpful, and if you have any other questions, don't be afraid to reach out!
Look at that smooth boi comin' in hot with a useful tutorial!
Haha. Thanks dude. It's been one I've wanted to do for a while. 😁
3 years late to the party.
I have literally just painted my first kit and have started using Water Decals. I've watched a ton of tutorials on them, so I had a fair idea of what to do, but I was missing one step and it was proving hard to get the decal into place, as there was simply to much water. The missing step was drying the decal on a paper towel. A bit of brain fade there.
Thankfully I've done put 4 decals on my kit and managed to get them into place.
thanks for the different examples!
Glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching! 😁
Just had to do the eye for the Sazabi Ver Ka and this was very helpful.
same here, looking forward to it myself
To everyone having problems with waterslides not wanting to slide off and separate, I believe I found a reliable hack: get some of those multi-function plastic toothpicks that come with a floss feature. Direct the floss fibres at the corner of the decal that you want to separate and go at it.. It might take a few tries but eventually one of those fibres will hit right between the layers and do the job :D
As a bonus, these also work fairly well as a part separating tool - if you ever need to pry apart some parts, use your fingernails at a sensitive spot, sten go in with the thinnest part of the plastic pick. This will allow you to pry the parts away further without damaging them since the picks are made with a very soft plastic.
@PlamoTherapist for visibility, I do believe I found a good hack. It hit me while using one of those picks at work after breakfast XD
my man .... thanks to you imma buy a sheet amd start using these
Hell yeah! You got this dude! 😁😁😁 Just start with the tiny unimportant ones. Once you get the hang of it, go for those big important ones. 😁
Ayyy thank can’t wait to try out with my rg exia gundam
Hell yeah! I'm excited for you. 😁 Thank you for watching and commenting. Best of luck!
@@PlamoTherapist thank you I’ll work on it after school
If you have any questions or need any help, you can comment here, OR if you want to get a hold of me quicker, you can always reach out on IG. 😁
@@PlamoTherapist I’m fine but thank you for offering your help I will if I need any questions
Best of luck!
Great video as always!
After finishing. My gunpla, I noticed fingerprint marks and stains on the kit. I have the astray gold frame MG. How do I clean it and get it ready for waterslides...I would appreciate any suggestions thanks
Hey, great question! If it's the plated gold that I am thinking of, then you can just buff it out with a microfiber cloth and use gloves going forward. If it's regular gold plastic, you can wash it if you want, but the same microfiber cloth trick should work too!
Best of luck!
Great instructions, thx.
Hey, thank you for watching and commenting! If you have any questions, please don't be afraid to reach out! 😁
Excellent job as always man! I GOT to grab some of that solution stuff man you made it look easy 😁
Haha. One other thing that will help is a gloss coat of paint. What you need is just a smooth surface for the piece to slide around on. The matte surface of my paint makes it hard so that's why I use Decal solution.
@@PlamoTherapist gotcha! You need to grab some sewing tweezers they are a game changer. Basically squeeze to open, let go to close which grips that backing paper so you never drop it and can focus on the decal 😁 also lovin' the new look bud! All fresh faced and ready to go!
Haha. I DEFINITELY need a better pair of tweezers. And my Fiancée says I look like a baby now. 🤣🤣🤣
@@PlamoTherapist 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Heyyy is it bad to let the decal sit in water for too long?
Hey, great question. Leaving it in water too long can make the decal more delicate, but that's usually looking at hours to days of soak time.
@@PlamoTherapist they’re not sliding off, I applied them by picking them off with my dental explorer, place it in water, then apply and it works!
Hmm. That's unusual. What brand of decal were they?
@@PlamoTherapist not sure but they came with the MG Astray blue frame d
Hi! Thank you for this great explanation. I was wondering if you had any tips. When I apply my water decals and mark fit, when I roll with my qtips the decal moves with it making it rather difficult to put in a good position.
Excellent tutorial.
I appreciate it! Thank you so much! 😁
Ty, this is a really helpful, and straightforward video!
Thank you so much and I'm glad you think so. 😁
great tutorial.
Thank you so much! If you need any help or have any questions, don't be afraid to reach out! 😁
S.o. to the subtle chicken sound! Always a good tutorial vid! Keep it up bro! 🔥🔥🔥
Haha. Those are just regular birds 🤣 thanks for the comment though. 😁
Saving this. I’m thinking of getting into building MG kits and I’ve heard they’re pretty infamous for using waterslides. Is that all of them, or just Ver.Ka that do?
Hey, thank you so much for watching and commenting! As for MGs only Ver. Ka kits come with waterslide decals in the box. The rest are usually 3rd party from other companies, but those tend to be much better than the Bandai ones. Feel free to shop around online for different brands and designs!
Really helpful, thanks!
No problem! Thank you so much for watching! 😁
Awesome tips. Thanks.
Hey Kris! Thanks for stopping by. If you have any questions, feel free to let me know! 😁
Thanks for this man.
Hello great video mate, i do have a question though. Say I use the mark setter for the decals before and after placing them, do i still need to topcoat them?
Hey, great question! The decals will stay with just mark setter, but I don't know exactly how long that will be. Depending on where your live and the quality of the decals, it could be years before you see any issues. On the flip side, worst case scenario is that it can start to silver and lift a few days, weeks, or months after completion. This is especially true if you handle your kits often. The top-coat acts like a sealant and is a "best practice", but if something is preventing you from being able to top-coat, then mark setter will definitely be your best shot and will definitely improve the chances of long-term survival.
Hope this answers your question and best of luck! 😁
@Plamo Therapist alright thank you mate, I recently got a pbandai kit and it came with water decals so I was a little overwhelmed, thank you for the video and the clarification!
Thanks for the vid bro. Very helpful.
Thanks for stopping by! I hope more people get into waterslides. They're really not that scary!
Nice shave, and very helpful video
Haha. Thank you, and best of luck on your decal journey! 😁
tamiya matte top coat before or after decals? Or before and after, like warhammer?
Hey! Great question! Personally I prefer just after. I like the smooth glossy surface for my decals as is makes them easier to move into place without risking damaging them, but sometimes they're a bit too squirrelly even for me..my recommendation is if you have experience with 40k that works, give it a go and see how you like it!
So we put sticker after finish panel lining and top coat or top coat is final process?
Hey there! Great question! Waterslide decals will go before your final topcoat, but sticker style decals will go on after everything else. Hope this helps! Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
does the decal solution help make the decals stick permanently? do you know any hacks to make em stick permanently?
Hey there! The decal setter solution helps to hold the decal in place, but is not the most permanent long-term solution. The only thing that I can say that can help the decal last as long as the kit does is a proper topcoat to seal the decal in. I hope this answers your question. Thank you so much for watching and commenting. 😁
So the decal solution is a mark setter or a decal softener?
thanks bro! Now i know how to do this:)
I'm glad you found it helpful! Happy building!
@@PlamoTherapist thank you:)
Thanks for this video, 4 month ago I watched it to understand how apply water decals on my MGEX unicorn.
Today I finished and now I don't understand how protect my decals. Is there any top coat like liquid? All I saw was in spray bottles and I don't think It will be good idea to use it on assembled model
I want use soft brush to apply top coat 🤔
do i need the decal solution or can i put them on without it?
Hey there! Decal solution is recommended, but definitely not required! Thank you for watching and best of luck!
i wanted to ask if its possible to learn how to take care of and sharpen the nippers that you have.
This is one of my weaknesses.
The little questions that I have (maybe you've said it in the vid without me noticing)
How long does a decal on average need in the water until it's ready to apply? And is the decal solution really necessary to apply the decals?
Hey there! Great question! Most decals would only need a quick dip for a second or two before you can leave it on the side to dry. The only exception I've found were the G-Reworks which need about 20 seconds and then let it sit on the side.
Also, decal solution is totally optional, but can be a good security step of you know the project might take a while before you can clear coat everything. If you're gonna clear coat it right after all the decals go down, then you definitely won't be missing anything without it.
Thank you so much for watching and commenting. I hope this answers your question and I wish you the best of luck!
@@PlamoTherapist Thank you a lot for such a fast reply, and thank you for answering in detail, it cleared it all up and I need the good luck, I just got my first Master grade today!
No problem! I try to answer questions as soon as I am able and you caught me at a good time! 😁
Congratulations on your first Master Grade! Have fun and don't let it scare you like it did me. 🤣 You got this! 😁😁😁
This video was great thanks so much this was a ton of help!🙂
I'm glad I could help! Let me know if you have any questions. 😁😁😁
Thxxx this helped a lot
Another fine tutorial video! Good tip using the skewer instead of the toothpick! I’m going to use it from now on. I personally use micro sol and micro set for my water decals, but the products you use work as well. Do you cut the transparent film around the decal as much as you can to avoid showing it on your piece, especially if the piece is a dark color one?
Hey, that's an awesome question! I usually don't since what I will do is hit it with a clear coat afterwards which helps even out the shine/matte of the piece hiding the edges better. The Mark Fit, Mr. Decal Softener, and Micro Sol, should help with making the edges less visible if it's too tedious to cut them out that closely.
@@PlamoTherapist, very good point. It is tedious indeed to cut close to the edges. Thanks for the hint.
Best of luck you! 😁
Thanks for the video. Do i have to put a coat before applying the decal or just apply it directly to plastic? I tried putting some on but some peeled off after..
Hey John! If you're just snap building, you can put it directly on the piece if the plastic is smooth. If you sanded it, make sure it's cleaned up to at least 2000 grit to be safe. Then you can apply just like above. Once decals are down, you definitely want to topcoat it to seal it onto the kit and to keep it from flaking or falling off.
If you want an idea of how it looks on bare plastic, check out this video. 😁
th-cam.com/video/Tif4C6-Iy6w/w-d-xo.html
@@PlamoTherapist ah! Thanks! I’ll try it again! I subscribed!
I'm truly honored. Thank you so much. 😁
What was the small dish you were using and where can I get one? I don’t have anything of that size
Hey there!
The small trays are the Mr. Hobby Mixing Trays!
Here's a link to The Gundam Place's website if you want to order your own! 😁
gundamplacestore.com/products/mr-paint-tray?_pos=1&_sid=bd0af7842&_ss=r
@@PlamoTherapist thanks! I wasn’t expecting a reply that fast
I try my best to respond as quickly as possible. 😁 Have fun and best of luck!
Can I apply decals after the robot is all built ?
Hey there! You definitely can. Sometimes it's just easier to break it down a bit so other parts don't get in the way. Hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck on your build! 😁
@@PlamoTherapist thanks!
Tutorial on how to apply water slide decal on the shoulder part pls
Hello,
Would i need to use top coat when already have Mark setter and softer? Sought ve stuck between whether i need it or not in order for the decal to stick and not have the risk of peeling off…
Hey there! Great question. While it's technically not NEEDED, proper topcoat is the only way I can safely say that the decals will not ever come off.
Setter and softer can definitely extend how long they last, but I cannot say for how long that would be.
I hope this helps and wish you luck. Thank you so much for watching and commenting!
@@PlamoTherapist thanks for the tip, but I also want to have some advice on my next gunpla which is the rg unicorn gundam. I bought waterslide decals and was thinking of a matte top coat for the white armour but leaving the psycho frame as is. At what steps should I apply stickers and then top coat and finally assembly?
Hey, another great question! If you are not painting and just topcoating, I would recommend panel lining on the plastic, followed by decals, topcoat, and finally stickers if you want to use those as well.
The RG Unicorn has some tight fits, so my suggestion would be to get everything panel lined, decaled, and topcoated before assembly otherwise you risk breaking parts during disassembly and second reassembly. You can do stickers once it's all put together.
Best of luck! 😁
@@PlamoTherapist thankyou so much normally ppl wont answer so im glad you did
I wouldn't be where I am without my viewers so this is a small way I can say thank you. I genuinely love helping out anyway way I can, so please feel free to ask anytime you have a question and I'll try to respond ASAP. 😁
😊well done
So letting it dry will make it stick? No other thing needed?
Hey dude! Great question! 😁 Yes, rolling it dry with a cotton bud is all you need, however for longevity of your decals bw sure to use top-coat to keep it on long after you're done. 😁
@@PlamoTherapist Thanks! I was not thinking to top coat my MG Wing Zero Ver Ka but if the decals will fall, I'll top coat it to secure it!
Thanks dude!
Of course dude! Glad I could help. 😁
And don't forget to tag me on Instagram @plamotherapost when you finish your Wing Zero so I can see it too! 😁
I got a wing zero custom ver ka ew
Its my 1st time using waterdecals - is it really that easy to fall of for a decal if u use it without solution ? Hear so much in Videos that to use it.
Thanks for die video it will help me a lot :)
Hey there! Great question!
I think the biggest factor is humidity. If the area where you live has decent humidity, you can probably get away without needing setter solution before a final clear coat to seal the decals in.
If you are NOT planning on spraying a topcoat, I recommend using setter to give your decals a better chance of lasting, but it's not completely necessary, especially if you aren't touching the kit to much (i.e. re-posing or moving it around).
Hope this answers your question and thank you so much for watching! 😁
@@PlamoTherapist thanks for the quick answer! I ended Up buyong Mark fit decals softener
some of my decals are peeling off probably becasue I oversoaked is there a glue I can use to re adhere them on?
Is a top coat or base coat needed for a figure? I’m working on a megami device right now and I am super new to this hobby.
Hey there! If you're going to put waterslide decals straight onto the plastic, then you don't need to apply a clear coat before, but you'll most likely need some to seal it in once completed. 😁
If you would like an example, check out this video. 😁
th-cam.com/video/PVzS_wtOOTc/w-d-xo.html
it top coating required after applying wsd?
Hey there! A top coat is not required, but it's the best way to ensure the longevity of your WSDs. You CAN get away with just mark setter, but how long that will last, I'm not sure and it depends on humidity where you live and how much you hanlde your kit. I hope this answers your question and wish you the best of luck!
Do you add decals before a base coat? I want to base coat before I panel line. I plan to decal, base coat, panel line, top coat. Does this sound ok?
Do i need decal solution or can i just apply the decal normally
Quick question, is a decal setter necessary? im asking cause this’d be my 1st time applying decal.
Thanks!
You shaved! Nice. Awesome vid. My strategy for decals is to not. I like the more anime look lol. I eventually want to learn Cell Shaded painting. But that looks intense.
Haha. No worries man! Go for your own stiye! 😁
So, something I'm wondering about is when you used the cotton to roll off the solution after applying it, it looks like you used the same side you rolled up the water with. Is it okay for the two to roll onto the same cotton swab/ball/end like that, or should we swap to a dry one?
Hey William! Great question! It's perfectly fine to use the same side. Since you're pulling up the water/solution from the decal it okay if they mix a bit. Of course if you also panel line with Tamiya liner, be sure to keep those cotton buds separate. Hope this helps and best of luck!
What do I do if I need to readjust my decal after it dries? Do I soak it with hot water?
Hey there! Great question! If you're still working on the piece and notice it's skewed a bit, you can dip you finger in the water and wet the decal directly. Give it a few seconds before you start trying to get it to separate from your part and move it around.
However, if you've applied setter or topcoat, unfortunately, I don't think it can be salvaged. Hope this answers your question and I wish you the best of luck!
no mark setter or softer?
Im gonna be decaling on top of Tamiya TS paint (lacquer) in the near future with Mr setter and softer. Will this affect the paint?
Can you please build a model of Tom McEwen drag racer top fuel it's a snap together but it has waterslide decals i personally plan on getting one myself i personally would like to see it being built
How does the decal secure in place? Mine moves when i try and clear the water from it. Even with a q tip
I just got into gunpla. How can you tell which ones are actual water slide decals or regular stickers?
Hey! Great question. Most stickers will come on a light green or even a yellow sheet. Waterslide decals will almost always come on a light blue sheet. Most Gunpla will NOT have waterslide decals. The only ones that do are usually newer Ver Ka kits and some P-Bandai kits, but it's not a guarantee. If you are ever unsure, you can always ask and I'll do my best to help out!
Best of luck to you. 😁
@@PlamoTherapist awesome, thank you so much!
Of course! If you're ever not sure, you can message me on IG with a picture and we can go from there. Take Care and Happy Building! 😁
Hey man had a quick question ! After putting the decals on do you have to top coat ? Or is that just to make the decals last longer while they are on. Thanks I’m advance bro great video 👊🏽🙏🏽
Hey there! Top coat is not necessary, but without it, your decals may start to peel up over time. How long will that take? I'm not sure, but topcoat also helps to blend the edges of your decals to make them less visible.
I highly recommend it if you want them to stay for the long haul and even a rattle can topcoat will help a lot. But don't let me pressure you if you don't want to. I'm just giving you all the information for you to make the best decisions to meet your needs! 😁
@@PlamoTherapist thank you so much I’m definitely going to pick up a rattle can and do that might as well haha. Thanks for the advice bro !!
Thank you so much for watching and best of luck to you!
I have holographics waterslides for the PG Exia, if I top coat it again after I apply the decals, wont that take away from the visual aspect of the stickers? I already have a layer of matte coat that I did after I panel lined. @@PlamoTherapist
What brand do you recommend cause i want my origin zaku to look good cause the sticker decals it has doesn't look good
If you want one too match the sticker decals with some extra decals, get the Delpi Decals! If you want to do your own thing, see if G-Reworks has decals for that kit. 😁
Tnx!
Of course! Best of luck! 😁
Is the water cold, warm, hot, room temperature?
Ooh. Good temperature. Mine is room temp!
It all works, but slightly warm water makes the decal activate faster.
Hey, that's great to know! I live in a relatively warm area year-round, so for those who live in areas where it gets colder, this will be very helpful. Thanks, Raimy!
i am using some water slides and the one I practiced with still moved even when dried, any solutions to fix it? i don't quite have money to buy the decal solutions
When applying the softer, do you wait til the decal/setter is fully dry and stuck first? Or does the softer go on soon after the decal has been "set"?
I want to ask bc some people use mark setter to make sure the decal stick better some other people topcoat to make sure the decal doesn't move from it's positon... If i just put the waterslide decal without using mark setter or topcoat and pose the gundam and touching the decal frequently will it like move from it's position?
Hey Aiman! Thank you so much for that awesome question. Mark setter and topcoat are not just to keep the decal in place but to also keep it from peeling up and off over time.
If you decide not to use either, the decal can stay in position for a while, but it's more likely to come off completely than to move around on you.
Hope this answers your question. Thank you so much for watching and commenting and I wish you the best of luck!
@@PlamoTherapist Thank you so much for your answer it really helps!!!
Of course! Please feel free to reach out anytime you have any questions and I'll do my best to help! 😁
Holy shit, thank you so much!!
because i am new in gunpla is it okey if i build the kit and apply the decals at some other point when i will be ready?
(sorry for the bad english)
Hey! Your English is great! You can save the decals for when you are ready. 😁 Thank you for watching and commenting!
Wait how do i put a water slide on a origin zaku 2 bazooka and ship rifle lens cause i bought a origin multiuse water slides and they have lens that are water slides
Hmmm. I'm not so sure. I feel like I might be missing something. Do you have a link for me to check out the slides? That might help me give a better suggestion if I can see them myself. Thanks for stopping by!
Im sry for making you think about this 😅 i guess im just gonna have to paint it
Do you cut around the outline or do you leave some extra space to grab with the tweezers? I'm gonna do my first waterslide tomorrow and its making me nervous.
@@PlamoTherapist Also, do I need mark setter and softer or can I just apply without? I know it's supposed to help with uneven surfaces, but I didn't know if it was necessary.
Hey! I'm so sorry, for some reason I thought this was about masking even though you said decals. 🤣🤣🤣
Let me start over. As long as you cut the whole design of the decal out, that's all that matters. I find that a little excess around the decal helps me to grab the backing without grabbing the decal too.
As for setter and softer, they are not required for flat decals on single pieces, however, softer can be useful for curved decals on curved surfaces and decals that go over panel lines as it'll help them conform to the curve and recess into the panel lines for you to panel line over. 😁
Sorry for the confusion and I hope this is a better answer to your question. 🤣
So what should I do then after applying the decal to make them permanently adhere? A matte clearcoat spray or paint? I applied some of my decals and they came off the next day
Hey, is it possible to Re-apply Waterslide decals? I sticked mine like a normal sticker, not knowing much, it's a Waterslide decal. So basically i didn't dip it in water. Sorry, im Pretty new to Waterslide decals
Hey dude, no worries, we all make mistakes. If you didn't topcoat or anything, I'm pretty sure you can just dip it and re-apply. I'm more surprised that you got the decals off the backing without it. 🧐 Are you sure they're waterslides? If you're not sure, send me a pic on IG, and I can confirm. 😁
@@PlamoTherapist they have the Typical Blue Backround, and they are Semi transparent
Sounds like it. I'm amazed you got them to separate. You should be able to just dip in water and reapply. I would probably grab a small section of the backing and hold it under the decal to keep it from curling up in my tweezers. Test it out on some unimportant caution decals before doing the big important ones.
Best of luck to you! 😁
can RG decals fit in HG gundam?
Hey, great question! Both grades are 1/144 scale, so they'll be right at home on the HGs! 😁 Thank you for watching and best of luck!
2024 and found this video. Thank you kind sir!
Hey, thank you so much! I'm glad this video is still relevant and helpful to this day. 😁 I appreciate you taking the time to watch and comment!
after a topcoat the waterslides have a shinier finish than the surface theyre on and it makes the borders on them really visible at certain angles
anyone know a way to even them out after the topcoat?
how do you figure out which decal goes to which part?
Hey, great question! If you get decals that match the Bandai stickers, you can use the guide in the manual. Otherwise, just get creative!
Hope this helps and best of luck to you! 😁
My sheet for the rg gundam wing ew seems to have stickers and water slide on the same sheet? Am i correct about this heing the case or are they all stickers and im just not finding the edge of the sticker?
I always hate waterslides because I try to do it like this but they end up either falling apart or falling off when applied. Have come to despise waterslides because of this. So difficult to work with for me and idk what I'm doing wrong.
Hey there. I am so sorry your experience has not been an enjoyable one. It can be frustrating when people praise something that doesn't give you the same satisfaction and I can understand how that feels.
Maybe we can troubleshoot the issue. If you're following what I'm doing here, then I don't think it's a process issue, so let's start at the beginning. What brand waterslides are you using? Let me know and we can go from there!
I may not be able to solve the problem, but I'm willing to try to help.
@@PlamoTherapist I only use the waterslides that come with the kits I build. Like, for instance, the last kit I build was the MG Unicorn Phenex. Trying to apply the 03 decal on the left shoulder just ended up causing it to break apart and I eventually just scrubbed it off entirely. I got the EFSF decal on the right shoulder on fine enough, but it was still finnicky. Other kits like the Nu Gundam Ver Ka I ended up giving up on because more often than not the decals end up just getting destroyed whenever I try to apply them or adjust them
So from what I've gathered, Bandai Waterslide decals are the worst of the worst. With that said, have you ever tried non-Bandai / third-party decals? Many of them are far superior in terms of quality and durability when working with them. Companies like Deli decal recreate the original Bandai decals but at a much higher quality.
@@PlamoTherapist I haven't. I might look into checking them out to see if it makes a difference. I usually don't go heavy into detailing my kits with decals and such, I usually only put things on the shoulder armor or shield or what have you, which is why I vastly prefer normal stickers or dry decals over waterslides due to my issues with them.
That's totally understandable. It's your kit and you are free to use or not use whatever decals you want. 😁
But if you decide you want to give waterslide decals another go, look into some third party brands like Delpi, SIMP, and G-Reworks. These are all brands that I highly recommend that many others do to.