3 Simple Ways to
Share What You Make

With Instructables you can share what you make with the world — and tap into an ever-growing community of creative experts.

PhotosPhotos

Share one or more photos of a project, recipe, or whatever you've made, quickly and easily.

Step by StepStep-By-Step

Share your step-by-step photos with text instructions of what you made so others can do it too!

VideoVideo

Share your how-to video. You'll need your embed code from a video site such as YouTube.

animated gps batmobile icon

animated gps batmobile icon
{NOTICE} the custom vehicle icons that i make freely available on my website are not for resale. {/NOTICE}

owners of the garmin nuvi line of gps navigation devices can create their own personal vehicle icons to supplement or replace the vehicles that ship with the unit. i've had mine (a nuvi 350) for over a year and the moment that i learned that i could craft my own custom vehicle i knew i had to have my very own batmobile!

the process can be broken down to two basic steps: 1) creating the source images and 2) combining the images into a single file that can be converted into the file format the nuvi uses for the icon.

unlike other gps units which use a single static image of the rear of the vehicle, the nuvi uses an image array to generate an animated icon that can be viewed from 360 degrees. it really doesn't matter how you create the source images: you could draw them and scan them in or create them in a paint program. for this exercise i'm going to show you how i used photographs of a model car to make the icon. i've also used 3d models to create other icons.
 
Remove these adsRemove these ads by Signing Up
 

Step 1Choosing our vehicle

choosing our vehicle
«
  • batmobile1950_640.jpg
  • batmobile1950CorgiLg02.jpg
for this project, even with nearly 70 years of different batmobiles to choose from, the choice was actually quite simple: the version that debuted in february 1950, if only because i just happen to already have a die-cast replica that i bought for $6 on naked impulse at my local rite aid last summer.
« Previous StepDownload PDFView All StepsNext Step »
20 comments
Mar 17, 2009. 8:42 PMFoaly7 says:
Dude, you could make any icon with this using other toy objects (dragons, horses, videogame characters, animals other than horses, etc.)
Dec 19, 2008. 1:27 AMNaxess says:
Thanks! Finally got rid of that massive blue arrow that blocked out street names :D
Dec 19, 2008. 4:40 AMkamikaze001 says:
True :D
Nov 20, 2008. 11:36 AMfreerunnin1 says:
gr8 instructable, by the way... does ani 1 know how to play music or videos on a garmin nuvi 2oow? plz message me if u have the answer.
Jul 16, 2008. 2:32 PMFireBAT says:
Excellent Instructable! My stupid tablet computer with Streets&Trips 2007 finally stopped working, so I bought a Garmin Nuvi 200. yesterday. The first thing I installed on it was the Batmobile! Thanks for allowing others to have it, and keep up the great work!
May 11, 2008. 1:31 PMcoldheart says:
i want to make the hellraiser box for mine ;0
May 6, 2008. 5:30 PMcamerasforeyes says:
Nice to take the time.. If you work for an ad agency though then hats off to your lateral thinking!
May 5, 2008. 2:05 PMWingDings says:
Wow. Some people really suck, eh?
May 5, 2008. 12:48 PMEragonShadeslayer says:
What would be awesome is if you could do a 3-D of a Light Cycle from Tron. That would be pretty Kick-A. (If you don't know what a light cycle is, search it on wikipedia)
May 1, 2008. 5:23 PMmatt_sawyers says:
my first thought was "superman!" :p
May 1, 2008. 2:10 PMfwjs28 says:
what if u did this with pics of urself...it would be cool to make it looked like ur walking while u move....hmmmmmm...makesd me wonder.......
May 1, 2008. 12:10 AMleebryuk says:
That was pretty cool. I always wondered how someone might go about doing that. Well explained and illustrated. I could see a small market opening up for selling customized vehicle characters to owners.
Apr 30, 2008. 5:56 PMchunkyblamm says:
this is awesome! im doing this for my nuvi 660, theres just one small question of what ill make mine. possibilities seem endless. hmmmm
Apr 30, 2008. 5:32 PMLinuxH4x0r says:
Cool! I wish i had a gps....... Great job!
Apr 30, 2008. 3:43 PMcaitlinsdad says:
That is great! You should have made the batcopter, batmobile or not, it looks like you are blocking the grid and traffic ain't going nowhere. You'll have to get the commissioner to fix your ticket.:)
Apr 30, 2008. 1:25 PMLabot2001 says:
Awesome job!

Now all I need is a DeLorean...
Apr 30, 2008. 12:57 PMWard_Nox says:
My dad has a garmin i wonder what icon i should make for him

Pro

Get More Out of Instructables

Already have an Account?

close

All Steps Viewing
View all steps of an Instructable on the same page when you're a Pro Member.

Upgrade to Pro today!
2
Followers
2
Author:aarrgghh