Motorhome graphics

[stucatz 0]

Hello, I have a motorhome and would like to redo the decals as close to original as possible, could anyone please point me in the right direction as to how I can do that from photos. what program could I use? thanks.

[sleeveofwizzard 104]

Need a little more information from you on this. Do you have a cutter and have you cut anything yet? 

[stucatz 0]

yes I have a p-cut 630 and I have cut. I don't really have a problem cutting I cannot find any info on how to reproduce the vinyl from a photo. thanks for the quick reply.

[sleeveofwizzard 104]

The more information you include in your questions will help others to understand what you need. 

 

What software are you using with your cutter? 

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

dead sttraight photos and hire william at http://www.excaliburcreations.com/

[stucatz 0]

I am using flexi sign, I would like to try and do it myself if I cannot? I guess I'll have to hire a pro. 

[jfought 120]

pen tool!! learn it and learn it well. it will make you future jobs way easier

[stucatz 0]

I have a pen, now how do I scale the image?

[Jay2703 704]

Measure an item on the physical RV then scale the picture so that item is the correct size. The bigger the item, the closer the scale will be.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

When I work from pictures I always measure something on vehicle for reference such as long window. Then I draw a rectangle that size in the program and stretch the image until my rectangle is the same as the part I used for the reference.

[dwp99 283]

Take a straight on and level photograph of the motor home.  Import the photo into flexisign. 

 

On the measurement take a measurement from one point to another that you will be able to see in the photo.  The farther apart your measurement the more accurate your decals will fit.  Use body seams, edges of light bezels or anything else you'll be able to see.

 

Once imported draw a rectangle and take it from one measurement point to the other measurement point. 

 

Now from the arrange drop down click in resize.  The rectangle you just drew must first be selected or highlighted.

 

Now in the width section in design central enter the measurement that you took.

 

Click the check box that is titled "APPLY SCALE TO ALL" and click the green check mark. 

 

Your photo and rectangle are going to go off the page  so click on Zoom all objects which will bring all objects into the center of the screen. 

 

If your photo is tilted a little highlight the photo and click the arrange dropdown and 2 places below the resize is deskew click that then choose horizontal or vertical from the flyout menu.  Click on the photo each end of something that would level out the motor home.  ie rain gutter, the level stripe or a straight body line.  The program will level the two points you chose.

 

Now your ready to start designing or size and place the graphics where ever you want them to go.

 

 

Welcome to the forum...

[stucatz 0]

Thank you, I will try that on the weekend.

[stucatz 0]

I took a photo, now I'm trying to separate the existing decals to copy them. its not working out.....when I vectorize them they don't look like they will cut clean? I would like to post the pic that I took but that's another problem!

[Dakotagrafx 7,297]

you will have to hand trace iit to get clean lines

[stucatz 0]

Can I do that in flexi sign?

[skarekrow 1,842]

I'm not trying to discourage you, stucatz, just a heads up....

the scope of the project you are undertaking, from removal of the existing decals,

to all the facets of accurately producing and installing the new ones,

is an advanced project.

 

It really does sound as though you will need someone with some software experience in

this sort of reproductive work for reasonable success with this project.

 

At a minimum you are going to need someone willing and available to guide you through each step of the software work.

 

Just my 2 cents.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

We all start somewhere but for most of us it wasn't a motorhome. If you can find someone to guide you 1 on 1 and have the patience you can do it, just not that easy.

[skarekrow 1,842]

It's true, we all do start somewhere. Hopefully, it's near the beginning where we can have success building upon

lesser skill sets we've acquired. As I mentioned, I'm not trying to discourage you, Stu, just giving you the truth in

suggesting you back up a few steps and at a minimum, get familiar with the appropriate software.

 

If you are truly interested the long haul of learning the type of graphics skills that are needed to accomplish your

stated project and others that require the same skills, do yourself a favor and learn some fundamentals.

In this case you will need to be able to take a high resolution photos, clean them up in a program like Photoshop,

which will include scaling them to the appropriate size. From there, either redrawing them or converting them from a

raster to a vector image in a  program like Illustrator . From there you can produce the cut files to create your new decals.

 

If you are only interested in this kind of project as a one time deal, I suggest you hire out the graphics software end

and let a pro produce the needed files.

 

Again, no offense intended, just my 2 cents.

[stucatz 0]

I'd like to give a try if someone is willing to give me a little help? its my own unit so there is no rush. thanks

[darcshadow 1,626]

The art work is reasonably simple and shouldn't be too hard to manually trace. First step would be to take as straight on of a photo as possible in as high of resolution as possible. Then import into your vector program of choice, I use Inkscape. I then use the Bezier tool and draw a ruff outline of the shape in question over the top of the photo zooming in and out to get the nodes place as precicely on the photo as possible. Once the shape if completed I make it semi transparent and adjust the straight lines to make them curve and match the image. In Inkscape it's simply a matter of clicking the line and dragging it to where I want. If the curve doesn't match up exactly I add another node somewhere on the line and just adjust things till I get it the way I want. It's not a very complicated process, you just have to take your time and most of all have fun with it.

[stucatz 0]

Thank you! I will play with it until I figure it out. I won't remove the old ones until I do.

[USMC3225 17]

When I work from pictures I always measure something on vehicle for reference such as long window. Then I draw a rectangle that size in the program and stretch the image until my rectangle is the same as the part I used for the reference.

Exact same way I do it and has never failed me yet.

[jaybyrd 3,770]

Only fails if picture isn't straight on but lets not talk about that job for now. Had to recut most of it on install day, luckily they had left it with me for the whole day.

[maddog 12]

From the picture Posted of your RV,I ask Why Bother with the Tracing for 50 bucks or less you can go to E-Bay and just purchase a disk with lots of strips and cut ready designs on it! Just My 2 Cents also.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/VEHICLE-GRAPHIC-RACING-VECTOR-CLIP-ART-FOR-VINYL-CUTTER-/321145894757?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac5c97765

 

[stucatz 0]

I would like to keep the graphics as close to original as I can.