Boat Lettering Help Please

[Sign_Boy]

Hi all. It's been a while.
A client wants me to vinyl letter their boat. Does anyone here know of an "easy" way to figure out the curve on the bow of a boat. They want the name placed in the area that's red. Thanks!!

 

[AKwrapguy]

Measure it? That's they we we do it.

 

[Pippin Decals]

every boat is going to be different ,The best way is to measure and or take a photo of it in person

 

[klingsdesigns]

If the letters are not touching each other. Just measure left and right for heights then cut 3/4 of the way up inbetween each letter and apply that way so it slopes to the curve. We do registrations numbers like that all the time.

 

[Sign_Boy]

Thanks everyone. Even if I measure it I still have to account for the curve of the boat. (see photo - the text needs to follow the curve of the boat) Is there a way to figure this out without guessing? I must be missing something here and it's probably an easy solution.

Klingsdesigns - thanks for the tip. Unfortunately the name will most likely be in script with a shadow.

Thanks!!

 

[papabud]

best way.. do cut vinyl letters and manually curve it as you go
use a wax pencil. trace a line that matches the curve and align your letters to that

 

[bob]

Just like vehicle rear windows, make a paper template.

 

[Sign_Boy]

Thanks again everyone!!

 

[Modern Ink Signs]

We will take a roll of old or crap vinyl and cut the lettering, weed and quick trim, hold it up to the boat an adjust as needed. Really simple and away to use up that left over few yards of teal you have laying around!

Scrap and such work too!

 

[Pippin Decals]

I actually will have my cutter do a pen draw of the image on white craftpaper rolls and use as a template for adjustment Much cheaper.

 

[Sign_Boy]

Thanks -

I like the pen plot idea. Only problem is the boat will not be at my shop. It's about 15 minutes away. This could potentially be a lot of back and forth with guess work.

 

[GB2]

Put some transfer tape on the boat then mark the correct alignment for the lettering on it . Remove the tape, lay it out flat, photograph it and design your graphic accordingly.

 

[Pippin Decals]

Thanks -

I like the pen plot idea. Only problem is the boat will not be at my shop. It's about 15 minutes away. This could potentially be a lot of back and forth with guess work.

Ok. so here is a way to save those trips down to 1 visit.... This is also what i do,,,, I will take a yellow sticky note or a 8x8 sheet of paper Your choice of size is up to you and color will depend on the color of your work area you are applying to.) Place that on the vehicle,Boat,Door etc etc and take a picture of it square and straight on of the area the whole design will be going on.... I then take that image and load it into (Ai for me) . and then make my artboard the size of that paper..

I then enlarge ( locked to keep from distorting the image ) that image i took and make it to where the paper etc is the same size of my artboard..

I know that the paper is lets 8x8 exact so ,by making the artboard 8x8 , everything else in that image will be really close on for measuring curves etc. ,If you understand my process it will help you out a lot . I do this for all my travel jobs and has never failed me once.

 

[Sign_Boy]

Thanks again all.

GB2 - I like that idea as well.

Primal - Thanks! I don't know why I didn't think of that one. I use to do that all the time. It's a great way to have a reference to scale up to. Hopefully it'll work. The boat curves front to back and top to bottom. I'm guessing it'll be close enough.

 

[Pippin Decals]

No problem bud. Keep me/us posted. Any questions drop me a message

 

[klingsdesigns]

I have not tried it. I was told you can take a piece of string and tape the left and right part. Make sure it is tight. Then you can measure the drop in the the curve and design it that way. But with boats its not usually a perfect curve. Probably would work better for windshields.

 

[Marlene]

I would take a dead on straight photo and measure the distance between the top of the arc and bottom. I'd scale it up and make my copy fit. Since you are doing script, it will be easier as the letters will be upper & lower case and won't show if you are a little tiny fraction off.

 

[Gino]

Before computers, when doing newspaper ads and other curves of copy for lettering, we'd just put some press type on a piece of paper, cut the little sections and make it fit whatever curve needed. It even works with French Curves.

So, instead of press type, use your vinyl on the backer with the application tape on it, cut it up, make sure it fits with a trial run, then remove the liner and stick it down, where it belongs. Takes about 2 extra minutes to do it this way.

The 'computer' is a tool and making them do everything when you don't know how, can be very tricky, especially when there's travel distance if mistakes are made. This will be only one trip.... there and back, so

cut the thing twice and make sure you get at least one of them correct.

 

[klingsdesigns]

that wont work with a script font that the letter connect to each other.

 

[Gino]

It will, but it's much more difficult. I was going by his example. I didn't realize it was script.

Besides, why would you put a script on an arch ??​