Behind the Scenes: Patience Is the Key When Wrapping A Vehicle [VIDEO]

ST. CLOUD -- This week in our "Behind the Scenes" series on WJON, we learn how to design and wrap a vehicle with graphics.

It's a very detailed job when it comes to giving your car that right look. Smart Signs has played a hand in designing and wrapping many of our station's vehicles and now it's time for the 98 Country truck to get a new look.

"It's nice when you have more of a direction to go in or they have an idea coming into the project," says Graphic Designer Brant Johnson.

Johnson says he then takes the clients ideas and gets creative.

"I set the design in the back behind the vehicle, then I get the shape of the vehicle and make a mask," says Johnson.

Once designs get approved and the layout set, the image is scaled and sent to print.

"Once it's sent to print and all the information is through, images this size could take up to 20 minutes to print," says Johnson.

As the ink dries the graphic is then covered to protect it from the different elements such as UV radiation and weather.

Then it's back to the computer to set up the outline cuts before the graphic is put through the cut master.

"It will read everything out and take out the excess material then we put the transfer tape on it and it's ready to put on the vehicle," says Johnson.

After the different pieces are cut it's time to carefully applied the graphics on the vehicle.

"The first this we do is take off the excess baggage on the vehicle like the handles to make sure we can wrap into it and holds bettter," says Owner David Koop.

The job requires a lot of patience to make sure there is no air pockets and the graphics fit the shape of the vehicle.

"A good detailer can probably wrap a vehicle in about two days," says Koop.

Once the last piece is put on it's then ready to parade around town. Koops says they always buy the best product and make sure their work pops when it leaves the shop.