Sports Wall Clings

[RWFelty]

Has anyone figured out how to do this for youth sports?
http://www.fathead.com/fatheadsweb/index.html

I would like to find a vendor that could produce these as an add-on to my team sports sales.

I did find this vendor http://www.totallycustomwallpaper.com but they don't seem to excited about doing smaller sizes for your sports photographers.

[Richard_Brackin]

I have not seen their final output so I don't know what press they use but I have some comments on the process since we do 'custom contour-cut wall murals' along with plenty of other things. I am not interested in soliciting your business so I will simply tell you what is needed to accomplish this.

** There is one wildcard here -- the decal material.
There aren't just a ton of manufacturers of premium adhesive-backed substrates so it wouldn't be too hard to find something.
You will have to find a very specific stock that can be continuously repositioned without transferring the dirt and dust off the previous wall --- I doubt it's static cling stock but I'll bet it's as thick -- 8 or maybe 10 mils thick.

Anyway, assuming you could find the substrate, you would need to own or have access to:
1. Digital Printer
2. Cold Roll laminator
3. Decal Cutter with optical registration capability
4. Design software

The rough process would be as follows:
Pick a photo
Using Illustrator, Freehand, Corel, Canvas, or other vector software, create a vector path around the perimeter of the image that you want to have cut out.
Then you would draw registration marks so the optical sensor on the flatbed cutter would see where to register itself.

More specifically...
Once you pick your photo, the smart thing would be to import it (link it) to Illustrator or some other vector drawing program.
Then you will need to use the pen tool, or a tracing tool to create a VECTOR around the perimeter. This will tell the cutting software where to cut.
You must also create 1/4" solid black registration marks at certain points along the image.
Save the file once as an .eps file with the image, and then save a separate cut file as a PDF without the image.

If you have a digital printer, you could take it to a local sign shop to have it laminated.
Then you could ship it out or take it to a local sign shop that has computerized cutting with optical registration.

I know what it costs to make this stuff and can tell you that fathead is probably turning a very healthy profit on this.

[RWFelty]

What I am looking for is a vendor who can work with a photographer and process orders in a timely manner with wholesale prices that allows for "healthy profits" for all. This is such a great concept and the T&I , as well as Action Sports market is untapped. Any suggestions, please let me know.

[carzee]

I'm enthused by the den & bar possibilities. This idea will make money. Pro-golfers? Boxers? Music & movie starts? Bikini models?

And waterfalls for therapists. Motivationals for salesforces. Product shots etc; a sponsor-subsidised billboard of your hero in your home. Beer brands & bikinis...

It has an impact!

[Edward Papierski]

WWW.BUCKETHEADSPORTS.COM e-mail eddie@bucketheadsports.com
I'm in the process of expanding something I started for my own kids. Now everyone wants one. I'm taking a few orders a day and grow. If your interested in doing business let me know. There's about $20.00 in it for the photo guy. It's about numbers.

[Terry Zorich]

Not to steal Edward's thunder, but Wallhogs.com is doing this, and very well. My current net on a 3'x4' vinyl wall decal is about $50 ($85 minus costs of about $35).

[Phyllis_Blume]

I've been using wallhogs.com. They email you a proof within 24 hours or so and shipped product in 2 or 3 days total. No complaints so far.