Can you create lettering for my pickup, van, or semi truck?
Yes! I can do either cut vinyl graphics (solid color vinyl) or printed and contour-cut graphics.
What is contour cutting?
When I print decals or company logos onto adhesive vinyl, as part of the setup process I program a "cut line" that exactly follows the shape of the graphic image. My cutter/plotter reads the crop marks in the image and cuts the shapes out of the vinyl, leaving the backing paper intact. The excess vinyl is then removed, leaving only the cut out shapes behind. I then apply a masking film to the surface, which allows me to lift the printed graphic shapes away from the paper backing and install them onto any suitable surface.
How long will my vinyl graphics last?
For truck graphics, window graphics, and metal signs, I use Oracal 751 cast vinyl. Oracal 751 is rated for up to 8 years outdoors and comes in large variety of colors. Cast vinyl resists curling so is a great choice for long-term use.
Printed graphics are suitable for short term items such as banners, decals and corrugated plastic signs. My wide-format printer uses Eco-solvent inks, which are durable for up to 3 years outdoors if unlaminated. Lamination can increase the outdoor life expectancy by a year or two. The ink will last indefinitely indoors.
What file formats can you print?
For vinyl lettering, the file must be in vector format (either a native Adobe Illustrator file, or an EPS file). The cutter/plotter used to cut out the vinyl shapes only recognizes vector artwork.
For printed bitmap graphics, the file must be of high resolution (300 dpi), in CMYK color mode, and ideally either a TIFF or native Photoshop file. I can use JPEG files if the physical dimensions are large enough, the resolution is 300 dpi, and the file has not been repeatedly resized and resaved - each time a JPEG file is resaved the image becomes more compressed, which introduces pixelization, blurriness and artifacts - sort of like making a photocopy of a photocopy of a photocopy, after a while the image becomes degraded. GIF and PNG files are unsuitable for print because they are optimized for website use and are very low resolution.
Native Illustrator or EPS files are great for printing as well, because they are vector format and remain crisp and sharp no matter how much you scale them up or down in size.
Can you recreate my low resolution logo or graphic as a high resolution digital file?
If you do not have vector files or high resolution digital files, don't worry. If you have a clean print, or photograph, or a business card, or a web file that's not too tiny or pixelated, I can recreate your artwork in any format or resolution you need.
I have Adobe Photoshop software so can save your logo or graphic as a PDF, JPEG, GIF, TIFF or any of the other bitmap formats. My specialty is vector artwork, which is the type of file needed for cut vinyl graphics. Vector artwork is created in Adobe Illustrator and is a completely different type of file than those made in Adobe Photoshop. Vector files are not pixel-based; rather, they are resolution independent so can be scaled up or down with no loss of crispness or detail. If you want to get embroidered hats or shirts, or marketing items (such as pens), you will be asked to provide a vector file of your artwork.
Is it okay to use images I found on Google in my brochure or website?
Unfortunately, many images that appear during a search on Google are not public domain. Google crawls the world wide web and indexes every web page it finds, but the owners of those websites retain the copyright to their images. Copyright notices and/or watermarks are sometimes added to images to prevent unauthorized use, but those marks are not legally required to establish copyright. Unless the images are expressly identified as public domain, play it safe and ask for permission.
Some images that turn up in search engine results are stock photos, or editorial images from news site. In those cases, you must sign an agreement and pay a fee to license them for your own use. There are many high quality stock photos available for a reasonable price.
Can you remove old vinyl graphics from my vehicle?
I have solvents and other tools to aid in the removal of old graphics. Very old vinyl is brittle, and can be a challenge to remove - there is a chance that the paint underneath may chip off in places. What I can do is take a look at your vehicle and we can decide together how to proceed.
What equipment do you have, and what kinds of surfaces can you print on?
I have a wide format printer that uses eco solvent ink, and a wide format vinyl cutter/plotter. Both machines can accept roll-fed media up to 24" in width.
I am able to print directly onto roll-fed vinyl with an adhesive background, and the printed graphics can be installed onto plastic, painted metal or glass surfaces. The vinyl will conform to simple curved surfaces, such as vehicle doors. The printed vinyl graphics can be contour-cut on my vinyl cutter/plotter.
I can also print directly onto vinyl banner material, fine art canvas, and photographic paper.
What about business cards, printed marketing materials, or banners larger than 24"?
I can create a print-ready design for business cards, brochures, flyers, and other marketing materials. I do not have the equipment for printing those types of items in-house, so those are sent to a trade printer. If you already have a relationship with a printing company you trust, I can send the print-ready files to them.
I can print graphics up to 20" and banners up to 24" high in-house. Anything larger is outsourced to my trade printer and either drop-shipped directly to you, or shipped to my office.
A "trade printer" is a commercial printing company that does business with other printing companies.
What is involved in commissioning an original painting or illustration?
If you are interested in an original work of art, let's start a conversation!
Creating a work of art is a process that takes time, and to be honest, costs more than mass-produced prints found at department stores. There is no set price because each composition is unique. Let me know what you want and I can give you a quote.