Be Gentle; it's my first time. (1 Viewer)

[Juice]

I'm not a graphic designer, or frankly, even minimally artistic. I guess I hew closer to the analytic parts of my brain.
However, I've been trying to play around with an inlay design based around the concept that, "less is more" (for my personal taste). And I keep coming back to "simple," "clean," and "throwback" when I focus on ideas and themes.

As you may guess, I live and work in the D.C. area, and I was looking for a connection that works for me and folks I play with.

I think I prefer a white background (going back to the "clean" theme), but I have also played around with a silver background a little. But my big struggle is with image vs no image. Which do people prefer?

I am focused on the inlay design right now. But I am including an early chip design using one version, because I suspect it helps to see the inlay on a chip. I chose a cheaper mold design and inlay patterns because if I can afford CPC's, it will have to be on the more affordable end.

I appreciate the feedback. I'll try to take it constructively and not feel thin-skinned.

 

[TheOffalo]

I like the image, but no image inlays can definitely work. However, I think the text "Capital Street Poker" needs to be a bit larger, and maybe play with the kerning a little because the letters are really close together (even the words are too close together) in my opinion.

I do also like the Art Deco style of the font for the denom!

 

[cpiaaq]

first design
Some of the denoms look a bit big to me? The 25 looks perfect, and the 25c is good too. Maybe try the 500 and 100 at the size of the 25c? Maybe the BB, 5, and 1 the size of the 25?

 

[Felt_Lizard]

You said that you're not spot/color focused just yet. But, you put it up, so here is an opener:

It's an unusual spot progression as you go up the denoms, but strangely, it works. Nice classic colors for that throwback feel.

The only one that strikes me as a little underwhelming is the 500. The spot pattern should at least as complex as the 100?
And the base/spot color combo on the 500 may not have enough contrast (pop) to stand out. And it'll be your top denom, so it should shine.

You likely won't have many 500's made, so the price difference will be minimal, while making your top denom markedly better.

If my feedback is found to be trash, then this post will serve as just a bump.

 

[Rhodeman77]

I prefer with art. The best designs IMO have 3 elements, the name, some art, the denomination. It doesn’t have to be complicated at all.
As far as the chips, try to avoid using the same color on consecutive chips.

Good luck and share your progress as you go.

 

[warma]

On the inlay:

There’s no wrong answer, except when you don’t like it.

I like vintage themes. The lack of an image works for you thanks to the arrow flourishes (which are great).

White inlays are odd in my eye. My first design is white based and it seems off. I’ve started leaning towards a light vanilla/cream color- much more pleasant to my eye. Silver might work in the same way.

Agree that Cap St Poker is a touch small.

Be careful with thin lines, they don’t always print as expected (especially with black sublimation printing or textured clay inlays).

What happens if you shrink the ¢ and drop it? Can you make the 25 bigger?

Keep iterating and don’t rush it. Peruse the Chip DB here, the Chip Guide, and the California Cardrooms guide and make note of what you like and don’t like. Then see how that influences your thinking.

You’re off to a great start.

 

[AlbinoDragon]

Good looking early draft and general concept.

I like the simple inlay particularly in light of your wanting to use more simple spots. It's easy to get quite busy pretty quickly.

Lots of good advice above. My biggest concern is the text around the edge is going to be quite small and hard to read. The best suggestion I can give is to print your draft designs at the size they will be on the final chip and see how they look. With my last CPC set I probably made 50 test prints, if not more. It's easy to see what works and doesn't in test print. At 600 DPI (the resolution I work in), an inlay is going to be less than 600 pixels wide. It'll look great with plenty of fine details on your screen, but can easily become a muddy mess or nearly unreadable once printed.

Hold the prints at arms length and see if you are able to make out the elements you think are important. Put them on a table in the space you intend to play in so you can see how they look in the lighting you will be using. Adjust and re-print until you are happy.

re. "spot progression"... making higher denominations the more complicated spots. You'll find most sets here are like that, and many people hold to that concept, but with my most recent set:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/a-d-s-devils-nest-cpc-customs.78031/

I decided to put the more complicated spots and the ones I liked the most on the chips that were most likely to be used and on the felt the greatest amount of time. I reduced spot complexity at the lower and higher end of the denominations.

It's a personal preference and you may do what you'd like as they are your customs. This is just another suggestion to consider. I know if I were to do-over a couple of my other sets, I'd probably do this "Gaussian spot distribution" in them.

Keep us posted with your updates. Again, this is a great start. I like the concept you are working with.

 

[LeLe]

I like the simplified design as the Denomination is Clear and clean.

$1 & $5 may encounter some dirty stack issue

 

[Irish]

Nice design! The advice above to print out the inlays - to scale - is really good, you'll definitely want to do that for this design. CPC has excellent printers, but when the inlay is only 7/8" to 1" wide, it can be tough to read text that small. The slight texturing on most molds when the chip is pressed can also make the fine print tougher to read.

I agree with @Rhodeman77 about preferring an inlay with some graphic element. The challenge with this design is while it's simple / clean looking, you've got enough concentric elements in the design (outer ring, perimeter arrows, text, denom, graphic) that it's forcing you to make the text smaller to fit everything. One potential suggestion is to use different designs on each side. Make side "A" just the numerical denomination, and side "B" just the graphic of the capitol building (no numerical denom). That may allow you to bump up the size of the font for the room name a bit to make it more legible. This design reminds me of a coin, and most coins have different images on each side with the common encircled text on the top and bottom like you have here.

 

[Juice]

I like the simplified design as the Denomination is Clear and clean.

$1 & $5 may encounter some dirty stack issue

Dirty stack from other chips in my set? Or from foreign sets people could sneak to the table?

 

[AlbinoDragon]

Dirty stack from other chips in my set? Or from foreign sets people could sneak to the table?

"Dirty stack" meaning confusing one denomination from another when in a stack or a spalshed pot on the table. If colors are too close to other denominations that would be in play at the same time.

 

[CrazyEddie]

re. "spot progression"... making higher denominations the more complicated spots. You'll find most sets here are like that, and many people hold to that concept, but with my most recent set:

https://www.pokerchipforum.com/threads/a-d-s-devils-nest-cpc-customs.78031/

I decided to put the more complicated spots and the ones I liked the most on the chips that were most likely to be used and on the felt the greatest amount of time. I reduced spot complexity at the lower and higher end of the denominations.

That was an excellent choice for that set. I think it worked very, very well.

 

[Teach42]

I just can't fathom why you need a big blind chip at all
AND, if you DO need a big blind chip.... then why don't you also have a small blind chip???

But other than that, I really like the color progression. Works for me. Nicely done right out of the gate!

 

[Colquhoun]

I just can't fathom why you need a big blind chip at all
AND, if you DO need a big blind chip.... then why don't you also have a small blind chip???

Agreed. I think many entry-level sets come with a small and big blind chip (or lammer) more for instruction purposes than anything else. Once the players are used to a creamer button, those lammers become more of a chore than a help.

 

[Juice]

I mocked up the both blind buttons (but I didn't screenshot the small blind, I guess), but I am not sure I would get custom buttons made. I actually mocked those up mostly to have so that when my kids get older and learn to play, it's easier for them to see. But I agree that I generally shouldn't need them.

 

[LeLe]

Dirty stack from other chips in my set? Or from foreign sets people could sneak to the table?

The other seem good except it may be better to get a lighter colour on the $25, maybe some issue with colour blindness for the $5 & $25