ExplicitGraphics

Members
  • Content Count

    11
  • Joined

  • Last visited

Community Reputation

0 Neutral

About ExplicitGraphics

  • Rank
    Member
  • Birthday 09/04/1980

Contact Methods

  • Website URL
    http://ExplicitGraphics.com

Profile Information

  • Gender
    Male
  • Location
    Austin, TX
  • Interests
    Designs of all kinds.
  1. I tried the PCI card parallel port option, and it didn't work. I installed it and the drivers, it was recognized, all good. Assigned it LPT1, all good. Sent job from Flexi, no cut. Boooooooo. Until I figure something out I am still married to this older laptop I have driving the cutter - it has a printer port.
  2. ExplicitGraphics

    Not my website but I had to share

    The biggest threat to copyright enforcement is this little country called China. I don't think they are going anywhere anytime soon. Agreed, the internet gives people something to hide behind. Perhaps they don't realize it's really a false cloak as it's very easy to get right to the source of someone selling bootleg graphics through a website or ebay account. And of course in this case, find out they are a child molester. Keep your nose clean, do good work, and give fair prices - you'll outlast any fly by night operation. I've had so many "businesses" try to take my spot in Austin over the 10 years I've been doing it, and they all failed.
  3. ExplicitGraphics

    Not my website but I had to share

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Davidson-tank-decal-/161032135343?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item257e4362af Hmm....probably not authentic... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Davidson-Script-Motorcycle-Vinyl-Decal-Sticker-Custom-Sizes-Colors-/251261686010?pt=Decals_Stickers_Vinyl_Art&var=&hash=item3a805d10fa Same design...probably not authentic either.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Davidson-Skull-Logo-Decal-Sticker-/140744535862?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item20c5072f36&vxp=mtr Although not a 100% recplica of HD's little skull...that's certainly not legit. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sportster-Script-Harley-Motorcycle-Vinyl-Decal-Sticker-Custom-Sizes-Colors-/261201772792?pt=Decals_Stickers_Vinyl_Art&var=&hash=item3cd0d6c0f8 Hrrmm..... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Davidson-Girl-Vinyl-Decal-/281102676629?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item4173067295&vxp=mtr Totally legit bruh.... http://www.ebay.com/itm/Harley-Emblem-Shield-Style-Union-Support-Union-Pride-Custom-Decal-/251286812489?pt=Motors_Car_Truck_Parts_Accessories&hash=item3a81dc7749&vxp=mtr Lulz... After further review, it seems that while HD certainly has greater copyright sniffing and enforcement, it's certainly not immune to the brave souls who boldly go where only stupid people have gone before.
  4. ExplicitGraphics

    Not my website but I had to share

    http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0&_nkw=harley+davidson+decal&_sacat=0&_from=R40 Harley Davidson better get their legal team in gear then...they are certainly slacking. You don't have to be a lawyer to tell that not all those decals are genuine. I would never be dumb enough to go listing Harley anything, or any copyrighted material - especially on something like Ebay - but that doesn't mean there's a lot of people who won't. I have a very good attorney that specializing in corporate law and has plenty of copyright experience. She keeps me in line. And I didn't give anyone legal advice....Earlier I didn't say that "nobody cares" about producing decals of their logo. I simply said, when it comes to the motorsport world, just like I said, a lot of brands are completely fine with people reproducing their stuff. Go to any car show. I've emailed at least 100 companies and requested their logos, telling them what I was going to do, and they were happy to provide whatever format I asked for. I document the conversation, and move on. My ass is covered for that vehicle/project, on to the next one. As far as the guy that sparked the start of this thread....if he is indeed a chester molester - he should have been castrated and beheaded a long time ago. Damn some copyright laws.
  5. ExplicitGraphics

    Not my website but I had to share

    Take a glance through a little site called Ebay at some of the decals offered. Search for any brand or copyright you can think of. Copyright enforcement is nowhere to be found. I recently had a buddy buy a poster from Russia of a shot from a photoshoot his own show car...fun times. A note on that disclaimer he has...I'm no lawyer, but I don't think that would protect him. Reality is a lot of brands don't give a damn if you get their logo and make a decal for your car or whatever. In the motorsport world....it's actually preferred. And with statistics on vehicle graphic impressions from an ROI standpoint, the $5 they would have made selling that decal isn't worth chasing after when they have you sitting in traffic showing off their brand for free.
  6. ExplicitGraphics

    Why you should pay more for name brand vinyls

    For alignment of multi-layer graphics, even on white/white - use a lightbox and your problems are solved. This will obviously require that you first, have a lightbox, and second, the graphic isn't bigger than the lightbox.
  7. ExplicitGraphics

    Issues applying vinyl to drum head.

    One, Oracal products are garbage. Two, a drum head decal seems like it not only would affect the sound of the drum in an undesired way, and would get the sh*t beat out of it in no time. Three, some surfaces just won't take. Four, some projects you just have to say no to. Five, I would have started this job by making them sign a waiver stating you've told them the risks of damage to the head and they are willing to accept liability and risk. Six, if you still want to make this happen, use the lightest tack application tape you can find. I'm not sure what "clear laminate transfer tape" means but assuming it's just clear application/transfer tape, those are usually higher tack than their paper counterparts. It also sounds like your guy botched the printing with the black parts - he should reprint assuming the problem was with him and not in your file. If all that's wrong with the head is adhesive on it...you should be able to remove that. Try different substances. It's better than paying for a drum head. If it's a digital printed graphic on orajet, it should have been printed, then laminated THEN put application tape on it. It sounds like you might have tried to pull the lamination off the graphic...which is bad. Again, Oracal sucks - I don't care what their marketing material says.
  8. ExplicitGraphics

    Best Chrome red?

    Use wrap as what? Like, you mean use wrap vinyl to cut regular old decals? Nothing wrong with that. Certainly not the cheapest option...but it'll be a top quality decal.
  9. ExplicitGraphics

    Why you should pay more for name brand vinyls

    I have used Avery's intermediate (700 Series, formerly known as A6) for years for general decas - PHENOMENAL STUFF that provides a great profit margin. Avery used to have big problems with their high performance vinyls. They would shrink prematurely leaving angry customers for you to have to deal with and expensive jobs that had to be redone out of your pocket. They denied there was ever a problem, despite an insane amount of evidence. That pushed me to 3M's products, and I haven't looked back. For vehicle graphics I stick to 3M products with comply - there is simply none better. For wraps, again, 3M high performance with comply, and the matching 3M laminate. If it aint broke, don't fix it. I firmly believe everything Oracal makes is garbage. Complete...total....garbage. I recently installed some customer supplied (Oracal) stripes on a Mustang. The job should have took 2 hours...it took 6. Nightmare. I will never use or install anything with Oracal products ever again. A lot of mail order graphics places (think racing stripe kits) use Oracal vinyl with 3M premask. The customer sees 3M and assumes it's quality product. Such a shame. I believe you can make it with low cost cutters, I have done so for years. I had a fair amount of time with a Graphtec and I loved it, just not enough to drop the coin to upgrade. It helps that I have a technical pc build/repair background and have so far been able to trouble shoot anything that's come up. However, when it comes to material and substrates - go with the best, or fail with the rest.
  10. ExplicitGraphics

    Hola from Austin, TX

    In the last couple months, we've had some new people that were tired of blending with the rest and decided to infuse new life into their businesses. Here's some new members of the Explicit family! Short Bus Chauffeur (Logo, Business Cards) VintageStrong.com (Branding, Web Graphics, Decals, Web Consulting) Angkor Tire & Auto (Logo Digitization, Huge Banners, Small Banners, Misc Signs, Window Graphics, Business Cards, Flyers, Web & Business Consulting) XGEN Auto - (Decals) Gypsy M.C. - (Vectorization, Decals) Army Ant Moving - (Misc Decals, Flyers, Business Cards, Vectorization of ant dude, box trailer partial wrap) and... Austin Jeep People - (Logos, Shirt Designs, Web Graphics) Also been working on some miscellaneous stuff like wedding invitations, sub-contract decals and stencils, marketing consultations, and more. There's more business in the pipeline. I'm pretty sure this will be my best year yet!
  11. ExplicitGraphics

    Hola from Austin, TX

    Just thought I'd say hi. I'm new to this forum, but not new to the game. I've been doing web and print design since '96. I've drawn since I was a little kid and now I do everything from airbrush to oil painting and even some tattooing. I got into the vinyl game in 2004. I've never worked in a sign shop so aside from a video or 2 everything was self taught. Now that there is much more of a knowledge base (like this forum) available I find myself spending quality time going back over fundamentals. I specialize in "small business startup" packages. I try to offer a nice all inclusive deal on everything they'll need to start - logo, website, biz cards, store front/signs, flyers, vehicle graphics - all for one nice price. I sometimes have a bad habit of lowballing myself...but I've done pretty well considering I keep my overhead at a bare minimum. I recently teamed up with another company here locally to offer vehicle wraps. I've done a few so far, and they are good profit for sure. I definitely can't wait to get my own full wrap setup and roll in the big bucks. Uhh...let's see what else. I work with Adobe CS6 Master Suite. Photoshop is where all of my print work is done and at least half of my wrap designs. FlexiSign is my sign production workhorse...I don't believe there is a better solution out there. I recently got a Wacom Cintiq 12WX tablet that I've had some fun with. Look forward to playing more - that thing is worth every penny. What else...oh yeah to rant, wet installing sucks, Oracal is crap, 3M has always been and always will be the best high performance vinyl and laminates out there, and cheap cutters are the way to go. Anyway...here's a few pics of some randomness. Vinyl: Roy's Kleanwerks Hellaflush IS300 #annihilatorcustoms #kleanwerks #roymoncada Dave / Sideways Autosalon Hand Painted WRX - Vinyl graphics (left, etched glass / right gunmetal metallic on blue/orange (cut and layered). #sidewaysautosalon #onefastfish #crashhandpainted #davidagenend Texas Customs shop truck - Logo Design & Vinyl Graphics, Featured in the Wranglers cheerleaders calendar. 1FAB / Matt Vanwie - 536whp/400tq STOCK INTERNAL H22 Powered EG Coupe. Oldie but goodie. Vehicle was tuned by "st00pid" and if you don't know who that is, you betta axe sumbody. Design/Print: Cavalry 4x4 Club Logo & "Death Card" Me vs Wacom Cintiq - Having fun with the digital tablet recreating an old sketch... Web/Digital: Fitness Model Kristy Dwyer - Website and print services. Not sure how long her actual site will be up, I'm still owed hosting/domain fees. We'll see. TI-Pacific - Sleek XHTML / CSS3 / Jquery web design. Light on content, but it's a work in progress, but the company is shooting to launch this division early next year. Website iswww.tipac.asia. Anyway...l look forward to hanging around and exchanging information. Looks like I stumbled on a pretty cool place.