Author Topic: Marquee printing - what material?  (Read 16853 times)

Wurstkopp

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Marquee printing - what material?
« on: January 16, 2015, 11:22:11 AM »
This must have been discussed a hundred times, but I really haven't found anything. On what material do you guys usually get your marquees printed on? I tried backlit material but the colours look way too weak (especially the blacks!). I also tried normal vinyl prints but they're not as translucent as the originals.

So, where's the trick? A link or the correct term of the material would be awesome. :)


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Wurstkopp

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #1 on: January 16, 2015, 05:59:27 PM »
Yeah, it's too silly, I know. ;D


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muddymusic

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #2 on: January 16, 2015, 09:03:26 PM »
They generally were on a backlight film applied to plexi or glass, but the issue with the colours you see on stuff now though is down to the printing method. To replicate original ones they need to be screen printed, which is applied 1 colour at a time using a pre-mixed ink so the colour is completely solid. Once all colours are screened a layer of white ink is applied over the whole image. When it is turned over the print faces the correct way and the light shining through is a nice solid colour.

I use flexible duratrans film for printing marquees, it's the best material I've been able to get for solvent ink printing. If you find there is too much light coming through you could use a piece of smoked plexi behind it, or a good option is an adhesive paper used for the inside of lamp shades that blocks a lot of light and is heat proof. It's quite expensive though.
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Wurstkopp

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #3 on: January 17, 2015, 01:38:18 PM »
Thank you so much, mate; that's exactly the info I needed!  :spaceace:
I'll discuss this with my printer next week. :)


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Wurstkopp

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #4 on: January 26, 2015, 03:02:28 PM »
He's not able to do it. :(
Guess I have a look after the originals then. :)


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muddymusic

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #5 on: January 27, 2015, 01:08:11 AM »
I can help with printing stuff if you can't get anyone nearby to do it, the link below shows what I do
http://www.ukvac.com/forum/artwork-order-10-marquees-cpo-side-art-closed_topic341997.html
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Luigi

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2015, 08:03:20 AM »
I can help with printing stuff if you can't get anyone nearby to do it, the link below shows what I do
http://www.ukvac.com/forum/artwork-order-10-marquees-cpo-side-art-closed_topic341997.html


Can't tell about the marquee stuff but the DigDug CPO I received was first class!!  :spaceace: :)

Wurstkopp

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #7 on: January 27, 2015, 12:52:59 PM »
Thanks, muddymagic, but from what I can tell this looks exactly like the usual backlit prints without real blacks:


I really appreciate your offer but it's not what I've been looking for.

Yesterday I talked to my printer again and we'll give a doubled backlit a try - one printed without white, one with white. The idea is that the two greyish blacks will sum to a solid black. If that's not working I'll give up and go for the original ones. Which means 100 Euros for a Robotron marquee ::) :(. But hey, it has to look awesome. :)





« Last Edit: January 27, 2015, 04:08:43 PM by Wurstkopp »


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Etienne MacGyver

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #8 on: January 27, 2015, 02:59:31 PM »
what if you paste a extra layer of white vinyl over the back to block the light slightly ?

Wurstkopp

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #9 on: January 27, 2015, 04:08:14 PM »
We did that. The problem is that the white on the back then adds to the blacks and the result is a greyish black. Also all the other colours get greyer, the white adds to every colour.

Difficult shit. ::) ;D


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muddymusic

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #10 on: January 27, 2015, 06:53:01 PM »
You will only ever get pure black if you screen print it as the inking is thick enough to block the light completely. As soon as you put light behind any other printing method it will brighten all the colours unfortunately.

The only way I can see it working any closer to what you want with solvent ink is to print 2 different marquees - a normal front one, then one to place behind it that prints in reverse only the black areas and leaves the rest of the material clear, then apply a white spot backing to the printed areas of the second one. That should stop the light from getting through the black areas.
For example:

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Etienne MacGyver

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Re: Marquee printing - what material?
« Reply #11 on: January 27, 2015, 07:21:53 PM »
Interesting technique, but i think its hell to line up...