Our modern wall art layouts were created with a plug-and-play mindset, because we know EXACTLY how much work is required on the retail end of a vinyl business. What did we do?

1- Well, we placed the layouts on the catalog page using the Oracal 631 color swatches, so that your customers could visualize the layout in various color combinations. You can truly go bold or soft with these layouts, depending on the decor. The new Oracal 631 vinyl designer colors give you some gorgeous options!

2- Secondly, we created the files in parts, in an effort to make the job easier for you. We call it our "layered art". For instance, the ART03-F has three files, one for the red melon, one for the rind, and one for the pre-positioned embellishment and seeds. Once you've enlarged the files to the size you wish to cut, simply cut the melon in your favorite shade of red, your embellishment and seeds in another color, and the rind in a matching shade of green. It's meant to simplify the work process for you.

So have a lot of fun ... and share those finished photos! If we choose your photo for our inspire-me photo gallery, we'll give you a $20 shopping spree!

To view our Modern Wall Art designs on the website ... click here

To see all the Oracal 631 vinyl color options ... click here

Be sure to check out these great videos that explain how to weed and hang your vinyl project.

www.myvinyldesigner.com

My Vinyl Designer has compiled a high-quality, pleasantly designed, printable PDF catalog for each collection on the website.  Although the pages can be compiled in any type of binding system, we like using white cardstock and top-loading sheet protectors best.  We especially like using the standard white vinyl presentation folders that come with 12 attached sheet protectors because they are slim, trim, and easy to handle and store.

These catalogs are meant to offer home-based and storefront businesses more vinyl sale opportunities, as well as be a quick fingertip reference for do-it-yourselfers. When a customer expresses an interest in a particular design, you simply determine the measurements, find the cataloged ready-to-cut vector image, cut, and presto, an instant sale!

CLICK HERE for specific information about the Stick Family catalogs

Alternatively, you may electronically offer the catalogs to your customers on blogs, web pages, and websites.  Catalog page jpgs and downloadable PDFs accompany each collection and Add-OnPage lot.

Razor blades work well for removing vinyl off glass; products like Goo-B-Gone and OOPS! help remove stubborn, sticky vinyl residue (be sure to test a small area of the surface beforehand --- they also remove paint); and, the heat of blow dryer can help soften the hard-to-remove vinyl for easier peeling.

Vinyl lettering adds richness, focus, and interest to your home in an endless number of ways.  For walls, a vinyl lettering "stencil" can be used within a plaster for an embossed look, reversely hung with different finishes, or directly hung on a finished surface. Try using vinyl lettering on or around surfaces with a faux finish (French for fake), trompe l'oeil (an old European painting technique that implies a three-dimensional illusion), crackle, aging, stain, or paint. Not all paints have the same tactile performance, so vinyl lettering will not adhere well to every paint, glaze, and wallpaper. Flat paints usually don't adhere well, but give it a try on small samples. The effects are visually stunning!

Besides the finished walls of a home, vinyl can be placed on most finished woods (ie. painted, crackled, sanded, stained), cabinet doors, old windows, the glass in picture frames, glass blocks, mirrors, shadowbox pictures, tiles, shower doors, lockers, doors, decorative plates, plexi glass, sheet metal, mailboxes ... to name a few!

CLICK HERE ... to see many more ideas for using vinyl in home decor

We highly recommend using the Transfer Rite Ultra Transfer Tape (high tack) or R-TAPE Conform 4075-RLA for all your Oracal 631 vinyl projects. If you or a customer have difficulty hanging a project using this transfer tape, there are really only two reasons why it might be difficult:

1- The vinyl is being cut too deep. The cutter blade should only lightly score the glossy side of the vinyl backing. If it cuts too deep, it will be very easy to weed, but very-very difficult to hang. Check often by lifting up letters and hanging sample letters on walls where vinyl is already hung. Then adjust the depth of your cutter blade to see if this resolves the problem.

2- The surface of the wall has poor tactile properties. Vinyl lettering does not adhere well to all flat and satin finishes. It is best to encourage customers to hang a couple sample letters on a new wall first, before hanging a finished design, just to see if the vinyl lettering will hang well there. It's a great way to use those letters in the designs that were "messed" up during the cutting or weeding process! Occasionally, the wrong type of vinyl and transfer tape is made available for home decor. However, if you use the true combination of Oracal 631 vinyl with the the Transfer Rite Ultra Transfer Tape (high tack) or R-Tape, you'll have the perfect combo for home decor vinyl projects.

If your vinyl is meant to be outdoors for more than six months at a time, such as on car windows, boats, mailboxes, and signs, we highly recommend that you use the Oracal 751 Premium Cast Vinyl. Regular Oracal 631 Vinyl states there is a 3 year outdoor usage, but it will quickly crack and fade in extreme temperatures. White exterior vinyl looks best on car windows because it is the best seen from far distances. Silver, gold and light gray follow right behind ... just with a little more subtle color. Be sure that you charge your customers more for exterior vinyl because it will cost you more and take longer to weed. It is not as forgiving as regular interior vinyl.

The best way to remove little bubbles that don't press out under your vinyl, is by using a fine straight pin or safety pin. Just poke a little hole, and press it smooth.

Vinyl can be purchased from a variety of places, from craft stores to the wholesale outlets that sign makers order from. You'll certainly save more money when you purchase directly from the supplier  Personally, we like to purchase our vinyl supplies from REGIONAL SUPPLY in Salt Lake City, Utah, at 1-800-365-8920. Their prices are very competitive, and their customer service is exceptional. Be sure to ask about their free shipping minimums.

For the vinyl film, we recommend the Oracal 631 vinyl for interior usage and the Oracal 751 Premium Cast Vinyl for exterior usage.  This kind of exterior vinyl is meant for projects that are meant to be outdoors more than six months, such as on car windows, boats, mailboxes, and signs. The regular Oracal 631 vinyl states there is a three-year outdoor usage, but it will quickly crack and fade in extreme temperatures. In Idaho, we've seen the vinyl change as soon as eight months.

For the transfer tape, we recomment using the Oratape HT55 Transfer Tape (opaque/high tack) ..... or ..... the Transfer Rite Ultra Transfer Tape (high tack) for all your Oracal 631 vinyl projects. Some other specialty vinyl films include:

For etched-looking vinyl ... use Oracal 8510 etched glass vinyl

For a slight metallic colored etched-looking vinyl ... #90-fine silver, #91-fine gold, #94-coarse silver, #95-coarse gold

Frosted (etched-looking) vinyl costs quite a bit more than other films, so be sure to price your projects accordingly.