Help Trying To Make A Print Ready File For Wrap

[garleness]

Im going to try my hand at printing and installing my own vehicle wrap. My biggest issue is the basics of making the file. Its a 2006 f250 156 wheelbase super crew. I know how to design its just the file set up. I want awesome graphics. From my readings guys are taking a template at 20% converting it to 10% (720dpi) and then hitting multiply by 1000 in the print rip. I tried this and the graphics were fuzzy on a previous job that I did because it had images in it. I ended up making it full size in photo shop at 150dpi. My theme is going to have a raster file as the backdrop also (carbon fibre is what I'm thinking). Can anyone direct me hopefully? Im a hands on guy and have asked other guys if they can share a file so that I can see how its set up. Im not looking to steal a design or customer just looking to see how the files are set up.
-what are the best vehicle files to use to design for accuracy
-what are good high quality files that I can purchase, hd swooshes, metals, rips, flags, etc. I would love to have a riveted pattern steel or steampunk design.

I have a roland sp540v, seal image 60, full adobe cs6 suite and my rip is versa works . If that helps
Thanks in advance to anyone who can help me

 

[myront]

We don't use the templates for the simple fact that they are too basic. If you design then find out that the actual vehicle has plastic molding where the template did not show etc.
Take a square on shot of the side of the vehicle the best that you can. Drop the photo into you design software. Take a physical measurement of something like the width of the door. Sometimes we'll slap a 1" x 12" magnet on the side then take a photo. Draw a rectangle at that width then scale your photo to match.
Begin by drawing the outline of the vehicle. That shape now becomes your clipping mask(illustrator) or powerclip frame (corel).
make sure you have enough overage outside the vehicle shape (bleed) to allow wrapping etc.
Always make your printed panels 3-6 inches more than needed. Separate panels for each door, as well as, any other common break points i.e. fenders etc.

 

[garleness]

We don't use the templates for the simple fact that they are too basic. If you design then find out that the actual vehicle has plastic molding where the template did not show etc.
Take a square on shot of the side of the vehicle the best that you can. Drop the photo into you design software. Take a physical measurement of something like the width of the door. Sometimes we'll slap a 1" x 12" magnet on the side then take a photo. Draw a rectangle at that width then scale your photo to match.
Begin by drawing the outline of the vehicle. That shape now becomes your clipping mask(illustrator) or powerclip frame (corel).
make sure you have enough overage outside the vehicle shape (bleed) to allow wrapping etc.
Always make your printed panels 3-6 inches more than needed. Separate panels for each door, as well as, any other common break points i.e. fenders etc.

So you are designing at full size? Do you use full 300dpi? I really want the print to look good that is key. Im chalking it up to learning but I would like to save on having to reprint. Most of the videos that I have watched they use one full print from front to back on cars, I get that the top of doors will have to be done separate or I will have to print panels separately to accommodate the height. I included a pic of the truck, fender flares will be going on in the next couple of days to cover rusted fender. I would love to just wrap from the front door/fender back but its almost impossible to get a match.

 

[myront]

Full scale is better for me. I keep as much as possible as vector. I advise against designing in photoshop (or any other raster based program). Any raster images are usually between 30 & 100 dpi. In the end all gets printed as a tif at 150dpi. We will always try and get the highest images as possible.
We never print the whole side of the vehicle in one shot. Leaves no "wiggle" room and doesn't allow enough overage at the door seems to "roll in" for that professional appearance. Plus we only have one installer.

 

[AKwrapguy]

I would use a vector template to create your graphic. Most quality template makers have the variations that include the plastic wheel covers and everything else that would be stock on a vehicle. Also it sounds like you're designing in Photoshop? Do it in Illustrator or another vector program. You can than do it at 10% and increase the size at no loss.

As far as printing and application, you can do that however you want. I would print the whole side and use the windows as your break point or seam for the cab graphic. Print the bottom panel large enough so that the front quarter panel have full coverage and they appear seamless. The large panels might seem daunting but it's not that bad and beats trying to line up multiple panels.

 

[Baz]

For laying out and presentation i design in Illustrator. Many times i require Photoshop to create the sticker. I will then import it in Illustrator and lay it over top the vehicle picture or vehicle template. Illustrator has a size limitation of 227 inches. Many times a vehicle will end up to big at 100% in size. I like to keep my files as close to full size as i can and if needed to scale down i will go to a 50% reduction. This makes it easy to remember the scale it was produced at. Also easy to verify the size of things and just double it for exact size information.

In Photoshop i will design at 100% in size. You can design at a minimum of 75dpi, i prefer 100dpi. If there is any text (usually there is) then a minimum of 125dpi will keep the text sharp. Once i place my Photoshop file in Illustrator i just reduce it by 50% to make it fit.

Vehicle templates are great at designing full wraps but you should really place your design over a real photo of the vehicle before going into production. Moldings, emblems and windows are not the same from a template to the actual vehicle.

 

[myront]

CorelDRAW has a size limitation of 1800" more than adequate.
Designing at full scale is a lot less headache.

 

[Pippin Decals]

Sending you a PM bud.

 

[qmr55]

A lot of bad advice on this thread....

• Don't listen to anyone who says "don't design in photoshop or raster programs", who cares. Work in whatever program you feel the most comfortable designing in, whether that be PS, AI, Corel....or any other program. Design at a decent DPI (100-200) in a raster progam and you'll be fine. Shapes, text and objects created in photoshop can be vector as well, just save the file as a PDF and they stay vector. Especially nice for text.
• Stay away from busy backgrounds and crazy fills and stock "wrap design files". KISS - keep it simple stupid goes a long way for wrap designs.
• I try to shy away from using images on wraps, they don't do what you think they are going to do for your ad.
• 75-80% of the wraps you design should be paneled vertical, don't worry about seams they're not a bad thing. You can barely notice them on regular commercial wraps. Color change is a whole different story. If you're new to wrapping, starting with one long horizontal panel is going to be extremely difficult and its a BAD way to learn.
• DO NOT tuck your edges around, cut them flush with the vehicle doors/edges. Lasts longer. Remember, if you tuck any manufacturer warranty will not hold up when you send pictures for a material failure issue.
• Design-- keep key elements (text, logos, etc) away from edges, windows and door handles.
• Stay away from long lists of items, services and stuff like that. Its a mobile billboard, your viewers won't see it for more than a few seconds at a time.

There's a lot more to it, but this is a good start.

PRACTICE! You will mess panels up, there's no doubt about that. Get ready to have to reprint stuff when you get frustrated.

Good luck!

 

[garleness]

A lot of bad advice on this thread....

• Don't listen to anyone who says "don't design in photoshop or raster programs", who cares. Work in whatever program you feel the most comfortable designing in, whether that be PS, AI, Corel....or any other program. Design at a decent DPI (100-200) in a raster progam and you'll be fine. Shapes, text and objects created in photoshop can be vector as well, just save the file as a PDF and they stay vector. Especially nice for text.
• Stay away from busy backgrounds and crazy fills and stock "wrap design files". KISS - keep it simple stupid goes a long way for wrap designs.
• I try to shy away from using images on wraps, they don't do what you think they are going to do for your ad.
• 75-80% of the wraps you design should be paneled vertical, don't worry about seams they're not a bad thing. You can barely notice them on regular commercial wraps. Color change is a whole different story. If you're new to wrapping, starting with one long horizontal panel is going to be extremely difficult and its a BAD way to learn.
• DO NOT tuck your edges around, cut them flush with the vehicle doors/edges. Lasts longer. Remember, if you tuck any manufacturer warranty will not hold up when you send pictures for a material failure issue.
• Design-- keep key elements (text, logos, etc) away from edges, windows and door handles.
• Stay away from long lists of items, services and stuff like that. Its a mobile billboard, your viewers won't see it for more than a few seconds at a time.

There's a lot more to it, but this is a good start.

PRACTICE! You will mess panels up, there's no doubt about that. Get ready to have to reprint stuff when you get frustrated.

Good luck!

Awesome I thank you for your input and great advice, As far as designing I'm good with the use of the programs. Where I lack the training is in the wrap output. The reason I mentioned Rastor image is because I wanted to use a fill as a background. That said this would be my second wrap, I'm still trying to forget the first one. When I look at some wraps the detail is so crappy and i get that its just a glance at it while driving, but it doesn't have to be that low. This is my own wrap I want it to look really nice. The flash or pizzaz will be on the back end of the truck, needs to pop. My logo is simple and will always stay that way. I have also never panelled anything, I still have lots to learn in versa works.

The biggest thing to wrap my head around is the design size, use a real picture of my truck at what scale is the question? and dpi

Thanks again...

 

[garleness]

myront


In the picture you attached your wrapping the front fender as well ? to keep the brushed look correct ?

 

[myront]

garlness,
I think in the end I adjusted the "fade" to avoid doing the front fender. Keeping cost down.

no to photoshop only designs unless you alone are printing and installing. Combo illy & Photoshop effects is fine but Illustrator should be the primary. Or Corel with Photopaint/Photoshop effects but again Corel as primary. We get too many flattened "print ready" raster files for wraps from a third party designer but the actual customer wants changes. No bleeds at all worked in, prints are the actual shape of the fender instead of a rectangle etc. "Can you take my logo from the attached psd file and make a cut-to-shape decal?" If it were originally designed in a vector program it would be a lot easier.

"No rolling in", "trimming flush lasts Longer?" hmmm means you'll have to cut on a $50-60,000 vehicle good luck with that - ps. Perfline tape sucks. Vinyl has a tendency to shrink and that cut you made flush is no a "bigger gap"

"Seams" should only be on large box trucks, very unprofessional to have a seam straight down thru a fender or door. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

 

[jfiscus]

Don't design from the photo, get a template and go off of that. Photos will be distorted by the lens/perspective.

 

[qmr55]

garlness,
I think in the end I adjusted the "fade" to avoid doing the front fender. Keeping cost down.

no to photoshop only designs unless you alone are printing and installing. Combo illy & Photoshop effects is fine but Illustrator should be the primary. Or Corel with Photopaint/Photoshop effects but again Corel as primary. We get too many flattened "print ready" raster files for wraps from a third party designer but the actual customer wants changes. No bleeds at all worked in, prints are the actual shape of the fender instead of a rectangle etc. "Can you take my logo from the attached psd file and make a cut-to-shape decal?" If it were originally designed in a vector program it would be a lot easier.

"No rolling in", "trimming flush lasts Longer?" hmmm means you'll have to cut on a $50-60,000 vehicle good luck with that - ps. Perfline tape sucks. Vinyl has a tendency to shrink and that cut you made flush is no a "bigger gap"

"Seams" should only be on large box trucks, very unprofessional to have a seam straight down thru a fender or door. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

Where do I even begin.....

1) If you cant trim flush on a door/edge without cutting the paint, you shouldn't be touching installations anyway. Use the correct vinyl/lam combo and it won't shrink. Again, roll the edges over then have a material failure. Send the pics to 3M when they request, 10 bucks says they deny the warranty request because improper installation method. Good luck buddy.

2) Seems are unprofessional? Then I guess 99% of the wrap shops in the world are unprofessional, because any real shop panels in their rip for maximum material usage, not to avoid seams. Get what you pay for? Really? What are you trying to imply, chief?

I won't even touch on the ps/ai part. Some people are way too ignorant to interact with other humans.

Good luck garleness, hit me up if you need anything!

 

[qmr55]

Awesome I thank you for your input and great advice, As far as designing I'm good with the use of the programs. Where I lack the training is in the wrap output. The reason I mentioned Rastor image is because I wanted to use a fill as a background. That said this would be my second wrap, I'm still trying to forget the first one. When I look at some wraps the detail is so crappy and i get that its just a glance at it while driving, but it doesn't have to be that low. This is my own wrap I want it to look really nice. The flash or pizzaz will be on the back end of the truck, needs to pop. My logo is simple and will always stay that way. I have also never panelled anything, I still have lots to learn in versa works.

The biggest thing to wrap my head around is the design size, use a real picture of my truck at what scale is the question? and dpi

Thanks again...

Start on a template representing the vehicle you will be wrapping. Delete emblems and design at 1/10th or 1/20th whatever the template comes scaled to. Once ready to make print files, take vehicle pics (if vehicle is available) and scale up check proportions and check bleed. If vehicle is not available, most templates these days will work fine. Give yourself a little extra bleed in areas such as sides that wrap around rear of truck, the top of the side if it wraps onto roof a little and the point at the front of the fender. Giving yourself 3-4" of bleed in all directions should suffice but if you are unsure of a certain area, extend it a few extra inches to be safe.

 

[boxerbay]

here are the basics.
get a nice side photo of the vehicle. stand about 20' away from the vehicle and get a nice side shot you should be centered and exactly 90' to the vehicle. repeat for front and rear and second side. measure the width of truck door. measure the entire length of the vehicle. open a new document in photoshop at 150dpi. drag and drop into your document the side shot of the truck. draw a red rectangle the width of the door you measured. then scale up the photo until the door matches the width of the red rectangle. now you are at 100% scale. build your design by draggin and dropping into your file whatever design elements. remember NEVER stretch anything larger because it will pixelate. shrinking is ok. making things bigger NO pixelate. once the design is done over the image turn the truck image layer off and save as a TIFF. done.

 

[HulkSmash]

garlness,
I think in the end I adjusted the "fade" to avoid doing the front fender. Keeping cost down.

no to photoshop only designs unless you alone are printing and installing. Combo illy & Photoshop effects is fine but Illustrator should be the primary. Or Corel with Photopaint/Photoshop effects but again Corel as primary. We get too many flattened "print ready" raster files for wraps from a third party designer but the actual customer wants changes. No bleeds at all worked in, prints are the actual shape of the fender instead of a rectangle etc. "Can you take my logo from the attached psd file and make a cut-to-shape decal?" If it were originally designed in a vector program it would be a lot easier.

"No rolling in", "trimming flush lasts Longer?" hmmm means you'll have to cut on a $50-60,000 vehicle good luck with that - ps. Perfline tape sucks. Vinyl has a tendency to shrink and that cut you made flush is no a "bigger gap"

"Seams" should only be on large box trucks, very unprofessional to have a seam straight down thru a fender or door. Sometimes you get what you pay for.

We wrap 800 vehicles a year. We trim flush, with no issue - wrapping around door edges is a horrible practice for commercial wraps.
When it comes to a pick up truck, i think it's fine - but for most things else not at all.

Your material will not shrink if you are using the right material. Has nothing to do with "you get what you pay for" It's industry standard

I've had ZERO complaints about it - and next to none failures.

Also always CUT and DROP your sprinter, promasters, and new transit window drops.


I'm certified in every single 3M graphic installation program, from vinyl to dinoc, and even 3M themselves tell you not to wrap around edges of panels.

 

[shoresigns]

Start on a template representing the vehicle you will be wrapping. Delete emblems and design at 1/10th or 1/20th whatever the template comes scaled to. Once ready to make print files, take vehicle pics (if vehicle is available) and scale up check proportions and check bleed. If vehicle is not available, most templates these days will work fine. Give yourself a little extra bleed in areas such as sides that wrap around rear of truck, the top of the side if it wraps onto roof a little and the point at the front of the fender. Giving yourself 3-4" of bleed in all directions should suffice but if you are unsure of a certain area, extend it a few extra inches to be safe.

Good advice, that's pretty much what we do.

OP, just make sure you understand the basic math of resolutions. If you're designing in full scale, 100ppi is good, but if you're designing in 1:10 scale you need to output a production file at 1000ppi. You said you were having issues with images when you did it this way - hopefully it's obvious now that your images would need to be 1000ppi in your design file when you're designing at 1:10.

 

[myront]

I was merely suggesting that this is bad way to do a wrap (see attached). I've seen many hack jobs and wasn't accusing any specific person here of doing this. In this example you print the whole door panel in one shot 150dpi max.

 

[garleness]

Start on a template representing the vehicle you will be wrapping. Delete emblems and design at 1/10th or 1/20th whatever the template comes scaled to. Once ready to make print files, take vehicle pics (if vehicle is available) and scale up check proportions and check bleed. If vehicle is not available, most templates these days will work fine. Give yourself a little extra bleed in areas such as sides that wrap around rear of truck, the top of the side if it wraps onto roof a little and the point at the front of the fender. Giving yourself 3-4" of bleed in all directions should suffice but if you are unsure of a certain area, extend it a few extra inches to be safe.

Thanks you for the advice, I am a certified graphic designer. They just dropped wraps from the course because they thought it was to specific. This is my own truck so Its available all the time and I appreciate all the advice. Its very interesting hearing the different views on practices, I was going to do the wrap course in the summer however something came up and I had to back out. I have both avery and 3m wrap with matching laminates. So its only my time and material, however I would like to go into the project somewhat educated.

Thanks again