Color issues - Tips for Inkjet printing model kits

[airdave]

Preprinted kits are great for one thing...thats consistent printing quality.

Home printing has its challenges and drawbacks.
I've noticed for some time how badly my Centurion model is aging...colourwise.
Ignoring the dust (which I don't clean very well), I'm talking about how inkjet printing has aged.
rest of the model is as good as new, but the colours?...meh.

My first tip is: print your kits all at once. Meaning: print all Pages/Parts at the same time, with the same papers and inks.

I designed my Centurion over the span of about a year...maybe more.
It took at least that long to build, as I was building as I designed.

While I may have used the same printer for it all, it wasn't always at the same ink levels, and print head cleanliness.
I'm sure I had to change Inks during that time, and I may have used different cardstock brands.

All this results in parts printed slightly differently (colour wise)...and I was initially aware of this, but didn't care too much since this was a prototype.
But while those printing differences were not drastic at first, 8 years later, the ink colour differences have become that much more obvious.
Whatever differences you have at the beginning, will look ten times worse in ten years!

To avoid, or at least reduce, these kind of colour changes, it makes sense to print everything before you start building.
Hopefully on one Printer, in as short a time span as possible, without Ink change, and on the same batch of cardstock.

Then, store all your uncut sheets together, in one container or package, out of sun and away from moisture.

I also recommend spray sealing your freshly printed sheets, with some sort of spray sealer, fixative or clearcoat.*
This will protect the inks from moisture and oils, it will prolong the life of ink and colour, and it will improve the look of printing and colour.
*let sheets dry thoroughly before storage.

Photos attached below of my prototype Centurion, as it looks today, almost ten years old.
Keep in mind, it has never seen sunshine or daylight. Other than being at a few Model events, it has spent 8 years in my basement.
Sorry about the dust...but note the various colour tones.
Not including the side covers which are rusted and weathered, and two layers thick using thicker cardstock,
all other "green" parts are varying degrees of greens, grays and blues now!

[Don Boose]

Good advice.

Don

[SteveB]

It's quite disheartening when this sort of thing happens. A couple of years ago I had a go at building HMLS Centipede by Shawn Dymond (from landships, based on a model by Wayne McCullough).

Towards the end of the build I decided to add a couple of bits. In the meantime, I'd had to swap out the blue cartridge on my printer. After just a few weeks these new parts turned a fetching shade of PINK - not ideal for a tank!

[THE DC]

Great and valuable advice!


Much appreciate you for sharing your wisdom.

[HomerJSimpson]

Great tips - thanks!