The Letterville BullBoard: Lettering on Compound Curves

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Posted by Rick Sacks (Member # 379) on :

Yesterday I had another opportunity to letter the bullet end of a tanker. The distortions on those compound curves can be fun to play with. The letters at the end of each line are larger than those in the middle to get them to look the same. The top and bottom baselines are curves to get them to look straight. Each line of copy requires it's own unique distortions, because parallel lines don't look parallel. I set eack line with masking tape, touching it down only in spots and getting back and making adjustments until it looks straight. When I get up to the truck and see how curved it is, it's quite entertaining.

Posted by Dave Draper (Member # 102) on :

Rick,

Lettering the front end of a van or the back window in mini vans is always a challenge.

I have to show the customer what happens when a line of lettering goes across the full length of the glass. It takes a great deal of wheeling and dealing to convince these ones why this or that won't work, and what will work.

Years ago (before vinyl and computers) we were building a 6 foot tall soda can with the PEPSI logo on it. We made the logo by projecting it with the old light projectors, traced the image on paper and pounced it. When we placed it on the round sides of the display it was distorted. We couldn't figure out what was wrong until we flattend a real can of PEPSI and discovered the logo was not round at all but OVAL. We had to start all over again.
The next time we had to hand draw the art work on paper because PEPSI didn't supply the "distorted" artwork needed. We were so young and ignorant back then! Sometimes, I miss those days.

[ January 03, 2002: Message edited by: Dave Draper ]

Posted by Arvil Shep' Shepherd (Member # 2030) on :

Dave,
Back in the 60's the company I worked for at the time, got a contract to make 100 Pepsi Signs.... (200 Faces ) Internally illuminated. They were to be made of "UVEX" a product of Eastman Kodak (I think) (Very similar to todays LEXAN )
The problem being was they were to be Silk Screened first..IN REVERSE...and then Vacumn Formed over a 3 Dimensional Mold...
The Mold was first made from Honduras Mahogany and then SPRAYED WITH HOT METAL FROM A SPECIAL GUN, and then sanded.
The real problem was in hand drawing a "Distorted" version of the copy, to make the screens from. (5 colors) So that when it was formed it "pulled" itself into proper alignment.

It would have been nice to have the help of a Computer at that time!!!!!

So you see I really don't miss the "Good Ol Days "

Posted by jmathel (Member # 526) on :

Hi Rick,

I used to letter a lot of midget autos, sprint cars and silver crown cars that were nothing but compound curves. I can't even imagine what it would be like to try to do one of those things in vinyl and make it come out looking right.

Watching the Wednesday Night Thunder races, on TV, I see a handful of really well done cars and a whole bunch of poorly done stuff. I wonder if some of those teams haven't bought plotters and are doing their own lettering. Way too much "Brush Script" to have been done by a skilled sign painter.

Posted by Mike Pipes (Member # 1573) on :

Hehe half the time when I get an order for a vinyl windshield visor or windshield lettering, the customers specify they want it to curve down at the ends.. not knowing it will curve on its own.

"Curved is no problem man, making it straight is the tough job."

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