So, i have a question about car decals apparently. What i wish to know is this: Where can i get them made, as in lamens terms. Can i make them myself via photoshop and just send them to some sort of shop? Or can they be made at kinkos? Any response is a good one (hopefully)

 

For those who may ask themselves this: No, i am not willing to send you a graphic and you make it for me, id rather have it made in a shop or make it myself. I am not trying ot ruin any sort of profit from you, i just want this to be a more personal thing.

 

you could draw something up at home, make sure its a big enough image size. then take it to a vinyl place and have them make it a decal, they will probably have to do a lil touch up to it also.

you could also have them do it for you to if you sketch it on paper. find a vinyl place and ask them what to do. for an online place try www.randode.com he does a lot of scion stuff and would be able to help you

 

sounds good. So id be able to make an image in photoshop for example?

 

yes

 

You can also go to a sign shop. Most of them do vinyl and there's a chance the price might be better.

It's better if you can supply vectored art from a drawing program -- like Illustrator, Freehand or Draw, since that's what the cutting machines need. If you supply a bitmapped image, like from Photoshop, it will need to be traced with a vectored art program, adding a step to the process.

 

I have a Design firm and I do alot of vinyl decals
small size to full body graphics like the ones I plan on
putting on my scion.....

here's my site:

here's my pre-application photoshop sketch!


Rick

 

In reply to you, rick, i am not trying to have them made by any company, small or big, no offense. I am not looking for a full body design either, i am simply looking for a place that can produce stickers that may adorn the rear hatch. Much like the 'Scion Life' stickers.

EDIT: a place that is not online.

 

this is realy confusing, you want some oen to be able to make these for you but you dont want a company to make them? Im missing somthign I think.. are you thinking you want to cut this yourself with a x-acto or somthing??

 

umm...where you from? i only know good places to go to in jersey. cheap too. excellent work. otherwise, i only know ebay.

 

If you want vinyl you *can* cut them yourself with an X-acto knife, and you might be able to make them look really good. You can purchase vinyl from your local sign shop, or you can buy it online in 10-yd rolls. I've seen shorter rolls, but it's rare except for the expensive stuff, like gold leaf and glow-in-the-dark material. Sometimes you can find small amounts of vinyl film on eBay.

You can take your design, transfer it to the vinyl, hand cut it and apply it. Be aware that, unless you purchase pre-mask, also known as transfer tape, you'll not have the masking carrier that is used by the pros for application.

Like was said earlier: If you want to take them to a sign shop to be cut, please do the sign shop, and yourself, a favor and don't walk in with a Photoshop image, or any raster image for that matter. Use a vector-based graphic program such as Illustrator, to create the graphic. Also remember that a *bunch* of detail isn't necessarily a good thing on small decals. It can be a PITA to cut without the plotter lifting the vinyl, and it is seriously troublesome to weed after the plotter is done.

Very nice results can come from making your own stuff. Just be willing to screw up a few times. Make sure you have plenty of extra vinyl because you *will* mess up the process at some step along the way at *least* a couple of times.

 

well said............ yeah man if you have a design you need cut - just bring me a vector
file of it - or a full-size laser copy of the design so I can scan, trace, and cut
for you - When I was in High school I use to cut stenciled designs by hand w/ an
x-acto to make silk-screens - that ____ is a pain and you lose alot of detail if you
don't have a steady hand............. nothing beats a real plotter, transfer tape and a squeege..................

leave the dirty work to the professionals!