The Beginner’s Guide to Designing Custom Vehicle Wraps

Vehicle wraps are a fantastic addition to any vehicle and a popular product among small business owners. A lot of people haven’t thought about using the side of their vehicle as an advertising space to gain more exposure. Think of it as a billboard that moves around and everyone can see. Plus, it only costs you once to have a vehicle wrap on your vehicle. Custom vehicle wraps are one of the rising trends for both vehicle owners and vehicle wraps business owners. 

A vehicle wrap is a large, vinyl sticker printed with the ideal design and applied to the surface of any vehicle. Designing something is never easy, especially custom vehicle wraps as it has to have the necessary characteristics to make it an effective advertisement. Any designer willing to undertake a vehicle wrap project needs to have a considerable amount of graphic designing skill and the appropriate software experience. Luckily, we have created an intensive beginner’s guide to custom vehicle wrap to make it easier for newbies. We will discuss the primary process for designing custom vehicle wraps.

1. Research and collect information

Before actually going to the design proper, you have to have an accurate template of the wrap. Vehicle wraps are unique wherein you cannot use the same template for all vehicle since they differ and size and shape. It is crucial to have an accurate template of the car to make sure that the wrap is print ready and is designed to scale.

Ideally, the client will be the one to provide the template, but in some cases, the designer will have to do it. You can purchase templates online. However, they may not be a hundred percent accurate. The client also has to include high-quality photos of their vehicle for reference and mention if there are bumps or any irregularities on the surface that is not included in the template.

2. Gather inspiration 

Now that we’re done with the technicalities, the next thing you should do is gather inspiration for the design. The client should provide what he or she wants with the vehicle wrap and also the necessary information they want in the model like the logo, slogan, graphics and more. Photos are another important element of a vehicle wrap. Some clients want their wrap to have pictures, so you have to insure that the images are high quality. Designers and clients should agree on the budget for purchasing stock photos if needed. Moreover, vehicle wraps design should be simple and clear. Since it is placed on a moving car, the message and the content of the artwork should be readable and clear to the audience.

3. Creating the design

Now that inspiration and information are already gathered, it is now time for the design proper. Designers frequently create the design in the template directly while some use Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator to create the design in a separate file before applying it to the vehicle template. Make sure that the design you create can easily be formatted to display in the mockup file. What’s the point of a beautiful design if the application is not correct?

A mockup is also essential in any custom vehicle wrap. It allows the designer to show the client what the design will look like in real life. Again, remember to manage the expectations of the client and don’t promise anything that you can’t deliver fully.

Creating custom vehicle wraps can genuinely be a challenging and tedious process. However, all efforts are rewarded once you see the design on a vehicle and put into purpose.