Design & Price: Box truck graphics

In 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 cabinet company has retired their old delivery van and purchased a brand new box truck with 8-by-16-ft. side panels. In addition to growing into a new truck, they’ve also moved into a larger shop and they’re ready for a new identity. The owner would like a quote on developing a logo and lettering the new box truck. Make a sketch of the design you might have designed for the customer and quote a price.

This appeared in the November/December 2011 issue of SignCraft. While the prices have been adjusted for inflation, they may not accurately reflect current pricing for such signage.

Cam Sauder

Raynbow Signs

Palmerson, Ontario, Canada

This is a fairly typical job at our shop. We sit down with the customer, discuss their business vision, who they are trying to reach with their marketing and so forth. We also try to show them the value of having their logo created first, as a foundation for their business identity.

We explain that we charge a one-time logo design set-up fee and quote subsequent jobs separately. We often do two rough concepts, taking direction from our sales conversation for one of them, and going off on an “expanded” vision (read that as “upgrade”) on another. Artwork design services range from $700 to $1000CDN ($750US) for mid-range complexity up to $1000 to $1500CDN ($750 to $1200) for complex.

For this truck lettering job, the design has been finalized, fixed quote agreed upon, and the truck is brought to our facility and thoroughly washed and de-greased. Graphics are printed on our Roland Versa-CammVP-540i. We print on Arlon 6000XRP, and over-laminate with Arlon 3220 crystal clear.

Joseph & Ben Diaz

Diaz Sign Art

Pontiac, Illinois

I did the design for this project and my brother, Ben, did the pricing. The price was based on a square-foot price for Orajet 3951 G RA print vinyl with Oraguard 290 G laminate, plus installation. The vinyl square-foot prices would be more, but design cost is decreased because the customer has purchased the logo. Our price also includes a markup for working around rivets.

Cal Trauter

Raven Sign Co.

Summerland, British Columbia, Canada

After some discussion with the client, it was apparent that this company is now known by its name, Calloway, rather than what they do, which is cabinets. With this in mind, I designed a logo using the name with a tag line. The only icon used was the letter “C” on a beveled panel, which ironically looks like a cabinet door.

We’ve noticed the tendency for many companies to use actual photos in a wrap. This logo was designed in such a way that it can be included in a wrap and still be easy to read.

This depends on the amount of copy on doors, such as phone numbers, web addresses and other services.

My quotes are normally handwritten on the work order form from SignCraft’s Business Forms Pack [available at www.signcraft.com], and the actual ink design with color swatch is attached. I have included a photo of the finished artwork on a faux burl wood panel (courtesy of David Kynaston), which is ready to be scanned.

My business focuses on artwork that is hand designed and executed in paint. All the paint on this vehicle would be 1Shot lettering enamel, and color swatches would be retained for future reference. Colors are as follows: medium green, chamois, ivory, lettering white, sublime green, with mixes used as follows: dark green plus tinting black, chamois plus imitation gold as a base, then tinting white and tan used to lighten and darken the base color.

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