Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

Making Mead Labels

Collapse
This topic is closed.
X
This is a sticky topic.
X
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • Making Mead Labels

    Below are a few examples of labels for mead bottles. This is a very interesting part of the hobby. I very much suggest that you all get into making your own labels. I have used the Microsoft program to make some mead labels but find these software programs give us the chance to include more art into the label that I am making. The software that I have used mostly in order of preference are: Photo Shop, Printshop 22 Deluxe, Print Perfect Deluxe, Scrapbooks and Wine Label Maker. Photo Shop, Printshop 22 Deluxe and Print Perfect Deluxe being the most advanced however with some effort and dedication you will gradually get to be able to use the advantages of each software program. Some of the key points in using each program is provided as part of this mead tutorial. I am not a pro at using every aspect of these programs but can now manage to use them all quite well. I have attached 5 labels that I plan to use on my 2008 batches of mead that I have made; I get carried away when making these things, there are at least another 25+ labels that I have made, and yes for sure they are not only for Mead, also for wine and beer. Cheers DAW enjoy.


    Photo Shop Elements

    This is the les costly part of the Photo Shop software; the cost approximately in the area of 100$. The professional edition of Photo is 1000$+ but with this not only professional design is possible but annimation and many others. I use the least costly one. It does what I need it to do. Photo Shop Elements requires some expertise and practice. Very interesting to learn all the in and outs. I sure have not done that - it is complicated until you actually do it then it starts to make sense. It is a long learning process. Below is the link for the latest edition of the less costly software program.


    ADOBE PHOTOSHOP ELEMENTS


     Click on the Adobe Photoshop icon on the desktop – a screen will open click edit and enhance photos (it is the fourth icon from the left along the top of the page. There is now a screen with 24 icon choices on the left margin and along the top choices from file through to help. A load of options here; a professional designer once told me that he has worked with the “PRO” edition of Photoshop for many years and he is still learning something new. I have nowhere near the expertise to use this software program in all areas but there are a few that I know (unfortunately many more that I do not) that are useful for making wine labels.
     To start click the file tab at the top left of the page, a drop down menu will appear.
     Click open, now another screen comes up; mine shows my pictures file (many various types of pictures that I have collected over a period of time). You can also click the window at the top of the screen to get a drop down to choose from areas such as my documents, desktop, my computer and DVD ram drive etc. Choose the one you want or scroll down to find the photo that you wish to add a figure, bird, animal wine bottle or anything else to and click and then click open. The photo will show up on your working screen. The photo will also be in the bottom left margin and in the layer area along the right margin.
     Now click the file option again and go to the file that has the figure, bird, wine bottle barrel that you want to include in the picture that you previously loaded into Photoshop. There will now be two photos along the lower margin of the screen and the latest photo will be in the main working area screen. If it has to be larger or smaller uses the zoom icon along the left in the upper top right to do this. Now scroll through all the icons on the left, you will see as your curser passes over each icon it tells you what that particular icon is used for, brush tool, crop tool, magnetic lasso tool and move tool and many more. Remember these last three as these are the three that you will need to get the image from one photo to the other.
     Click on the magnetic lasso tool icon. Along the top you will see three small types of the lasso tool choose the magnetic lasso tool. When you move your curser to the photo you will see a small magnet with a squirrely like spider web attached. Move this tool toward the photo to the exact spot where you want to start, click the left mouse button down and hold and slowly move it along the outline of the object that you want to move. A spider web type string will follow; when you come to curves click off and on slowly to follow around the curves. At the end when the two threads meet double click and you will get a kind of flashing dotted line outlining the image to be moved. You may have to try this a few times it is tricky and takes some practice. When you have success go to the icons and click the crop tool icon then go up to the top left and click the move tool icon. Then go to the image that you have lassoed click the left mouse button and hold and move the image down toward the other picture where you want the lassoed image to be; don’t worry work slowly and when you see you have the lassoed image to the new photo release the mouse button. The photo on the main working area screen will now show the first photo that you entered into Photoshop with the lassoed image within it. Now you will have to adjust the size of the lassoed image and the location where you want it to be. When you have it where and how you want it click the green check mark and there it is your new start for a wine label.
     Now click the “T” icon along the left and the information for entering text is along the top on the main working area screen. After clicking the “T” move your curser over the photo and click and drag a text box on the photo where you would like the text to appear. Double click the text box and go from there to the fonts and size and color that you want to use. MY preference is to save the photo as a JPEG and then use another software program to load it and do the rest of the work on print shop 22 or print perfect deluxe or scrapbooks. I find it easier to work in these software programs especially for the range of fonts available. OK that is all for that area. Hope you have enjoyed – great skill for developing labels.
     Now open the Adobe Photoshop Elements as before. There is now a screen with all the icons on the left and tile through help along the top.
     Click file and open from the dropdown menu. Choose a photo that you want to rotate at different angles (great if you want to tilt a bottle to make it look like it is pouring. Size the photo with the zoom icons.
     Click the image file along the top just three to the right of the file tab. A drop down menu appears, let the curser scroll down – 90 left, 90 right, 180, or custom. I use the custom tab as you will be able to adjust to the exact angle that you want. That is it another handy thing. Save as a JPEG as before to your preferred file area and use other software to use the new angled photo that you have created. You may have to lasso cut and move an image before doing this.
     Now continue to scroll down the image file drop down menu, there is another really useful tab – “RESIZE” option. Click that option. This is a very hand option to resize a photo that you want to post to the form or for avatars. Practice this option, I use it all the time when posting photos – it is quick and an easy option to use.
     Let your curser scroll through all the options in the tabs from file through help. There is a load of options there. I am not going to go through each one. Too much to write down and better if you do this in your own time – “practice makes perfect”. This is a great cut down version of Photoshop with loads of possibilities for the label maker.
     Hope this is enough to get you interested. The great thing is that you can combine different software and use the advantages of each to your benefit.





    Comparison shop for in . See store ratings and reviews and find the best prices on with PriceGrabber's shopping search engine.










    THE PRINT SHOP 22 DELUXE


    This is an ideal software program to create your home-wine labels with. You can create Labels, Signs, Report Covers, Letterheads, Fax Covers and many – many more.
    Uses Avery numbered templates ( matches with the Avery blank labels that you purchase at the local stationary store or you can use a good white 8.5x11 paper and do your own cutting the labels out on your own and using the roll on glue to stick the labels to your bottles. I usually use the 2, 4 or 6 labels per sheet and it works out great for a size to fit on the bottles. If you want to make some bottle neck wraps there are Avery templates that can be used for that also. After you have purchased and downloaded the software:

    - Click the icon on the desktop to open the program
    - Click what you want to create, Fax Covers, Forms, Signs or yes LABELS
    - Click the Avery template you wish to use
    - Click start from scratch
    - Click finish, the blank label will come up on the screen (you will see only one of the labels the others will be there when you check print preview)
    - On the left side you have 10 options
    - The menu on top from file thru help is just full of other options
    - Click Art and Photos on the left and then click Insert Art and photos from drop down menu
    - Note all the possible areas to search in environment, nature etc and also the search box. In the search box type in something you are looking for to put in the label – grapes?, vines?, Wine?.Fruit etc and choose the category entertainment or agricultural
    - Many possible art photos will come up on the screen. Scroll through them until you find one you like and click on it -- most times it will request you to put a certain CD that comes with the software and at other times the picture will show up on the label that you are making click OK when you have put in the correct CD
    - You can now move the art around in your label, make it larger; turn it to the right, left or upside down. Check through all the [possibilities from file to help such as sending it to the back, bring it to the front etc. You can now go back to the art page and get more art or you can click on Insert along the top, to the right of file and from the Insert drop down menu click from file and then you can load your own photos etc, into the label that you are making.
    - Now go to the text tools box along the left
    - Click insert text box
    - There is now a text box to enter you label text, many fonts to choose from, colors, size etc. You can move the text to vertical or an angle or horizontal your preference
    - Now go back to the left in the text tools and click Headline Text -- wow 100 different headline test fonts to choose from; click the customize button there you can change many options, color, shadow perspective etc.
    - Go back to the left box now and check out the effects box – radiant glow or drop shadow there
    - Along the left there are a number of custom graphics, drawing tools and photo tools
    - Back to the Art and Photos in the left box you can add a border or a frame to your label
    -
    This is a very excellent software program for this label making. I enjoy using it very much. This is only a hint of what there is – every time you use this program you will learn something new. Like our taste for wine the art for the labels is personal. Lots of different choices here.

    Below is a link to purchase this software program. I really enjoy using it during the long winter days. Cheers, hope you enjoy it.





    The best known brands in consumer software for over 30 years. Whether you are looking to make greeting cards at home, learn typing, do a newsletter, create a scrapbook, start a business, get clip art or learn typing, we have the right software title for you. Our titles can make things easier and help you to improve your life.



    PRINT PERFECT DELUXE


     This is a similar software program to the Print Shot 22 Deluxe. At a level at least below, not as, many options especially in the print area, some nice art choices and the drawing tools are nice. It seems to take more clicks to get thing happening
     After the software is downloaded to your computer click on the icon on your desk top. The Print Perfect page will come up, you can create a new project, open a saved project or view recently saved documents (this is a nice option)
     Click on create a new project; choose from a list envelope, greeting cards, etc LABEL is the one you want click it
     Click next, you will get three more choices – start with a template, start with a design or start from scratch
     Click on start from scratch; there will be a page with more choices, post card, return etc. Click the shipping one and then go to the Avery # template that you wish (number of labels on an 8.5x11 page).
     Click on finish once you have chosen the Avery template
     A blank label will appear. There will be 5 icon choices to the left and also the file through help options along the top
     Click on the image tools icon along the left
     Click on add art from gallery
     A page will appear with choices and some art choices to the right; in the search box near the bottom left of the page type in wine and press search depending on the area from above that you are in you may not get any hits; continue to click nature, transportation until to get hits and the art that you like
     Click on the art that you want add to the project. You will be requested to insert one of the 8 CD’S that came with the software. Insert the correct disc and clock OK
     You can now size the art to fit the label. Click and the tabs are gone, click and the tabs reappear.
     Click on the text tools icon along the left. There are three choices, add a preset headline, add a custom headline or add a text box
     Click add a text box, it can be sized and aligned (moved) with the aligned tabs where the file menu is. There are some nice options in the headline area but quite basic for print options
     Other choices the drawing tools (very nice options), save and print and nice options in the file through help area

    My opinion, this is nice label software for wine labels but on a slightly lower level than the Print Shop 22 Deluxe. I would spend the extra few dollars on the Print Shop 22 Deluxe, I think much more there overall as compared to the others. The Print Perfect Deluxe has many more options than the Wine Label software program. The link below will get you more information on Print Perfect Deluxe. Cheers DAW









    PRINT PERFECT SCRAPBOOKS



    • Download the software onto your computer. I got this software as a package along with the Print Perfect software. I must say that seeing the scrapbook word I figured this was more of a craft person’s soft ware and it really is but it sure has some nice little things about it that can be used to make nice wine labels. Also because of this I have not use this software much but after now checking it out more to list as part of the tutorial I have found that it is very good. We all know the advantages of blending in our wine making well it is the same with some of these software strong points may be incorporated in with other strong points of software and the results can be very interesting.
    • Open the software by clicking on the desk top icon. Four areas are available to begin the project: create a scrapbooks project, create a different project, and open a saved project and view recently saved documents.
    • Click on create a different project
    • Click on label from the list and then click next
    • You now have three options: start with a template, Start with a design and start from scratch
    • Click on start with a template
    • There are a number of choices for labels; I choose Dave’s Sunflower Seeds (there are not any directly related wine templates of numbered Avery templates) click finish
    • We are now into the same page looks as the Print Perfect Deluxe software. Five icons along the left side, new project, text tools, Image tools. Drawing tools and save and print and also available above file through save options.
    • Click on the test tools; three choices are available – add a preset headline, add a custom headline and add a text box. With the text box click we can move and enlarge or make smaller the text box, with the other two clicks the headline options there are terrific fonts in here that can really add something to the label.
    • Click the image tools icon along the left side. Five choices are available; art from gallery, add art from disc, open special collection, edit photos and edit backdrop. The add art is like the Print Perfect art choices – choose the art you want-click add to project insert proper disc and it will load to the label. Once that happens there are tabs to make it larger or smaller and also turn at different angles and from horizontal to vertical. The art from disc option allows us to import pictures from our computer. The open special collection has six options; professional backdrops and the other five are decorative borders, curves, letters and numbers.
    • Click on decorative borders and we have another five choices from clip art to illustrations; click on the border art that you like, insert disc number two and the border will be loaded to the label. We can adjust the size and move to horizontal or vertical along out label. I did not see any directly related to grapes or wine but there may be some?
    • Click on image tools again and then edit backdrop; a window appears, we can choose the fill type- solid, gradient, texture and picture. This part of the software allows us to add color to the backdrop, gradient color or texture.
    • Click drawing tools icon on the left; there are many shape options here from explosions to stars (many). Some of these surely would fit nicely into a label. Whatever you choose you can make larger or smaller or change the angle
    • Some of the highlights along the file through to the help tab are print previewing, send to back, preview web site and spell check

    This is an overall nice software program. I have not used this one very much but it has some interesting fonts. I feel it is short on starting labels however, it could be used to make labels and especially for a crafts person because of the Scrapbook project area may be of more interest. Below is the link for the Print Perfect Scrapbooks software.
















    Label Maker – Wine Label Software


    This is very basic software for creating wine labels. You can add text, many fonts, Paste text, add image from your photos or from image saved on your computer. Zoom in and out and click for different shapes.


     Click to open the program from the icon on the desk top
     Click create new label or if you have previously saved labels you can click there
     You will see a number of templates (31) such as Sonoma, sunset, Grape Culture, Wedding Day etc.
     If you click on one of the templates it will come up as a preview, then click open if you like it
     You now have the template and seven options from new text, new image thru print and also above that is tile through help with some other options
     Click on the new image icon
     At the bottom of the page you will see two underlined choices; change image and add to label
     You click on change image to load an image or
     Click and drag on the label or click add to label
     If you click change image your photos stored on your computer will come up, click on the one that you want and it will show in the preview window
     Then you can either drag it to the label and click add to label and it will be added
     You can adjust the size with the tabs
     Click and seizing tabs are gone
     Click on new text icon
     You can choose fonts, color, bold etc.
     Click and drag and click on the label area to get a text box
     Type in the text that you want, move the text to where you want it or make it larger
     You can then work from there for other options such as align, zoom and print


    This is a very basic software program, not many options, straight forward and some very nice Stony Creek templates. This program has the option that you can down load it and test it out before purchasing. The link for this software is below. Cheers enjoy.


    Create the perfect personalized wine labels with our beautiful selection of label designs. Our premium custom labels are perfect any special occasion.
    Attached Files
    Last edited by StockeyDAW; 23-01-2008, 08:55 PM.
Working...
X