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Hi. I need a label for #1 soon.

Yup, I'm putting the back onto #1 today (sorry, it's a dread) and very soon I'm going to want a proper label. I looked this in the archive and it has been a few years since this was discussed. Software changes so fast and I am wondering what other builders use and recommend for making their inside labels with. I have the latest PaintShop pro V12 that could do it but it does not appear to be best suited for this task given my limited skill at using the application.

I saw some nice watermark labels in the archives.

Suggestions? Recommendations? Thanks

Rick Hubka
Calgary, Alberta Canada

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Rick Hubka
Chemainus BC Canada

If you are looking for something quick and easy then most business card software programs work well. They are about the right size for a label and you can easily import images etc. into them and then print them on your printer.

You don't want to know what I use as it is very expensive but I use it every day for engineering drawing and 3D modeling/imaging

You can also use Microsoft Word... It can make a pretty nice label. You can add a watermark, which will put an image (or photo) behind the label. It's a nice touch...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

I'm not the most computer savvy guy, myself, but I have a label I like that I made in M$ Word. The only thing I'd like to change is I'd like some of the text to follow an arcing line, and I haven't figured out if there's a way to do this. I'm sure there is some kind of software somewhere that can do it, but I don't know if it's possible in M$ Word or any of the other common word processors (I use a Mac, and also have Pages). If anyone has any helpful input for me on this, I'd appreciate it.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

The PaintShop Pro is a perfect tool for the job, especially because you already have it.

Work at a high resolution (like 300 pixels per inch, sometimes called 300 dpi.)

Create a new file sized in inches (like 4" x 3"), not pixels (like 1200 x 900), because it is easier to gauge on screen.

Turn on View Rulers.

Turn on View Guides.

If you want separate blocks of text centered over each other, create guides, and slide them into place, at least on the vertical center of the drawing. Then, using vector fonts (not raster), you'll have a box around each clump of text, and that box has corner and edge handles (leave them alone unless you want to stretch or compress the text), and also a center handle. Visually line up the center handle of each text box with the center vertical guide.

Create a new layer for every text block. Create a new layer for every graphic element (that way, you can easily change the opacity of the layer to soften an image, or to use as a watermark behind the whole image.)

Use Save As frequently, and save versions of the label. Save using the native PSP or PSPRO file extension, which is lossless and saves your layers. That way, you can easily get back to any point in the process, if you change you mind somewhere along the line. (Otherwise, you'll have to just hit "Undo" multiple times, and you might undo something you'd rather keep.)

Once the text is exactly where you want it, and exactly the size you want, stop and do a Save As. Then, you can play with each block of text as a raster block (and add things like drop shadows, or textures, or make the text look 3-D.)

Have fun with it, and don't spend too darn much time. You are not committed to a run of 10,000 labels that you'll have to use on your next 9999 guitars. Besides, if you spend too much time on your label on your first guitar, William Cumpiano will wag a finger at you!

Dennis
p.s. There are newsgroups dedicated to PaintShop Pro, by version. You can get help for specific questions there. The parent group is: cnews.corel.com

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Todd, check to see if you have "WordArt" (all one word) within your version of MS Word. If so, you can easily do curved text, though you are limited to pre-configured styles.

Go to View/Toolbars and see if WordArt is in the list. If not, click Customize, and turn on WordArt if it is there. If it is not there, I think you are out of luck. Help says: "What happened to WordArt?
In earlier versions of Office, you created special text effects by using the WordArt program that came with Office. In Office 2000, you can create these effects directly in your program by inserting WordArt drawing objects by using the WordArt button on the Drawing toolbar; and you also have added features, such as 3-D effects and textured fills.

If you already have the WordArt program on your computer, it remains when you install Office 2000 — but you'll probably want to use the new WordArt button to create your WordArt drawing objects. Text effects created in the WordArt program aren't automatically converted to new drawing objects."

Hope this helps!

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

Good question Rick, I use Print Shop, But I'm sure there are a lot of programs out there that will fill the need.

Along the same lines, what kind of paper do you all use?

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Say what you do, Do what you say.

Dennis, you are my friend! Herewith, let no-one speak ill of Dennis Leahy, or they will have to contend with me!

I do indeed have WordArt in my M$ Word 2004 for mac version, and, thanks to you and the Help menu, I was just able to start messing around with the possibilities in a matter of minutes, and it looks like it will do just what I want it to - that is, if I can figure out how to get the curved text inside my oval-shaped double-lined border, along with a line of straight text... but I imagine it will work out fine.

Thank you, Dennis! You are hereby a welcome guest in my house!

BTW, Dave, there was a lot of discussion of papers and inks in a thread about this some months ago. You should be able to find it in the archives. My current choice is Southworth 24 lb Fine Parchment Paper, gold. It's archival quality, acid and lignin free. At this point, I am operating on the belief that this is more than good enough (but I'm always open to being convinced otherwise), and it has the look I want.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

Thank you Dennis!
I was recently talking with my brother who is a real computer illustration guru, and he tried to teach me how to work in Adobe illustrator over a VPN. I felt like the hopeless there for a while. Me thinks it's a bit overkill for what I'm trying to acheive. Your detailed explanation is a relief! Thank you again!
Darren

That is excellent, 'cause if I buy even one more back and side set, I may need to borrow your couch for a while!


You can push up or pull down on either the top center or bottom center handle, to adjust the shape of the ellipse used in the WordArt object.

If you are flexible enough to use the supplied WordArt objects and their parameters, then this will be the easiest solution for you, because (as you said) the only thing left was to get one line of curved text placed.

If you just can't nudge it to submit to your will, then you may need to jump to another program to do it. And, though I have PhotoShop CS, I still have and use PaintShop Pro, which has excellent bang-for-the-buck (you can grab a copy on Ebay for $15 - $40. I'd go with any version greater than 9.)

MS Word does not really use "layers" like graphics programs do, so you are somewhat limited as to what can be moved around or overlapped. Luckily, WordArt objects do act like layers, so you can move them over (or around) your regular text. Besides the curved text, if a second line of text is required but needs to be a flat line, try making it in WordArt as well, and push up on the bottom center handle until the dotted line flattens out. (If you go a tiny bit too far, the text will be drawn upside down.) Once you have everything in the correct position, if something is overlapping and obscured, right click on each WordArt object, click Order from the pop up menu, then you'll see the options to move the object forward or backward in the stack.

Your future couchmate,

Dennis

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Dennis Leahy
Duluth, MN, USA
7th Sense Multimedia

I use PhotoShop CS3. You can get great results using Paintshop, Word or most consumer
level graphics packages.

I'm just familiar with PhotoShop so I stay put to avoid the learning experience for a new
piece of software.

Regards,
Kevin Gallagher/Omega Guitars

another one for Photoshop here. I use CS2 but any version would work. Probably not the best if you are not familiar with the program but for someone familiar with it, its probably the best software available. That or Adobe Illustrator.

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Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Thanks for the advise everyone...

Dennis, OK I'm going to give PaintShop Pro a try. Thanks for the walkthrough!

Michael, What is that expensive software you use? AutoCAD? Inventor? I have access to both but at my age I'd probably be dead before I made my first label.

AND... If PaintShop Pro doesn't work for I'll try MS Word on the advise of others.

MMMmmm... Now I wonder what kind of paper I should run through the inkjet and I wonder what kind of glue I should use so as not to damage the label look. I'll do lots of test runs on scrap wood for sure.

Thanks again

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Rick Hubka
Chemainus BC Canada

I purchased Printshop elements labels and logos for probably $25 to do labels for my cd's and cd jewel cases. It would work great for a guitar label.
John

Yep, It in MS Word, just use the WordArt from the drawing tool bar (probably at the bottom of window). Click on WordArt, select one of arced templates and add your text). If it seems like Word doesn't want to let you place things exactly where you would like, turn of the snap to grid (Drawing Toolbar, click draw then grid and clear the snap objects checkbox)

Thanks again, Dennis! No need to sleep on the couch. We have a guest room.

Thanks also to dacullen.

I'll play around with it and see what I can do.

Rick, there was a lot of discussion of glues, as well, in a thread on this subject some months ago. You should be able to find it in the archives. For the time being, I'm going with fish glue.

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Todd Rose
Ithaca, NY

https://www.dreamingrosesecobnb.com/todds-art-music

https://www.facebook.com/ToddRoseGuitars/

I Use MS Publisher.

It always amazes me (actually it inrtreagues me but I'm not sure of the spelling!!) that people use a word processor for Desktop Publishing jobs.

ah well, each to their own!!

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My soundclick xx luthier blog xx luthier soundclick

I'm a big OpenOffice fan.

It's free, it's intuitive, and I've designed plenty of graphics using thier suite.