Introductions Latest Topics

Hello

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 04:13:32 +0000

I'm Dainis. I'm on this site because I mask and paint most of my insignias etc on aircraft subjects because I build mostly in 1/32 and 1/24 scale. It just looks better..and is very satisfying looking at the finished product. I have been purchasing a lot of masks($!)(cdn). I just purchased a cricut joy extra as someone else on this forum just did. Looking for tips on creating good masks and downloading insignias and sundry numbers and codes to create at home. Looking forward to being part of this forum. Thanks,

Dainis

Hello to Everyone

Wed, 25 Feb 2026 07:01:21 +0000

My name is TudorA and I’ve been making scale models, mainly aircraft, since I was young. I gave it up as education, career and life took its toll on my time. However, now in later years, I’ve rekindled my passion for creating scale miniatures and have taken up the hobby again. I’ve recently purchased a Cricut Joy Extra cutting machine with a view to making masks and other items for the models I build and have joined here to learn some tips and tricks to mask making.

Hello from Worcester, Great Britain

Fri, 27 Feb 2026 08:20:38 +0000

Hi all, Jon Tabinor here. I'm an editor, writer, designer, and of course modeller, and work in the hobby industry. I mainly build 1/48 aircraft (but occasionally 1/72 and 1/32).
Just bought a Portrait 4 cutter as I keep wanting to do markings that my decal bank doesn't have the bits for, so I figured it was time to start making my own masks!

Very interested to get tips etc from you all. And happy to share my experiences too.
I'm based in Worcester, UK but originally from Stoke on Trent.

Excited to get cracking as I have two projects that really need some masks already!

Cheers
Jonners

Greetings from the great PNW!

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 00:19:56 +0000

I'm a retired comics, concept and storyboard artist living with my lovely wife and irascible dog on beautiful Whidbey Island, Washington. I build mostly 1/48 aircraft and vehicles, but also have a few subs, ships and military vehicles in my stash. I have a Silhouette Cameo 4 that I have yet to fire up. I wanted to learn how to use and make files for cutting both masks and plastic parts. You may know me for my build threads and sassy mascots- cheers!

Bom dia!

Sun, 22 Feb 2026 19:34:01 +0000

My name is Gerson, engineer, 63, I live in Brasil and my hobby is the making of WWII airplanes. I just bought a Cricut Joy and I am willing to learn a lot from you. Thank you for accepting my request.

Bonjour à tous

Thu, 08 Jan 2026 20:55:01 +0000

Bonjour à tous

Je me présente , Pascal 65 ans, français habitant prés de Grenoble maquettiste depuis................. Je construit essentiellement des avions au 1/72, avec un centre d'intérêt particulier : les pilotes FAFL ( Free French) pendant la seconde guerre mondiale. Je remplace petit à petit les décals des kits par des pochoirs réalisés avec la silhouette.

Je débute dans les pochoirs et je viens donc vous rejoindre pour progresser.

Merci pour votre accueil.

Greetings and happy new year!

Thu, 01 Jan 2026 22:56:19 +0000

Hey all, I found this forum over on BM, I just peruse there for the information I need rather than post, I'm more of a discord person.

Mostly I do 1/35 armour. and I would say I'm alright with an ab, so I don't use masks much, however my heart truly lies with helicopters, I just started the new Italeri 1/72 Merlin HM.1. I just find there isn't a lot of verity with current offerings. That said, I'm venturing into making my own masks with a Portrait3. I have had some success with the whole trace option within the silhouette software, but I'm lost when it comes to making anything remotely complex or making anything at all XD. So I'd be grateful for any tips and advice that you excellent folks have to offer.

Oh and if it matters. I'm from the UK XD

Glad to be here!

Fri, 03 Oct 2025 13:14:24 +0000

I'm a Brit, currently sweating it out in Raleigh, NC, but planning to retire back to the beautiful Pacific Northwest, where I spent 21 lovely years. I’m almost exclusively a 1/32 WWII builder. Until recently, I had never considered creating my own paint masks. Then Mozart over at LSP kindly made some custom ones for me, and after a few conversations, I realized it could be fun—and a great way to dodge the bane of decaling and get better results. A Silhouette Portrait 4 is on the way, along with some vinyl, and I’m looking forward to learning a few new tricks.

Hello from Northern Virginia

Wed, 24 Dec 2025 11:19:28 +0000

I'm a life long modeler, primarily 1/48 aircraft. I am hoping to us a cutting machine to start painting insignia and marking on scale aircraft. Quality of decals can be hit and miss on new kits, and marginal at best to old vintage kits. Thanks for the add.

Hello there from the UK...

Tue, 28 Oct 2025 13:56:12 +0000

Hello everyone, I saw this site in a Britmodeller thread and thought I'd take a look. I'm a 1/32 WW2 aircraft modeller, with very occasional trips to break scale into 1/24 (I'm looking at you, Airfix Typhoon...).

In the big scales, I much prefer to paint insignia and codes, so this looks like an excellent place.

I have just spent a couple of days in Inkscape creating masks for some of the stencils on the Airscale B-P Defiant, and am eagerly awaiting delivery of a Silhouette Portrait 4 to see if they are actually cuttable... :-)

Hi everyone

Tue, 25 Nov 2025 11:04:19 +0000

Hi Everyone,

Mark here, have just joined the. community. Have been modelling for most of. my life, and using commercial masks for the last several years and hoping to extend into a more extensive use of them. As I have a Brother cutter and use a Mac rather than PC (although I have Parallels, so can run Windows software as well) I'm in a minority here. Still learning how to use the cutter at the moment.

Have a great day everyone.

New member from the UK

Tue, 11 Nov 2025 16:05:26 +0000

HI all,

I stumbled across this on a thread in Britmodeller, and I've done a few masks in the past and will be happy to share them.
I've always generated .svg files in Inkscape, and converted to .eps for a Creation P-Cut I've had for ages, which has actually been pretty good.
I've just taken delivery of a Cameo 5 which so far hasn't been as good as I'd hoped, but I guess I just haven't found the best settings yet.

Hello there from Cary, North Carolina, USA

Wed, 12 Nov 2025 13:31:39 +0000

Excited to have found this site - will help me to get going using my new Silhouette cutter. Will be doing my FIRST cut soon, I hope - maybe with one of the files from here!

I do military airplane models, and are particularly interested in Royal Danish Air Force subjects but also many others. Currently working on an SR-71, a Hawker Hunter, and a Gloster Meteor, all in 1/48 scale. The last two will be RDAF.

Whoops

Sun, 05 Oct 2025 17:06:09 +0000

While I'm not new on here, I have only just found this area. I'm a Brit and I've been modelling since 1955 and the blue Airfix Spitfire, so you can guess that I'm no spring chicken. I model in 1/48 and 1/32 with the occasional deviation into 1/24. Subjects are mostly RAF, from WWII onwards. I'm currently using a Silhouette Portrait 3 cutter and I've managed to muddle my way through a few bespoke designs as I try to give my models some individuality.

Introduction

Wed, 10 Sep 2025 18:53:42 +0000

Hi there, and good morning from Sacramento Ca. I am by no stretch of the imagination a new modeler; not at almost 80 years old. However what I am is a newbie as far as cutting my own masks goes. I was very fortunate to acquire a brand new Cricket cutter about a year ago, it is still sitting on the top of one of the bookcases in my office having yet to be even turned on. What I am looking for is some kind of easy to follow tutorial that is specifically meant for us modelers. I may have found it too this morning from Hawaiian Air Depot. It remains to be seen.

Certainly glad to be here as I have already found some things to try out on the list.

Russ

Hi!

Sat, 26 Jul 2025 23:48:22 +0000

I am not a new modeller. I mostly work with paints (quite active on Britmodeller). But I am also not a newbie with my silhouette cutter.

I hope I could be also useful for anyone who needs particular colors crafted for various unusual needs, like real RAF MAP colors for spraying masked airplanes (or PRU pink if someone wants that shade of spitfire...)

Studio files

Tue, 05 Aug 2025 18:20:33 +0000

What in the world are these files? I can't download them. Why not a well known App?

Hello from Las Vegas, NV USA

Tue, 29 Jul 2025 20:56:16 +0000

Thanks for the approval! I'm excited to start out cutting my own masks. I've got a Silhouette Portrait 4 on order. I've been playing around in Studio a little bit and am getting the hang of it. I build primarily 1/72 aircraft so I will be curious to see how small I can go with painting my own markings with masks. I'm looking forward to learn all I can from everyone!

G'day from Tassie

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 09:16:32 +0000

HI All,

I'm not new to model kits, however, just wanting to get into making my own masks for airbrushing.

I've recently purchased a very little used Cricut Maker 3, and using its program Design Space.

So, I know that I probably am in for another learning curve, but I want to give it a go.

I will trawl through the forum to try and find what I'm looking for, but any pointers would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers,

Michael.

Hello from the UK

Thu, 05 Jun 2025 07:42:26 +0000

Hi all,

I have been making models for just over a year now and I am really enjoying it, although being an ex-mechanic and having fingers more suited to undoing bolts and handling spanners, I find them a bit fiddly sometimes. I have made mostly 1/72 so far but my last model was a 1/48 scale Tiger Moth and hoping to do something bigger in the near future.

Recently discovered the beauty of after-sales extras (think that is the term), so having seen the advantages of not struggling to mask canopies, etc I decided to 'buy my wife' a Cricut Maker 4, for her crafting hobbies 😉.

Looking forward to sharing ideas and tips in this brilliant hobby on here and I hope everyone is well and having a good day/week/month/year. 😁

Thankyou for reading.

Jamie.

Hi there!

Mon, 26 May 2025 11:48:17 +0000

Hi all!

Recently I got myself a Silhouette Portait 3, and I'm still learning to get along with it.

I stumbled upon this forum, and from the first reads I thought registrating myself could be very useful! Recognised @Kevin Futter from his work on Instagram, maybe more of you guys are active there?

I mainly build 72nd and 48th scale WWII aircraft, but I make some sidesteps now and then. I am using masks a lot in my builds to paint markings and insignia, but never was able to make them myself.

Hopefully I'll find some help and interesting reads here, and maybe also inspiration, who knows!

Greets Davy

New here

Sat, 03 May 2025 11:46:11 +0000

Thank you for accepting me here 🙂

My name is Benjamin and been modeling for a few years...now trying to mask and paint in stead of decals...

Seen some helpfull downloads here and hope to attribute myself as well 🙂 Still learning to work with silhouette studio so tips and tricks are welcome!

Newby checking in

Sat, 26 Apr 2025 22:31:20 +0000

G'day from Australia. Newby here, model builder for some 55yrs. Ex draftsman, but mainly old school, pen and ink cartographic (lots of freehand!) Some CAD work in later times.

Grandfather and bike rider, though age does catch up nowadays.

I build mainly Luftwaffe WW1 and 2. in 72th. Quite a few civil jobs too. just bought a Cricut Joy...on a whim this weekend and because they were on 'special' so my learning curve will be steep and irregular.

cheers John H, Brisbane Aus. 27/05/25

Hello from Sardinia , Italy

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 06:46:56 +0000

Hi everyone, I'm Massimiliano from Sardinia (Italy), and I recently purchased the Portrait 4 plotter to help me with masking my scale model aircraft, mostly in 1/48 scale.

new guy in town

Wed, 02 Apr 2025 08:48:55 +0000

Hello !

I have a portrait 3 and start using it . more than a beginner in fact ...😇

i'm building only 1:72 nd scale models ( WW II), and I Wonder to see what use ( more than general markings ) could be done with this printer

A good challenge for me !

I'm from France, roots in south west the rugby country for France.

Glad to join this forum !

Cheers !

François