How a Vinyl Car Wrap Works

We can’t think of anything more eye-catching than a customized vinyl car wrap for your vehicle. If you’re looking for a vinyl car wrap to make your brand stand out from the rest, Chief Graphix can help! Here’s what you can expect when you choose custom wrapping with us:

1. Clean and prep. Before we apply customized vinyl wrap to your vehicle, we make sure to fix up any rust or scratches that might be visibly noticeable. Rule of thumb is that if you can see it, it will most likely show through the vinyl wrap. That is why we do all we can to prep your car first!
2. Make it stick. Depending on the type of vehicle, we will cut the vinyl wrap into sections before applying it, so that it will cover the entire car by individual sections. Then, magnets are often used to hold the vinyl in place until the backing is removed and the adhesive is exposed.
3. Smooth it out. After your vinyl car wrap is applied, it’s important to roll over any curves, air bubbles, or other imperfections to make the wrap look seamless. We know that every car is shaped differently, which is why we are careful when working out the kinks.
4. Adjust the fit. An essential part of making your vinyl car wrap look its best is to stretch it and allow it to shrink back. Oftentimes using a torch to stretch it out is the ideal approach; however, it’s essential to prevent burning any parts of the vinyl. Pre-stretching is another way to adjust the fit to your vehicle.
5. Cut around the edges. We know that even the little imperfections can make a difference, which is why we pay close attention to detail. Part of perfecting the overall look of a vinyl car wrap includes cutting off the edges with a utility knife.

At Chief Graphix, we know that graphics are essential to marketing your brand, which is why we’re committed to providing the best solutions in custom vehicle wraps. To learn more about what our vehicle wraps have to offer, call 516-883-SIGN today, and let our graphic professionals guide you through every step of the process.

3 Easy Steps to Make Your Brand More Memorable

Take a good look around your industry. Do you feel that your business is just existing among a larger, bigger picture? If so, we think it’s time that you thought about taking the necessary steps to set your business apart from competitors and making your brand more memorable. Here are 3 steps to take to into consideration to get you started:

1. Position your business as a local expert. At the end of the day, your largest pocket of potential customers will come from the area that your business resides in. Though competition may be fierce on the market as a whole, it can be more manageable if your efforts are localized. Get involved in the community and offer plenty of expert tips and testimonials on social media. Make sure to share examples of past successes with your audience as well.


2. Build up your brand identity. You want your logo and tagline to resonate strongly with current and potential customers, no matter how “boring” your industry might appear to be. Develop a visually appealing brand logo and a sincere slogan that people will believe in. Then, make sure to expand your branding efforts to every aspect of your business - from custom printed signs and brochures, to window graphics, website design and even your office atmosphere.


3. Be willing to go above and beyond. What makes any business stand out from their competition? The fact that they are willing to go that extra mile to do what others won’t. When developing your brand identity, make sure to choose signage, symbols and slogans that express what your business can do for customers that other companies in the industry cannot or do not do. This will allow you to build a personal connection with your audience and will position your business as the obvious choice for the unique services that you provide.

If re-branding and building brand awareness is your goal, we can help with beautifully crafted custom signage, vehicle wraps, window graphics and more. When it comes to custom branding, Chief Graphix is your one-stop-shop for high quality products and professional consulting services.

For more information about how we can help your business rise to the top visit us on the web or call 516-883-SIGN.

How to Choose the Perfect Font for Your Signage

Picking the perfect font for your sign project can be a lot of pressure. The font that you choose says a lot about your company and can really make or break the effect that your signage has on your target audience. Unfortunately, there are no rules set in stone that tell you which fonts are a go and which are a no, but luckily we can offer this font choosing guide to help you navigate the process.

Set the mood. Every typeface has their own look and feel, so you’ll want to make sure that the font you choose correctly captures the tone you’re looking to convey. Just by looking at a font you should be able to gauge whether it projects “fun and flirty,” “stern and serious,” or any other mood that it may be eliciting.

Stick to the basics. Though fun and unusual typefaces are sometimes called for, more times than not sticking with something old and faithful in the Helvetica, Arial or Times New Roman realm is the way to go. If you do feel the need to use a quirky font, use it sparingly as a title or header and supplement with a more traditional font for large bodies of text.

Combine with care. Using a combination of more than one font is a good idea to keep things visually appealing and eye-catching. The rule of thumb when it comes to combining typefaces is to pair a natural serif and a sans serif together. These two font types compliment each other very well and are easy on the eyes.

Limit your selection. Though combining typefaces is encouraged, using more than two or three fonts in a single design is frowned upon. Beyond the third font choice the design begins to look cluttered and disorganized, and sometimes even three is too much!

Consider legibility. Always remember that in order for your signs to be effective, your audience must be able to read what they say. Though many script style fonts are beautiful, they are not always the best choice when it comes to being clear and easily decipherable. After you’ve chosen your font combinations, always take a step back and ask yourself, “if I didn’t know what this said already, would I be able to make it out?” It can help to get a second eye as well!

If you still can’t find the perfect font for your custom signage, vehicle wrap or window graphic, just leave it to the experts at Chief Graphix. With more than 25 years of experience under our belt, you can trust that we’ll lead you in the right direction for all of your custom branding needs.

For more information, click here to visit us on the web or call 516-883-SIGN today!

3 Quick Tips to Create a Catchy Slogan

Next to a perfectly designed company logo, a catchy business motto or slogan is one of the most important elements of any marketing campaign. In fact, many influential brands have had one or two catchy slogans that can be directly contributed to their success. If you’re looking to create a slogan for a new company or marketing campaign, here are a few tips to follow:

Make it short, sweet and to the point. Think about some of the most catchy company slogans, like Nike’s “Just Do It” or Sony’s “Make Believe.” What do these both have in common? They’re short and to the point! Keeping your new slogan simple and straightforward will give you the most customer engagement and success.

Make it memorable. The key to creating something catchy is designing something memorable. Think about the famous “Got Milk?” ads and how well the public responded to them. The short and spunky nature of this slogan is what captured and maintained the audience's attention.

Make it meaningful. Dependent on your industry and mission statement, you’ll want to create a slogan that captures your brand’s beliefs and tells the consumer how they can benefit from your product or services. For example, Coca Cola’s famous “Life is Better with a Coke,” slogan tells their audience that: 1. Drinking Coke is something that can better their daily lives, and 2. Coca Cola as a company is committed to improving their customers’ overall quality of life.

Still need help coming up with a killer company tagline? The marketing and design consultants at Chief Graphix can help! With more 25 years of marketing experience under our belt, you can rest assured that your company’s custom branding efforts will be in only the best hands.

To learn more about our services or to schedule a free consultation, click here or call 516-553-SIGN.

How Does Color Affect Mood?

For years artists and design professionals have argued that choosing the correct color can make a difference on the emotional effects that a work of art, decorated room, company logo or even a sign can employ. Though there is no hard scientific evidence to back this claim to date, there still seems to be truth surrounding the psychological effects of color. 

Color was first discovered by Sir Isaac Newton in 1666, when he passed pure white light through a prism, resulting in separated lines of each visible color. Since then, the use of color has expanded, and universal meanings have been assigned to each one individually. Here’s a breakdown of the three different color groups and their specific meanings.

1. Warm colors consist of any variation of red, orange or yellow and are said to be energizing. When used, these colors help foster feelings of happiness and optimism.

• Red is extremely eye-catching in nature and evokes passionate emotions of love, anger and excitement. 
• Orange inspires bliss and happiness. It creates a warm and inviting feel, perfect for calls-to-action.
• Yellow is absolutely energizing, associated closely with sunshine, hope and laughter. Using yellow can evoke an optimistic and cheerful mood.

2. Cool colors are next up on the color wheel and include shades of green, blue and purple. These color choices are said to bring about a soothing and calming feeling.

• Green is often associated with healthy choices and wealth. It is often used by companies in the health, beauty and environmental industries to inspire hope.
• Blue is one of the most commonly used colors, due to it’s calming nature meant to evoke feelings of trust and spirituality.
• Purple is inspiring! Known as the color of creativity, royalty and wealth, purple is often used to enrich the look of a design and add an air of luxury.

3. Neutrals, like black, white, gray, tan and brown, are most commonly used as backdrop or accent colors. When juxtaposed with warm or cool colors, neutrals help enhance the other colors in the design, strengthening their meaning.

• Black and gray indicate sophistication and conservatism, while white represents purity, innocence and softness. 
• Tan is subdued and relaxing, while brown has a wholesome, earthy feeling.

In addition to the given meanings for each color, the main reason that color is so effective in evoking certain emotions is experience. Each individual has experienced color differently and therefore associates specific colors with certain emotions. This is why it has been hard for scientists to pinpoint the exact psychological effects that colors can have on individuals.

If you’re looking to choose the perfect color palate for your next custom banner, vehicle wrap or wall graphic, you’ve come to the right place. For more than 25 years, the design consultants at Chief Graphix have been walking industry leaders just like you through the custom branding process.

To learn more about how we can help you create custom signage that’s both engaging and emotionally-charged to compliment your company's unique services, call 1-883-SIGN today.

What are the Basic Font Groups and Typeface Styles?

When it comes to choosing a font for your next sign project, the possibilities are seemingly endless. With such a wide array of font styles and formats to choose from, it’s no surprise that something as simple as picking a font can be very overwhelming. That’s why we’ve decided to devote today’s blog post to providing you with a brief rundown of font classification basics!

As you’ll see below, most fonts can be classified into eight distinct groups:

• Blackletter style fonts mimic those used during the Middle Ages and World War II. They’re complex and detailed, which make them more difficult to read. Due to their regal, “old world” feel they are generally best suited for special announcements such as invitations, diplomas or certificates.

• Decorative & Display fonts are unusual and unique. In a sense, this category is a bit of a catch-all since the fonts classified within this subgroup do not follow any sort of rhyme or rhythm. Here’s where you’ll find whimsical, cartoon-like fonts, best used for titles or headlines.

• Ornamental typefaces reject the traditional alphanumeric font system and replace it with a series of pictures and symbols. Since they’re nontraditional by nature, use of such fonts is reserved for adding simple embellishments on a document, or making musical, mathematical or mapping notations.

• Sans Serif literally translates to “without serif.” This means that fonts within this classification do not have the letter tails and toppers that Serif fonts do, creating a more bold and crisp look. Though these typefaces are known for legibility, using them for large text blocks can cause strain on the eyes.

• Script fonts are made to look like they have been handwritten with all characters connected, just like traditional script. Each font in this classification is unique in its own way, differentiated mostly by implied writing style or instrument. Given their fancy nature, Script fonts are generally used for formal announcements.

• Serif fonts are fittingly named after the serif itself, a short line tacked onto the top or bottom of a letter. The benefit of using Serif fonts is increased legibility, which makes them the perfect option for large chunks of text. The most widely used example of a Serif font is Times New Roman.

• Slab Serif fonts, like their close relatives above, are classified by their use of tiny letter tack-ons. However, the difference between Serif and Slab Serif is that this font group uses short blocks or squares to define a letter’s end, instead of traditional serifs. They are also not as legible, but make for great eye catching headings or advertisements.

• Transitional fonts are more rounded than Serif fonts, but they share the same legibility and precision. Their serifs are flat and thin and their lineweight varies from letter to letter.

Though this classification system does a great job of breaking down the basics there are still tons of new fonts being created everyday, making absolute classification impossible.

If you’re still having trouble deciding on a font for your custom signage, vehicle wrap or window graphic, just leave it to the experts at Chief Graphix. With more than 25 years of experience under our belt, you can trust that we’ll lead you in the right direction for all of your custom branding needs.

For more information, call 516-883-SIGN today!

How to Make Children Want to Wear a Helmet

It’s summertime, which means you’re probably spending plenty of sunny afternoons outdoors with your children riding bikes and rollerblading. Though these activities are a ton of fun, they can also be dangerous if your children are not properly protected. Are your kids giving you a hard time about wearing their helmet? Here are a few tips to make convincing your child to wear their helmet less of a struggle:

Start them early. Have your child wear a helmet from the very first time they ride a bike or strap on skates. Whether their first ride is on a tricycle, or on the back of an adult’s bike, making the correlation between riding and wearing a helmet early-on will help form safe riding habits in the future.

Explain the consequences. Children are more curious than anything, so explaining the “why” of something always helps! Frame bicycles as vehicles of transportation not toys, drawing a parallel between helmets and seat belts, and point out the dangers of brain injury that can come from riding without a helmet. Be sure to remind them that even professional athletes wear helmets!

Lead by example. As a parent, you are your child’s number one role model. Everything they learn, they learn it from you, so by wearing a helmet yourself you are showing them what they should do.

Make it a fashion statement. Helmets are often boring looking, but they don’t have to be. Letting your child design their dream helmet will make them more likely to want to wear it. They can decorate their helmet with stickers or bedazzle it with gems, but the best way to make your child’s helmet stand out is with a custom helmet wrap from Chief Graphix!

At Chief Graphix, we understand how important it is for your child to be safe and sound while enjoying fun in the summer sun. No matter what your child desires, our expert designers can work with you both to incorporate all of their favorites into an awesome custom helmet!

For more information about how you can beautify your child’s helmet this summer call 516-883-SIGN. together we’ll have your child wearing their helmet proudly in no time!

How to Successfully Use Car Decals for Advertising

Are you looking for a new and exciting advertising tool to boost your business? Converting your vehicle into a mobile billboard with custom car wraps or decals is one of the most affordable ways to make a moving impression everywhere you go! According to the Outdoor Advertising Association of America, “more than 95% of Americans are reached by media targeting vehicle drivers and passengers.” At that rate deciding whether or not to dive into vehicle advertising is simple!

If you’re ready to take your campaign to the streets, we’ve compiled a few tips to help you make the most of your car decal advertising campaign:

Weigh your options. When it comes to vehicle advertising you have a few options. The first, is a custom wrap, which will be a fully-encasing graphic on your car. This is the most eye-catching option, but is also usually the most pricey. If you’re looking to stay low-budget for now, choose from magnet decals or window cling decals that can be placed wherever you like on your vehicle.

Plan your decal placement. Typically magnetic car decals perform best when stuck to either side of your vehicle, while sticker decals are best placed on rear or side windows. When deciding where your decals should go think about who your target audience is, drivers or passengers, and place your decals accordingly.

Decide what you want to advertise. Are you looking to drive traffic to your website? Share an exciting promotional offer? Or maybe you just want to boost your brand recognition. Think about your campaign’s goals while planning your wrap or decal design. It’s usually always beneficial to include your company’s name, logo or slogan, contact information, and the services that you provide.

No matter what you’re thinking for your exciting new marketing initiative, the graphic design experts at Chief Graphix can help! With combined experience of over 25 years, our team of design consultants can take you from conception to completion, guiding you through every step of the decision process. Whether you want a full wrap, a partial wrap, car decals or just some simple lettering, we can get your vehicle turned around and on the road in no time!

To learn more about how we can help your business take it’s advertising campaign on the road call 516-883-SIGN!

Decorate Your Wheelchair for National Wheelchair Beautification Month!

Illustrator Horace Knowles was the first to beautify his ride when he attached a florist's water tube full of flowers to his wheelchair with velcro for decoration. From there the idea took off, inspiring wheelchair owners everywhere to express themselves through design - July was even established as National Wheelchair Beautification Month! This July, celebrate you and let your personality shine with these great wheelchair decorating tips:

(Photo courtesy of Flickr user JenXer)

• Be bold! Don’t let colors scare you. The bolder and brighter, the better. Choosing warm and inviting colors that fit your personality will contrast the cold, dark metal look of an undecorated wheelchair.
• Think custom! There are tons of accessories out there to make your wheelchair the perfect match for you and your needs. Jazz up your seat with a custom patterned cushion or add some flair to your rims. If you’re looking to go big or go home, custom decals and vinyl wraps are perfect for achieving a completely made-over look!
• Stay focused! Choose an overall theme for your wheelchair’s design. Do you love sports? Have a favorite music artist? Maybe you’re just all about trendy floral patterns. No matter what you love, let it show through your decorative theme.

At Chief Graphix we believe that you should not be defined by your wheelchair, but rather your wheelchair should be defined by you! We specialize in custom wraps and decals of all shapes and sizes, so if you’re looking to reinvent your wheels, we’ve got you covered - literally. Our expert team of design consultants will get to know you personally and work with you to create a design that will make your wheelchair stand out above the rest.

For more information, click here to visit or website or call 516-883-SIGN.

How to Create a Productive Work Environment & Build a Successful Business

When it comes to starting a business and building an office, the design choices that you make can have a profound impact on the productivity of your employees and the success of your company. It’s important to build a work environment that reflects your company’s overall mission and encourages your employees to immerse themselves in your company’s culture. Here are some steps to take when creating your office space:

1. Decide on an office layout. Once you’ve secured a location and built your ideal brand goal, it’s time to design an office that reflects your company values. First, decide on your floor plan. An open floor plan can be great for collaborative creativity, but might not work best for your employees. Evaluate your business goals and think about day-to-day tasks that your employees will need to perform.

2. Furnish and light the space. Proper lighting can dramatically influence productivity in the workplace, but bad lighting can lead to fatigue, eye-strain and headaches, hindering employees from performing at their best. Whenever possible, try to provide as much natural light as possible. As far as furniture choices, think comfortable. Remember, your employees will be sitting at their desks for at least 8 hours a day!

3. Give your office color and character. After you’ve purchased the necessary furniture and made the appropriate layout choices for your office, it’s time to breathe some life into those stark white walls. Here’s where Chief Graphix can help! Choose colors that inspire, like blue and yellow, and create a unique wall decor that’s compelling and motivating. We suggest custom wall wraps that display your business’s mission clearly for employees and customers to see.

At Chief Graphix, we believe that your office decor can truly impact your company’s success. From custom wall graphics and lobby signage, to custom designed nameplates, we can help you transform your office into an inspiring space for your employees to work in and your customers to feel confident in. To learn more about our custom office design options, call 516-883-SIGN or click here to visit us on the web.

Choosing Event Signage for Your Next Conference

If you’re planning a large event it’s incredibly important that you have personalized event signage to help maintain the flow of traffic and “wow” your guests. After all, you never have a second chance to make a first impression! If you’re in the process of planning a conference, fundraiser or corporate event, here are a few questions that need to be on your radar when thinking about your event signage:

What kind of signs do you need? Think about the different sessions that are taking place at your event. Go through everything with a fine-toothed comb and make sure that all of your sign bases are covered. You never want your guests to feel lost or confused, so taking a walk through the venue might also be beneficial so you can see exactly where sign placement is needed. On the day of the event it helps to assign greeters near important signage to help direct your guests.

What is the best way to display your signs? Depending on the function of each sign, you may need to be flexible with placement. That means that the “set it and forget it” method will not work for every sign. For example, if your event has multiple spaces for opening remarks, you’ll want to direct your guests to the proper location with a sign in the lobby or at check-in. However, you will need to be able to change out the location when the capacity for the first space has been filled. Instead of having a pre-attached stand-up banner, try backing your signs with velcro and sticking them to tall stands, that way you can easily switch them out when needed.

How can your signs stand out? Often times conferences are held in hotels or other large venues, which means you may have to share lobbies and space with other concurrent events. Don’t let your guests be confused and overwhelmed by conflicting directionals. The best way to set your signs apart from the rest is by having them custom branded. In addition, take advantage of the opportunity to advertise with interactive signs by including QR codes, social media information and event specific hashtags.

At Chief Graphix, we know that signage and graphics can make or break your event, which is why we’re committed to providing the best solutions in custom branded sign-creation. If you’re ready to check “custom signage” of off your event planning to-do list, call 516-883-SIGN today, and let our sign professionals guide you through every step of the process.

Custom Wraps - Our Specialty!

There’s nothing more eye-catching than a custom wrapped car or retail store wall. When it comes to branding solutions, we’ve got you covered with all of the wraps you could ever ask for, and more! Our team of full-time vinyl installers is one of the most experienced in the industry, which is why we guarantee that your wrap will be designed and installed to perfection. Here are some of the custom wrap jobs that we typically do:

Promotional Vehicle & Truck Wraps: There’s nothing better than an advertisement on wheels! Put your personal vehicle to work promoting your business, or have your staff work double time while out on a job in a custom wrapped truck. More than 95% of Americans are reached by media targeting vehicle drivers and passengers, so get out there and advertise!

Sports & Medical Helmet Wraps: We wrap helmets of all shapes, sizes and purposes. Do you coach a local town or school sports team and want to boost up the team spirit? A custom wrapped helmet is just the thing! We’ve wrapped lacrosse, football, baseball and hockey helmets in the past, and look forward to adding some more in the future. In addition to sports helmets, we have also wrapped medical helmets for children, allowing them to display their personal style everyday!

Office & Retail Wall Decor: You never get a second chance to make a first impression! Whether you’re looking to create the perfect office vibe, balancing customer engagement and employee comfort, or you just want to spice up your storefront, we can help. Our expert team of in-house designers will work with you to take your idea from conception to execution quickly and cost effectively. Let us help you make an unforgettable first impression with custom, vibrant wall graphics.

At Chief Graphix, we do it all, and then some! We’re your custom sign and graphics experts, specializing in custom wrap design and installation. No matter what you want to wrap, we can make it happen. To learn more about our wrap services or to request a free quote, call us at 516-883-SIGN or visit us on the web today.

Sign Solution Services We Offer

At Chief Graphix, we offer a wide variety of signage solutions, from custom truck wraps and wall graphics, to helmet wraps, window decals, office, construction and event signage, and more! We’re your custom wraps, signs and graphics experts, with personalized branding solutions for any business or occasion. Here’s a quick overview of some of the services that we can provide for you and your business:

Custom Wraps - We wrap everything! With all of the advances in wrap material technology and the use of cast vinyl, we’re able to wrap almost anything that you can think of. A vinyl wrap allows for a more vibrant and eye-catching display to help grab potential customers and build your brand.

Custom Banners - We can create high quality banners of all shapes and sizes for any occasion or purpose. Whether you need a tall banner on a stand, pole banners, mesh banners, grand opening and announcement banners or a custom branded step-and-repeat, we’ve got you covered.

Construction Signage - If you’re looking for a reliable source for permit signs, construction safety signs, barrier systems or temporary graphics to display at a construction site, we can help. Our in-house team of design and manufacture expert can turn around high quality signs quickly and cost effectively. Our job is to help you do yours!

Sports & Events Signage - From event banners and table banners to high quality custom tents, lifesize cutouts, trade show and POP displays, Chief Graphix is the perfect choice for all of your event signage needs. We know that signage can make or break your event, which is why we guarantee only the best quality design and execution.

To learn more about the services that we offer, or to request a free quote, visit us on the web or call 516-883-SIGN today. Our in-house graphic design team can offer creative and professional solutions for all of your graphic needs, and our team of vinyl installers is one of the most experienced in the industry. Unparalleled creativity, quality and cost make us the obvious choice for all of your custom branding solutions!

About Us!

Here at Chief Graphix, we are your custom wrap, sign and graphics experts, offering a large variety of design and consulting services!

Co-founded by JB and Abby Meyer, we take pride in our diversely skilled professional staff members, who are committed to providing the highest level of service and quality products to best meet the needs of our customers.

Our team understands the importance of staying informed and up-to-date on the latest innovations and technological developments in the graphic design and sign printing industry. We offer the latest and greatest materials and products available, and provide our customers with the best and most creative graphic solutions in the marketplace.

Not only can we make your original design ideas come to life, but we can help you every step of the way, from conception all the way to printing. Our in-house graphic design team can offer creative and professional solutions for your graphic needs, and our team of full-time vinyl installers is one of the most experienced in the industry.

If that wasn’t enough to convince you that we’re the best in the business, how about our quick turnaround time and affordable pricing? Since we do the majority of graphic production in house, we have the ability to turn our products around quickly and cost effectively, using the best technology on the market.

Located in Port Washington NY, we proudly serve all of Nassau County, Queens and the surrounding areas. To learn more about how Chief Graphix can help come up with exciting and innovative solutions for all of your custom branding needs, click here to visit our website or call us at 516-883-SIGN. We can’t wait to help you and your business succeed!