Every once in a while, I'll try to do something creative but on a very unfamilar canvas; Market myself with my shop truck. "I'm a creative guy, I can design a truck wrap"..yeah right...
I swear I have a form of writer's block. If I were to have the artistic area of my brain scanned, it would find creamed corn..a generic brand at that. I put the project aside for a few days.
Today, I noticed 2 Honda Elements ( those boxy, rubber interiored things) and all they had was simple white vinyl lettering on dark windows. It caught my eye. Why did it catch my eye though? High contrast? New clean strangely styled vehicle? Would it work on my truck, I wonder?
Here's my dilema; I'm not a 100% sign shop. I describe my business as more of a creative CNC and fabrication shop. It doesn't roll off the tongue.
I have many thoughts of which way to go. I could go full wrap but don't know what I'd cover the whole truck with. I could go simple with a straight forward logo on the door and tailgate and such or finally do graphics that cover only the brown stripe, maybe going outside the lines here and there.
Anyone have suggestions?
Cheers,
-------------------- Gerald Lauzé FeatureWorx Creative Fabrication 206-19148 27th ave Surrey BC Posts: 264 | From: Cloverdale ( Surrey ) BC | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
After viewing your website,listening to the background at 4am, reading your profile and seeing what you've created I could only say that a facade on the brown part would be of more value to your business than any kind of graphics whether paint or a digital print. Your work is extreme and extreme measures is what's needed.
A truck like that is an eyesore as the color and trim are horrifying, great for farms but it sucks for an eye candy. With your talent and imagination for casting I wouldn't waste my time with any print before I changed it to something more eye worthy to begin with just with suspension mods and from there I would go with a cast facade bolted to the complete brown fascia.
Your work is awesome, flaunt it
-------------------- HotLines Joey Madden - pinstriping since 1952 'Perfection, its what I look for and what I live for'
posted
I would probably try to come up with a design that fits inside the dark panel of the truck with perhaps a single element that would break to the outside of it just a bit.
posted
I'd stick to the brown panel as well. But do write on there somewhere that you make signs, or list your website, because the company title is rather vague. I think you were attracted to the contrast, which is always attractive and being seen less and less these days as the visual noise of wraps takes over. My brain feels like creamed corn sometimes too! Love....Jill
Posts: 8834 | From: Butler, PA, USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
holy cow...look at the clearance he has on that cnc!!! your work is top notch for sure! i agree with everyone on the keeping it simple on the dark brown.
-------------------- Karyn Bush Simply Not Ordinary, LLC Bartlett, NH 603-383-9955 www.snosigns.com info@snosigns.com Posts: 3516 | From: Bartlett, NH USA | Registered: Jan 2001
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posted
How aboout just wrapping the brown stripe to make it look 3D? Put some 3D drawing on there and make it look like it is coming out of the truck? Or maybe some photos of your work. At least then you've ditched the brown stripe.
[ March 13, 2007, 09:28 AM: Message edited by: Deri Russell ]
-------------------- Deri Russell Wildwood Signs Hanover, Ontario
You're just jealous 'cause the little voices only talk to me. Posts: 1904 | From: Hanover, Ontario, Canada | Registered: Dec 1998
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posted
My first thought was along the lines of Joey's, building a 3D facade and adding it into the bodywork on the truck.
Then I thought about it for a minute.....
If I were in your shoes, I would slam the truck into the weeds, install an air suspension to get the ride height and load capacity you can adjust when you need it, strip the body off that truck in a heartbeat, and build a one-off composite truck. You've got the skills and the talent to design and build it, shouldn't be a big deal for you at all, and talk about getting creative!! What better project to really show off your company's abilities!
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
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posted
Wow there's a bunch of good ideas here. I like the " cover the brown stripe " idea.
A couple things here about the truck. As much as I like the look of a lowered truck, it's my main vehicle, family and work. And I go camping often with a slide in camper. The only thing I'm changing are the terrible mirrors . And maybe the body moulding should come off. I've thought many time of a full styro facade and wicked wheels but I just don't have the $$ to do it.
I'm kinda starting over with my business. Well not completely, just chapter 3 I guess. I must spend my $$ wisely. Most bang for the least buck
Here's my problem..I can do so much. (too much ) Here's my wrap wish list as far as info and/or pictures go.
oh and I work with wood metal foam plastic etc etc it seems like a simpler direction would be better, but I've got to make people aware of what I do..No one knows!! Neither do I ..(That could be the problem.)
Hell, I should just cover the truck in contact cement and dust it with the contents of my dust collector. write my name on the door with a Sharpie.
"We make lots of sawdust"
I smell something burning, and it smells like creamed corn.
Cheers
-------------------- Gerald Lauzé FeatureWorx Creative Fabrication 206-19148 27th ave Surrey BC Posts: 264 | From: Cloverdale ( Surrey ) BC | Registered: Mar 2006
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posted
How about you paint over the brown, a quick qt of metallic enamel threw you hvlp gun and in 2-3 hours the brown is gone. As far as explaining what you do. In the new awesome colored stripe area you call yourself a Sign and interior/ exterior display/design and fabricate something or other. keep it simple but show off your capability. If you need to list the things you do put that on the tail gate.
posted
I think you could take the full wrap approach but think of it as new paint job for your daily driver. I like the simple design of your awning. Maybe punch it up a bit & coordinate with the website design. Seems like with a full wrap you could just improve the look of your truck without expensive body work and work in a little advertising. Do you really need a rolling billboard that spells out what you do? I think a nicer vehicle with just the business name would tie in better. You can't expect people to understand all you do by looking at your truck.
Just a nice looking vehicle with some name recognition is all you need.
-------------------- Glenn S. Harris
....back in the sign trade full time. Posts: 293 | From: Baton Rouge, LA, USA | Registered: Jul 2001
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Cheers,
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