Adding numbers to yacht sails

[dcicero]

Someone, I know, has a good answer to this one...

 

I'm building a small boat model.  (It's the Bluejacket Skiff.)  I'm making the sail for it now and would like to add a number to it, as every small boat used for dinghy racing has.  What's the best way to do that?  I'm using a high thread count cotton, as recommended by Steve Wheeler in an article he wrote in the April 2004 Ships in Scale.  His model didn't have a number on the sail, though.

 

Iron-on transfers?  Dry transfers?  Some other technique?  Just wondering what others have done.

 

 

 

Dan

[Kevin]

i was going to ask the same question next week

 

[allanyed]

Great question.  I have used high thread count cloth in the past depending on the scale of the model and would love to see that article if anyone can steer me to it as I never added lettering or numbers.

 

Sorry I don't have an answer on the numbers application.    You could  silkscreen the numbers but that is a lot of work to set up for a only a couple passes.  If you were using silk span it would be an easy solution in that you could print right on the sail with a stencil and paint marker or colored artist pencil,  but for cloth, not sure these would work very well.

 

Hope someone has a proven solution on this one.

 

Allan

[druxey]

You probably need to seal the cloth or you will get paint or ink 'bleed'.

[allanyed]

Dan,

I checked a couple articles and there seems to be a consensus on a few things such as using tight weave (high thread count) cotton, fabric paint or acrylics with fabric medium added, prewashing to make sure any sizing from the factory is removed and a few more.  Do a search for "painting cloth" and you will get some good information  on freehand and stencil type applications.  One pretty complete article is at https://www.thesprucecrafts.com/fabric-painting-tips-2578184

Allan

Edited February 18, 2021 by allanyed

[Dee_Dee]

There are all sorts of ways to do this, but the least complicated is using better quality wax colored pencil, like Prismacolor, Staedtler, or Blick Store brand - these can be purchased individually.   Cheap colored pencils have poor color pigment, icky wax and will not give the desired results.        

 

Simple How To:

Using a very sharp colored pencil, lightly trace / outline the number, then, with a light touch fill in the outline GOING WITH THE FABRIC GRAIN.  Hold the fabric taught with you other hand, to keep it from stretching / pulling. 

Wait 30-60 seconds, then add a second light layer of color pencil.   

Next is burnishing - place a 2" x 2" piece of paper over the color and lightly burnish in the color, 6-8 passes. Use paper heavier than copy paper and don't let the paper slide!  The end of a medium size Sharpie works great for burnishing. 

Add two more layers of color pencil and burnish again. Repeat until you get the desired opacity.    

Colored pencils are a great way to add 'aging' and details to fabric sails, build depth by using color variations. 

 

Practice on the same fabric to be sure the colored wax does not get pushed thru the fabric. 

 

There is no real need to 'seal' the color pencil (unless you plan on washing your sails) and the wax will keep the pigment from fading.

 

I've used colored pencils to add detail to art quilts - 20 years later, the detail is still there!   

 

 

.

Edited February 20, 2021 by Dee_Dee

[Roger Pellett]

This is worth what you paid for it as I have never tried it.

 

Glue up silkspan or light paper strips into a rectangle.  Tape it to a carrier and run it through a printer to print the number.

 

Cut out the sail and add bolt ropes, reinforcements, etc.

 

I’ll leave it to those far more computer savvy than me to work out the details.

[allanyed]

Printing on raw silkspan is not a great idea as it bleeds through.  Of course if you want to print something that has a mirror image on the opposite side this is not a bad way to go.   For numbers and letters, not so good.    If the silkspan is painted with a good quality tubed acrylic paint the bleed through is prevented.  The silkspan should first be taped to a frame with a filler plug inside the frame.  Wet the span, remove the plug and let it dry and shrink.  Put the plug back in place and paint.   I like to mix the paint about 2 parts paint to 1 part  water and apply two or three coats.  Once it is dry and shrinks again, you can draw the sail shape with a pencil, tape it to a sheet of paper and print on your printer.  If the sail is larger than an 8.5X11 for US printers, take some scrap painted span and tape it to a sheet of paper and print the numbers.   Wet the numbered piece with matte medium and apply to the sail.  The medium stays wet for a while so you have plenty of time to adjust it on the sail.

Allan

[dcicero]

Thanks, everyone!  I'll try these methods out and see what happens!

 

 

 

Dan