User:Drwraps/Vehicle wraps

Vehicle Wraps are in essence, the ART and SCIENCE of transforming your car, van or truck into a MOBILE BILLBOARD! Think about it, everywhere that vehicle goes it's working for you. Every stop light becomes a marketing opportunity. Something that is already an expense to your company is now transformed into an impression generating machine, consistently exposing your brand or service to potential customers every day.

Wrapping should be taken very seriously being it is the epitome of ART and SCIENCE. From brainstorming the ideas and designing the artwork, to choosing the correct material and achieving optimum output from the equipment to lastly, the installation. You better have some skills if you want to install vehicle wraps!

Here's a breakdown of the four equally important steps involved and some tips we've learned along the way.

1. Design - From full concept and design, to merely printing the artwork by an approved agency or designer.

TIP - First and foremost, purchasing a wrap from a shop offering "free design" or "free artwork" is risky. It's true, you get what you pay for... and in this case, that something for free could actually end up costing you in the long run! Do not skimp on the design portion of a vehicle wrap. Nothing's worse than investing a great deal of money in vinyl, ink and installation, only to have amateur or part-time designers create something we call "Meaningless Eye-Candy". Secondly, look for a company that has experience designing...? You've guessed it, Vehicle wraps! (Seems pretty logical to us too) We happen to believe the best commercial vehicle wraps are produced from designers that understand the installation process. Lastly, industry standards concerning pixel resolution for a traditional billboard just don't cut it here... Vehicle wraps are viewed much closer and should only incorporate high resolution and/or vector based images. Consequently, these files can become quite enormous. Only custom configured computers to handle the demands of designing for this highly specialized media type should be used.

2. Proofing - Professionally designed illustration of what the vehicle will look like after it's wrapped. The artwork should only be sent to production after final approval and all adjustments required have been made to your satisfaction.

TIP - It is very important that you inspect the proof and submit mistakes or modifications prior to production. However, the more adjustments you require, the longer this process will take and in some very rare cases may require an additional design fee. Communication between designer and client during the first stage will avoid setbacks here.

3. Production - The approved artwork is then printed on special adhesive backed film and laminated with a special clear adhesive backed film.

TIP - Look for a company that uses quality material and prints their wraps at a high dpi. Quality material not only helps ensure your wrap will last and has "Image Pop", but also a painless removal once the campaign is over. Printing at a lower dpi will conserve ink and make the machine print faster, but image quality is sacrificed. Also, watch for shops selling wraps with no laminate or liquid laminate. Here again, what might save you a little now, could cost you in the long run... Laminate enhances the appearance of the wrap, while protecting your investment from fading, scratches, etc. - Not to mention, removal of a wrap that was not laminated or only had a thin liquid "clear-coat" can be a nightmare. If you're paying someone to remove it - It's going to take more time, which in the end, equals more money. One last thing to consider, how will your wrap be paneled? Wraps should be designed and produced in a way as to limit the visible seams required to cover the vehicle. In other words, a seam running right down the middle of your door, if avoidable, is not acceptable.

4. Installation - They should be so precise, people will think it's a custom paint job!

TIP - This is where you separate the Pros from the Amateurs, so make sure your installer is experienced. In our opinion, a professional installation comes down to two things. Experience and attention to detail, a poorly installed wrap could not only "fail", but could also reflect negatively on your company. Inspect their shop vehicle closely. They have one don't they? I'd seriously reconsider working with anyone claiming to "specialize" in wraps when they don't have one of their own.

Article provided by Dr. Wraps

--Drwraps (talk) 19:49, 16 March 2011 (UTC)