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James & Zelma Litzmann
04-05-2010, 5:28 PM
Had a request which includes a Texas DPS badge, does anyone know the best place to go to get a vector image or to get it vectorized?

Dave Russell Smith
04-05-2010, 6:19 PM
Had a request which includes a Texas DPS badge, does anyone know the best place to go to get a vector image or to get it vectorized?

Not sure what it looks like but under goggle search Wiki has an image

Gary Hair
04-05-2010, 7:27 PM
Talk to William Descrochers at excaliburcreations.com - he is very talented and will be able to help you out.

Chris DeGerolamo
04-06-2010, 8:51 AM
http://www.vectordoctor.com/

I saw this posted here before. I have not used them so I cannot comment on their work.

James & Zelma Litzmann
04-06-2010, 9:33 PM
I ordered this one . . .

147409

but I got this one . . .

147410

I was just wondering if you guys would be happy with this?

Mike Null
04-06-2010, 10:08 PM
If it was a vector image I don't find anything wrong with it that can't be changed.

Edit:

I agree with John's assessment after a second look. The line weight is easy to change but the right side of the background is wrong. Send it back and ask them to do it right.

John Noell
04-06-2010, 10:13 PM
Since the background 'vegetation' does not even come close to matching, I cannot imagine a DPS trooper would be very happy with it.

James & Zelma Litzmann
04-06-2010, 10:56 PM
Thanks guys, I don't think the badge was vectorized, it was recreated, which I could have done. Anyhow not to beat up on anyone but I just needed to know if I was being too picky . . . because to me . . . it was not acceptable, I will call the customer tomorrow and let them know I cannot duplicate or have it duplicated, to the quality that is needed to complete the job. Thanks again, I always respect your opinions.

Ross Moshinsky
04-07-2010, 12:05 AM
I'd say it is acceptable. To get it perfect, it would take hours of work and it still may not be right. The detail on the original image is not good enough to do an exact replica. Even if it was, billing at $50/hr, you're talking about $100-150 in just artwork charges. I've never come across a client that wanted to pay that much in artwork charges when I could just charge them $25 and get something very similar. Any client that is that selective about their artwork, I tell them replicating is impossible and they have to provide artwork. They never can, so I end up doing the $25 method and everyone is happy. If I had to nit pick, I'd want the text look more similar to the original.

If you want, give www.vectormagic.com a shot at processing the image and combine the two attempts. Vectormagic will probably do a better job with the text. I bet the ivy will look better in your image. Combine the two and it will probably look pretty sharp. If you really want it to look like the badge, I suggest ordering one and just mounting it to whatever you are engraving. We do this for a couple police departments and firehouses. It's costly, but it's what they like.

Mike Null
04-07-2010, 6:27 AM
Zelma

It is not a difficult job and William at Excalibur can do very reasonable. Gary hair has provided a link.

Randy Digby
04-07-2010, 7:19 AM
Just a thought - send the customer the image you posted here and ask him if it is acceptable.

Brian Robison
04-07-2010, 10:02 AM
I wouldn't be happy at all. The font is wrong also.
At least the shape of Texas looks right.:rolleyes:

Mark Ross
04-07-2010, 1:15 PM
Well it is Texas and that is close to Mexico...

"Badges? We don't need no stinking badges...":)

It may be that the DPS has official graphics that are to be used for things like this. Have you tried contacting them?

Dee Gallo
04-07-2010, 1:44 PM
I looked around their various websites and the Texas DPS seems to use a lot of different logos, and some of them match the "vegetation" on your line drawing. In fact, none of them except the troopers uses that finer plant form. So, I think if you fixed the type to match better, it would be a go.

Gregg Vaughn
04-07-2010, 2:39 PM
James,

I found this .svg image you may be able to use .... had to zip it due to its size ...

James & Zelma Litzmann
04-12-2010, 6:44 PM
Thanks everyone for all your help, especially to Gregg, I used what you sent me and made a few changes, showed it to the customer and she was happy with it. Thought I should show you guys what I finished with, it is not perfect but it is much better.

147998

Len Levi
04-12-2010, 9:01 PM
Most of what we make is for Police, Fire, EMS, Military.
They are very picky about their insignia, understandably.

You should be able to get it vectorized correctly for $10.

Based on the original badge the final artwork is not correct.
But if customer OKs it. Then that's good enough...for government standards.;)

Its most notably off on the "wheat" on the right side.

http://www.cwnielsenmfg.com/wp-content/gallery/police-badges/copy_0_24.jpg

James & Zelma Litzmann
04-12-2010, 9:25 PM
No, it was not correct and normally I would not even send it to the customer but she was pretty insistant. I tried to have it vectorized and as you see by the previous postings, (almost the same badge you posted, except their's said TROOPER instead of COMMANDER) . . . it did not turn out too great and I paid $12. Lesson learned!

Len Levi
04-12-2010, 9:34 PM
$12 that's good. They would probably tweak it for no cost.
Or you could just stretch the right side leaves a little.

Fire Departments seem to be more critical than cops. I guess they have more down time to "review" everything.