"Shields" Topic

So I am doing some shield designs for some greek hoplite types. Now I have some in the computer that one can print out on paper.
Anyone have any advice using this method? In particular do you seal them in any way as each time I do the varnish soaks through the paper and changes the look. I want to help them last a while, not sure if the paper edges will start peeling in a few years hence am looking to help them last.

I thought those were made to be printed on waterslide decal paper. You then spray the printed decal paper with sealer and when it dries, you cut out the shield designs, soak them in water so the decal slides off, and apply the decal to the shield.

I need to look into doing that. What stops me was what type of printer I needed and well basically how to do the whole process, should look at youtube videos I suppose.

Transfer/decal printing is pretty easy. There are sheets available for laser and for ink jet. I bought some which were on very thick paper and needed to go through the single sheet feed rather than the normal paper tray, but previous purchases could be used normally. Print at the highest quality you can to get strong colours – you want them as opaque as possible. If you want there to be white on the design it can either be by painting the shield white and letting it show through or by getting white decal paper (unless you have access to a white printer like an ALPS)

You have to varnish them before applying – a spray is best as you can damage them when using a brush. Gloss varnish the shields too – it helps to prevent silvering.

If you are doing round shields, it helps a lot if you can find a cutter which is the correct size. I have a 'scrap booking' cutter which gives just the right size for my phalangite shields and the centre of a hoplite shield.

My pikemen here link have home made decal shields.

Just buy Little Big Men shield transfers, they are awesome.

I have used the LBMS stuff but mainly for banners, when doing shields I do the officers with the LBMS and the rest with my own something if I can.
Have been using paper things so far which seems fine but just want to bump it up a notch.
I believe I have got to the level of painting where I now like the really good quality brushes form art stores, my last project-

link

Haven't been able to post photos directly here yet as I think it has something to do with flickr itself.