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<\/a>Vegas Vic, a true Las Vegas icon, has been included in the new marketing communications campaign introduced by 3A Composites USA and entitled, \u201cIt\u2019s What Legends Are Made of \u2013 Create Your Own.\u201d This program features a series of print advertisements, product literature, sample kits and a trade show booth in which legendary graphic arts icons \u2013 such as Vegas Vic \u2013 are recreated with one of 3A Composites\u2019 leading graphic display boards, including those in the Sintra\u00ae, Dibond\u00ae, Gator\u2122 and Fome-Cor\u00ae board lines.<\/p>\nThe \u201cLegends\u201d campaign was developed for 3A Composites by McLane & Company, a full-service marketing communications firm based in St. Louis.<\/p>\n
Vegas Vic, a somewhat weathered cowboy, underwent a major refurbishing in early-2000; and, 3A Composites USA did some renovating of its own when recreating Vic out of legendary Gatorfoam\u00ae, the solid choice foam board. 3A Composites\u2019 6-foot-4 Vegas Vic display was created utilizing a wide range of processes that showcase the versatility of this original heavy-duty graphic display board.<\/p>\n
\u201cVegas Vic has been a legend in Las Vegas since 1950, and Gatorfoam has built a legendary reputation of its own for its high structural strength, durability and light weight since it was introduced to the graphic display market in 1976,\u201d said David Meacham, marketing manager, 3A Composites USA. \u201cThese two legends seemed perfectly paired. In creating our Vegas Vic display, we were able to demonstrate a variety of fabrication methods on the various thicknesses of black and white Gatorfoam, including direct digital printing to the substrate, router cutting, vinyl application, airbrushing and screen printing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Gatorfoam consists of polystyrene foam bonded between two layers of Luxcell\u00ae wood-fiber veneer. It offers high structural strength and durability and may be used in outdoor applications.
\n(Follow manufacturer\u2019s directions.) Gatorfoam\u2019s new bright white facers produce eye-popping graphics in both direct digital printing and screen-printing applications. Gatorfoam is available with both white and black facers and cores in seven thicknesses ranging from 3\/16 inches to 2 inches. Standard sizes include 48-inch by 96-inch sheets and oversized 60-inch by 120-inch sheets for large-format applications.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we were asked by 3A Composites to recreate Vegas Vic, our overriding goal was to use as many different processes as possible on the Gatorfoam,\u201d said Ed Brimer, president of Engraphix. \u201cGatorfoam really lends itself to displays. It offers good stiffness in a substrate and a clean, white surface for printing. One of the newer processes that we utilized was digital direct-to-substrate printing. Companies with this type of printer capability are really utilizing this process. It really opened my eyes to the speed and high quality of direct printing on Gatorfoam.\u201d<\/p>\n Craig Jakubs, owner of The Show Doctor Graphic Design in St. Louis, was hired to develop the Vegas Vic display artwork. His greatest challenge was to find images of Vegas Vic for scanning and enhancement with Adobe Photoshop.<\/p>\n \u201cThere are very few images of Vegas Vic available,\u201d said Jakubs. \u201cI did some research on the Internet and found a few shots. One from the late 1940s \u2013 when they were building him \u2013 showed his airbrushed head. Other images were skewed or from an angle. \u2026 I was able to manipulate these images in Photoshop to get the basic outline and pieces in sections.\u201d<\/p>\n Through a fortunate turn of events while completing this project, Jakubs found himself in the Las Vegas airport on a layover from a business trip to California. He took the bus downtown and shot his own images of the real Vegas Vic.<\/p>\n Jakubs created artwork vector paths for a full body silhouette of Vegas Vic \u2013 as well as individual pieces \u2013 for router cutting by Craftsmen Industries in St. Charles, Mo. The silhouette, routed from two layers of 1-inch thick black Gatorfoam, served as a backer for additional depth-enhancing layers of detailed body parts and clothing pieces.<\/p>\n Vic\u2019s shirt, dungarees, cowboy boots and hands were digitally direct printed onto 3\/16-inch Gatorfoam by Craftsmen Industries. Digital print files were first sent to a ColorBurst rip server. Finished files were then printed with a VUTEk PressVU 180\/600 digital press, utilizing UV-curable inks. A Zund plotter, operated by MGE i-cut digital die-cutting software, was utilized to rout the images.<\/p>\n Direct digital printing allowed Craftsmen employees to print and router cut their designated display pieces within two to three hours, according to John Torretta, vice president, Craftsmen Industries.<\/p>\n \u201cThe Gatorfoam printed the first time really true,\u201d said Torretta. \u201cIt offers enough rigidity and lays true and flat. It\u2019s great for foam board printing. It also cut very well with i-cut software and the router bit \u2013 just like butter.\u201d<\/p>\n Engraphix employees created the display\u2019s head and facial areas, router cutting Vic\u2019s head, eyebrows, hair, hat and bandana. Vegas Vic\u2019s face was created from two layers of router-cut \u00bd-inch white Gatorfoam. The top facial layer was airbrushed in beige, while the bottom layer served as a backer.<\/p>\n Detailed facial features were screen printed in black and brown. Vic\u2019s well-worn wide-brimmed 10-gallon hat, router cut from 3\/16-inch Gatorfoam, also featured beige airbrush detailing. Eyebrows and hair strands protruding from Vic\u2019s hat were router cut from 3\/16-inch black Gatorfoam.<\/p>\n Engraphix employees router cut Vic\u2019s bandana from \u00be-inch black Gatorfoam and decorated it with Gerber red vinyl with a self-adhesive backing. Gatorfoam\u2019s black edge was left visible to outline the bandana\u2019s shape.<\/p>\n<\/a>Engraphix Architectural Signage, Inc., in St. Louis, which has created several displays for 3A Composites\u2019 \u201cLegends\u201d campaign, also managed the design, development and fabrication of the Vegas Vic display.<\/p>\n<\/a>Jakubs incorporated both Vegas Vic\u2019s nostalgic original look and current refurbished look in the display. For example, the display\u2019s blue dungarees resemble those from the original job, while the checkerboard-patterned Western shirt belongs to today\u2019s refurbished Vic.<\/p>\n