Bill Cross reviews Archer Fine Transfers' crazy eyeballs decals.



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If you have comments or questions please post them here.

Thanks!

When this product first come out a couple of years or so ago I had doubts about it, I would be more inclined to try them if they were all the same scale in order to reduce waste.

They aren't new, but Archer was kind enough to send us a review sample. While these aren't the ne plus ultra of their shoulder boards and uniform patches, they're easy to use.

Bill I have no concerns about how long the product has been out, I would just be more likely to give them a try if they were sold in each scale.

I usually paint my eyeballs in. But, it is time consuming and a real strain on my eyes. I'll be trying these decals soon. If they aren't as good as I would expect them to be, oh well. $6 isn't that much.

Understood. Archer tells me they're amazed at how well these sell.

yes good product but I do 1/35 -/32 the rest is a waste perhaps two sheets would be more marketable

Gents, Archer tells me they can barely keep them in-stock, so if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

I would love to see a photograph of a figure that has utilized this product for the eyes. It seems like there must be someone within reading distance of this thread that has used them especially if they sell as well as stated.
I saw these when Archer first offered them and had hoped at the time to see a photo of the product in use.
I think it might be more difficult to place these where the eye is located on a figure, then cut/shave/adapt them from perfectly round to the shape of the eye with the eyelids and all. It just seems to use these and make them look right is probably more difficult than painting in the smaller scales.

Cheers,
Charles

I used to know a couple of guys that did nothing but build figures in various scales. They used these and some other eye decals that used to be available at the time. Both of them built anime and cinema as well as historical figures and neither of them went back to painting eyes after they started using these.

[quote]


I would love to see a photograph of a figure that has utilized this product for the eyes. It seems like there must be someone within reading distance of this thread that has used them especially if they sell as well as stated.
I saw these when Archer first offered them and had hoped at the time to see a photo of the product in use.
I think it might be more difficult to place these where the eye is located on a figure, then cut/shave/adapt them from perfectly round to the shape of the eye
with the eyelids and all. It just seems to use these and make them look right is probably more difficult than painting in the smaller scales.

Cheers,
Charles[/quote

My figure skills are limited (as are all my modelling skills) but this uses Archer's Decals. I trim the decal close but not exactly, in fact the carrier on this extends over the bridge of the nose, yet it is very thin and with some dullcoat not too apparent. I'm sure better modellers have much better examples.

John

Both myself and my wife have used these for figures in the past, while the work well on 1/35 figures, the color of the eyes are almost lost because they are so small, however on 1/16 and larger, they look very nice indeed!!

Thanks John.
Like I said, I had never seen any of these in use (that I was aware of) I can see where they would be possibly easier and more effective in larger scales.
I guess I'll have to try them out and see if they work for me.

Thanks again,
Charles

I would have to agree. At least one photo of one actually used might be especially useful in the review.

Sorry, folks, but my camera doesn't go that close.

If you're dissatisfied with your eyes, then it's probably worth a shot. If you're happy with your figures' eyes, then this isn't going to revolutionize your technique.

Thanks for the review.

Yea, you're going to get a shocked look if you choose the wrong size and because every sculptor does eyes differently it's impossible for anyone to create the "perfect" size iris decal... especially at this scale.

It appears to be pretty obvious that we need to do a better job with our instruction sheet with an illustration of what a human eyeball is supposed to look like. When I finish I'll post a link to it.

Woody Vondracek, owner
ARCHER FINE TRANSFERS

Thanks, Woody. I like to think our forums here are test labs for manufacturers to discover what works and what could work better.

And I didn't know you were a redhead.

As promised, here are the on-line instructions:
THE HUMAN EYE

As you can see, getting these correct in 54mm will require patience, dexterity and magnification. Good luck!

For more information on my avatar see the movie "Run Lola Run"

Great movie. Franka Potente is excellent, and Moritz Bleibtreu is, well, his usual terrific. He's superb in the Baader-Meinhof film, too. Hard to believe Martina Gedeck is the same actress in that and "The Lives of Others." It's rare a glamorous actress will play ugly that way.