Best resource for vehicle outline templates

[Luke_Signwalker]

Hi everyone,

A new year and looking for a new improvement.

I normally use the vehicle templates from mr-clipart (99€ /year..) but I noticed most of the times when scaled it doesn't match the real size. Also the planes (I uploaded a photo if the term planes is wrong..) of van's are not exact to print/cut digital print what leaves me with a lot of work.

What's the best affordable resource for european van's/cars (Peugeot Boxer, Mercedes Sprinter, Opel Movano, ..)?

Greetings and a fortunate new year!

 

[Jester1167]

None of the templates are perfect. They are all slightly off in different areas and you have to learn to design around the discrepancies. Always take real world measurements of areas that are critical to your design.

Templates:
ProVehicle Outlines - Pro Vehicle Outlines - Professional Vehicle Wrap Templates - on disk, download service.

Car’n Trucks - mr-clipart - download service - single templates.

Art Station Vehicle Templates - Art Station Vehicle Templates - on disk, download service, single templates.

Some chose to use their own photos and scale them accordingly, but even the best camera lens will foreshorten (fisheye) images towards the edges of the lens. And, typically you get some foreshortening at the front and rear of the vehicle because you can't get far enough back.

If you are trying to install a graphic perfectly in the recess of vans like that, I would use a template and print an oversized image. Then install knifeless tape where you want to end the graphic. Install the print and then trim with knifeless.

 

[ExecuPrintGS]

We use the actual vehicle to template, take a photo and some critical measurements and scale and work our art that way.
For something like you posted a photo of we would oversize the print and trim to size with knifeless tape like Jester said

 

[Jester1167]

Here is and image that shows some of the thing that go on when creating your own raster templates. You should realize that the vector templates we buy and download are created similarly.

Image Template Creation

• Jester1167
• Jan 4, 2018
• 1

 

[Lea Marc]

We use Pro Vehicle Outlines and sometimes this site too when we can't find what we're looking for:

The-Blueprints.com - The largest free blueprint collection on the Internet - 15000 vector templates for sale

If you have access to the vehicle it's always best to measure yourself as the templates don't take into account the curves of the vehicles and any bumps or features the real thing might have.

Steve

 

[ThirdRockDesign]

I would steer clear of vehicle templates unleashed aka Car n' Truck. Not sure who is measuring these vehicles but it's a complete waste of money. Made the mistake of buying a subscription only to find out you pay to be able to fix what they advertise as an "accurate" template. When measurements are consistently off by as much or more than 2.5" from seam to seam that is in no way even close to accurate. Save your $$ and make them yourself from your pics and you physically measuring to create the most accurate template.

 

[CSOCSO]

Well. I am done with mr clipart ( car n truck) I even know the owner personally but i am done paying for their completely off size templates that is sometimes missing elements.
Cheap or not. I just signed up for pro vehicle outlines. It is several times more expensive but i just checked /tested a couple outlines and there are big differences in details and sizes.
Always had issues with the back of the vans and pick up trucks. Sometimes I had to re print.
Just measured the transit van I have here and the PVH is spot on! mr clipart is 3 inches too wide on the back door and 2 inches to tall.
Nearly all the other stuff i work on are always off.


btw i was the one who told them about the nv200 usa version is 10 inches longer and the doors are the other way around ( left smaller than the right). For years everyone was downloading the wrong template. I was the one who had them fix the promaster city. They were missing the big plastic piece on the back doors. I kinda feel like i was the only one using them in usa because there is no way no one ever complained to them.

 

[eahicks]

If at all possible, take your photos as FAR away as you can and zoom in...it will be more accurate vs standing 5 feet from the vehicle.

 

[bannertime]

Well. I am done with mr clipart ( car n truck) I even know the owner personally but i am done paying for their completely off size templates that is sometimes missing elements.

We've had their disk of graphics and some templates from early 2000s. So when I found they were still around a few years back, I signed up for the templates. Now, we always try to use the customer's vehicle with measurements taken directly from it, but one, rush fleet job didn't allow for that. Used a single cab F150 template and it was close enough to call it good. Except that the door was actually like 4 inches too long so the door graphics were cut too long big. So we've gone back to making our own stuff again. I'll use there templates for simple layouts, but I always apply our own measurements.

So, I wouldn't actively avoid Mr Clipart but there are definitely better sources. Many of which still need verification anyway.

 

[Dekthro]

Other than making my own, the only one's I ever recommend using is Pro Vehicle Outlines, and The Bad Wrap. It's much more convenient to use a purchased one but nothing really beats making your own when it comes to accuracy. Though The Bad Wrap's quality has decreased ever since Sergio sold it, I have experienced inaccuracies in templates ranging from minor issues to completely incorrect scaling resulting in large reprints (though more our fault for not double checking).

 

[RobertsPrinting]

We use Art Station templates.
I think it is $300. I add $25 to every design that used the template to cover the cost.
After 12 templates that’s additional profit.
I could send you one if you want to check it out.

 

[CSOCSO]

When I have to create a template myself usually i take a photo. Doesn't matter how far you stand from the car. Make sure the car fits in the picture. Measure between headlight and tail light. You can size that and won't have any issue. Also measure how much extra you need to print from the headlight to reach around and same with tail.
This never failed for the last decade.

 

[AndersonJoan]

I also use them for 99€ / year

 

[DylanBrown]

That's the standard price, isn't it?

 

[brdesign]

I have found the the ProVehicle Outlines, and Art Station templates to be the best, and about as close as you can expect a 2d rendering of a 3d object to be. The MrClipart templates I have found to be very inaccurate. Years ago I was at a sign trade show, the guy from MrClipart (might have been the owner?) spent almost the entire time I was at his booth doing nothing but trash talking the ProVehicle templates who had booth nearby.

 

[Stacey K]

Interesting conversation. I have some discs from Pro Vehicle Outlines from the 2000's but now have a subscription to MrClipart. I like the templates for when I can't measure the vehicle. I often do truck doors, tailgates, etc. The customer can call me with the info, I'll use the template for approximation and once they drop the vehicle off remeasure everything then cut the vinyl. I'm just one person and I don't do wraps so it works for me. I do notice the MrClipart templates are off from my measurements sometimes. This is why if I can't measure the vehicle ahead I never cut the vinyl ahead.

 

[Jester1167]

Stacy

When we did cut vinyl door logos we used templates and didn't measure and never had a problem with them not fitting. I guess it because we never crowded the margins. The door could be off several inches in both dimensions and there was still plenty of room. The only problem we had was forgetting about the old Dodge Ram emblems that weren't shown on the templates.

 

[Stacey K]

Stacy

When we did cut vinyl door logos we used templates and didn't measure and never had a problem with them not fitting. I guess it because we never crowded the margins. The door could be off several inches in both dimensions and there was still plenty of room. The only problem we had was forgetting about the old Dodge Ram emblems that weren't shown on the templates.

That's exactly why I measure again...those darn emblems! Here and there I cut ahead but for the most part, I just wait to be sure. Measure twice, cut once.

 

[DylanBrown]

It took me a few minutes to figure out what kind of problem you were talking about, until I saw a drawing where it says that perspective is important for a print. I agree with you on this point. My son helped me do it with perfect precision. He took a few references from sizedly.com and I made a full-fledged 3d model, so that you can perfectly calculate the area of the window where the print will be. When I brought all the exact measurements to the workshop, the guys were able to put the print on the door and it almost did not go beyond the boundaries, except for the millimeter angles.