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vinyl decal business

crex

New Member
Hello everyone. I am pretty new to this whole graphic vinyl stuff. Im really interested in getting into the business. However i am having a hard time finding legal information on what i am able to reproduce to sell. Also where to download fonts and images. I see many shops mostly all have the same premade images. but where to get them is what gets me. I am leanning more towards the automotive enthusiast side. So any help is greatly appreciated. Thanks in advanced
 

iSign

New Member
all the things you draw are allowed

all the things others draw are not allowed, unless you pay for the rights to make money off what other people draw


...oh, and disregard all the people saying you should call them "decals"...
....sounds like you actually are in the sticker business!
 

rjssigns

Active Member
"Automotive enthusiasts" are going to want Ford, Chevy, Dodge etc... You can't do those. Harley Davidson is another that will rain hell fire on you for producing anything that says any variation you can come up with.

Interesting tidbit: Friends of ours that have a massive sign operation had the H-D execs stop by to finalize signage details. So they thought a nice "bar and shield" welcome sign by the conference room would be appropriate. Wrong!!!! They were umm...admonished, then told to destroy it into unrecognizable bits while they watched.

Got one for RedBull too. Absolutely gruesome.

Although if you don't mind losing everything you have and living in confined spaces then by all means...
 

OldPaint

New Member
have to CLARIFY..... the use of FORD, CHEVY DODGE......logos..........IN MY WORK, i have painted many of these!!!!
the tailgate of a chevy truck, dodge, ford!!!!! i didnt do anything illegal. NOW.. someon wants a big FORD SIGN LOGO for their garage............now your stepin into problem area.
HARLEY will own all your equipment!!!same with DISNEY, WARNER BROS, HANA BARBARA. now i have re-created stuff.......of these people......but told them....THEY DIDNT KNOW WHO DID IT!!!! got caught doin a "garfield" on a tow truck, by jim davis's next door neighbor DIK BROWN(hagar the horrible)but i was friends with DIK's daughter and son......so nothing came of it.
was asked to do a sign for EASYRIDER CLOTHING STORE. wanted it in the EASY RIDER FONT.....and the line drawing of the motorcycle. couldnt find the font. so i figured it was a legal approved by easy rider and i called them to see if i could get the font they used!!!!
BOY DID I UNCORK A CAN OF WORMS!!!!!! now they want to know who i am, who iam doing this for, and who told me it was AUTHORIZED by easy rider!!!!! told me to cease and desiste and to tell the person that was having me do this to also STOP!!!!!
i went ahead did the signs got paid.........never seen em go up..........i dont know what was going on with that.
 

iSign

New Member
Speaking of tailgates.... and Harley or Disney....

Tell us Joe... how is the NFL about this sort of thing?
 

Sign Works

New Member
Is this what you are looking for?
 

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crex

New Member
all the things you draw are allowed

all the things others draw are not allowed, unless you pay for the rights to make money off what


...oh, and disregard all the people saying you should call them "decals"...
....sounds like you actually are in the sticker business!
Just to make sure all those people at the malls selling the same stuff are basically risking a big fine. Thank you for the clear up
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
I would encourage you to take a bit longer look at your surroundings. What aren't the others doing? What markets aren't they serving effectively (or completely avoiding)? What else can you bring to the table that they can not? These are the places to start.

I realize you have to start somewhere, but if you plan on being around longer than the adhesive on some of that swag, Calvin and his friends won't be of much help. Selling the "same stuff" doesn't make for a good business plan either.

Face it, the road will be longer, the hills higher, the challenges harder and the stakes higher. These are the obvious reasons why others don't go there. But in the end, we all know the rewards are better.

Listen to the battle stories around here. These folks know what they're talking about.


JB
 

Sign Works

New Member
Because i see all these people selling the same stuff i figured its okay. But where do they find all the same designs. Lol.

I was actually kidding with those two images. Seriously you can find some good vector art collections from sign supply distributors or online. Such as -

1.) Vector Art Mega Collections 1, 2 & 3
2.) Sign DNA http://signdna.com/shop/
3.) Clipart DeSIGN http://www.clipart-design.com/
4.) Aurora Graphics https://www.auroragraphics.net/
5.) Bee Line Clipart http://beelineclipart.com/
 

crex

New Member
I would encourage you to take a bit longer look at your surroundings. What aren't the others doing? What markets aren't they serving effectively (or completely avoiding)? What else can you bring to the table that they can not? These are the places to start.
JB

I fully agree with you. However at the same i think its always better to have a bigger variety selection rather. Yet u r right about it all. Thank you for the advice
 

James Burke

Being a grandpa is more fun than working
I think its always better to have a bigger variety selection rather.

Take a few months off and visit some of the (forced) liquidation sales. There's a lesson to be learned at every one of them. There always seems to be a "big selection" of stuff they weren't able to sell and it goes for pennies on the dollar...or even less.

Also, brush up on the basics of "lean manufacturing". Time will be one of your most valuable resources...not the box full of stuff you lug from venue to venue.


JB
 

Techman

New Member
However at the same i think its always better to have a bigger variety selection rather.

Bigger selection is never better.. Especially in this line of work. A big selection of cut graphics is an anchor.

First. Get out of the idea of making money selling onesy twosy little stickers.
A complete waste of time and effort.

Second, spend time learning how to make real vinyl signs and interior wall decorations and make some money doing that.
 
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