Monday, June 30, 2008
Stenciling vs. Vinyl Lettering
Before vinyl lettering, painting stencils was only way to add this type of look to your walls. But not all of us are artistic enough to paint on the walls, or have the time or patience to stencil. Vinyl Lettering makes it easy for us to add a stenciled look to our walls without the mess or time of painting. In addition, once the stencils were painted on the wall, they could only be removed by painting over them. With vinyl lettering, you can easily and safely remove the lettering at any time.
Tuesday, June 24, 2008
Stick Family Figures
Have you seen the great stick family figures on the vehicles around town? These stick families are a cool way to show everyone how much you love your family.
Here are some tips when ordering your stick family figures:
1. If you plan to put your stick family on a vehicle window, always order white glossy vinyl. White shows up the best against the grey of the window (some sites don’t give you a choice of colors). Outdoor vinyl only comes in glossy, but make sure they offer vinyl that will hold up for at least 6 years.
2. If you have a windshield wiper on your back window, consider placing your stick family on the back window (driver’s side) if you own a station wagon, SUV, or van. If you don’t have that option, make sure your wipers won’t "wipe" off your family during the next rainstorm by placing them strategically and adhering them properly.
3. If you don’t have tinted windows, you may consider requesting your stick figures be cut in "reverse" allowing you to place your family in the window from the inside. They may be more difficult to see, but they will last longer.
4. Most sites allow you to add names to each of your stick figures. You can also order such titles as "The Johnson Family" or "The Johnsons" or "Crazy Clan of Christensens". Be creative and show your family’s personality.
5. Don’t forget the pets in your life. Make sure you order a stick pet to go with your stick family.
Here are some tips when ordering your stick family figures:
1. If you plan to put your stick family on a vehicle window, always order white glossy vinyl. White shows up the best against the grey of the window (some sites don’t give you a choice of colors). Outdoor vinyl only comes in glossy, but make sure they offer vinyl that will hold up for at least 6 years.
2. If you have a windshield wiper on your back window, consider placing your stick family on the back window (driver’s side) if you own a station wagon, SUV, or van. If you don’t have that option, make sure your wipers won’t "wipe" off your family during the next rainstorm by placing them strategically and adhering them properly.
3. If you don’t have tinted windows, you may consider requesting your stick figures be cut in "reverse" allowing you to place your family in the window from the inside. They may be more difficult to see, but they will last longer.
4. Most sites allow you to add names to each of your stick figures. You can also order such titles as "The Johnson Family" or "The Johnsons" or "Crazy Clan of Christensens". Be creative and show your family’s personality.
5. Don’t forget the pets in your life. Make sure you order a stick pet to go with your stick family.
Saturday, June 7, 2008
Matte vs. Glossy Vinyl
Many vinyl lettering websites have both matte and glossy vinyl available for your project. Several reasons why you would use one type over another will be discussed further down, but for starters, let me explain the visual difference.
The easiest way to explain is to use the example of patent leather vs. regular leather shoes. Glossy vinyl looks like patent leather shoes; they are both slick and shiny. The Matte vinyl looks like a regular leather shoe; slightly textured with no shine.
Where you are going to place that project is probably the first determining factor as to whether you want to use matte or glossy vinyl. Here are the characteristics and best uses for each type of vinyl:
Matte Vinyl
1. Unlimited life indoors; 3 year outdoor life.
2. The adhesive on the back of the vinyl makes it very easy to remove from walls and other surfaces. It will not leave any residue.
3. Because Matte vinyl is not shiny, it doesn’t glare when indoor lights hit it.
4. Limited choice of colors available.
Glossy Vinyl
1. Unlimited life indoors; 4-8 year outdoor life (depending on the brand and type).
2. The adhesive on the back of the vinyl is permanent. Therefore, removal of this type of vinyl will take a little more effort to remove from a surface.
3. Because Glossy vinyl is shiny, indoor lights tend to glare off the vinyl.
4. The best vinyl to use on car windows is white glossy.
5. Many color choices available.
Basically, if your project is going to indoors, you will probably want to choose matte over glossy unless you have your heart set on a color that doesn’t come in matte. For outdoor use, glossy will be your best bet for longevity.
The easiest way to explain is to use the example of patent leather vs. regular leather shoes. Glossy vinyl looks like patent leather shoes; they are both slick and shiny. The Matte vinyl looks like a regular leather shoe; slightly textured with no shine.
Where you are going to place that project is probably the first determining factor as to whether you want to use matte or glossy vinyl. Here are the characteristics and best uses for each type of vinyl:
Matte Vinyl
1. Unlimited life indoors; 3 year outdoor life.
2. The adhesive on the back of the vinyl makes it very easy to remove from walls and other surfaces. It will not leave any residue.
3. Because Matte vinyl is not shiny, it doesn’t glare when indoor lights hit it.
4. Limited choice of colors available.
Glossy Vinyl
1. Unlimited life indoors; 4-8 year outdoor life (depending on the brand and type).
2. The adhesive on the back of the vinyl is permanent. Therefore, removal of this type of vinyl will take a little more effort to remove from a surface.
3. Because Glossy vinyl is shiny, indoor lights tend to glare off the vinyl.
4. The best vinyl to use on car windows is white glossy.
5. Many color choices available.
Basically, if your project is going to indoors, you will probably want to choose matte over glossy unless you have your heart set on a color that doesn’t come in matte. For outdoor use, glossy will be your best bet for longevity.
Tuesday, June 3, 2008
More Customizing With The Custom Design Center
The Custom Design Center is by far the most popular item on any vinyl lettering website. The ability to create your own quote, choosing your own color, size, and font is very simple and exciting. Take a look at VinylLetterDecor.com's Custom Design Center and play around with the tool. You will see you can actually view your creation before you order, making your custom design exactly how you want it before ordering.
If you would like a more professional design, just order the quote and request VinylLetterDecor.com to spruce it up. We will be happy spend some time on your quote making it look like the Pre-Made Designs. We will then upload a picture of your quote for your approval.
If you would like a more professional design, just order the quote and request VinylLetterDecor.com to spruce it up. We will be happy spend some time on your quote making it look like the Pre-Made Designs. We will then upload a picture of your quote for your approval.
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