Condado Beach Tribute Set - The Pier Five Hotel and Casino (1 Viewer)

[bentax1978]

I'm looking to get input on a Condado Beach Tribute set I've been working on. However, instead of going with "The Condado Beach - Hotel & Casino", I am going to label them "The Pier Five - Hotel & Casino" chips. The Pier 5 hotel (in Baltimore) is where my wife and I were married back in 2002. The graphic on the top of the chip is a sketch of the Seven Foot Knoll Lighthouse, located on Pier 5 where we had the ceremony.

All of the chips are going to be relabeled Paulson THC 818 spotted chips. I've already acquired three different chips in sufficient quantities to proceed, and I'm working on trying to get a fourth denomination to add to the set. The three chips that are set to go are the gray Casablanca $100 chips (to be relabeled into $1 chips), the red-brick Casablanca $100 chips (to be relabeled into $5 chips) and the Aztar $25 chips (to be relabeled into either $25 chips, or possible $0.25 chips, depending on what the fourth chip ends up being).

I had done a rough mockup of my design and @Gear printed out some sample labels (along other labels I had already ordered for a different project) so I could get an idea of how the graphic and text would look printed out on an actual label. I was very happy with the results in terms of the quality of the printing, despite some initial concerns about how legible the text and graphic would be. I applied the samples to the chips, and I think it's a good first iteration.

Based on what I liked and didn't like about the first draft samples, and incorporating the input and advice from several helpful PCF members, I've tweaked the layout a bit. The main changes were the font, which now more closely matches the font on the Condado Beach chips. The denomination is a slightly deeper red, and centered without respect to the dollar sign. There is a little more space near the edge of the inlay, and the separation line is thinner and doesn't extend as far beyond the text. I also replaced the "and" with an ampersand on the lower line of text.

I'm still undecided on whether to go black or blue, the latter obviously being more true to the original. I welcome any opinions on that. Obviously I welcome opinions on any aspect of the project, which is why I am posting it here

Condado Beach $5 chip

Original inlay concept

revised inlay - black

revised inlay - blue

original sample labels on chips

original sample labels in mini splashed pot

wedding shot for context

edit: most recent mockup

 

[Junior24xx]

I think your labels look cool. The chips you choose are quite sweet. It would be nice to see a blue label on an actual chip to help compare. Having said that, the original chip looks quite good with the blue. I think it would look pretty cool with the blue.

 

[bentax1978]

I think your labels look cool. The chips you choose are quite sweet. It would be nice to see a blue label on an actual chip to help compare. Having said that, the original chip looks quite good with the blue. I think it would look pretty cool with the blue.

Thanks!

Definitely going to get some blue samples on the next order and see how they look in person.

 

[BGinGA]

Love the idea and the back story. I'd go with black text, red denom, and the pier in it's actual blood red/black colors.

 

[bentax1978]

Love the idea and the back story. I'd go with black text, red denom, and the pier in it's actual blood red/black colors.

Did you mean like this? (roughly)

 

[BGinGA]

Yes! And I'd darken both reds slightly (both pier and denom) so that they match and provide a richer context to the design. Blue text would work too, but I think it would detract from the pier artwork.

Only other change I'd suggest is perhaps a slightly less-ornate (or maybe just smaller) ampersand.

 

[bentax1978]

Yes! And I'd darken both reds slightly (both pier and denom) so that they match and provide a richer context to the design. Blue text would work too, but I think it would detract from the pier artwork.

Only other change I'd suggest is perhaps a slightly less-ornate (or maybe just smaller) ampersand.

I do prefer the black text in this design, I just wasn't sure how "true" to the original I should be.

Just noticed the ampersand size. It was originally 2 points smaller than the other text. Then I bumped up the text size one point, but it made everything on that line the same and I just didn't notice. But yeah, I had intended to make it smaller than the words and will fix that.

 

[bentax1978]

I'd darken both reds slightly (both pier and denom) so that they match and provide a richer context to the design.

I'd suggest is perhaps a slightly less-ornate (or maybe just smaller) ampersand

How about this?

 

[BGinGA]

Ship it.

 

[bentax1978]

Ship it.

Any thoughts on the background color? Is the white a bit too bright?

 

[liftapint]

Wow, I meant to contact you earlier about these. They are looking great!! Nice work!!

 

[BGinGA]

Any thoughts on the background color? Is the white a bit too bright?/QUOTE]

Probably, especially if you are going with unlaminated labels. Talk to Chris about toning it down to an eggshell shade.... still white, but not bright.

 

[bentax1978]

Probably, especially if you are going with unlaminated labels. Talk to Chris about toning it down to an eggshell shade.... still white, but not bright.

That's what Chris did for me on the Aruba Palm Beach $500 and it worked out great.

 

[bentax1978]

@BGinGA

Ok, one more iteration before I call it a night. Although I like the red and black, any thoughts on red and blue (ignore the fact that I didn't match the reds well)

 

[MoscowRadio]

I really like these! Personally I think I like the version with the black and white lighthouse, but that's just me. Either way I think they look great, and they're on awesome chips too!

 

[slisk250]

the blue tilts me. The others are perfect.

 

[MoscowRadio]

@BGinGA

Ok, one more iteration before I call it a night. Although I like the red and black, any thoughts on red and blue (ignore the fact that I didn't match the reds well)

Oh, I like these ones a lot too!

 

[bentax1978]

I really like these! Personally I think I like the version with the black and white lighthouse, but that's just me. Either way I think they look great, and they're on awesome chips too!

The original intentional was always the black and white one. In part because I liked the simplicity. But also because until 2 hours ago, I didn't know how to change the color in photoshop. Fortunately google is my friend and now I have options (for better or worse)

So which color text (with the black light house) did you prefer?

 

[MoscowRadio]

Honestly, now that I've seen the red lighthouse, I like it with the black text and red denomination the best. But even the black and white lighthouse looks good with the black text. I like really simple inlays as well.

 

[bentax1978]

Honestly, now that I've seen the red lighthouse, I like it with the black text and red denomination the best. But even the black and white lighthouse looks good with the black text. I like really simple inlays as well.

I kept scrolling back through the thread trying to find that combo, then I realized you just made that one up

I assume this is what you meant.

 

[BGinGA]

Not a fan of the blue. Prefer the black/red lighthouse with black text, with the one just posted above (all-red lighthouse) a distant second. I'd probably like it better if I didn't know what the actual lighthouse looked like.

 

[MoscowRadio]

I kept scrolling back through the thread trying to find that combo, then I realized you just made that one up

I assume this is what you meant.

Yep, this is the one I was talking about!

 

[liftapint]

My vote is for the original--black lighthouse, black lettering, red denom.

This is going to be a great looking set!

 

[liftapint]

Black lettering and red lighthouse also looks good. I definitely prefer the black lettering, and only one color on the lighthouse--either black or red, not both.

 

[bentax1978]

This is going to be a great looking set!

Hopefully

Though I could have saved myself a lot of effort and just bought your Condado set last week

 

[bentax1978]

I definitely prefer the black lettering

I do as well, and that seems to be the consensus so far. I wouldn't have even thought to propose blue lettering if the original didn't use it.

 

[MoscowRadio]

I'm just tossing this out, but do you think the dollar sign would look better if it were lowered a little? The dollar sign sticks up just a bit higher than the denomination.

 

[bentax1978]

I'm just tossing this out, but do you think the dollar sign would look better if it were lowered a little? The dollar sign sticks up just a bit higher than the denomination.

Agreed.

I was having trouble getting the dollar sign "right" on the first draft, which was mostly a function of initially not knowing how to properly adjust its size/position in Photoshop. Ideally I'd like to make the dollar sign slightly smaller overall, and have the top flush (or slightly below) the top of the denomination number. I'm pretty sure that shouldn't be too hard to accomplish, I just never went back to try as I shifted my focus to other parts of the design.

 

[bentax1978]

So later this evening I plan on putting together a few "final" mockups which incorporate some of the suggestions in this thread (as well as some that I've received via PM). I'll do versions with the different color lighthouse and overlay them on the actual chips to get a better idea of what it will look like applied to the chips.

Just wondering if anyone else had any other suggestions for things I might want to try on this next round of mockups to improve the overall layout/design. Thanks!

 

[Junior24xx]

Set looks great. I do still kinda like the blue but the black really looks sweet also. Red lighthouse is a nice touch.