If you are using white tissue and clear film, you can cut decorations out of colored tissue and stick it to your tissue before film. I would use a very light spray of adhesive (3M makes a good spray adhesive for this) on the back. Just enough to keep it in place while film covering. The free flight guys used to do all their decorating with tissue cutouts.
Make a sandwich (from the bottom) of wax paper, colored tissue, another layer of wax paper and your artwork on top. Tape it down well to prevent slippage. Use a brand new blade to prevent tearing.
Toshi Matsuda was a master at this. Sadly, they didn’t have polyspan and mylar, so it needed multiple coats of dope to get a gloss finish. His models were a work of art and, flying, beat the socks off his competitors. I have seen his Zero do a five minute max in early morning dead air. Of course engine runs were longer then.
I think he also got factory selected Holland Hornets. The good ones were as good as the best TeeDees. There just wasn't the consistency Cox achieved.
Also Hollands seemed to have fragile crankshafts if you ran high nitro and small props. But of course, who would do that?
Sadly, mine landed in a cornfield and I never saw it again. Sal Taibi Starduster high thrust design and never had a better free flight. VTO launch, pure vertical climb, quick roll into glide. Probably couldn't make a new one do that.
🤠