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Suggestions windshield lettering

BillyBoy86

New Member
I have a client who wants a line of text across the top of the windshield for their new truck - 2019 f350.

i've done this before, and have created my own template to set up the file, but i was wondering if anyone knows if i can find a template somewhere for the windshield? reason being, it's quite a drive each way to the client and i'm trying to save myself a trip.

Thanks!
 

unclebun

Active Member
I am guessing you want a template to pre-curve the lettering? As long as you don't use connected script, you can cut your lettering in a straight line and then cut between the letters from the bottom, 1/2" short of the top, and tape along the contour at the top of the windshield. Then you stick them one letter at a time. Faster than fiddling with trying to match the curve in the computer.
 

BillyBoy86

New Member
I am guessing you want a template to pre-curve the lettering? As long as you don't use connected script, you can cut your lettering in a straight line and then cut between the letters from the bottom, 1/2" short of the top, and tape along the contour at the top of the windshield. Then you stick them one letter at a time. Faster than fiddling with trying to match the curve in the computer.

yeah that was pretty much my plan. i just hate doing it that way, haha. last time i did something like this, i had the truck on site for several days, so i just traced my own template and went from there. easy.
 

unclebun

Active Member
It takes us about 15 minutes to install a straight one that way. Drawing a template, photographing it, scaling in the computer, warping the lettering to match takes longer.
 

KMC

Graphic Artist
I am guessing you want a template to pre-curve the lettering? As long as you don't use connected script, you can cut your lettering in a straight line and then cut between the letters from the bottom, 1/2" short of the top, and tape along the contour at the top of the windshield. Then you stick them one letter at a time. Faster than fiddling with trying to match the curve in the computer.

Exactly this, and it saves time and media cutting it in a straight line and then doing the splice method
 

Gino

Premium Subscriber
I am guessing you want a template to pre-curve the lettering? As long as you don't use connected script, you can cut your lettering in a straight line and then cut between the letters from the bottom, 1/2" short of the top, and tape along the contour at the top of the windshield. Then you stick them one letter at a time. Faster than fiddling with trying to match the curve in the computer.


How many here, remember the old days of real cut & paste with press type ?? First time I did that, thought I was a magician, until the head speedball writer told me, that's how it's done in the newspaper and just about anywhere else you need arched text. Took the wind, right outta my sails.
 

unclebun

Active Member
In high school we laid out the yearbook and the school newspaper that way. Real pasteups. We were making camera-ready art that was really going to go under a camera.
 

decalman

New Member
You can just take a stab in the dark and give it a little curve usually it works out okay.

After all we're not tuning a piano here..... we're just putting on a sticka.

( that's my favorite cop out line..... " we're not tuning a piano)
 

jcskikus

Owner, Designer & Installer
I usually create a straight line (as best I can) above the windshield with painter's tape and measure the distance at 3 points from the line and recreate the arc in Flexi. I either place my text on the line or distort it to mimic the arc. It comes out very close to looking correct where only you'd know it was off. What looks like a smile, when applied, looks almost straight.
 

SIGNTIME

New Member
I save a few 4'x1"-3" drops of acm for this, lay it across the windshield so the middle hits the top then measure how far from the top the ends are (usually around an inch) in illustrator put a guideline at the top of the text move it down that inch and use the warp arch tool till the top hits the guideline again.... most of the time its -7 arch.
 

Mike Paul

Super Active Member
See attached.
 

Attachments

  • windshield.jpg
    windshield.jpg
    324.8 KB · Views: 357

BillyBoy86

New Member
Actually finished the job today. used the method of cutting it straight and the cutting between the letters. applied one letter at a time. went fairly smooth
 
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