Guide
How to brief a custom inflatable and what to send
To brief a custom inflatable, send your logo as a vector file (SVG, AI, EPS or PDF), JPEG or PNG images of at least 150 dpi at full scale, the Pantone references of your colours and the measurements of the venue. A sketch is enough to start: the shape is then approved in 3D, as with the ZSC lion tunnel, shown as 3 proposals after 2 weeks.
Contents · 6 sections
What files should you send for a custom inflatable?
Send the logo and text as vector files (SVG, AI, EPS or PDF), and photos or visuals as JPEG or PNG of at least 150 dpi at full scale.
A vector file stays sharp at any size; a low-resolution image pixelates once it is enlarged to an object several metres tall.
For the shape itself, add whatever you have: a sketch, photos of the product from several angles, drawings. A project can start from a simple sketch or a written concept as well as from a detailed CAD file.
What should you measure at the venue before ordering?
Measure the available footprint, the overhead clearance and the clear opening that people and equipment need.
Also note the access route (doors, goods lift), the floor (grass, concrete, wooden floor, ice) and the rigging points if the piece will hang or sit on a façade.
At the Grand Rex in Paris, the 6 m tall Minion was installed on the façade with rope-access technicians and an aerial work platform: that kind of installation belongs in the brief.
For a custom sport tunnel, height and length matter as much as the shape: the ZSC lion tunnel is 7 m tall and 9 m long.
A similar project? Describe it to our team.
Request a quoteHow do you pass on brand colours?
Give the Pantone references from your brand guidelines: a colour can be matched when its Pantone reference is provided during the design stage.
State the version: a Pantone colour carries a C for coated paper or a U for uncoated paper, and it looks noticeably different from one paper to the other.
A CMYK file can be used, but the printed colour may differ from what you see on screen.
On fabric, judge the shade on a printed sample: the guide to inflatable fabrics and printing explains the processes.
When should you approve the 3D model?
Before any fabric is cut: for the GSHC eagle, several 3D proposals were drawn up from the club’s brief, then the tunnel was designed, cut and assembled in less than 10 days.
For the ZSC lion tunnel, the 3 proposals in 3D came after 2 weeks; once the choice was made, production took less than 10 days.
For Henkel, the design and 3D proof of the LE CHAT replica took 3 days.
The 3D proof is where you check the silhouette, the proportions, the dimensions and where the logos sit, before production starts.
How faithful will the inflatable be to the product or character?
An inflatable reproduces the silhouette, colours and logos of a product or character; air pressure, however, rounds off sharp edges and very fine details.
For Henkel, the workshop made a 1.3 m replica of the LE CHAT bottle, with high-definition UV printing, for 100 supermarkets.
For Mosaert, Digital Inflatables handled the 3D, design, production and installation of a 6 m helium cloud.
For a mascot or a giant inflatable character, the 3D model is used to approve the expression and proportions before production.
What happens once the 3D is approved?
Fabric patterns are drawn from the approved model, then cut, printed and assembled: for the lion tunnel, more than 500 different pieces of fabric were laser-cut, sublimation-printed and hand-sewn.
Lead time depends mostly on what is ready at the start: benchmarks are in the guide to custom inflatable lead times.
The making steps are set out in the guide to how custom inflatables are made, and the trade terms in the inflatable structures glossary.
Full specifications
| Logo and text | vector file: SVG, AI, EPS or PDF |
|---|---|
| Photos and visuals | JPEG or PNG, at least 150 dpi at full scale |
| Colours | Pantone reference, as C (coated paper) or U (uncoated paper) |
| Venue measurements | floor footprint, overhead clearance, clear opening |
| 3D design, Lion ZSC tunnel | 3 proposals in 3D after 2 weeks |
| 3D proof, LE CHAT replica | design and 3D proof in 3 days |
Frequently asked questions
What file formats does an inflatable manufacturer accept?
Usually vector files (SVG, AI, EPS or PDF) for the logo, and JPEG or PNG images of at least 150 dpi at full scale.
Can a custom inflatable start from a simple sketch?
Yes: a project can start from a sketch or a written concept, then move to 3D before production.
Do you need Pantone references?
Yes, whenever brand colour matters: a colour is matched when its Pantone reference is provided during design.
How long does the 3D model take?
On Digital Inflatables projects: 3 days for the design and 3D proof of the LE CHAT replica, 2 weeks for the 3 proposals of the ZSC lion tunnel.
Which venue measurements does a manufacturer need?
The footprint, the overhead clearance and the clear opening, plus access such as doors and goods lifts.
Sources
- Inflatable tunnel buyer’s guide (mvpvisuals.com) mvpvisuals.com
- Glow Inflatables FAQ glowinflatables.com
- Pantone, coated and uncoated paper support.pantone.com
- Digital Inflatables projects page digital-inflatables.com
Drafted with AI assistance from the company’s verified facts, reviewed and approved by Jodoc Elmiger, founder and managing director of Digital Inflatables.
