Hey guys, where do you go to find decals for your RC projects? Do you buy 'em, or make 'em? if you make 'em, what do you use and how do you like the finished product? I'm looking to get/make some decals to replicate the 2004-2006 Subaru Rally team colors. You know, big yellow swoosh an all.

All you need to do to replicate Subaru wrc decals is buy a Subaru wrc body from Tamiya. That's going to be an already accurate body with the most scale-accurate decals you'll ever find.

If I'm not going that route, I usually go with decals that come with bodies/parts. I'm not a big fan of paying money to display company logos on my cars - full scale or rc. I've contacted companies and asked for decals before. Good companies will be glad to hook you up. It's a twofer. Helps your vehicle look cool, and gives the company some exposure - at no cost to you.

Well, I actually HAVE a Tamiya body. It came already painted and decaled.  Looked beautiful.  And should have for $60. But that body is no longer available. And it seems there aren't many that look like it that are still available. (The new Tamiya Team Arai Subaru Rally for instance. Completely different livery.) 

That's why I figured I would need to make my own.  But do you think if I contacted Tamiya, they might have some of the old decal sheets laying around?

I'm still using that Tamiya Subaru body, it's just getting pretty beat up, and eventually will need replacing.  I put it on an Evader. I run it alot and it's starting to show its age. 

It's always worth a try.

Well, I sent them an email, we'll see what they say. But I discovered that the body is available again! Albeit for $74!! ($14 more than I paid for it last year) http://www.tamiyausa.com/product/ite...oduct-id=51189

Myself, I usually just make what I need now. For example, I made up the Lego logos for my 1850L Mercedes:
http://www.rccaraction.com/blog/2012...december-2012/

If it's not a sticker that came with parts/bodies you have bought, then check Ebay!

Ebay... Pocket bike stickers

I use my vinyl cutter to make the decals and paint masks I need.

Here is one example

<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial; font-size: 13px; background-color: rgb(251, 252, 255);">I usually go with decals that come with bodies/parts. I'm not a big fan of paying money to display company logos on my cars</span><font size="2" face="Verdana, Arial"></font>

I feel pretty similar about it. Only decals I run on any of mine are ones that came with the parts that they are using. My Slash 4X4 is cluttered with Castle, Savox, Pro-Line, RPM and several others, yet my Losi 8ight only runs a Tekno, JConcepts and Sweep stickers. I won't display what I don't use!

I'm the other way..... I like the racing theme scale look on my cars. I never use rc brand stickers on mine,,, I put those on my toolbox and radios.

Those are pretty cool, guys.  Ebay has everything, I guess.  I'm interested in making my own.  One of you mentioned a vinyl cutter.  Care to elaborate on that?  What do you do to make the artwork?

I use an old 2d drawing software to create the designs (there are also quite a few designs, shapes, and corporate logos available on-line to import into software.

The software I use allows you to import picture files so you can accurately trace them for the cut lines. My corner gas themed VTA car was done completely with free drawing and scanned/traced images.

OK, so it sounds like you don't use any special software to make the designs. How are you actually making/printing the decal? What printer? What ink?  What medium do you print on? And where do you buy it?

In post #9, he said he uses a vinyl cutter. My brother has one. It's a computer controlled machine that will precisely cut designs in adhesive vinyl. If you want a design with multiple colors, you have to cut the different pieces out of different colors. That said, they won't do shading.

Ahhh.....THAT'S how those things work.  I've never seen one. Now that you describe how it works, I can see it in his picture in post #9.   So I'd assume multiple colors also gets a little heavy, too. potentially.
Maybe I will end up having to troll ebay.  Grrrrr....

But then, I could always just fork-out for another Tamiya body........  I like it, a lot....but, ouch!

Actually it's not any heavier than a printed decal. Lets use a smiley face like this for example. To make it, you'd cut the full smiley(including mouth and eyes) out of yellow, then cut just the eyes and mouth out of black. Remove the eyes and mouth that were cut in yellow and insert the black ones. All of this is done while it's still on the non-stick backing. To apply, you use another type of film or vinyl called transfer tape which will hold the pieces in position. The transfer tape should be sticky enough to pull the decal parts off the non-stick backing, but once the decal is applied to the desired item, it's not strong enough to pull the decals back off.
Hope this clears things up.