The Benefits of Adding a Thin White Outline Around Full-Color Printed Vinyl
When it comes to creating eye-catching and durable vinyl graphics for vehicles, the small details can make a significant difference. One such detail is the addition of a thin white outline around the graphics.
The easiest way to add a white outline is by choosing vehicle transfer stickers. When adding a thin outline around spaced-out lettering or graphics, we use application tape to install them as transfer stickers. If the design is a solid shape with a thin outline, it will be a custom shape vehicle vinyl. You can apply these as a single piece or order them as transfer stickers with application tape to help with installation.
This simple enhancement offers numerous benefits, from preserving the vinyl’s lifespan to improving visibility. Here are 6 compelling reasons why incorporating a white outline can be a game-changer for your vehicle graphics:
1. Preserving the Life Expectancy of the Vinyl
Adding a white outline or border stroke can help extend the life of your vinyl graphics. The white border acts as a buffer zone, protecting the edges of the graphic from peeling, lifting, and general wear and tear.
Printing ink on raw vinyl materials can alter the properties of the vinyl. Adding a white outline border helps maintain the edges of the material in its original form, preserving the vinyl’s natural characteristics.
The outer edges are particularly susceptible to damage arising from frequent washing, exposure to harsh weather conditions, and the daily wear associated with regular handling. By implementing this simple yet effective measure of adding a white outline, it’s possible to significantly improve the resilience and extend the life expectancy of your vinyl graphics.
This strategic approach ensures that your graphics remain intact and visually appealing for a longer period, providing an enduring vibrant look.
2. Seamless Integration on White Vehicles
When applied to white work vehicles, a thin white outline becomes virtually unnoticeable. This means you get all the protective and visual benefits without compromising the clean, professional look of your white fleet.
When you apply this design adjustment, it merges flawlessly with the vehicle’s original color. This ensures that you get all the protective benefits and visual enhancements that come with the application of the outline, without compromising the sleek, professional aesthetic of your white vehicles.
The result is that the graphics appear clean and fully integrated with the vehicle’s design, maintaining that essential professional look while still reaping all the protective and visual advantages of having the outline. It’s a perfect balance that maintains the integrity of your fleet’s appearance while adding an extra layer of sophistication and protection.
3. Enhancing Contrast and Visibility
Visibility plays a pivotal role when it comes to vehicle graphics. It’s all about ensuring that these graphics are legible from a distance or even at high speeds, something that is non-negotiable for the advertising to be effective.
By incorporating a white outline around the text or design, a sharp contrast is created, which can significantly set off the graphics against a wide array of vehicle body colors.
This design strategy works exceptionally well on vehicles painted in dark or highly vibrant hues as the white border acts as a barrier, effectively preventing the graphics from getting lost or blending into the vehicle’s color. The heightened level of contrast this adds not only enhances readability but also guarantees that your advertising message is seen clearly and unambiguously by potential customers who come across your moving billboard.
4. Consistent Branding
For businesses, branding consistency is crucial. A thin white outline can help create a uniform look across a fleet of vehicles, regardless of their base color. This consistency enhances brand recognition and reinforces your company’s identity, making your vehicles instantly recognizable to customers and clients.
5. Highlighting Key Information
For graphics that include text or important details, a white outline can help emphasize this information. By ensuring that text stands out against any background, the outline ensures that your message is not lost, making contact information, slogans, or calls to action clear and readable.
How To Set Up Your Graphics
We recommend using the Offset Path tool in Adobe Illustrator to add a white outline to your graphics. Here’s a simple guide:
- Group your graphics.
- Create a duplicate version on a lower layer.
- Unite the group and set the color fill to white.
- Apply the Offset Path effect and adjust the values until you achieve a visually appealing outline.
- Once you are satisfied you can finalize the effect by selecting your object, then going to menu > object > expand appearance. This will convert the effect into vector shapes.
You can refer to our article on adding custom shapes around graphics for more details. If you’d prefer our designers to handle it, just place your order and mention in the order notes that you want a thin white border added to your graphics. We’ll send you unlimited proofs/mockups to approve before printing!
Conclusion
adding a thin white outline to your vehicle’s vinyl graphics is a simple yet effective way to enhance their durability, visibility, and overall appearance. Whether you’re looking to protect your investment, improve brand recognition, or simply make your graphics stand out, this small detail can make a big difference. So next time you’re designing or applying vinyl graphics, consider the benefits of a white outline—your graphics and your vehicle will thank you.
