In addition to our casting guide tutorial, here are our recommendations to design and/or prepare your label for printing. As a former graphic designer, I am happy to share what I know about using design software, and what we have learned about pen label casting in general since 2009.
Labels will have a specific length and width requirement for the pen tube you plan to cover. In pen tube casting, the width is the most critical of the dimensions. We normally make the length a bit longer than necessary to apply to similar pen tubes of the same width criteria.
Fred makes label sizing templates for any pen kit, to help you properly cut the image to the appropriate width and length measurements. With some templates, the length may vary to cover a small group of similar pen tubes. The width is most critical to guarantee successful fit. The templates also include a small width overlap to help the label seal to itself rather than the metal pen tube. We have found this helps the label stay in place better during casting. See the first video below for an example.
Fred also designed a tube in rolling jig to ensure you are applying the labels correctly to the pen tube and a line of tube in molds to assist you in the process of casting tubes. There are other tutorials showing how to cast with tube-in molds.
DESIGNING PHOTOGRAPH (SEAMLESS PATTERN) LABELS:
Most people today have a smartphone with a camera or old school like me still have a standalone camera to take photographs. The better the camera, the better settings you have available to take photos that are print ready material with a little editing.
If photography is not for you, there are also online resources of royalty free (or paid like Shutterstock) photography of the feature or subject you want to cast. It is recommended to have trademark rights to whatever you use.
For photographs, you will need to resize and/or crop the photo to make it the correct dimensions for your pen tube size. There is usually a noticeable seam change when you lay the photo edges together, due to the features or different colors in the photo.
You can use (or hire someone to use) image editing software like Adobe Photoshop or other online editing options you may already know. It helps to blend the top and bottom colors to be in the same or similar range to prevent such an abrupt change at the seam.
Seamless patterns are created by repeating a continuous pattern such as the one seen below in this video. Sometimes you may have to cut the image into parts and mirror the edges to make the pattern appear continuous. You can do this in Photoshop or with the help of online apps / websites such as Figma or Canva.
DESIGNING IMAGE (LOGO) LABELS:
For logos, words, or other images you have the rights to print, it helps to leave a enough white place around the image to reduce any noticeable overlap. My rule of thumb is 2/3 image - 1/3 whitespace for the label design based on the dimensions needed for the pen tube.
For more information about preparing image labels using Photoshop / Microsoft Word, I posted this video several years ago on YouTube.
TIPS FOR IMPROVING LABELS WITH A LOT OF COLOR:
- If the background color of either photo or logo labels is not white, use a Sharpie marker of the same color on the edges of your label to hide the seam better.
- We recommend applying a thin layer of clear nail polish to protect any heavily inked label seams. This can also work for labels or add-ons i.e. gears that do not stick well to the tube design.
- It works best to let these label applications dry thoroughly before applying the label to the pen tube and/or casting.
PRINTING LABELS:
Not everyone has the budget to get their labels professionally printed, so here are a few ways to get the best quality from the home inkjet printer you already may own.
As mentioned in our casting tutorial, we recommend buying from OnlineLabels.com for best results. These label sheets come in a weatherproof matte finish for inkjet printers. They are a full sheet label you can print several labels at one time, then cut the individual labels out as needed.
From my graphic design experience, print quality of any small images should be at least 300 DPI (Dots Per Inch). Most editing software uses PPI (Pixels Per Inch). They are not the same, but I usually adjust my PPI to 300 to make them print ready. More detailed photos or images may require a higher setting, but this has been enough for most pen tube designs I have ever made.
Here is more info about the differences of print quality vs screen resolution from LibGuides.
PRINTER SETTINGS:
In the print dialog box of your home inkjet printer, there are usually options to adjust the paper type and print quality. Here are a few screen shots of how I adjust mine. The paper type I use is a matte for inkjet paper option. The print quality I use is best.
If there is anything else we can help explain in more detail about designing and printing labels for pen tube casting, please contact us!