Van Graphics: Willowbank Kart Parts

[Robert Lambie]

hi shane.. great work mate.. bet it took a while fitting all that? 😉
from the picture you look as if you have done a great job fitting the check flag over those recessed areas. all seems to have lined up very nicely, im guessing, but i take it to stretched the vinyl into the recesses after applying flat?
you seem to really have fitted this to the limit. im looking at it and you have taken it down off the lower section onto the curving underside and right up under & onto the guttering… all seems right on target.. that thin black line must have been a pain to keep from wondering? 😀
did you apply the text first or the flag.. i notioce you have the text with a halo of white around it. i do this to as it helps make life easeir fitting incase slightly out a little when lining up?
also, you have done well to keep all the text in their own flat areas of the vehicle limiting the amount of recess cross-overs.

nice work mate & thank you for taking the time to show us your stuff 😉

[Carrie Brown]

Great work Shane :thumbup2:

[Andy Gorman]

As has already been mentioned; a great job of applying the chequered flag. Patience and a lot of care and skill has obviously been used. The chequers even seem to run perfectly parallel to the recesses. The fact that I noticed that means I probably need a holiday!

[Shane Drew]

Thanks everyone for your comments. I really appreciate that.

Yes Rob, it was, in a word, a nightmare (or is that two words?)

I am very proud of this job. The client had no logos, or anything, so I designed everything, even the slogan is my concept.

From wo to go took 3 days.

I laid the flag first, then stretched it into the crevices. I had the keyline cut out of the flag before I fitted it. The hard part was getting everything to line up so the text would be straight. That was about as much fun as pulling teeth! I would normally have laid the text first, then the flag and hand cut the keyline, but there was so much to cut, I was worried about being consistant.

The thin black line is actually 6mm stripe material. I originally had no line there, but it looked unfinished. Once the line was added, it looked better.

Mercedes Benz here in Australia were going to feature it in their calandar, that is why the Mercedes Logos are on each side. It was a request by them so it would look better in the calendar.

Cheers

[Pryam Carter]

Good work mate…….
I was wondering how much you would get for a job like that over there in the land of OZ.
I was speaking to a signmaker from Sydney last month and we were comparing the price of menu boards, l couldn’t believe how much he charged compared to me.

[Shane Drew]

Sydney prices are pretty high compared to prices up here in Qld. During the Sydney Olympics in 2000, the greater majority of signs were actually done outside of Sydney, because the prices there are so high. I know of several large sign contracts that were done here, and shipped down for the games.

Overheads in Sydney are huge compared to Brisbane. I lived there for 20 years, 15 years ago, would never go back. The purchase price of a factory down there is easlily double what you would get one for here. Rents are really dear too. So that is reflected in the selling price of signs (and everything else)

The price for the van was part of a package, but I would normally have charged between $1500 and $2000. That includes design, and signage.

I signed this guys factory as well as his van, plus I supplied all his promotional signage for his Karts.

Someone eventually undercut me, and I don’t do his work anymore. Not that I am really worried as he took forever to pay his bill.

What would you have charged, if you don’t mind me asking?

[Pryam Carter]

The most l could charge for that van where l am is £350.
Nobody around here would pay that though as they just go for standard stuff and expect to pay no more than £200 for a two col vinyl lettered van.

[Shane Drew]

I think that is about $au1000.00 here. Not much for 3 days work in truth.

I live in an area that is considered a lower income suburb, and I would be lucky to get anyone to spend this kind of money too. Most of my work is in tourism sectors, so I work mostly in the more afluent cities.

Having said that, $500 a day, including material, would be the least I would want to earn. I travel, on average, 100km a day, and with fuel at $1.10 per litre, it has to be worthwhile.

It is difficult. Everyone one wants the best job, using the best materials, at a rock bottom price. Seems it is a crime to make a profit.

Thanks for your reply