Almost Final Sticker - Input Requested

As some of you know we've had a discussion on going for over a year regarding having a sticker for the forum, something we could put on our trucks to help others find us. One thread on it is entitled Window Sticker Contest, but it really wasn't a contest as there was no poll for voting and no conclusion, but lots of good ideas and I thank all of you for them.

But with the show coming up in a month, John/Machspeed has been working on a sticker that I think is what we are looking for. However I'd like your input as to what changes might be needed.

The intent is to have two versions available, one to go inside and one to go outside so it can be put in the rear window or on the rear window, etc.

And, if we can find it we'd like to find a printing company that can print and mail them to you - at your expense. Do any of you have any suggestions regarding a printer?

Thoughts, comments, upgrades?

Ok, you asked.   I really don't like this one and don't remember seeing it in other posts.   The swell in the word "forum" made no sense initially.  Then I figured out that is supposed to represent a differential.   I don't have a 4x4 so that puts me off on the whole thing.  Separating Bullnose from Forum makes it hard to read.   All things considered, if this is the decal you choose, I have no desire to have it on my truck.   And I do direct FB folks here often if someone hasn't beaten me to it.  

The QR code tires does nothing for me.   I'm not quite to the point in tech of using QR codes everytime I see one.  I know some folks would so makes sense to include them.  Wish they could be rectagular and fit in the headlights.  

I would put the whole "Bullnose Forum" in two lines in the windshield area.  Maybe drop the word "The".   Get rid of the QR codes completely or make them a separate item.   Put the bumper back on - we're not running gassers here.  lol

I don't do a lot of art anymore, but here would be my mods to make this more to my flavor.  Excuse the two shades of black - I was modifying the previously posted JPG.  



Is this to be a cut decal?  NO, because no shop that die cuts them will want to weed and mask them.  SO printed on a white backer?   I haven't ordered bulk decals on a long time, but a Google search should bring up some wholesalers if there isn't a local source.   A small sign shop with digital printer might be able to provide these reasonably and you would get to work with a live person likely.   Printed, laminated and contour cut around the border.  You could probably do a contour of the decal that way.   That would be cooler than a plain rectangle.  I used to do these a lot when I had my own printer.   It's quick money for the right shop.  But someone would have to handle the decals.   Back in the day an inside print was a real PITA - not sure how tech has changed in the last few years.  Might be an issue.  

I know nothing about Print on Demand.  I'd rather be able to email a person and paypal them a few bucks for a couple decals put in an envelope and mailed.  If I still had my printer.... or even if I had a good local source, but I recently lost my decal shop that I was using.  They closed or sold out or something.

Here it is with a blue contour to represent an outer cutline if you went that direction.   A digital print service should be able to include more color as well.   Like amber signals.  Just to add a little more interest.  

 

Randy - Thanks for the input.  Beyond whether to have a bumper or QR codes, you raised several questions in my mind.

What is a "cut decal"?

What is "weed and mask"?

Does color cost more?

Cut Line: Is that just where someone would cut them manually, or can shops cut them there?

As for Print On Demand, that was just an idea so no one person was lumbered with lots of requests for the labels.  But it is looking like that might be an expensive way to go as shops appear to want to print dozens of the labels in one go, so it is looking like someone will have to be the label/sticker czar.

Bottom Line: As we get more input we'll generate several alternatives and put them up for a vote.  But the show is in one month and we'd like to have them available then, so we need to do this quickly.  INPUT PLEASE! 

Cut decal would mean having a dedicated die or using a laser to follow the blue line in Randy's second example.
Stickers can be scaled to fit many standard formats though.
Like the ovals that seem popular to put airport or place abbreviations.

Weed & pick is having to pick out everything that isn't the decal.
As his shows a simple outline (not some complex line art with lots of negative space) this doesn't seem much of an issue.

Not necessarily a die or laser deal - many printers today include a plotter to cut or a set of registration targets to run thru a plotter that reads those.  Everything else pretty much spot on.  

I missed my notification, but Gary emailed me the questions and I sent him pretty detailed descriptions.  Hopefully enough to help get it rolling.  

I do like the sticker.

I like the pumpkin in the front axle.

Jim and Dane, thanks.

rcarlisle wrote

I missed my notification, but Gary emailed me the questions and I sent him pretty detailed descriptions.  Hopefully enough to help get it rolling.

Randy - I didn't email anything, although you probably got an email from the forum that contained my post.  However, you can no longer email responses to the forum because Nabble killed that function, so if you sent something I didn't get it.  Can you post it here?

I can't find it in my phone, so maybe it's will still be on my PC at work and I'll resend it.  It looks different, so I thought I was replying directly to you in that case.  

I agree that the proportions of the QR codes are a bit “off” for tires, but I like that they serve a function to navigate to the site without the square cluttering up the logo elsewhere.

I personally like the words forming the front differential… that’s probably my favorite part of the image but I am a 4x4 owner.

Thanks for the input, Jonathan.

As for the QR code, I just played with it in Paint and stretched it to 150% vertically while leaving the width the same and it worked just fine with my iPhone X's camera.  So apparently we can make them whatever width and height we want.

Here 'tis and y'all can see if it works for you:

Ok, after clicking around and restoring messages, here is what I sent to you that I thought was going direct to Gary.  Some of this has been addressed since, so just bear with the message:

What I call a cut decal is a plotter cut decal, where every element is cut out of a single color of vinyl decal material.   then the unwanted parts have to be "weeded" out, then a low tack masking tape applied to transfer the decal.  Then remove the transfer tape, leaving the vinyl decal in place.  Think of the decals from car dealerships on the back of cars, where it's just the letters.  

If you have a company digitally printing the decals, then the color is printed as the decal is printed.  A screen printed decal would have to be done in multiple screens and passes, driving up the cost, but sometimes cheaper for large quantities..  And I have no idea if screen printing is even viable anymore.

A large format digital printer is like your desktop and does the colors as it prints.   All in one run.  I don't know about the tech now, but I used to have to laminate anything that was outdoor use.   A UV resistant film over the print.   There may be other ways now that last without the laminate.  

A cutline or contour is included with the art, on my drawing ias the blue line around the outside.   Depending on how they do it, the decals can be printed and cut in one run if they aren't laminating.   If laminate is required, the printer will put little targets on the print to register the art when reinserted into the machine.  then they send a CUT command and it cuts the contours.  Then the excess is weeded from around the printed part, decals cut apart and sent to packaging.  The cut line doesn't usually print.   It's usually just the line in the art that represents where the decal will be cut around the outside.

If you used a square decal shape, I'd probably hand cut my own contour just to make it non-square.  

Looking at sign shops in your area, I would call this guy first:  https://highwaymansigns.com/   You have a lot of choices, but to get by Sept 4, you gonna need someone local probably.   I don't know if Vista print could get you a bunch for cheap quick enough.   Get highwayman to quote you a bunch?    See where the cost breaks are.   I have no idea cost of decals anymore, either.  Where I work now is just provider of branded materials so I don't have to cost or make anything.   I did art for about 30 years and got quite tired of it.   I'm a project manager now, but still know enough to be troublesome.  

I offer to help as I can.  I have a PC just for drawing things in my office - I am still the staff artist when we need drawings.  So I can help somewhat if you need me to.  

You may want to start with a quantity of 50, 100, 200, etc.   That could make a big difference.   And I can convert the art to EPS, AI, CDR, PDF, etc if needed.  The original jpg posted would print pretty poorly.   Needs to be converted to vector art ideally.  I can do that when you decide on a logo, if you need me to.  JPGs are great for sharing.  Bad for larger production because of the pixel issue.

Thanks, Randy!  I understood that.  And I appreciate the time it took to write it up.

John/Machspeed is doing the art work in Corel Draw using vectors, IIRC.  So it should be good for printing, and I think he just converted it to jpg for displaying.

You mentioned Highwayman Signs.  We actually have one of those in Skiatook, and in reading the "About" page I now see that it is a local NE OK company.  Do you know anything about them?

Everyone - Please keep the ideas coming in as we are going to run a poll and decide which one to go with, and we need to do so ASAP.

Ok, good.  I use Corel as well.   SO you guys have that all handled.  Excellent.

I know nothing about highwayman signs.  However, I been in sign industry for almost 40 years and am used to looking for sign shops in other parts of country.  This place looks like they would have the equipment to make a run of decals for you to at least get some done for the meet up.  Maybe.  That would be the first place I would call if it were me.   Appears to be a shop that has print caapbilities.

Great!  I’ll call them today and go in if they think it would help. They are only a couple of miles away, which true of about everything in this little town.

Thanks!

Just spent quite a bit of time with Skylar at the Skiatook office of Highwayman Signs.  Bottom line is that they can do it, but need two weeks of lead time.  So, since the show is 4 weeks & 3 days from today we have a max of 2 weeks to decide.

Here are some of my notes:

Size: Can do any size, but a 3 x 4" is what she mentioned so may be somewhat standard?  And the price is based on how many she can get on a sheet of the material, so she will check to see if there is an optimum size.

Material: They can do regular vinyl, window cling, and Clear Focus.  But she recommended "sticker" which adheres via static electricity and can go on either the inside or outside of a window, or maybe even a bumper?  It would be clear with the image on it, and stays on quite well - sun makes it adhere even better.

Shape: They can do rectangular, square, or round.  Or they can cut to follow the outline of the truck, which I assume means we can give them a cut line.

Color: I forgot to ask if adding color adds to the cost, but asked her that when I sent her an email with two of our samples.

Price: She's going to email me a quote on 50 @ 3x4".

Good deal - sounds like you have it under control.  

Randy, I hadn't thought about plotter cutters in a long time.  💡
I suppose the technology has matured quite a bit since I sold commercial art supplies 40 years ago.  

We had problems with acceleration and swivel knives dulling and dragging back then.

Any way, good to know, thanks for keeping me on my toes.

Hope so.

John/Machspeed said he's going to come up with some variations over the weekend and then I plan to start a poll to see what people think.  We'll let the members decide and then turn them in for printing.

ArdWrknTrk wrote

Randy, I hadn't thought about plotter cutters in a long time.  💡
I suppose the technology has matured quite a bit since I sold commercial art supplies 40 years ago.  

We had problems with acceleration and swivel knives dulling and dragging back then.

Any way, good to know, thanks for keeping me on my toes.

I assume good old drag knife/swivel plotters are still the bread and butter of the decal industry.  I came into the industry just as the first Gerber blue machines were coming online.     Before that, we cut everything with an Xacto knife and hand spaced everything.  

I would imagine that technology has marched on since I owned my big Roland 54" printer/plotter.  I think I left it in 2012?  Went to work for state with motorcycle program and came back to industry as project manager.  THose designer guys now blow me away.  My mind won't even work that way like they do dirt track race car wraps.   And they are cheaper than i used to be so no incentive to be in that industry any more for me.