Graphics - Wrap or Airbrush

[Frank G]

Have you ever thought of clear coating over the wrap? If you did this with enough coats the seams would vanish and they would no longer know it is a wrap. At least in my show experience I have had snobbier people actually run their finger along the fender and give a condescending look when they find it is a wrap. :dontknow: Prejudice exists in all kinds of different areas you never may have thought of before. I am fine with mine the way it is, but if you are truly serious about winning more shows it might be something to think about.

If you are going to Clear coat a wrap make sure it is not laminated! And test a sample to make sure the clear coat is compatible with the Inks and base material. Most wrap materials are 3 mil thick. 3-M (IJ180Cv3-10) is only 2 mil thick, not easy to apply without a laminate.:yikes:

 

[SpyderWolf]

If you are going to Clear coat a wrap make sure it is not laminated! And test a sample to make sure the clear coat is compatible with the Inks and base material. Most wrap materials are 3 mil thick. 3-M (IJ180Cv3-10) is only 2 mil thick, not easy to apply without a laminate.:yikes:

Thanks for the additional information and advice. It is appreciated. :thumbup:

 

[Bob Denman]

I was wondering about this very thing as I was looking at what the Pyro-Man had done to his bike...
Clearcoating???

 

[Frank G]

i have a graphic wrap by power sports wrap it completly fills the bike all away round lots of people come up nice paint job i say thanks and leave it at that. the only down side to this wrap is i show the bike in car/bike shows right now on a weekly basis i always end up second place do to airbrushing on other bikes it really makes me mad that some of the airbrushing is just some flames and i still lose out i did take a 1st place the other week but thats only because i was the only bike that showed up thats a real pitty to finally win 1st but only because i was the only choice,but i'll take it nonetheless.i've asked pete to come up with something on his spare time to design me something well see how things progress with him. but in the long run graphics is the way to go like ev1 is sayin you get bored with it ripp it off start over.

As I am sitting here waiting for another graphic to finish printing, whale reading your post, I am dumbfounded.:banghead: Do the people doing the judging not understand the the creativity it takes to produce a graphic such as yours? don't they understand the talent required to do a flawless installation? Not to take away from the Air Brush person, BUT there is as much creativity in doing it on the computer...then applying it to the finished product. My 2 cents.

 

[Bob Denman]

:agree: Whenever I hear the word, "decal"; I automatically say, "Do you mean my vinyl graphics?"

 

[SpyderWolf]

As I am sitting here waiting for another graphic to finish printing, whale reading your post, I am dumbfounded.:banghead: Do the people doing the judging not understand the the creativity it takes to produce a graphic such as yours? don't they understand the talent required to do a flawless installation? Not to take away from the Air Brush person, BUT there is as much creativity in doing it on the computer...then applying it to the finished product. My 2 cents.

:agree: That is the reason I called them snobs earlier. You are competition to them, plain and simple, when they are in the show with you and they will actually push the fact that theirs is paint to the judges. I don't think it should matter, but I suppose they feel justified because of how much they paid for that paint job. In the years I have had my graphics kit installed I have only met one painter who was bold enough to say he could have painted that. When I asked him how much it would cost he replied non-chalantly $10,000.

Perhaps someday if I buy a lottery ticket and it just happens to be a winner I will get mine painted; however, for now I am more than satisfied with the less than $400 I spent on mine. :thumbup:

 

[mwalsh6]

Creator X graphics

Was wondering if anyone has tried the creator X graphics kits available on ebay. Can't find any reference to them on the fourm and would appreciate any advice on the quality of this product. I've attached a pic of the kit I am interested in.

Thanks,
Mike

 

[SpyderWolf]

Was wondering if anyone has tried the creator X graphics kits available on ebay. Can't find any reference to them on the fourm and would appreciate any advice on the quality of this product. I've attached a pic of the kit I am interested in.

Thanks,
Mike

I don't have any experience with them, but wanted to say that is a cool looking design. Best of luck if you go that way.

 

[spyderrock]

As I am sitting here waiting for another graphic to finish printing, whale reading your post, I am dumbfounded.:banghead: Do the people doing the judging not understand the the creativity it takes to produce a graphic such as yours? don't they understand the talent required to do a flawless installation? Not to take away from the Air Brush person, BUT there is as much creativity in doing it on the computer...then applying it to the finished product. My 2 cents.

Frank I totally agree with you about the creative time it takes to come up with an idea, let alone apply it to work on vinyl. The guy who did my wrap is a true artist in every sense, as I said he was an air brush artist for over 20 years. I have been to bike shows and every one thinks my wrap is paint, you really have to educate these judges on the benefits of wraps. There is over 100 hours of design ideas put into my wrap we were emailing each other back and forth for months with ideas. Then the ideas had to be put into a working design. I paid over I think 1200 dollars, but like spyderwolf has mentioned and others to have this airbrushed would cost well over 15000:yikes::yikes:. There is over 10 layers of printing on this design and I have to tell judges this every time, they really need to look at the art work in wraps, like someone said here there are enough bikes out there with Real Fire paint jobs no offense but they all look the same to me.

 

[danlnc]

What's the pros and cons of wraps vs airbrush. Anyone know anyone good for either in NE Florida

I have not seen many wraps that I like. They all seem a bit much. If I could afford it I would go with the paint.