Design & Price: Van lettering

For every issue, SignCraft gave a few sign makers an imaginary project. We asked them to do a sketch of the sign they might have produced, and to quote a price for the job. Most of the details were left to the designer’s imagination. The object was to see how different sign makers approach the same project. Here’s the scenario these sign makers were given:

A local flooring contractor who specializes in installing wood and laminate flooring has just bought a new van. He says he’d like to identify his truck with some nice graphics and lettering and get a logo. His business is growing, and he would like artwork that would lend itself to use for fleet graphics and on T-shirts. He points out some of the truck lettering that he likes in your portfolio and explains that he’s looking forward to dressing up his new truck.

Make a sketch of the sign you might have designed for this customer and quote a price.

This appeared in the January/February 2004 issue of SignCraft. While the prices have been adjusted for inflation, they may not accurately reflect current pricing for such signage.

 

Dwayne Hunter

Image Factory Signs & Designs, Inc., King, North Carolina

For a quote like this, I work off the idea that they want something really nice, but their budget can range from minimal to maximum. Most of my ideas would come from that initial meeting—their personality, image they want to present (corporate, detail oriented, classic, contemporary), type of clientele they want to pursue (everyone, commercial, corporate, individuals, high income, low income) and what they like and don’t like in my portfolio.

Typically, my designs would be much narrower in concept than these three. Once I had a feel for everything I mentioned above, the designs would reflect those thoughts and ideas. However, in this case, we are going to present three ideas that would sell in this area.

Our logo-design fee is billed hourly. I try to provide everything I can the first time. Sometimes we leave a little more money on the table than I’d like, but it usually comes back around. We do include T-shirt designs or business-card designs with this fee. If the customer wants these designs, we offer them as a separate project.

Design A: This is a very simple and basic design. This would appeal to almost any type of clientele, but would still have that amateur appearance of a beginning company. I would point this out to the customer, so that Design B would have more appeal. Installation would be a breeze. I’d use dry application for speed.

 

 

 

Design B: This is more elaborate. The inspiration for this design came from the truck lettering I’ve seen in SignCraft, especially the work of Karen Souza [Cranberry Signcraft, Mattapoisett, Massachusetts]. With the six colors, it would be eye-catching. Yet, readability is not sacrificed. This design would appeal to anyone in the market for wood flooring, but it would also instill a little more confidence in more affluent homeowners looking for a detail-oriented company.

Installation would be more involved. The first three colors (black, silver and charcoal) would be installed dry for speed. The next three (green, light adobe and ivory) would be installed wet so that I could make sure everything fits perfectly.

Most customers want the added details, but typically, budget is the limiting factor. With both these designs, the client and I can sometimes find a middle ground—maybe a design that incorporates some of the shadows, but not all, for a more affordable package.

Design C: If Mr. Rose came in and said, “Money is no object,” this is what we’d create. The four panels could be pictures of two different ideas—flooring samples or pictures of homes and offices with various colored flooring. The price we quoted is for the flooring samples. Naturally, the home and office pictures would require more time. Since there are large-format print shops with excellent equipment, I usually sublet this. We’ve covered all our bases with this design—corporate clients, middle-income and high-income homeowners. The back doors would have smaller-scaled versions of the logos.

Installation would be rather involved. I’d sublet the print installation to a local professional that works for race teams. The lettering would go on top of the panels. I’d put them on wet the next day. Dry application would work, but I would not take any chances.

 

Wade Gronwold

Ultimate Images, Fargo, North Dakota

After talking with the customer, I create some thumbnail sketches in my mind. I take into account that he wants a nice logo to use for fleet graphics and on T-shirts—a logo that is unique, but cost effective. Then I go to the computer. If the customer is looking at doing multiple units, I give discounts.

 

Bill Diaz

Diaz Sign Art, Pontiac, Illinois

I first try to sell a logo development. I would also suggest putting the logo on the back, as well as the sides. I like using a price range to accommodate some latitude in the process. This range may allow some moderate pinstriping, which is usually requested in our shop for this type of project.

All the copy and graphics would be high-performance cast vinyl. The wood graining in the outline of “Fine Floors” would be done with a wood-graining tool and House of Kolors urethane Lettering and Striping Enamel. A computer-cut mask would isolate these areas during the graining. The twinkles in “Fine Floors” and the fade in the gray stripe would also be in the same House of Kolors paint.

 

Curt Stenz

Curt Stenz Graphics, Schofield, Wisconsin

This is the type of customer I enjoy. Mr. Rose is someone who realizes the real economic value of truck lettering, as well as having an interest in my work and me.

I would explain that a logo is not just clip art that I throw on the vehicle. A logo is something that the customer will live with for some time and that some consideration should be given to the amount of design time, which is the basis for the cost.

Sketch A: This is a logo my client may get if he were willing to spend $974 for it. I would do some roughs in pencil and get approval on one. In this example, the basic lines (paths) were traced and created in Adobe Illustrator then imported into Photoshop for finishing. The panel would be a 3M Scotchprint that I outsourced. I would cut and apply the remaining text on the vehicle.

Sketch B: If the customer were not willing to spend the money for a logo, I would immediately grab a pencil and start to thumbnail something rough. I would try to sell this job before he leaves the shop. This would be a combination of vinyl and paint.

Colors: “Fine Floors” would be dark brown with an imitation gold highlight. “Wood & Laminate” and “W.T. Rose” would be imitation gold. The ampersand would be lighter. The copy on the door would be dark brown and imitation gold. The wood flooring planks would be done with lettering enamel, Smith’s Cream and Fineline Tape, blended with a fitch. Working from the customer’s samples, I would add dark wood-grain details.