Decal woes
 

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[Closed] Decal woes

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It's the worst first world problem to hit me since the great Netflix outage of a Saturday night in December last year, I've been told by a company that because they don't have any products or designs available for my frame so they can't produce and custom decals for me.

How do these places get hold of designs? Is it templates? High quality photos that they trace ?

Might have to rethink my acid slime pink frame with zebra stripe decals now


 
Posted : 10/01/2016 7:22 pm
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Might have to rethink my acid slime pink frame with zebra stripe decals now

Every cloud n all that...


 
Posted : 10/01/2016 7:29 pm
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Yep, probably plot on a photo of an original. Time consuming job, could take hours and hours. For a one off it wouldn't be worth it. We often get asked for MotoX decal sets, the originals cost a fortune and people think we will be able to print and cut one cheaply from a dodgy photo.


 
Posted : 10/01/2016 7:35 pm
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Sometimes (rarely) you can find a PDFs of what you need online, which saves hours of design time..


 
Posted : 10/01/2016 7:39 pm
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but if the company found a pdf online and sold them wouldn't that be breaking some law ? Like if they sell loads of Rock shox decals surely have got permission?

@thegreatape should I go with the polka dot frame and lightning strike letters as initially planned?


 
Posted : 10/01/2016 7:57 pm
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Ya I've never had an issue lifting logos off PDFs and then suppling file to decal companies to produce 😉

There are even some site offering the vector files of certain manufactors logo for free download too!


 
Posted : 10/01/2016 9:11 pm
 gil_
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custom work depends a lot on what you have in mind

one of the biggest issues for me is sizing, especially if you want a design that wraps around tubes or complex shaped tubes, fine with the frame in front of you but a nightmare working from photos

most designs can be drawn in a vector format or "sourced" but getting it to look right without the frame to hand is a different matter...


 
Posted : 10/01/2016 9:21 pm
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Can anyone point me in the direction of a pdf?
What is vector format? Thanks!


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 12:44 pm
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Also , is a companies reproduction of logos legal? Just a thought !


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:00 pm
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A vector is just a line drawing made up of paths that can be scaled to any size unlike something like a photo/jpg which is made up of pixels.

As above it usually means drawing them out by hand. Have had to do it in the past but usually makes things a bit on the expensive side.

What is it you're after out of interest?


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:13 pm
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Hi thanks for that. I just want to get hold of some decals of a frame from 2013 , but perhaps in a colour other than black.


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:17 pm
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Norco? If it's just the main logo you're after I'd have thought that wasn't too complicated


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:17 pm
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I found the logo in vector format , it's on various websites. Are these the equivalent of pirate bay however?


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:21 pm
 gil_
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Drop me a photo or link to what your trying to match and I'll let you know what's possible ~ email in profile 😉


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:22 pm
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Ok Gil will email you . Thanks!


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:24 pm
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I think in was my Grandfather who said "don't ask questions you don't want the wrong answer for"
Is a Bike manufacturer going to have an issue with some chap remaking their logo from their file to put on his bike to advertise their company, and would they ever know?


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:26 pm
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I've a lot of bike stuff on file from past projects - if you need some vinyl graphics doing and I've got the logo I'd be happy to run you a set off.


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:28 pm
 gil_
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Is a Bike manufacturer going to have an issue with some chap remaking their logo from their file to put on his bike to advertise their company, and would they ever know?

In a lot of cases the manufactures/distributors have no interest or the time to supply individuals with out of date decal sets, they want to focus on selling and developing new products

If you are selling on a one-to-one basis to private individuals who wish to promote the manufactures "brand" this is rarely an issue, but still a grey area

On the other hand selling numerous "logos" to anybody to rebrand whatever they want is a bit more of an issue and one even I frown on...


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:37 pm
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@theDTs true yes, however I am uncertain as to how these companies cant know. Virtually every 'bike of the day' I see on various websites etc has some sort of custom sticker job! I guess they are happy to ignore it for the reasons you say.

thanks Jamesfts cant see your mail in your profile but mine is in mine


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:38 pm
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Good point! Email sent.


 
Posted : 11/01/2016 1:42 pm

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