Cut vinyl drop shadow

[Jill Marie Welsh]

I always apply one layer at a time.
The one time (seemed like a good idea) that I pre-assembled a layered graphic I had tons on bubbles after I applied it to my substrate.
(Signgold on an expensive fire truck cha-ching!)
Love….Jill

[Nick Tunstill]

Thanks, once you have applied the first colour what’s the best way to get the position of the second? (is there clear application tape??)
cheers

[Richard Urquhart]

It helps with clear app tape but I like to set reg marks on both parts and align using these, however you can hold the graphic above and look through the clear, but on larger stuff this is hit and miss Rich

[Anthony Woodsford]

what Jill said

one layer at a time, if you multilay to one back sheet with one app, you end up with bubbles everywhere

[Glen Mathers]

If your applying on a nice flat substrate i would layer it up with reg marks on the substrate but if your applying to a vehicle with contours and recesses i would layer it first (on my lightbox) then apply in one, i never get any bubbles.

[Peter Dee]

I generally design the shadow as an offset with a few mm between the text and shadow. Then apply the text sheet on to the shadow sheet over a light box. You don’t get bubbles as there is no overlapping vinyl. You can’t fail to get it lined up right using the light box.

[Jill Marie Welsh]

Peter’s method is a good one for a stepped off drop shadow.
I do use registration marks.
I put the first layer down dry then use Rapid Tac on the second layer.
Loathe clear app tape, it sucks out loud.
Especially for that wet second layer.

[Nick Tunstill]

Many thanks for all that very useful!

[Phillip Patterson]

A question I too have been meaning to ask,

Is it then okay to have 1 cm text overlapped or the shadow cut where the front text meets??

[Tim Painter]

You can always weld the back and front to create the lower drop shadow layer so you don’t see the lower layer outline up close.

Although this takes more precise alignment when fitting.

[Martin Pearson]

I guess like most things there is no right and wrong way to do it. Personally I don’t like to see an overlap like Phillip has asked. I would do that the way Tim has suggested so the first layer would be cut in the shadow colour and would be both the text & shadow welded together then the text would just go on top as the second layer.
Works well most of the time and doesn’t affect the colour of the vinyl on top on most substrates.

Thing to watch with a painters shadow on vehicles is the bits can sometimes be a bit small and if the vehicle is power washed can easily come off. Make sure the customer is aware of this before he comes back complaining that half the shadow is missing.

[Kalim Ansari]

Generally I don’t do that work myself. I hired a person to that but now its very useful tips to me Thanks for posting. Now I will do that my self bye -bye to workers :wow: