The Caligraph Decal

The Caligraph Decal, a rich red and gold banner, is usually badly worn. See the techniques section on how decals can be reproduced on the computer. The decal for this Caligraph was supplied by a friend.

Although some of the gold remains, most of the red on this original decal is gone.

On the Caligraph the decal is visible on top of the lacquer. It is not embedded in veneer as many decals are. This may be the reason why they get damaged so easily.

The replica decal had one millimeter in size to spare on each side, so that it completely covers the original logo. The advantage of this is that whatever is left of the original can be left in place and the replica can be positioned exactly.

To apply it, clean the part very well, soak the decal and carefully put it in place. After drying I applied one layer of veneer onto the decal only, to protect it against scratches. (The color of the decal is actually better than the orange-like picture produced by the flash)