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Van Graphics: Northumbria Rugs & Carpets
This is my first paid job i done.
The customer was well pleased
i was exhausted (it was blowing a gale force wind) LOL
feel free to give your comments,good or bad
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23 Replies
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Well for your first paid job and in those conditions you did well to get the vinyl on the motor. You seem to have things on the level i.e. things are not running up and down.
You will receive really good constructive advice from others as to layout.
If you listen to their suggestions and put them into use on your next vehicle you will ‘Live Long and Prosper’Well done for showing us your stuff so quickly
John
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My dear Widget:
This is meant in the kindest way.
Please go out and buy a copy of Mike Steven’s Mastering Layout.
READ it. Commit it to memory.
Read it again.
I know you’re a newbie, and God bless you for sticking
all those words on in high winds….I hate sticking vynull!
But a layout is more that just words stuck on a van.
Some things need to POP. Some things are secondary.
You can’t overcondense things because they look squishy.
Spacing is key, too. Tighten it up a bit. Thicken up your lettering.
I want to see you develop into a great sign guy.
I don’t mean to sound like a know-it-all.
Just trying to help. Thanks for having the courage to post!
Love….Jill -
Well done Widget.
Jills advice is very good.
Having seen some of her posts here, she is really very good at what she does.I appreciate that the client probably had a say in the layup.
Most, from experience, don’t give much thought to how you do it, just as long as everything they want is on the van.For my money, and along with what jill had to say, I would not have stretched the fonts, not making the company name so tall.
The secret to a good sign is sometimes NOT using all the space.
You usually need some ‘negative’ or unsigned space on a large sign, to give it better impact.
I would not have gone the the very edge of the rear doors, for instance. Negative space here would have been a better option, even if it were only about 40mm.If it is too hard to read, then people will obviously not read it, defeating the purpose of the signage.
Having said that, my first sign many years ago was probably along the same lines as yours.
From my own experience, look at your opposition, and how they lay up a sign, examine it, ask yourself if you like it or not, then examine why you came to that conclusion.
Over time, you’ll define what styles you like, and what you don’t.
Never be afraid of trying something different. Experiment with shadows and colours etc….One more thing. One design rule you should never tamper with; NEVER use a sign with all capital script text.
Keep up the good work, and always learn from your last job. It has been my basic rule since I started, seems to have worked for me so far.
Cheers
Shane -
Thanks for all your comments,much appreciated.
The customer did ask for it as large as possible he wanted everyone to see it so i just gave him what he asked for.
I printed a few designs on paper first but he chose the biggest one (maybe thought he would get his moneys worth)
another question is pricing,i dont know if i overpriced him or not,i charged £200 for that job but it was 1 big van.
is that too expensive in your opinions? -
I’d have charged $au800 here. Thats about 250 quid in your money Io think.
cheers
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quote widget:The customer did ask for it as large as possible he wanted everyone to see it so i just gave him what he asked for.
I printed a few designs on paper first but he chose the biggest one (maybe thought he would get his moneys worth)Customers are the same the world over 🙄
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Less is sometimes more!
I have the same problem with customers for cut vinyl & litho print.
If you design a leaflet they all want to add as much as possible & not leave white space.Well done on your first van.
Only comment would be it’s very busy & can look squashed as the text is at a max within lots of the panels. This can make it too busy and also difficult to read.Well done though…
Tim.
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Another lesson for you, Widget…..
NEVER let the customer be the designer.
That’s YOUR job.
I know everyone wants the most bang for theoir buck,
but if it’s too busy, it’s not a good advertisement,
because it is difficult to read.
I too have a client like this, he wants everything
but the kitchen sink on his van.
His old vans all look like circus wagons,
busier than a cat trying to cover crap on a marble floor.
Taking a risk, I said, “Let ME design your next van.
I promise that it will look good. If you don’t like it,
I’ll just charge you for materials and that’s that.”
Well, after he saw what I did, he about wet his pants with delight.
I have been doing his stuff now for about 6 years.
He continues to push the envelope wanting MORE and BIGGER.
I just tell him that’s why he’s a plumber and I’m a sign gal.
Do read the Mike Stevens layout book.
Someone here can tell you where to get one.
Also invest in some sort of a price guideline book.
That way you won’t get ripped off.
Love….Jill
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quote dsi:I’d have charged $au800 here. Thats about 250 quid in your money Io think.cheers
$800 works out to be £324, probably the same as a lot here in the uk would charge.
Totally agree with previous posters, need to make your layout less busy, and not all capitals. NORTHUMBRIARUGS&CARPETS -….. Looks like one word !
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Thanks Lee,
maths was not my best subject… or inglish… or speling… or …. I guess you get the pikture 🙄
oh… and Widget, it is always a good option to have the client check the spelling AND sign the artwork. Helps when the client finds a spelling error after the job is applied.
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Totally agree with Jill & Lee on their comments, never let the customer dictate too much on the design, yes its their money but you are the designer he fits carpets, on the price mate TOOO CHEAP!!!!! £300 to £350 keep doing that much work for peanuts and 2 things will happen, one you”ll go broke and two you’ll die of a heart attack through stress and over work, remember don’t be a busy fool, follow this link and it will give you an idea of negative space, http://www.signcraft.com/Stevens42.pdf
Giev this page a look too there are loads of other useful features from signcraft magazine, do nyourself a favour and take out a subscription too, its a US magazine but is available from these people http://www.handover.co.uk/acatalog/ -
thanks very much for all this info 🙂
no wander he almost took my hand off at that price then. -
The most important thing to do starting out s to know your pricing is right .. very important , you will not be long in business if you get it wrong…
I would not have touched that for anything under € 500 ..
Your layout is to clutttered , less is more…
Also your dimensions should carry through the van. ie. size of wording in panels , not up and down..
I know the customer might have wanted it , but you have to advise as it might come back on you ..
Just constructive criticism
Congrats and good luck for the future
Richie
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Did you keep track of how long it took? including designs cutting and laying.
£200 is far too cheap, however (not meaning to be harsh,) it’s not worth anymore. It might have a lot of vinyl on it (£30.00 worth), but it looks cheap, there is no design just blocks of plain text crammed into every corner.
I have already decided by the look of this van, this guy has no taste, therefore what type of crap carpets and rug does he sell?
Sign making is not just cutting vinyl and sticking it on.. Most is about design, some design you have to use corporate image etc, but when doing it from scratch it takes time and skill..
Simon
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Jill, Steve B
I recomended the Mike Stevens book to someone else in a different post last week they rang Handovers and apparently its out of print. Anybody know different.
paul
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You can order it online from SignCraft.
https://www.signcraft.com/secure/cart/items.asp?cat=7
Mine is in pieces!
Love…Jill -
Thanks jill just might get myself a new copy.
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wont add to whats been said but agree on many accounts mate..
for your first van its a big one, never easy! you got it by you now, been paid and thats that.. its the start of a learning curve. for that amount of wording etc ide say £300 – £400 but smaller text everywhere…the good thing you have done though is post it here!
let us poke and advise on your design.. take it on the chin mate, “but take it in” you wont make the same mistakes twice, i know for sure you will make sure your pricing is set better now 😉
its all about learning and if we sit here patting you on the back, then how are you gonna know when your right and wrong.. how will you better yourself?next time your designing a van. post your finished design here on the site and let us have a mess around with it before you actualy produce it. you will learn heaps from the pros on this site.. i still do daily and ive been doing this 14 years.
thanks for taking the time to post your work mate & keep posting your work, please… 😉
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As Jill and others have already said – Get a copy of Mine Stevens book Mastering Layout. This book will teach you the science behind producing a good sign. You don’t have to be an artist or talented to produce good layouts. Simply learn and follow his rules to ensure your signs have “eye appeal”. If you never read any other book about signmaking – make sure you read this one.
Customers are rarely ever “right” they’re nearly always wrong and haven’t got a clue about what goes into making a good sign. They nearly always think that if the lettering is as big as possible and the colours are flourescent pink – then it will attract attention and is therefore a good sign. I suggest you try and persuade your customers to allow you to do the designing and argue your case that simply “BIG LETTERING” is not a good advert either for his business or for your reputation.
Next time a customer insists you make the lettering bigger and to his specifications, agree to do it only if he promises not to tell anyone that you made the sign. Then take his money and run :lol1:
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Thanks all
i have learnt a lot already in just 1 day 🙂anyone know where i can get that book in the uk it looks like it could be money well spent.
thanks again
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Mastering Layout used to be sold by Amazon but had a delivery time of around 6 weeks. Don’t know whether they still do it.
Dawn
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I know someone said it is out of print but I would check again
Jill says you can get it direct from Signcraft
and Handovers still have it down on their web page
(???out of print or out of stock???)
John
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If you are quick go here http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookD … =352906670
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