There is a picture on the binary page and I will add a post there showing another project using this method.
Using an acrylic emulsion to transfer an image has been discussed here before. The first poster said to use an acrylic varnish found in art supply stores, but this is not necessary. It costs too much.
I have found that the best acrylic emulsion to use is Minwax's clear Polycrylic. I paid $4.87 at Home Depot for a small can and Polycrylic doesn't dry up in the can.
But, I wondered?, Future is acrylic, will it work? It does as the photo shows. However, Polycrylic is a stronger emulsion and I highly recommend it.
The basic idea of this method is that you glue a laser printed image face down on a surface and when it's dry, soak the paper with water and rub off the paper. I learned this method back in the early 1960s when a student in my art class accidently stumbled on to it.
Today it is called the acrylic transfer method and it can have a place in model building. If you can find a place that will print on laser decal paper, you are lucky. Staples, Kinkos and three independent places have refused to run the paper through their machines for me.
The paper you use is very important. Regular laser paper will work, but removal of this paper is more time consuming. Staples has a paper they call "business gloss" and Kinkos has a similar paper. This is NOT photo paper. It is shiny on both sides and is the same thickness as regular laser paper.
Using this paper and Polycrylic makes for a slick easy transfer.
IMPORTANT - When you glue an image face down and remove the paper you will be looking at the back of the ink. This means a reverse image. Print your image in reverse so it ends up positive.
IMPORTANT - For a full color image you must add a very thin coat of acrylic white paint to kill the transparency. Cheap white acrylic will do. Here are the steps to follow;
1 - Give the image a coat of Polycrylic. Let dry.2 - Thin the white paint some and put it over the Polycrylic. Let dry. All you want is just enough paint so that you see white. This adds practically nothing to the thickness of the decal.
3 - Use Polycrylic to glue the white painted side down on your surface. The important thing is not to have air bubbles. Have a damp rag ready to wipe excess Polycrylic away from the decal. For larger decals like I do on radios I use one of those small wooden wheels that wallpaperers use to roll seams.4 - I let it dry overnight and then soak and rub the paper off.
Stewart