Chapter 01Why build it
Why did Visible need a visualizer?
Choosing a wrap from a small swatch is hard.
Visible Auto Lab wraps and customizes cars in the Charlotte area. Customers kept asking what a film would look like on their own kind of car, so the shop needed a way to show it, not describe it.
"What would this film look like on my car?"
Chapter 02What it does
What does the visualizer do?
Pick a car, pick a film, and the paint changes on the spot, in the shop's own studio.
- The films261 real wrap films
The 3M 2080 and Avery Dennison SW900 and SF100 lines, each by its official name and code.
- The finishesGloss to color shift
Gloss, satin, matte, chrome and color shift, each shown on the car's own surface.
- The wheelsWheel finishes too
Factory, gloss black, satin black and gunmetal, on cars where the wheels can change.
- The searchFind a film by color
Type red, gray or color shift, or a film code, and the list narrows down.
Chapter 03How it compares
How is it different from other wrap visualizers?
It shows the shop's real films on real cars, instantly, under the shop's own name.
Most visualizers are one of three kinds: a film maker's own tool, an AI app that repaints a photo, or a monthly tool a shop rents. Each helps, but each leaves something out. Here is how a custom build compares.
Because every film is named by its official code, a customer can walk into the shop and ask for exactly the film they picked.
Chapter 04Six cars, six films
What does it look like?
Six of the ten cars, each in a real film, one for every finish.
Chrome, satin, gloss, metallic, color shift and matte. The other four cars are the Chevrolet Corvette Stingray C8, the MercedesโAMG G 63, the Ram 1500 TRX and the Tesla Model X.
Chapter 05Choosing a finish
Gloss, satin, matte, chrome or color shift?
Start with how much shine you want, then how much care you'll give it.
Every film in the visualizer is one of five finishes. The same color can look completely different in each, which is why the visualizer lets you switch between them on the same car.
- Gloss
A deep, wet shine that looks like fresh paint. The most familiar finish and the easiest to keep clean.
- Satin
A soft sheen between gloss and matte. It shows the car’s lines without the glare.
- Matte
Flat, with no shine at all. Striking, but it needs gentle washing and no wax or polish.
- Chrome
A mirror finish and the boldest look. It is the hardest film to install, so it usually costs more.
- Color shift
Changes color as you walk around the car, as the light hits each panel.
Pick two favorites in the visualizer, then ask the shop to show you both films in daylight. A screen gets you close; the real film decides.
Chapter 06How it's built
How is it built?
Fast because nothing heavy loads.
Each car is a set of studio images made for the shop, with a paint mask that is checked by hand before the car goes live. Here is how a car gets into the visualizer:
- 1Studio images for each car
Every car is shot the same way in one studio scene, AIโassisted, so films compare fairly from car to car.
- 2A paint mask, checked by hand
Only the paint changes. Glass, lights, trim and tires stay as they are, and every mask is checked by hand.
- 3Every film by its real name
261 films from the 3M 2080 and Avery Dennison SW900 and SF100 lines, each with its official name and code.
- 4Recolored in the browser
The page repaints the car on the spot, with no 3D files to download, so a new film appears instantly.
- 5Reviewed before it goes live
Each car is checked in every finish before customers see it.
A screen is not paint. Colors vary from screen to screen, and chrome and color shift films change the most with light and angle, so the visualizer is for choosing, and the film itself is for deciding.
When a plugin won't do it right, we build it.
Chapter 07Your project
Could you build something like this for me?
Need something an add-on can't do?
Tell me what your customers need to see or do. We talk it through on a free call, then you get a plan in hours.
Questions
Straight answers.
More of what people ask about wrap visualizers and wrap films.
Updated
Can I see what my car looks like wrapped before I buy?
Yes. A wrap visualizer shows a film on your kind of car before you book. Visible Auto Lab’s shows 261 real films on ten popular cars. Pick your favorites there, then see the real film at the shop before you decide.
How accurate is a wrap visualizer?
Close for color and finish, but not exact. Screens show color differently, and real light changes how a film looks, chrome and color shift films most of all. Use it to narrow your choices, then look at the film itself.
Should I get a gloss, satin or matte wrap?
Gloss looks like fresh paint and is the easiest to keep clean. Satin gives a softer sheen that shows the car’s lines. Matte has no shine at all and needs gentle washing. Try all three on your car in the visualizer.
What is the difference between 3M 2080 and Avery Dennison SW900?
They are wrap film lines from two of the best-known film makers, each with its own colors, finishes and names. The visualizer includes both, plus Avery Dennison’s SF100 chrome films, so you can compare them side by side.
Can a wrap shop add a visualizer to its own website?
Yes. A custom visualizer can show your shop’s own films on the cars your customers drive, under your name. Tell me what you need on a free call and you get a plan in hours before any work starts.
Do chrome and color shift wraps look the same in person?
They change the most with light and viewing angle, so they never look quite the same as on a screen. Use the visualizer to choose the color, then ask to see the film in daylight.
