Designer needs help, advice, answers (1 Viewer)

BigCity

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Hey, all. I’m a graphic designer putting a chip-set design together for my cousin who is an avid player. He’d like the design to go to the edges and have a solid color edge with very small text printed around the edge with his initials and the chip denomination. I’m hoping someone in your club/forum is a graphic designer that I can chat with so I can learn more about design limitations and the printing production process. Attached is a sample of my design.
 

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Those look like CPC templates. If so am I correct in assuming .875" in size? I think in general you've done great. Some thoughts:
  • At such a small size I'd be concerned about some fine lines not printing properly, especially on the darker shades. The lines in your dollar signs in the outer ring, the lines in "JPR", etc. Those fonts might be better off being solid.
  • Am I seeing small details outside the red line...dollar signs or something? Likely those will not reproduce well, or get cut off. One other thought, the closer you have things to the edge, the harder it is the eye to correct for inaccurate die cutting of the inlays. Again, if these are for CPC chips they are pretty accurate, but die cutting is hard, and variances occur.
  • That argyle pattern - looks great but all printing processes handle transparency different. Best bet is to double check with the manufacturer on how that will look.
  • As you know proofs are a key part of the process. Emphasizing that here.
If you have some Q's or want to chat, PM me and we can discuss some more.
 
Those look like CPC templates. If so am I correct in assuming .875" in size? I think in general you've done great. Some thoughts:
  • At such a small size I'd be concerned about some fine lines not printing properly, especially on the darker shades. The lines in your dollar signs in the outer ring, the lines in "JPR", etc. Those fonts might be better off being solid.
  • Am I seeing small details outside the red line...dollar signs or something? Likely those will not reproduce well, or get cut off. One other thought, the closer you have things to the edge, the harder it is the eye to correct for inaccurate die cutting of the inlays. Again, if these are for CPC chips they are pretty accurate, but die cutting is hard, and variances occur.
  • That argyle pattern - looks great but all printing processes handle transparency different. Best bet is to double check with the manufacturer on how that will look.
  • As you know proofs are a key part of the process. Emphasizing that here.
If you have some Q's or want to chat, PM me and we can discuss some more.
Thanks for all your advice! All good observations. You hit on a point I’m trying to get to the bottom of. I’d like to be able to call a production person that will be manufacturing these chips. Anyone have a contact at the manufacturer?
 
From your OP, my perception was that these were ceramic chips. However @timinater identified the templates as CPC. So is this inlay artwork for CPCs, labels for china clay chips, or ceramics?
 
I’m not a designer, but I’ll give my thoughts anyway, if you don’t mind.

I really like the design! I think the argyle pattern creates a cool effect. That red-brown ring around the white text bugs me. It looks like some marker from the design software that somehow didn’t disappear. I think I’d like it better if the white text were moved out toward the black dashes, and the white are were bigger.
 
Thanks for all your advice! All good observations. You hit on a point I’m trying to get to the bottom of. I’d like to be able to call a production person that will be manufacturing these chips. Anyone have a contact at the manufacturer?
Is he having these done at ABC ceramics? Because they have a pretty good designer that could help you out, and they’re very helpful in general, so they can answer any questions you have. Sun-fly and cheap chinese manufacturers, like those from the group-buys, are a bit harder to get in contact with, but I’m assuming they’d be very helpful as well.
 
These would look great as a ceramic or hybrid style chip. Sun Fly and ABC seem like the best choices, and you'll get edge to edge surface area for the design element.
 
I’m not a designer, but I’ll give my thoughts anyway, if you don’t mind.

I really like the design! I think the argyle pattern creates a cool effect. That red-brown ring around the white text bugs me. It looks like some marker from the design software that somehow didn’t disappear. I think I’d like it better if the white text were moved out toward the black dashes, and the white are were bigger.
Thanks so much! Those oddball lines you mentioned are production guidelines. They aren’t actually part of the design. Here’s what I intended it to look like
 

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Thanks so much! Those oddball lines you mentioned are production guidelines. They aren’t actually part of the design. Here’s what I intended it to look like
Awesome set, definitely go and have those made by ABC. Email them and Kristil can probably help you with the edge design.
 
Thanks so much! Those oddball lines you mentioned are production guidelines. They aren’t actually part of the design. Here’s what I intended it to look like
Yeah, that makes more sense. I was thinking “graphic designer, my ass!” :ROFL: :ROFLMAO: :ROFL: :ROFLMAO:
 
Can you provide an email for krystal at ABC? What does ABC stand for?
Sorry, should have been more clear. She’s a sales rep at ABC Gifts and Awards. You can just go to their contact page and you should be able to get through to her.
 
I would consider flipping the upper and lower text bits so that the R A I in RAISE is crunched in instead of spread out. Already a lot of air between those letter pairs on a normal straight baseline, but on the outside of a circle it’s so open that it’s distracting.
 
Another change I'd consider would be making the 1k and 5k 1000 and 5000 instead.
 

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