I have a design I created over the weekend for a label I would like to use on my sauces. I don't sell them (yet) though I would love to once I get enough recipe's and plants under my belt. Anyway I am wondering if any of you have any online sources that are reliable and affordable for making short run labels of like less than 100 maybe? Thanks for the help.
labels Label Making
- Thread starter crazy8
- Start date
Hmmmm.....maybe ask Heartbreakingdawns, Creator, CajunHeat, Salsalady, and many of the others that sell products with the glossy labels.
I, for one, have no clue!
I, for one, have no clue!
salsalady
Business Member
I'm back from the kid's camping trip, (time for a vacation after that!!! 2 days of KP duty for 60 people is not my idea of FUN)
Back to labels-
I think inkjet ink will smudge, even on glossy labels. You can spray them with a clear coat to seal them, I've done that and it works well. Just one more step and a little more money.
I like the label with everything centered.
Just one more NIT-PICKY little thing. If you look at the flames on the left and on the right of the 8ball, and where the white letters are over the flames, there is a bright patch of flames right behind the "CRA-" on the left and it's hard to see the white letters on the bright flames. Notice the white letters on the right hand side, they are much easier to see. I'm assuming the flames are all one picture behind the 8ball. You could cut the flames in half, rotate/flip the left side flames so the darker patch is behind the white letters. Or cut/crop the flames to the flames on the right hand side ( I think they look better than the flames on the left anyway) and then leave the right-had flames as is, make a copy of the right-hand flames, flip/reflect the copy and put that behind the left had side.
And it still looks like the red square needs to skootch up a little, it looks like it is closer to Refrigerate than it is to Hot Sauce. If you can't get it exactly centered, then put it a fraction closer to the top and leave the wider space below.
I KNOW! REALLY nit-picky..............
and videos, use youtube or other video server.
Back to labels-
I think inkjet ink will smudge, even on glossy labels. You can spray them with a clear coat to seal them, I've done that and it works well. Just one more step and a little more money.
I like the label with everything centered.
Just one more NIT-PICKY little thing. If you look at the flames on the left and on the right of the 8ball, and where the white letters are over the flames, there is a bright patch of flames right behind the "CRA-" on the left and it's hard to see the white letters on the bright flames. Notice the white letters on the right hand side, they are much easier to see. I'm assuming the flames are all one picture behind the 8ball. You could cut the flames in half, rotate/flip the left side flames so the darker patch is behind the white letters. Or cut/crop the flames to the flames on the right hand side ( I think they look better than the flames on the left anyway) and then leave the right-had flames as is, make a copy of the right-hand flames, flip/reflect the copy and put that behind the left had side.
And it still looks like the red square needs to skootch up a little, it looks like it is closer to Refrigerate than it is to Hot Sauce. If you can't get it exactly centered, then put it a fraction closer to the top and leave the wider space below.
I KNOW! REALLY nit-picky..............
and videos, use youtube or other video server.
Thats not all that picky at all. I to noticed the bright flame on the left. Maybe if I do a black outline around the letters that will take care of it and I can keep from doing a mirrored image. I wont have time to make these changes tonight so Iw ill use the labels I have now. I also will take a closer look at the flavor label and see if I can improve that. thanks again for your input 
I get the Smudge Proof labels from here; http://www.planetlabel.com/product/white-photo-gloss-3-x-5-rectangle . The ink will not come off even
when immersed in water (well at least till the label starts coming apart
) It was quite a savings in printing costs when I discovered I didn't
need to use waterproof ink. I've tried the acrylic spray top coating and found it is nowhere as good! My homeprinting of labels is below $.20 a label, all the way down to $.10 depending on the size of the label. The downside is it takes a bit of time to print photo quality labels on a home
printer, some of the (odd)sizes are hard to set up to print correctly, and the printers need for "new" cartridges (just reset as per the CISS suppliers directions)
when immersed in water (well at least till the label starts coming apart
) It was quite a savings in printing costs when I discovered I didn'tneed to use waterproof ink. I've tried the acrylic spray top coating and found it is nowhere as good! My homeprinting of labels is below $.20 a label, all the way down to $.10 depending on the size of the label. The downside is it takes a bit of time to print photo quality labels on a home
printer, some of the (odd)sizes are hard to set up to print correctly, and the printers need for "new" cartridges (just reset as per the CISS suppliers directions)
salsalady
Business Member
I get the Smudge Proof labels from here; http://www.planetlabel.com/product/white-photo-gloss-3-x-5-rectangle . The ink will not come off even
when immersed in water (well at least till the label starts coming apart
need to use waterproof ink. I've tried the acrylic spray top coating and found it is nowhere as good! My homeprinting of labels is below $.20 a label, all the way down to $.10 depending on the size of the label. The downside is it takes a bit of time to print photo quality labels on a home
printer, some of the (odd)sizes are hard to set up to print correctly, and the printers need for "new" cartridges (just reset as per the CISS suppliers directions)
tigah8-
as posted earlier in this thread-
format your label in a common format, load it onto a disk or FD, take it to the local photo/copy store, and have them print out laser copies which will not smudge for .04-.09 per label.
If a person is looking for something that will not smudge, for a shelf-stable product, they do not need to look at "water-proof" labels, only a good laser-printed label. Refrigerated/Frozen items are usually the ones who need to worry about waterproof labels, which are really expensive compare to laser labels.
salsalady
Business Member
Thanks, Pauly,
For the established sauces (salsa, chipotle hs, wildfire hs and the refrigerated dressings) those were professionally printed. The graphics people I work with are great. Sometimes I have them design the labels, like for the dressings, with my input. They will also do small runs of 500-1000 for me but when a product gets to the point of going on the market, then it's usually time to buck up and do a run of 1500-5000. That quantity of labels will last a LOOOONG time for the items only marketed locally.
I haven't done more than about 5000 in a run because it seems the inspectors/state are always changing what is to be on the label for contact info and what ingredients have to be spelled out and what can be listed as "spices". First they wanted a phone number only, then they wanted a mailing address, then they wanted the physical address where the product was made, but if that place wasn't a full time business with a person in the office, then it had to have my personal address, then both then...what's next? My social security number as well?!?!?
The Tropical Ghost Glaze and the Ghost Fire Hot Sauce labels were designed by myself and then laser printed on Avery Laser Labels at the local copy store in short runs. Those labels are 6-up on a page, so they will print however many pages are needed. We're still playing around with the design but soon we'll have the design finalized and will then have a run done by the graphics people.
For the established sauces (salsa, chipotle hs, wildfire hs and the refrigerated dressings) those were professionally printed. The graphics people I work with are great. Sometimes I have them design the labels, like for the dressings, with my input. They will also do small runs of 500-1000 for me but when a product gets to the point of going on the market, then it's usually time to buck up and do a run of 1500-5000. That quantity of labels will last a LOOOONG time for the items only marketed locally.
I haven't done more than about 5000 in a run because it seems the inspectors/state are always changing what is to be on the label for contact info and what ingredients have to be spelled out and what can be listed as "spices". First they wanted a phone number only, then they wanted a mailing address, then they wanted the physical address where the product was made, but if that place wasn't a full time business with a person in the office, then it had to have my personal address, then both then...what's next? My social security number as well?!?!?
The Tropical Ghost Glaze and the Ghost Fire Hot Sauce labels were designed by myself and then laser printed on Avery Laser Labels at the local copy store in short runs. Those labels are 6-up on a page, so they will print however many pages are needed. We're still playing around with the design but soon we'll have the design finalized and will then have a run done by the graphics people.
Downriver
Extreme Member
Crazy,
Ever hear the phase "square peg in a round hole"? That's what I think of looking at your label
.
To my eye, the square box shouldn't be square. I would play around with a round shape(s), just to see what it would look like. Maybe two overlapping circles, which would look like an "8" laying on its' side.
Or, if you want to adopt a "billiards" type theme, maybe use a pool ball rack instead of the square, or use a silhouette of racked pool balls, if that makes sense. Also, you could use crossed pool cues in some configuration as well.
Just a few thoughts to play with, should you want to start working on Version 2 of your labels.
Either way, what you've done is impressive. Me likie
Ever hear the phase "square peg in a round hole"? That's what I think of looking at your label
.To my eye, the square box shouldn't be square. I would play around with a round shape(s), just to see what it would look like. Maybe two overlapping circles, which would look like an "8" laying on its' side.
Or, if you want to adopt a "billiards" type theme, maybe use a pool ball rack instead of the square, or use a silhouette of racked pool balls, if that makes sense. Also, you could use crossed pool cues in some configuration as well.
Just a few thoughts to play with, should you want to start working on Version 2 of your labels.
Either way, what you've done is impressive. Me likie
I think I got an idea as far as what to use instead of that red square. I think and I hope you guys will like it, in addition I think it will add a special something. I am however going to leave you all in the dark as to what my idea is until I have it implemented into the design. This way you all also kind of have to "stay tuned" to find out. Now I will admit it is going to come off as a copy cat idea, but I did originally come up with the idea on one of my other label ideas when I was still figuring what I wanted the label to be and also didn't know that an "in store" brand had done a similar idea. The difference is that mine will have a different "appeal" and different "meaning" behind it. Anyway ill stop talking and as soon as I have something put together I will be sure to post it in here. I may even get started tonight.
Well Im not 100% happy with this yet. I want to make it look like my face is coming out of the shadows. I need to do some shading in Photoshop I think. Anyway this was the idea. This is meant to be more of a play of the "crazy" part more than the hot sauce being hot part. As I said there is another sauce that I later found has different faces on their sauces but clearly its for the "hot" factor. So what are the honest thoughts of this idea?
I really like the 8 ball with flames across the top. The only thing is that the C and the R don't pop as nicely as the H and the T. I think "Refrigerate After Opening" should be moved under "Best By Date on Bottom." I also think it would look better if the sauces name wasn't on your face. Maybe put it under your chin? I don't know I am not too creative. I hope I wasn't too harsh.
I agree that the C and R don't pop like they should. I also agree with the flavor covering my face although it does do me some good to have my face covered..lol but seriously I thought it should also be moved just wasn't sure how I should do it. I don't take any of this as being harsh. Its all very constructive criticism. I also softened the edges around my face so it didn't look so cut and paste but so it also had that "coming out of the shadows" look. Notice the outline around "Crazy Eight" I also looked at it with doing a drop shadow which also looks sharp but wasn't sure if it was bold enough. I like how it looks much better now. What do you all think about the idea and the look of it?
salsalady
Business Member
Much better with the" CR" outlined in black.
I'm still not sold on the idea of having "hot Sauce" in the top bar by the 8ball. HOT sauce sort of specific in describing a sauce, and now C8hot sauce is selling a Wing sauce or a Salsa----- maybe just put "SAUCES" and that will cover whatever flavor is in the jar.
Hopefully others will chime in if they don't see a problem or conflict of a HOT SAUCE company selling wing sauces.
I'm just looking at the whole branding thing. Crazy8 is an awesome name/logo/theme to run with. I just don't want to see the different products linked to something so specific as HOT sauce. If you want to market a varietyt of flavors, choose a logo brand name that will work for any flavor sauce. "Crazy 8 Sauces" would work. "Crazy 8 Hot Sauce" Wing Sauce....not so much to me, but I hope others will chime in here. I know others will see it differently and I hope they put their dos centavos in here.
On the subject of the face-
Hubby looked at the picture in the first post where it was behind the text and he did not get "crazy", he thought it was for the heat. We both thought the idea would work but the facial expression did not look "crazy".
Can you put the face in at 50% transparency? I'm not familiar with PS, so I don't know if you can layer things in like that. Keep in mind what you are selling. In the last draft, the face is larger than the product name. Enlarging the font is easy with the stretch ratio features. or choose a font that is taller than it is wide. If the face can get transparent, maybe it can go behind the fonts and the fonts will be larger as they are the focus.
like I said before- NitPicky me~
I'm still not sold on the idea of having "hot Sauce" in the top bar by the 8ball. HOT sauce sort of specific in describing a sauce, and now C8hot sauce is selling a Wing sauce or a Salsa----- maybe just put "SAUCES" and that will cover whatever flavor is in the jar.
Hopefully others will chime in if they don't see a problem or conflict of a HOT SAUCE company selling wing sauces.
I'm just looking at the whole branding thing. Crazy8 is an awesome name/logo/theme to run with. I just don't want to see the different products linked to something so specific as HOT sauce. If you want to market a varietyt of flavors, choose a logo brand name that will work for any flavor sauce. "Crazy 8 Sauces" would work. "Crazy 8 Hot Sauce" Wing Sauce....not so much to me, but I hope others will chime in here. I know others will see it differently and I hope they put their dos centavos in here.
On the subject of the face-
Hubby looked at the picture in the first post where it was behind the text and he did not get "crazy", he thought it was for the heat. We both thought the idea would work but the facial expression did not look "crazy".
Can you put the face in at 50% transparency? I'm not familiar with PS, so I don't know if you can layer things in like that. Keep in mind what you are selling. In the last draft, the face is larger than the product name. Enlarging the font is easy with the stretch ratio features. or choose a font that is taller than it is wide. If the face can get transparent, maybe it can go behind the fonts and the fonts will be larger as they are the focus.
like I said before- NitPicky me~
Yeah you do make a good point. Its funny you mentioned using "Sauces" because earlier today I created a gmail account which is crazy8sauces@gmail.com so that would fit quite nicely with that then.
I'm just looking at the whole branding thing. Crazy8 is an awesome name/logo/theme to run with. I just don't want to see the different products linked to something so specific as HOT sauce. If you want to market a varietyt of flavors, choose a logo brand name that will work for any flavor sauce. "Crazy 8 Sauces" would work. "Crazy 8 Hot Sauce" Wing Sauce....not so much to me, but I hope others will chime in here. I know others will see it differently and I hope they put their dos centavos in here.
Well I had a talk with my photographer friend today about an idea I had that would say "crazy". My idea was to have her strap me to a chair by my wrists and ankles and have the background look like im in a psych ward or something. Shes a very busy person but I also have until next year to do it for my next labels.
Photoshop does use layers and IMHO is the most robust and capable program than anything out there. But yeah I will try the 50% transparency and see how that looks.
I call it attention to detail and Im glad you have that. I sometimes dont notice things since I have my face buried in it working on it...lol
Here is an updated image with the suggested changes. Man im getting quick at this..lol
Downriver
Extreme Member
I agree with SL and SD. I don't get "crazy" out of the photo. I do get scared or pain, but not crazy. Crazy to me is more the Three Stooges slapstick "crossed-eyes and tongue sticking out the side of the mouth" type thing, or Jack Nicholson in 'The Shining' when he sticks his head through the door - now that's a "crazy" look.
Funny, I also thought "Sauce" should be "Sauces", for the same reason as SL - kinda a branding thing. An alternative could be "Crazy 8 Creations". More general, and therefore still applicable, regardless of the product you come out with. Who knows, a "dip" might be in your future. As of now, you'll have "Crazy 8 Sauces Dip". You might not want to limit yourself.
Either way, still lookin good to me Crazy.
Funny, I also thought "Sauce" should be "Sauces", for the same reason as SL - kinda a branding thing. An alternative could be "Crazy 8 Creations". More general, and therefore still applicable, regardless of the product you come out with. Who knows, a "dip" might be in your future. As of now, you'll have "Crazy 8 Sauces Dip". You might not want to limit yourself.
Either way, still lookin good to me Crazy.