Sticker Decals vs. Water Slide Decals: How to Upgrade Your Model Kit Markings
To give a model kit realistic military markings, caution warnings, and faction logos, kits come bundled with various decorative media sheets. Moving from basic sticker sheets to premium water slides is the single biggest upgrade you can make to elevate your final build quality.
- Standard Marking Stickers (High Ease of Use): Found inside standard High Grade (HG) and Master Grade (MG) kits, these are traditional peel-and-stick labels. They are durable and easy to apply with tweezers, but because the clear plastic layer is thick, they create a noticeable "edge line" on your model that catches light under display lamps, making it obvious that a sticker was applied.
- Water Slide Decals (High Realism Finish): Officially branded as Gundam Decals, water slides contain no sticky adhesive backings. Instead, you cut the desired caution mark out of the sheet, submerge it in warm water for 10 seconds to dissolve the binding starch, and slide the thin film off the paper backing using a cotton swab straight onto the plastic armor. Once completely dry, the border vanishes entirely, blending into the model's texture.
-
Pro Application Tips for Water Slides:
- Gloss Surface Rule: Always apply water slide decals over a completely smooth gloss coat surface. Matte textures trap microscopic air bubbles beneath the decal film, creating an ugly silvering effect.
- Use Micro Solvents: For complex curved armor plates, apply a drop of decal setter fluid. This solvent lightly melts the decal film, forcing it to shrink warp perfectly into molded panel lines and rivet shapes.
Discover specialized marking configurations for your favorite mobile suits by scanning the Toymana Gundam Decal archive.
