Vinyl Wrap for Vehicles: 3 important considerations from a Designer's perspective

Sarah Rajecki

Planning to vinyl wrap a vehicle in the near future? Or perhaps you're a Graphic Designer who's been asked to design and source vehicle graphics for a client?

Then you may find this post helpful.

I chatted with Signs & Lines' Designer Sarah Rajecki about the vinyl wrap challenges she faces on a regular basis.

So here follows 3 important considerations from Sarah's perspective when it comes to vinyl wraps, vehicle decals and stickers...

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A member of the design team at Signs & Lines for three years, Sarah Rajecki has lived in Perth all her life and owns two rabbits and a kitten (do you 'own' pets or do they own you?). And her love of Pinterest borders on obsession!

I sat down with Sarah a couple of days ago to discuss Vinyl Wraps, because it struck me that much of the success of a vinyl wrap project lies in the planning (wasn't it Benjamin Franklin who said, "If you fail to plan, you're planning to fail"?).

I asked Sarah to give me some insight into the vinyl wrap process from a designer's perspective, and she shared the following 3 important considerations...

(1) PLANNING >>> "Planning the graphics is vital. We prefer to measure the actual vehicle prior to any vinyl wrap printing. We tend not to rely heavily upon vehicle outlines because we cannot guarantee their accuracy. Far better to measure the actual vehicle ourselves, concentrating on the areas and panels that will receive the vinyl wrap / decals."

"We take 'square on' photos of the front, rear and sides of the vehicle, and scale the photos to match the measurements taken. This then gives us an accurate 'scale model' onto which we can incorporate any additional decals / stickers."

"Consider too where the graphics are to be applied geographically. We prefer to apply vinyl wrap graphics in our dedicated unit (see video below), which ensures we have control of the application should we encounter any problems. If issues are encountered at the client's premises, for example, it may cause delays in completing the project."

(2) ARTWORK >>> "Some of this information may be obvious, but it's worth reiterating: If you're a Graphic Designer designing for a client, make sure you have a brief to work to. And it's always wise to have an idea of the client's budget. The most basic vinyl decal / lettering project costs little compared to a full or half vinyl wrap - so if the client only wants to spend $500 be sure to design accordingly!"

"Ultimately, if you asked Signs & Lines to print and apply the graphics that you've designed, we would request the artwork in EPS (Encapsulated PostScript) format, with any text and strokes converted to outlines. Pantone references would also be requested."

(3) MATERIALS >>> "And finally, be sure to specify a conformable vinyl if your design has to negotiate recesses and tight corners. For example, 3M's Controltac Graphic Film is a preferred material for vinyl wraps. But if the design is far simpler then a less conformable vinyl should suffice."

"Another material that has grown in popularity is 'one way vision' vinyl (see image above) - a perforated vinyl that is applied to the rear window (typically) and is see-through from the inside. But from the outside it acts as advertising space and can be extremely effective."

Have you found this post helpful? Perhaps we've missed something? Your comments are always welcomed.

Post by Darrel Griffin - Signs & Lines' Business Development Manager