Help With A Layout

[lkt1954]

I need some help this morning on the attached layout. We are doing several police car and I am having an issue with the door lettering. This is our first vehicle to do where we hav had to use both doors for the lettering. The word police is 5" x 60" and they do not want a letter split between the doors so spacing is needed. While I have done numerous vehicle letterings-again this is my first on splitting between doors. What is my best approach here- add a space between each letter, after printing when applying just place on each door where they look good or what? To me the passengers looks ok, but the drivers side leaves something to be desired. As usual they show up and need this one done yesterday.

Any suggestions/ideas? I am using flexi as my software.

Thanks
Larry

 

[qmr55]

If allowed, I would say you have to mess with the kearning til you get it spaced out where nothing lands on the split and still is appealing to the eye.

 

[HulkSmash]

Just lay it across, and cut through the letters into the door seams... what's the problem here?

 

[signguy 55]

I'm not crazy about a font that has the letter "I" with the top and bottom bars. To me it looks wrong and amateurish. I would either get a bolder font and tweak the kerning or just do two separate layouts, one for each side.

If you do it right (which means don't bring it up when they come to pick it up) they won't notice the difference if a measurement is an inch off compared to one side. Just brag about how good the trunk looks to divert their attention!! Remember, you can't see both sides at the same time. Words of wisdom from an old pinstriper I knew.

I would do something about that "I" though.

 

[Gino]

Your first concern would be with your layout, rather than not splitting a letter. For a Police cruiser, that's a very weak look. Fix your layout and as far as splitting a letter over a seam.... that is the correct way to do it. It lands where it lands and that's all there is to it. Case closed. From a distance, no one cares if some lettering is lost or not. If they insist, let them go elsewhere. Ruining the cadence is far more wrong than worrying about splitting two sides up differently to meet their dumb expectations.

We do quite a few municipalities and I've never heard of such a request... especially from the customer. Sounds more like someone in your shop is trying to be quirky.

Who's the professional here ?? You tell them what's correct or not.

Now, if a letter is going to hit and you only need to shift it a 1/4" or so, then do it, but not to miss entire letters.

 

[strypguy]

If it has to be done that way I'd try this.
I did this real quick so you'll need to play with the spacing and alignment alittle but it should work.

View attachment Policerev.pdf


John

 

[signcrafters london]

Just lay it across, and cut through the letters into the door seams... what's the problem here?

+1

 

[lkt1954]

Thanks for all the responses. Trust me on the splitting of the letters its the customer, not us. The last vehicles they had done was split and came off within 6 months, so they want it this way. Thanks to strypguy who tweaked it, now it will work. I too agree with the weak look to the font, but thats what the new chief wants, so we will do it. There may be a little shift once I get my hands on the car.

John- dumb question how did you change the "I"?

Thanks again
Larry

 

[qmr55]

Thanks for all the responses. Trust me on the splitting of the letters its the customer, not us. The last vehicles they had done was split and came off within 6 months, so they want it this way. Thanks to strypguy who tweaked it, now it will work. I too agree with the weak look to the font, but thats what the new chief wants, so we will do it. There may be a little shift once I get my hands on the car.

John- dumb question how did you change the "I"?

Thanks again
Larry

Use the node editor tool and just remove the outer "stems".

 

[Gino]

Use the node editor tool and just remove the outer "stems".

Or use a lower case 'L' in its place.

 

[lkt1954]

Thanks again. Its all ready to install.

Larry

 

[JoshLoring]

Just lay it across, and cut through the letters into the door seams... what's the problem here?

+2

 

[strypguy]

Larry,

I used the straighten points in the path edit tool bar.

Glad that worked for you.

John