Decal Sheet Instructions On Cd. Good Or Bad Idea?

[Gekko_1]

Hi guys, I'm currently tossing around the idea of re-launching Gekko Graphics into full production again. Not only will I be doing "real world' decals but "What if" subjects too.

Isradecals released a decal for the Israeli Air Force F-16F Sufa in 72 and 48th scales and instead of the traditional paper instruction sheets included a CD including the instruction sheets (which you could print out yourself), as well as a selection of screen resolution photos of the aircraft.

Do you think this is a good idea or a bad idea?

Your views on this would be appreciated.

Cheers

Richard Chafer
Gekko Graphics

[Sisko]

It's a good Idea I have several sheets of you RAAF decals I bought at a SAPMA comp a couple of years ago and they are great.

Go for it.    

[Damian2]

What would the cost differences be between a decal sheet with a paper instruction sheet and one with a CD?

[Maverick]

Reckon it's a brill idea Richard,

Saves splashing paint or glue onto paper sheets and messing 'em up!

[Thorvic]

Richard

Great news that your getting back in production, and the CD idea sounds rather good as the extra images plus the ability to zoom in to check details will help decal placement.

Cheers

Geoff

[upnorth]

It would be cost effective for sure.

Having worked in the printing industry, I can tell you that unless you're ordering vast amounts of a certain printed item, the cost goes up pretty quick. It gets even more expensive when you start printing four colour process for those full colour instruction sheets that some companies are putting out with all those nice reference shots of the real machines.

Wooksta is right that the cost of a writable CD is quite low, it becomes downright tantalizing when you compare it to the cost of offset printing.

What the decal companies could save in putting the instructions on CDs, they could certainly redirect to the decals themselves.

[Scooterman]

My $0.02 worth.......

First off I'm VERY happy to hear that you're going back into production Richard!     There's a few sheets I missed the first time around.

Now back to the subject, of course whatever is the most cost effective is what you should do but I do like the CD idea. So much more info can be included.  And I'd be willing to spend the few extra $$$ for ref pictures.  I'm sure most of us here that do real world subjects have refs on whatever project we're working on but I'm sure that we don't have everything.  

'nuff said

[Brian da Basher]

Here's wishing you the best of luck, Richard! Hopefully I'll be one of your many customers!

I say go with the most cost-effective solution. As for me, unless the decals are some sort of "dry" transfers or something else outside the norm, I wouldn't require an instruction sheet.

If you're taking suggestions, let me ask for some pre-W.W. II Yugoslav markings, Irish markings and some Canadian roundels with the old Red Ensign flag. Actually, I'd buy a sheet of the Red Ensign flags in 1/72 if I could find them. Other ideas would pre-war Estonian, Latvian & Lithuanian markings.

I wish you the greatest of success!

Brian da Basher

[Radish]

Best of luck, Richard.  

Here's hoping you re-launch with success.
CD instructions sound really good too.

No doubt you're inundated with requests for Whatiffery.....

but Spanish Civil War in 1/72nd are hard to come by (and essentially black/white only for Nationalist stuff).

Obviously a realistic profitable business needs to be able to sell decals for kits that also sell in big numbers, popular with the public/model builders at large...

Bf-109s, Fw-190s, Spitfires, Mustangs??
Sabres, F-16s, , MiG-21s??
There must be some good ones (unusual real schemes) that haven't been done?
Perhaps some of us might be able to help with these, then whatiffery might become more viable?  

[Shasper]

Would it cost more to ship a CD as opposed to paper?


Shas B)

[upnorth]

Since some folks are putting their suggestions in for unusual markings:

A sheet of Hungarian chevron style insignia of the sort they were using prior to WWII would be great.

Also a sheet of the very rare all red Canadian roundel that they were experimanting with in the 60s. They had replaced the blue ring with red to match the leaf. It didn't last long, beyond a few Yukon transports, I don't think it was put on anything else.

A sheet of Royal Egyptian Air Force markings would also go over well in my Whiffing book.

[nev]

I'm with Lee on an Indian AF sheet - you can crib the roundels from various sheets, but getting INDIAN AIR FORCE in Sanskrit, well that's another matter!  

Like Shasper I wonder about the shipping cost with the CD (especially internationally)

[Gekko_1]

What would the cost differences be between a decal sheet with a paper instruction sheet and one with a CD?

Doing the instructions on CD will make it immensely cheaper for me to produce. It will also mean that I will be able to have more options on the decal sheet (dependent on space) as I then won't have to produce a 'mini magazine' of instruction sheets to go along with it. Printing costs are so prohibitive for the small 'cottage' decal producers, its quite debilitating.

Its OK for the 'big boys' who have 'special deals' with printers. But I'm not one of them and probably never will be so going with the CD option would make things a lot easier for me which translates to a slightly better profit margin that can be put back into more releases including dedicated "What if" subjects. Oh, and for those modellers out there who think there's big profits to be made in the decal business, forget it! Most decal producers just manage to make ends meet and sometimes not even that! I have never made a profit with Gekko Graphics.

The decals will be printed by Microscale so their quality is guaranteed.



Richard.

[Gekko_1]

Probably cheaper, given that a writable CD costs about ten pence.

Gekko, would it be possible for you to do a sheet of Indian Air Force national insignia?  I know a few people who want to do Indian stuff but are stymied as getting hold of Indian markings is well nigh impossible. 

Or could you consider at least a sheet of Indian whifs?

Hi Wooksta,

I'll seriously consider it. What roundel and fin flash sizes would you be in need of?

Are these for the older style roundel or the modern?



Richard.

[Gekko_1]

Great news that your getting back in production, and the CD idea sounds rather good as the extra images plus the ability to zoom in to check details will help decal placement.

Yes! There's an advantage I hadn't considered!