Author Topic: Decals and Masks  (Read 4651 times)

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Offline snap2

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Decals and Masks
« on: August 10, 2005, 02:14:56 AM »
I have received alot of requests to produce decals and masks for various projects from guys in the club, so I thought I would take the time to describe what I'm able to produce and at what costs and so forth.

Basically, I work full time as a sign manufacturer as well as operate my own business as an illustrator, supplying local companies with artwork and digital imaging for their needs.

I'm certain you've all worked with decals, so I won't bore you. A few of the products, related to the RC hobby, that I can supply are:

Paint Masks - The same material that's used for window masks. It can be cut it in reverse for application inside the body and the smallest lettering that can be cut is about 1/2", depending on the font or shape. Cut, weeded and masked it runs about $5 a square foot.

Vinyl Decals - It comes in various in colours, holograms, metallics, reflectives, pearls etc. and like the mask, about a 1/2" is as small as I'd go. It runs about $10 per SF, cut, weeded and masked, depending on the material an is durable enough for outside the body or cut in reverse for inside.

Printed Decals - Great for small stuff or big stuff and multiple prints or one-offs.  It can be printed reverse with a white backing for painting over inside the body.  Only 15-20 solid colours are available and of course multiple colours can be done as well as die cutting them after printing. It'll run you $15-$20 per SF depending on colours.  Normally, you'd print onto a clear decal, but printing on any colour vinyl can be done too.

The biggest question I get is regarding the artwork. Where do I get it? and can I give you something to work from? If you are able to provide me with vector-based digital artwork (typically from software like Adobe Illustrator, CorelDraw or Autocad), I can work straight from your file and the only cost to you is the material, as above.

If not, the artwork needs to be drawn. I can reproduce anything that you can supply a reasonable representation of, including: a pencil sketch, a website image, a photo, a logo off something like a package or clothing. Pretty much anything can be converted. My fee for illustrating is $25 per hour and most work would not exceed the initial hour. It may seem like alot for typing in a letter or two, and it is, but what I'm referring to is something like this:


I recreated this off the back of the Xray brochure. Should you need something simpler, we can arrange something.

Thanks guys, thats about it for now, if you've got any questions, don't hesitate to ask me, I love to talk signs as much as I do RC.  See ya Sunday...

Cheers, Damon

p.s. I also work for beer, fish and RC parts....

Offline haddow

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Decals and Masks
« Reply #1 on: August 10, 2005, 05:38:46 PM »
Hello

Thank-you fo rthe info.

What file types do you like to deal with?

I use photoshop can i make vector based images with it?

If i want paint masks or vinyl decals cut, weeded and masked do I need a line around my graphic or letter/number for you to cut? Or does it cut automatically somehow around the outside of the graphic?

Thank-you
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Offline Grinder

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Decals and Masks
« Reply #2 on: August 10, 2005, 06:41:48 PM »
There are paint masks available on the net that are in bitmap format.  I think (I haven't played with it much) you can take any black and white line art and fairly easily convert it to a vector file.
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Offline snap2

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Decals and Masks
« Reply #3 on: August 10, 2005, 07:23:36 PM »
Jody,

Quote from: "haddow"
What file types do you like to deal with?


I prefer CorelDraw, up to version 12, but I can work with almost anything.

Quote from: "haddow"
I use photoshop can i make vector based images with it?


I use Photoshop as well and yes, you can make vector shapes with it, although it's sometimes not the best way, depending on the shape. It can come out quite jagged at times. To do it, convert a Selection to a Path then export that Path under the the File menu to Adobe Illustrator format.

I can use your Photoshop image for printing then combine it with the exported Illustrator Path for die cutting, or you could just cut it yourself with an X-Acto.

Quote from: "haddow"
If i want paint masks or vinyl decals cut, weeded and masked do I need a line around my graphic or letter/number for you to cut? Or does it cut automatically somehow around the outside of the graphic?


A bitmap image is not cuttable, I have to (or you) create a vector shape for my software to follow.  Or, as I said, you can cut it by hand afterwards.

Hope this helps, and feel free to fire me off your file and I'll be able to see exactly what you need to do.

Cheers, Damon

Offline haddow

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« Reply #4 on: August 10, 2005, 08:05:21 PM »
So if I just send you a hi-res tiff of the stuff I would like to have cut and weeded  I can pay you the 25 an hour fee to make the file suit your needs?
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Offline jarrodH

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« Reply #5 on: August 10, 2005, 08:24:23 PM »
if someone wants like a decal sheet made like a nascar scheme, can they send you a pic of the car and you can make it, or is that a bit out what you want to do.................just curious.
ridez
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Offline snap2

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Decals and Masks
« Reply #6 on: August 10, 2005, 09:10:21 PM »
Kurk,

Quote from: "Grinder"
There are paint masks available on the net that are in bitmap format.  I think (I haven't played with it much) you can take any black and white line art and fairly easily convert it to a vector file.

You can convert bitmap images to vector with software like CorelTrace or Adobe Streamline, among others.  I use them both, but sometimes find it quicker to recreate the artwork, like I did with the Xray logo.  Tracing programs always leave much to be desired and I prefer to start from scratch knowing it'll be super clean other than cleaning up artwork that a piece of software attempted to recreate and is full of flaws.

Damon

Offline snap2

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Decals and Masks
« Reply #7 on: August 10, 2005, 11:27:56 PM »
Jody,
Quote from: "haddow"
So if I just send you a hi-res tiff of the stuff I would like to have cut and weeded  I can pay you the 25 an hour fee to make the file suit your needs?

Yes, in order to cut the mask/decal on my plotter, I need to create vector paths, however I can print straight from your hi-res tiff which saves time and it's important to note that once the file is vectorized, it does not need to be done again.  It can be scaled and repeated almost indefinately.  As I mentioned before, if it's just simply text, say in one colour, and it only takes me a couple of minutes to do, then we can work out something.

If you'd like, email your file to snap2@shaw.ca and I'll PM you what I think the best route to take is.

Thanks Jody!

Offline snap2

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Decals and Masks
« Reply #8 on: August 10, 2005, 11:32:16 PM »
Jarrod,
Quote from: "jarrodH"
if someone wants like a decal sheet made like a nascar scheme, can they send you a pic of the car and you can make it, or is that a bit out what you want to do.................just curious.

Nope, no problem at all, right down to the small sponsor logos if you want. I could reproduce evey last detail if you want me to spend the time.

Who did you have in mind?

Offline limey

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« Reply #9 on: August 11, 2005, 12:12:40 AM »
hi damon

i was woundering if you can do internal decal sheets?

if i give you the 1/24 scale water transfer decal sheet for the car what would it caost to reproduce it?


thanks dave

ps it will be the dewalt nascar paint scheme
ayne Racing

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Offline jarrodH

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Decals and Masks
« Reply #10 on: August 11, 2005, 01:32:04 AM »
i was thinkin of doin a rusty wallace paint scheme to mach my mark martin sice they are bolth retireing this year, thanks

ill send u a pic of the car and a drawn pic of the small sponsors when i get them done

thanks again
ridez
2x 1/12 CRC xti-
1/12 nitro hydroplanes
1/10 customworks direct drive sprint. 
1/10 kyosho optima mid se
1/10 losi 22-2 buggy
1/10 xray t2'16
1/10 bolink eliminator

Offline snap2

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Decals and Masks
« Reply #11 on: August 11, 2005, 12:42:42 PM »
Dave,

Quote from: "limey"
i was woundering if you can do internal decal sheets?

if i give you the 1/24 scale water transfer decal sheet for the car what would it caost to reproduce it?


Yes I can print reversed decals for applying inside the body.

I would need to see the sheet before I give you and idea of cost.  If you were willing to hand-cut the decals after printing it would save alot of time because I wouldn't need to create vector paths for cutting.  Basically I would scan the sheet, reverse it, print it in reverse on clear and back it up with white so when you paint the body, nothing shows through the decal.

Email me a scan or photo of it to snap2@shaw.ca or let me see it on Sunday.

Thanks Dave!

Offline limey

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« Reply #12 on: August 11, 2005, 02:44:51 PM »
hi damon

i don't mind hand cutting

i will bring the sheet on sunday.

thanks

dave
ayne Racing

In loving memory of my sis

http://s82.photobucket.com/albums/j249/limey420/?action=view¤t=CerisStoryavi.flv


please watch and yeild her words come summer