Create gold leaf shields on vinyl film

I often produce shields and emblems for fire chief vehicles. I use a process that lets me produce them in the shop and apply them to the vehicle. When the car is repurposed after its normal run of six to eight years the shields are easily removed. The cars are outside 24/7 for their entire life and see a lot of wear and tear, but these shields hold up well for the most part.

I start by making a pounce pattern for the shields. Then I cut two 15-by-18-in. pieces of 3M enamel receptive clear film, which has a clear plastic liner. One sheet becomes the background, and the other is masked and put aside for later to serve as the top layer. I hand cut a piece of Real Gold sign vinyl to shape from the pounce pattern and apply it to the 3M clear background, using the wet method.