Categories: DesignDigital PrintingMetal FabricationVehicles + Vinyl

Best Signshop Vehicle Graphics of 2012

FIRST PLACE

Fabricator
Capital Signs
Austin, TX
(512) 799-0115
www.capitalareasigns.com
Designer
Stephen Sinek
Seven Sin Design
Phoenix
www.sevensindesign.com
Installers
James Craig
Chris Garcia
Capital Signs

The oil business remains important to Texas culture, and the Pegasus sign, once omnipresent at Mobil gas stations, remains an impactful icon. Capital Signs enlisted Sinek to create a variation of Amplify Credit Union’s jet-black Pegasus. Capital Signs contracted a local signshop to create 3-D wings for the truck; the sub crafted the wings from CNC-routed pieces of 3A Composites’ e-Panel, polyethylene-core, aluminum-composite material. Craig and Garcia secured the wings with 2 x 2-in., square tubing. The shop produced the film, which covers both the vehicle and Pegasus’ wings, with 3M’s IJ180-10C Controltac with Comply media, which it printed on a Mutoh ValueJet 1614 eco-solvent-ink printer.

SECOND PLACE

Fabricator
A&M Graphics
Mesa, AZ
(480) 964-4254
www.amwraps.com
Designer
Jeni Crawford
Installer
Central Sign Installations (CSI)
Mesa
(602) 252-3214
www.csiinstall.com

The shop designed and produced this 250-sq.-ft. wrap (which gave this reporter the impression of “Mortal Kombat meets the sea”) for a member of its sales team. Crawford, who designed the system with Adobe Creative Suite 5, said, “The wrap’s bright colors attract attention by day, and the white logo stands out at night.” A&M produced the wrap on its Roland SolJet Pro III XC-540 printer with 3M Controltac with Comply media, and Scotchcal 8518 gloss overlaminate prolongs its shine. CSI installed the wrap using Yellotools’ propane torches and vinyl squeegees.

THIRD PLACE

Fabricator
Artcraft Signs and Graphix
Kingston, NY
(845) 339-7446
www.artcraftgraphix.com
Designer
Ben Reposa
Installers
Shawn Fitzgerald
Ben Reposa
Flying in the face of wraps with flames, skulls and/or scantily clad women, Reposa said the shop wanted the wrap to be, “Classy, but loud.” The combination of an elegant, serif type, and flowing lines with bright orange and pinstripes on a black background, accomplishes the goal nicely. The shop produced the wrap on Avery’s MPI 1005 Supercast EZ Apply RS media on the shop’s Mimaki JV33-160 SP solvent-ink printer. Avery’s DOL 1360 glossy overlaminate will help the curlicues, fleur de lis and other elements stay brilliant.