Artwork for a vehicle is not the same as artwork for a business card. A logo that is perfectly readable at A4 may need to be reproduced at over a metre wide, seen from a moving car or from the cab of a truck behind. This guide explains how to give us the best starting point.
You do not need to be a designer. We prepare the final layout on a vehicle template; your job is to supply the brand elements and check the result.
Preferred files
Vector files are best because they stay sharp at any size. If you only have a raster image, send it and we will tell you whether it will hold up.
- Vector: PDF, AI, EPS or SVG, with fonts converted to outlines
- Raster: PNG or high-resolution JPEG, as large as you have, not a screenshot
- Brand guide or colour references, such as Pantone or CMYK values, where available
- Any approved slogans, web addresses and regulatory text, typed out rather than only inside an image
Logos that are too small or too detailed
Fine lines, small taglines and gradients can disappear at a distance or on corrugated surfaces. If your logo has these, we may suggest a simplified version for the vehicle, with the full version kept for smaller placements such as doors.
Where text runs over rivets, panel joins or curtain seams, we may adjust the spacing so that letters remain readable, and we will show you how.
Colour
Printed vinyl and a monitor do not show colour the same way, and different vinyl finishes reflect light differently. We match to the references you supply as closely as the process allows. Please do not approve colour based on how a screen or phone looks; use the agreed references.
For reflective graphics, colours look different in daylight and in headlamp light, which is normal for the material.
Vehicle information we need
Tell us the make, model, body type and any modifications, such as canopies, roof racks or aftermarket bull bars. For trucks and trailers, body length and height, and the number and position of doors and roller shutters, affect the layout. Photos of every side taken square-on make the template accurate.
Your approval responsibility
Before printing we send artwork for approval. At that point you are responsible for checking spelling, telephone numbers, web addresses, registration or fleet numbers and any legally required details. Once approved and printed, errors in approved content are not production faults. Read the terms and conditions for the full position.
Emergency, security, municipal and similar vehicles carry markings that must follow the applicable vehicle and sector requirements. We check these before artwork is approved but the responsibility for the content remains with the vehicle owner.
At a glance
Vehicle branding artwork requirements are different from those for a business card or flyer. A logo that reads perfectly at A4 may need to be reproduced more than a metre wide and read from a moving car or from the cab of the truck behind it. This guide explains the artwork files we prefer, why vector logos work best, how to deal with logos that are too small or too detailed, and how to specify brand colours.
You do not need to be a designer. We prepare the final layout on a vehicle template; your task is to supply the brand elements and check the proof carefully before approving it. We also ask for vehicle information such as make, model, body type and photos so the artwork fits real panels, doors, curtains and windows. Whether you are branding a single bakkie in Johannesburg, a bus in Pretoria or a fleet in Durban, Cape Town or elsewhere in South Africa, good artwork files make the quote more accurate and the finished vehicle sharper. Read the guide before you send your logo through the quote builder. Clean, high-quality files also reduce design revisions, which keeps your project moving and helps avoid surprises at the proof stage. Send what you have and we will advise.
Common questions
Can you recreate my logo?
Yes, where only a low-quality copy exists. Redrawing is quoted as part of the design work.
Can I supply my own full vehicle design?
Yes, provided it is supplied to the correct dimensions. We will check it against our template and advise on adjustments.
Do I need to supply photos of the vehicle?
Photos help us a great deal, especially of unusual bodies and modified vehicles.