Vinyl Text Alignment

[JLD984]

Hi everyone, I'm wondering if there are any general rules when it comes to applying vinyl text to vehicle doors when there is a strip or rail through the middle that isn't quite horizontal. Is it best to go on the same angle as the strip or have it perfectly horizontal (ie with a spirit level)? I've often applied it it horizontal but then it doesn't look right with the strip being on an angle. Any help appreciated.

 

[J Hill Designs]

never apply vehicle graphics with a level - how do you know that the surface it is parked on is level for one, and for two, body lines are almost never parallel with the road

 

[MikePro]

parallel with body lines
same applies when putting signage on a brick wall... mount it level but out of square with the mortar lines and your sign looks crooked.

 

[JLD984]

Thanks. The main thing I forgot to ask is what to do when the bottom of the doors are level but the body line through the middle isn't. For example I often have the business name above the line and phone number below. Should I still run parallel with the line?

 

[Billct2]

Do what looks right.

 

[MikePro]

nearest neighbor, and bottom line

 

[biggmann]

I have run into that same problem many times, just did a transport truck on Friday that had the same issue. The best thing I can suggest and what works for me is pick a prominent body line or something that is close to the graphics and follow that but before you apply it tape it up and stand back and see if it looks good. I have on occasion followed the body line and it looked crooked and then put it straight and it looked wrong so I split the difference and that seems to work. Every car is different so there is no hard and fast rule sometimes its just trial and error.

 

[striper14]

i do a lot of vehicles & in my experience about 70% of them you can use the bottom of the door as a guide, the rest being eyeball or a blend of two bodylines. Just gotta look right...and like most of my work, the same as the other side :ROFLMAO: