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Wednesday, July 17, 2013

WINDOW GRAPHICS; Things to Consider


WINDOW GRAPHICS
~ Things to Consider ~



There are many types of materials available to you.  The right one to use will depend on how it will be used and for how long.
You need to specify whether it is for indoors or outdoors.  How long do you want it to last?  What about removability?  Which side is right-reading and by this I mean will it be viewed from the inside looking out, or from the outside looking in, will it have copy?  Do you want it to be opaque for double sided reading or be translucent where one side will be right reading but the other side type would be reversed.

Adhesive films and specially formulated durable calendared vinyls with either permanent or removable and ultra low tack adhesives are available.  Depending on the longevity needed or changeability required would make one film more desirable than another.

Low tack pressure sensitive adhesive bonds well and removes cleanly.  It is simple to remove and also re-positionable.  Some films have an air flow release liner making installations much easier by allowing trapped air between the glass and film channels to escape - thus removing wrinkles and bubbles.

Many of these films come with a 3 year outdoor warranty and premium films up to a 5 year outdoor warranty.


Applications include retail point of purchase displays, window advertising, visual barriers, glass design elements and trade shows.


ICL Imaging
 Framingham, MA
info@icl-imaging.com  or  (508) 872 - 3280


Monday, June 10, 2013

VINYL BANNERS; Finishing


~ FINISHING ~


FINISHING:
For outdoor and indoor advertising, full color large format printed vinyl banners are an affordable way to go.  But what do you need to know about the finishing options?
There are many choices available and really depend on where the the banner is going to be displayed and how big the banner is.

Grommets can be added to provide different hanging options.
For outdoor banners use grommets with teeth.

Typically grommets are placed every 18 inches around the perimeter of an outdoor vinyl banner offering hanging points for rope or cable. Reinforced webbing, similar to seat belt material, is welded onto the the outer edge of the vinyl to prevent the grommets from pulling out.

Grommets come in silver, brass and black at are available in many different hole sizes.

Pole pockets can be welded or stitched on the top and bottom of the vinyl banner to allow for hanging evenly from the top with a dowel or pipe conduit and another dowel added for weight on the bottom to keep the banner straight and smooth.

Plastic clips can be attached to the top and bottom of small to mid sized banners for interior hanging.


Adhesive plastic hanging tabs can be adhered to the vinyl banner as an anchor point for screws or rope.


Wind slits, have moon shaped cuts in the vinyl, can be added to vinyl banners to help reduce the pressure of the wind on the banner.  The number and size of the wind slits vary.  Most city ordinances require street banners to have wind slits to prevent them from tearing.  No amount of wind slits can prevent a hurricane from blowing any banner down however.

Anchor points on the building, structure, telephone pole or whatever else you are using to support your outdoor banner are extremely important and usually will need an engineers certificate for approval.

Vinyl banners can also be treated with firesafe chemicals to make them flame resistant.
APPLICATIONS:
Street pole banners, Building wraps, Billboards, Trade shows and events. Street banners, POP


ICL Imaging
 Framingham, MA

info@icl-imaging.com  or  (508) 872 - 3280

VINYL BANNERS; Overview


~ An Overview ~
Building Banner for Newton Wellesley Hospital


GENERAL OVERVIEW:
For outdoor and indoor advertising, full color large format printed vinyl banners are an affordable way to go.

Solid durable vinyl banners range in weight from light weight 9 oz to heavier weight 22 oz.
Mesh banners can be used where a lighter material is needed and for windy areas on buildings.

Banners can be printed single our double sided.
Surface finish comes in matt or glossy, smooth or textured and can be either front-lit or back-lit.
Specify your use when ordering.  Vinyl used for printing is coated in order to accept the inks better.
Vinyl banners can also be treated with firesafe chemicals to make them flame resistant.

Solvent based inks are the most permanent and fade resistant as the solvents become part of the vinyl unlike other inks that just sit on top of the material.
Printing capabilities are up to 16 feet wide and roll lengths can be a few hundred feet long.
Large vinyl panels can be seamed and welded together to create even larger banners.


APPLICATIONS:
Street pole banners, Building wraps, Billboards, Trade shows and events. Street banners, POP



ICL Imaging
 Framingham, MA

info@icl-imaging.com  or  (508) 872 - 3280


VINYL BANNERS; Printing & Materials



VINYL BANNERS; Materials
~ PRINTING & MATERIALS ~

Vinyl Banners for Fullercraft Museum

PRINTING:
Solvent based inks are the most permanent and fade resistant as the solvents become part of the vinyl unlike other inks that just sit on top of the material
.
Printing capabilities can go up to 16 feet wide and roll lengths can be a few hundred feet long.
Large vinyl panels can be seamed and welded together to create even larger banners.


MATERIALS:
Solid durable vinyl banners range in weight from light weight 9 oz to heavier weight 22 oz.
Mesh banners can be used where a lighter material is needed and for windy areas on buildings.
Banners can be printed single our double sided.

Surface finish comes in matt or glossy, smooth or textured and can be either front-lit or back-lit.
Vinyl used for printing is coated in order to accept the inks better.  Vinyl banners can also be treated with firesafe chemicals to make them flame resistant.


Vinyls we use range from a light 7.5 oz Mesh to a heavy 22 oz reinforced vinyl.

For most small to medium size banners we print on 13 oz materials.  This can be either smooth or reinforced giving the material a slight texture.

The smooth vinyl is mostly used indoors.  Small copy reads much better on it than on the reinforced vinyl.  Reinforced vinyl is the better choice to use outdoors given it's inherent strength from the reinforced material used.

Vinyl also comes with a solid black back or white.  The black backing will not show the front image through the back-side.

We also have a 72" wide biodegradable 15 oz BIOMAT vinyl.  This is a sustainable green printing product.


Pole Banner Pro 18oz, is a heavy duty block-out banner material for indoor and outdoor applications.  It's woven 1000 x 1000 scrim provides stability and strength.  It can be printed double sided.

ICL Imaging 16 ft Vinyl & Mesh Printer

VINYL BANNER APPLICATIONS:
Street pole banners, Building wraps, Billboards, Trade shows and events. Street banners, POP
For outdoor and indoor advertising, full color large format printed vinyl banners are an affordable way to go.



ICL Imaging
 Framingham, MA

info@icl-imaging.com  or  (508) 872 - 3280

Tuesday, April 23, 2013




~ Installing Your Vehicle Graphics ~

Vehicle Wrap Installation

Using a skilled installer is paramount to the success of your vehicle graphics job.  

ICL Imaging works with a nation-wide group of trained and certified skilled installers - some of whom we have enjoyed many years of doing business with.

ICL will deliver your graphics to the installer and will make all of the installation arrangements for you.  If and when you decide to remove your vehicle graphics, contact us and we'll arrange that for you too.

Vehicle wraps can sometimes be done on-site, otherwise it will be installed in an indoor bay at the  installer's location.  Weather and temperature play a big part in deciding where and when it can be wrapped.

Your vehicle will usually be unavailable for most of the day, and depending on the size, type of vehicle, quantity of vehicles, and the amount of graphics being applied will determine the time needed.

To prolong the life of your new wrap Care & Maintenance is important.
Ford F150 with Truck Wrap

Please contact us with any questions or to receive samples of the printing materials used.  Specify whether you are looking for short-term or long-term graphics and the type of vehicle.



ICL Imaging
 Framingham, MA

info@icl-imaging.com  or  (508) 872 - 3280

Monday, April 22, 2013




~ Designing Your Vehicle Graphic ~

ICL Imaging has over 10,000 vehicle templates professionally created  that can be used to help you design your own vehicle wrap.

Design Software that most of our clients use is Photo Shop or Illustrator.  There is a lot to think about when designing a 2-D image that will be printed and applied to a 3-D object, such as a truck, car, van or bus.  

The depth of a fender on a vehicle with extreme compound curves can really distort an image and move objects within the 2-D design to different areas on the actual 3-D object.  Allow sufficient bleed around all sides of your design template.


Using a template is a great starting point, however to insure accuracy measure that actual vehicle.

Keep an eye on things like the door handles, door seams where type could break, window placements and sliding van doors.  Vans with messages on the side panels can be partially covered by a sliding door.  Make sure you think of how the message will read once the van door is slid open. 

A vehicle graphic design can be a simple decal that is applied to the vehicle or a more complex design involving a complete wrap of the vehicle - covering the sides, front, roof, and back including bumpers.

The material that is used for wrapping vehicles is usually around 54" wide.  This allows enough room for graphics to be printed with additional bleed for installation overlapping.  Keep this in mind when putting small type into your design.  Panel seams may run through the small type causing alignment problems.

Remember when creating your design - it will end up on a moving object.  Keep the design simple and easy to read - just like a billboard.  Vehicle graphics are a great way to advertise but don't expect another driver in rush hour traffic to read the fine print on the back of your vehicle!
ICL Bus Wrap for Lawrence & Memorial




Vehicle Wraps are a great way to decorate your vehicle, advertise your business or help brand your product or service.

The trick is to design your Car Wrap properly.  Think of a moving billboard.  Now think of a moving billboard that has windows, doors, handles, contours, taillights, headlights, space gaps between doors and side panels.

You need to take into account all of that when preparing your Car Wrap design - otherwise your type may be distorted or even cut off.  Think of placing telephone numbers and web sites in areas that will not be distorted by the physicalitys of the cars surface.

ICL Vehicle Graphics for Clarke
Make sure your letters are large enough to read when standing 10 feet away.  Consider having your website printed backwards for your front hood so when vehicles in front of you look into their rearview mirror they can read it.  Think of using alot of space between sets of words and use short phrases or keywords that describe your business.

When the vehicle is parked it can make a nice stationary billboard, so use colorful graphics to attract the eye.

ICL Vehicle Wrap for Old Sturbridge Village
Our technicians at ICL Imaging are experts in preparing files or reviewing your files for vehicle graphics.  Their trained eye can spot potential problems.  And with the use of files of vehicle design templates at our disposal we can adjust the design to fit the vehicle perfectly.

In some cases having text printed on cut-vinyl letters and applied over the vehicle vinyl can help control the placement better to avoid being disturbed by the car or trucks mirrors, door cracks and other like things.

Feel free to contact us, ICL Imaging, and speak to one of our Technical Sales Reps for more information on how to prepare your files for vehicle wraps.  Often a site-inspection is required to precisely measure the vehicle so we can avoid these pitfalls.

So get your car or truck wrapped today and get noticed everywhere you go.

ICL Imaging - Framingham, MA

info@icl-imaging.com  or  (508) 872 - 3280