# Nail Art Decals - New Idea



## Fireengines (Jul 12, 2013)

I've been trying to find some small decals for a pen using the Virginia Military Institute logo.  These logos, in the proper size, are impossible to find.

However, they are available on nail art decals.  So I did a quick search on Ebay for "Nail Art Decals" and, if they work, will open up a who new word of graphics for pens. They have everything under the sun!


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## Buzzzz4 (Jul 12, 2013)

I've used them in the past with cubs logos. They work great.


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## John Pratt (Jul 12, 2013)

Been using these for a while for the sports team logos. They work great, just a little different method of application.


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## Ulises Victoria (Jul 12, 2013)

Yeah! I have been using flower motifs from nail decals to add a more feminine touch to Princess, Duchess and Crown kits. Ladies love those Swarovskys in bright acrylics.


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## Fireengines (Jul 12, 2013)

Okay, I guess it is not a new idea...


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## Justturnin (Jul 12, 2013)

Fireengines said:


> Okay, I guess it is not a new idea...



Yea, folks around here will burst your bubble A LOT!!!!  Been there.


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## turncrazy43 (Jul 12, 2013)

How does the application of the "nail art decals" differ from the application of regular decals? I would like to try some. Thanks for any info.
______________________________________________________
Everyday I'm vertical is a great day


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## Ulises Victoria (Jul 12, 2013)

Exactly the same way you put the decals in your first car or airplane plastic kit:
Dip the decal for no more than 2 seconds in water. Let it rest over a paper towel  and poke it gently with a toothpick. When you see the whole decal moving, transfer to your surface. Hope this helps.

Fireengines: Your avatar drives me crazy. I always try to drive away that bug from my screen.


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## Fireengines (Jul 12, 2013)

I use Micro-Set Decal Solvent: Microscale Decals too.


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## Ed McDonnell (Jul 12, 2013)

Fireengines said:


> Okay, I guess it is not a new idea...



It was a new idea to me!  Thanks for sharing.

Ed


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## hazmat74 (Jul 12, 2013)

John Pratt said:


> Been using these for a while for the sports team logos.



Since this was mentioned and it's been on my mind, can using corporate logos in this way become a legal issue if a pen is being sold? Sorry for the slight hijack.


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## Dan Hintz (Jul 12, 2013)

hazmat74 said:


> John Pratt said:
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> > Been using these for a while for the sports team logos.
> ...


Yes.  Unless you are a license holder, any time you sell to the public you run the risk of being busted.  Penalties range from none if they don't catch you (often the case in small craft shows and the like) to having your stash of pens confiscated and heavy fines levied (such as going to a major trade show where some brands send out scouts to look for such things... this type of takedown happens more often than you think, especially at the really big tradeshows, like CES).  Your risk and comfort level are yours to decide on...


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## Ulises Victoria (Jul 12, 2013)

This may be one of those subjects that draw a very thin line between legal and not legal.


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## hazmat74 (Jul 12, 2013)

Dan Hintz said:


> hazmat74 said:
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> > John Pratt said:
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I sort of figured this. I'm a long way off from selling anything, much less going to large trade shows. There is, however, a huge contingent of both PSU and Notre Dame fans that I would like to cater to, so it's been on my mind. What I don't want is to find myself receiving cease and desists for selling a pen to a handful of crazy, sotted-up fans.


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## walshjp17 (Jul 12, 2013)

The legality topic has been thrashed over many times here.  Just do a search for 'logos'.


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## Haynie (Jul 12, 2013)

Fireengines said:


> Okay, I guess it is not a new idea...



That's the way it works here.  I thought I had a new idea and the next day it was on the front page.

Don't let it stop you.


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## edicehouse (Jul 12, 2013)

Haynie said:


> Fireengines said:
> 
> 
> > Okay, I guess it is not a new idea...
> ...


 
That is why I am not telling anyone about the deer antler on bolt action, or camo on bolt action.....


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## PaulDoug (Jul 12, 2013)

Fireengines said:


> Okay, I guess it is not a new idea...



If you hadn't posted it, I would have never know of it, at least until Someone else mentioned it, so thanks.


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## sbwertz (Jul 12, 2013)

I tried to squash your avatar three times before I figured out what it was!


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## ttpenman (Jul 12, 2013)

As a printer for 25 years and a laser engraver for the last 15, I have turned down a lot of work from people wanting sports logos and others such as Disney and Harley Davidson.  Years back the worst you would get is a cease and desist order. But these days, from what I have read, you get a bunch of lawyers trying to crawl up parts of you that you don't want crawled up.  Then it is up to you to defend yourself in court and prove how many items you did, or didn't do.  Even if you win (unlikely) your legal fees could be substantial.  Not worth it, IMHO.

Not a lawyer and never played one on TV.

Jeff in northern Wisconsin


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## kooster (Jul 14, 2013)

Is it necessary to finish with CA after the decal application?


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## Ulises Victoria (Jul 14, 2013)

That is what I do.


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## jimm1 (Jul 14, 2013)

kooster said:


> Is it necessary to finish with CA after the decal application?



Absolutely. A few coats should work.


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## kooster (Jul 15, 2013)

Has anyone ever tried that CA Finish kit/process sold by Woodturningz with one of these fingernail decals?


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## Penultimate (Jul 15, 2013)

Thanks for posting. I didn't know there was such a thing as finger nail decals.


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## jlf2013 (Jul 17, 2013)

*Recently tried the waterslide decal paper*

I recently had an order for a pen/pencil set as a thankyou gift from a musical theater student for her instructor. She wanted the instructors company logo and some text expressing her gratitude for the years of instruction she received. The decal paper was much easier to use than I hoped for and the project was a huge success both with the presenter and the recipient. What I liked most was the decal was transparent enough to let the pearl of the pen blank show through and actually made the logo appear to be part of the blank itself. After 4-5 coats of CA finish there was virtually no 'edge' showing from the decals at all and no one could believe that the logo and text were applied and not somehow printed on the blanks. I have since added small decals to other pens and am quite impressed with how much character it adds to a pen. I would think the nail decals are probably the same sort of application and they would already be printed and waterproofed. 
I too am leery of using major sports branding or companies logos for commercial use, not a can of worms that I wish to get into. In this case the company owner was the recipient and was ecstatic to have her logo so nicely displayed. Who knows she might even want some made up for advertisement purposes. 
Just my 2 cents

One thing I should mention is that you need to be careful when you put any decal on that has text, I am left handed and I naturally put the text and logo on so that I could read it. Unfortunately not everyone is a lefty! I had to take the 'upside down' decals off and reprint the set and reapply so that some one who is right handed could read them. I chalked it up to practice and a lesson learned.


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## Ulises Victoria (Jul 17, 2013)

Can you elaborate on using those decals? 
Did you make them yourself? Did you buy them? If the former... how?

Thanks in advance


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## kooster (Jul 17, 2013)

Would still like to know if anyone has used the CA Finishing kit from Woodturningz on any decals. The kit is a great alternative to using regular CA and provides similar results. But, there are no threads indicating its use with decals that I've seen.


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## jlf2013 (Jul 17, 2013)

I bought the decal paper from decalpaper.com and it is printed on an inkjet printer and yes I made them. You can print virtually any design that will adapt to the small scale that is needed to fit the pen blank. Create your own design and print it on either clear decal sheet or the white background decal paper. The clear is great for light colored blanks where the background isn't overpowering the design. But if you were to put a design on a dark blank it wouldn't show up so the white decal paper is used. It actually is like making a 'sticker' in that the white is opaque and covers up whatever you apply it to but your design is very 'readable'. I hope I am explaining this well enough, I'm not a teacher and wife reminds me of that often. She says I need to be more 'wordy' with my explanations, "People can't read your darn mind you know" is heard around here quite often. Actually good that people can't, it would be some very light reading!
After you have the decal printed you need to spray coat it with 3-4 coats of a clear acrylic paint, I use Krylon Clear Gloss Acrylic. This makes it waterproofed for the next step which is putting it in water for a couple of seconds. If you have ever made a plastic model airplane or car kit, the waterslide decals that come with the model kits are virtually the same thing. Once they are applied on the finished pen blank you let them dry overnight and coat with 4-5 coats of CA glue to finish off.


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## Ulises Victoria (Jul 17, 2013)

Kooster: I have not used that specific kit, but I have used many different brands of CA and get the same results. I don't see why the CA you mention can be different from any other.


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## jlf2013 (Jul 17, 2013)

Kooster I agree with Ulises Victoria. I have seen the CA finishing kit from Woodturningz and it is virtually the exact same finish I am using - Stick Fast thin CA.


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## tommy2tone (Jul 18, 2013)

jlf2013 said:


> After you have the decal printed you need to spray coat it with 3-4 coats of a clear acrylic paint, I use Krylon Clear Gloss Acrylic. This makes it waterproofed for the next step which is putting it in water for a couple of seconds. If you have ever made a plastic model airplane or car kit, the waterslide decals that come with the model kits are virtually the same thing. Once they are applied on the finished pen blank you let them dry overnight and coat with 4-5 coats of CA glue to finish off.


Thanks for the info. I have done everything you mentioned in the past. Do you sand the 4-5 coats of CA? Maybe I was to agressive because I ended up sanding thru mine.


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## MrsPTownSubbie (Jul 18, 2013)

Not to get totally off topic from labels, but nail art is also a way to use polymer clay.  If you google polymer clay nail art, you will see samples of similar canes available for making pens as well.


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## jlf2013 (Jul 18, 2013)

Jeff, yes I sand the CA but not the first 2-3 coats. I try to get as smooth a finish as I can when applying the first coats so that I can get a good cover over the decal. After the initial coats have set up I do lightly wet sand the finish to smooth any final coats required to get the slick finish I like. I too have had the dreaded sand thru on the decal when I first started using them but found that a light wet sand after the 3rd coat was usually safe. 
Good luck.


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## tjseagrove (Jul 18, 2013)

hazmat74 said:


> Dan Hintz said:
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> > hazmat74 said:
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If you print the sticker from a photo you find online, it would be illegal.  If you purchase a sticker with the logo already on it from the store, the license has been paid for.  First Sale Doctrine comes into play at that point.  You should included a disclaimer that you are using licensed stickers and your product is not endorsed by the team/company/etc.  Lawyers may try to claim otherwise, but they would loose in court.


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## KenV (Jul 18, 2013)

tjseagrove said:


> hazmat74 said:
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> > Dan Hintz said:
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Not an attorney, but have been on the board of a corporation who gets sucked into trademark issues -- and you will find that there are specific limits on the licensed use (our attorneys are good at writing those) and deviation from the limits established in the license makes you subject to a claim.   In this case, the license would be for a use at nail decals, and other uses non-commercially oriented could be ignored.  Other commercial uses not included in the license agreement would require action by the owner of the trademark in order to protect the trademark.


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## Dan Hintz (Jul 18, 2013)

KenV said:


> Not an attorney, but have been on the board of a corporation who gets sucked into trademark issues -- and you will find that there are specific limits on the licensed use (our attorneys are good at writing those) and deviation from the limits established in the license makes you subject to a claim.   In this case, the license would be for a use at nail decals, and other uses non-commercially oriented could be ignored.  Other commercial uses not included in the license agreement would require action by the owner of the trademark in order to protect the trademark.


I'll second this one.  If you use the item outside of its intended purpose, the original license no longer applies.


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## kovalcik (Jul 18, 2013)

Dan Hintz said:


> KenV said:
> 
> 
> > Not an attorney, but have been on the board of a corporation who gets sucked into trademark issues -- and you will find that there are specific limits on the licensed use (our attorneys are good at writing those) and deviation from the limits established in the license makes you subject to a claim. In this case, the license would be for a use at nail decals, and other uses non-commercially oriented could be ignored. Other commercial uses not included in the license agreement would require action by the owner of the trademark in order to protect the trademark.
> ...


 

I agree, its not worth the risk.  Even if you would win eventually, the NFL/NCAA/NASCAR/Coke etc. all have enough money and lawyers to make your life miserable.  

Besides that, time spent in court is time you're not at your lather turning.


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## tjseagrove (Jul 19, 2013)

kovalcik said:


> Dan Hintz said:
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> > KenV said:
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For anyone who wants to research further, the Lanthan Act is the legal statute that applies and not any of our opinions or the opinions of lawyers.  If you choose to use a "sticker" on a pen than was legally purchased you still may be called out, so, refer to the Lanthan Act for reference.


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## bjbear76 (Jul 19, 2013)

I understand not being able to sell licensed items for profit.  Is there a distinction if you use that item as a gift.  For example, a sports team logo applied to a pen and given to a family member as a gift.  Odds are no one would ever know since it's not being marketed, but would that still be considered infringing on a trademark?


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