How to achive a painted on look

You can try rub on decalsthey have no outlines and you can see a really big difference from water slide ones. But if ya cant get them or whatever try usein a lil bit of pastel chalk thats a mix of the decals color and the base color (this is from my Tank experience) and lightly go around the edges and it softens them and makes em look a bit scuffy paint job.

1) Aftermarket decals whenever possible. They are frequently much, much thinner than box decals. The down side to that is that they are also frequently more fragile.

2) Decal solvent such as MicroSol or Solvaset. These dramatically thin the decals and give them a painted on look. Most of the time multiple applications are necessary, but each one will usually thin the decal a little bit more.

3) Trim your decals as close as possible to the colored area. They frequently have a clear border around the colored parts, and that clear border is a lot of what makes them look like decals. It's a pain to do and I usually don't, but it does make them look a lot better.

4) Start with a very smooth and glossy surface. Dimpled or flat surfaces increase the chances of "Silvering" which will ruin the appearance of any decal.

These are the steps I take when decalling:

1.make sure the surface is glossy, use future or a clear gloss. Allow it to dry for a few days.

2. Apply the decals. Put some micro-set (or similar) on the surface first. Then position the decal and brush a little more MS on top. Wait about 5 minutes and press down gently to remove any air bubbles. Then brush on some micro-sol. Just brush on a thin coat and let it do its thing. If there are any bubbles in the decal after it has set, prick a hole in the bubble and apply some more micro-sol.

3. Once decals are dry, apply another clear gloss coat over decals. This helps to hide the carrier film of the decal. Once dry, you can do any weathering you want.

4. apply several coats of your chosen flat clear. It's better to apply several thin coats than one thick one. A light sanding between coats can also help to conceal decal carrier film.

That's it. The best way to get good looking decals is to use aftermarket ones. They are usually alot higher quality than the ones you get with the kits.

Hope this helps.