Help turning my inspirations into something useable (4 Viewers)

[GreatWhiteDope]

I have a set of CPC chips that I had custom made for my poker club. Since then, I have stopped playing in that club and am considering relabeling the set into something more personal. My grandmother is the person that taught me to play poker when I was a kid, like 8-9 years old. My father always referred to her as "Sadie" although her name was Lillian. My grandparents owned a bar in the Kensington section of Philadelphia called Thompson's on the Hill. I spent a lot of time in that bar when I was very young and remember as a 4-5 year old, riding up and down in the dumbwaiter between the bar downstairs and the residence upstairs. There was a bridge across the street that we used to climb on a lot too. It was the corner bar that Rocky walks into in the original Rocky movie and talks to Paulie in the bathroom. It had been sold and renamed to Lucky 7 Tavern when the movie was filmed but it is the same bar. It was demolished sometime in the '80's. So I am thinking I would like to create an inlay for Sadie's Poker Room, or Sadie's Card Room or maybe just Sadie's and somehow work the bar into the inlay. Below is a picture of the bar. If anyone with way more creative talents than me is willing to share their ideas about what this might look like, I would very much appreciate it.

 

[WWB]

Here’s what first came to my mind,
Something like this, but i am no means a designer!

(I’m scared to even post my logo/ design yet, as I keep changing it.)

 

[cpiaaq]

As part of your design process; if you can, print the labels actual size to get a feel for the type size.

 

[Dr_Dan11]

OK these are my two cents, and its a personal opinion of course. I have seen custom made chips that are a thing of beauty. If yours is one of these, I would imagine that other people out there would love to own them for their own home poker nights. My humble suggestion is to sell them to a loving home and with the proceeds go ahead and order a brand new custom set from a good chip maker online. Those childhood memories are great, ain't them?

 

[dizzyChipper]

I think the sign font and copy is a perfect homage. Basically lock that in. Colors. Fonts. All caps under the hill. Just lock it. Now how to use…

If it’s a speakeasy card room vibe to go with the legit bar how about.

Sadie’s Office OR
Sadie’s Backroom OR
Sadie’s Basement OR similarly with alliteration
Sadie’s Cellar
Thompson’s
On The Hill


OR moving further away from the historical sign:
Sadie’s
Under the Hill at
Thompsons

If the fonts get too small consider just the logo and text on one side and then repeated smaller with room for denom on the other. I personally think no denoms fit the speakeasy vibe better if that’s the goal and with midatlantic regular colors they’re never a problem.

If the bridge is a related memory using what @WWB started have the denom over the bridge in background.

Lastly I’m a design minded person with opinions and a vision outreaches my abilities in Photoshop and the like. If this a forever family set do it right and pay one of the many chip designers here to dial it in.

 

[Colquhoun]

I'm not sure you really need "poker room" or "card room", it may get a little too busy. In fact, you could treat it like the old-chool chips like Del Webb's Sahara or Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn:

\

To keep it simple, just Sadie's:

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

I'm not sure you really need "poker room" or "card room", it may get a little too busy. In fact, you could treat it like the old-chool chips like Del Webb's Sahara or Wilbur Clark's Desert Inn:
View attachment 1612899View attachment 1612900\

To keep it simple, just Sadie's:
View attachment 1612901

I do think the retro look works with the 60's photo of the bar.

 

[Irish]

Cool story and theme!

The first thing that came to mind was a Jessie Beck's style inlay, with your Grandmother's face instead

One potential way of getting bridge into the theme here could be incorporating it into the name like the Riversides do, something like "Sadie's by the bridge"

Then put the Thompsons on the Hill sign on the flipside inlay, with the Philadelphia location.

 

[suchj0sh]

The bar sign gives you great typeface and colors to work with. I too really like the idea of a Jessie Beck style chip if you’ve got a good picture of her.

Could go with “Sadie’s” in red across the top and “On the Hill” in blue across the bottom, mimicking the sign.

You might consider making it just a “Thompson’s On the Hill” theme too. Bars and restaurants make good theme bases for poker chips.

 

[GreekRedEye]

Screen grab from Rocky II. It's def the same place!

I love the story and the personal nature of the project. Looking forward to seeing where you take it. Good luck!

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

Cool story and theme!

The first thing that came to mind was a Jessie Beck's style inlay, with your Grandmother's face instead

View attachment 1612993

One potential way of getting bridge into the theme here could be incorporating it into the name like the Riversides do, something like "Sadie's by the bridge"

Then put the Thompsons on the Hill sign on the flipside inlay, with the Philadelphia location.

I love the sentiment, but I don't think a face on the chip works for me even if it is Grandmom.

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

The bar sign gives you great typeface and colors to work with. I too really like the idea of a Jessie Beck style chip if you’ve got a good picture of her.

Could go with “Sadie’s” in red across the top and “On the Hill” in blue across the bottom, mimicking the sign.

You might consider making it just a “Thompson’s On the Hill” theme too. Bars and restaurants make good theme bases for poker chips.

I was playing with Colquhoun's samples in the chip design tool and the Thompson's on the Hill lettering gets really small at actual chip size. And that is without working the bridge into the inlay and I like the bridge. So I am thinking maybe have just the bar (no Sadie's) on one side with the Thompon's on the Hill sign a little larger and more prominent and Sadies and the bridge on the other side.

 

[dizzyChipper]

I was playing with Colquhoun's samples in the chip design tool and the Thompson's on the Hill lettering gets really small at actual chip size. And that is without working the bridge into the inlay and I like the bridge. So I am thinking maybe have just the bar (no Sadie's) on one side with the Thompon's on the Hill sign a little larger and more prominent and Sadies and the bridge on the other side.

I think its great. Lay both out and just have denom on 1 side. It's totally fine..

 

[Tonysquander]

 

[WWB]

View attachment 1613200

With that much blue sky; I can’t help but to imagine how it would look with the denom pulled by a banner plane, or a some sort of sky painting effect.
Also I’m curious how it would look with a smaller sign hanging underneath that says Tompson’s on the hill.
Here’s a quick sketch I drew over your image to help you see my thoughts,

 

[Tonysquander]

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

To keep it simple, just Sadie's:
View attachment 1612901

@Colquhoun -- I have really fallen in love with your layout on the left. I have some thoughts for minor tweaks but value your input. Can I hire you to work with me to finalize a layout and create the files for the labels?

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

I have been playing with Colquhoun's suggestion in ChatGTP and have come up with a few similar but different options. I would like people's opinions on these. Which do you prefer and what suggestions, if any, would you like to share? Thanks.

A.

B.

C.

D.

 

[Gunnar]

B for me but wonder how all that will print, sometimes less is more. You can always have double sided chips with value on one side and art on the other.

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

B for me but wonder how all that will print, sometimes less is more. You can always have double sided chips with value on one side and art on the other.

That is a possibility but I am kind of a believer in having the same inlay on both sides.

 

[BarrieJ3]

Love the personal touch. I know it’s general and ai generated/pre designer, but some random subjective feedback so far:

I think it may be too busy, but I prefer D. Reasoning being the building itself and the background gradient color. In A-C, the dropoff from building to background is very square and sudden, making it feel like a building was dropped in the design.

Feedback I hate to give - feels like you’re going to have to pick what to drop. The sign over the door, the wall lamps, the people walking, etc. It’s too much forcing all the design components to be far too small, and they’ll be hard to pick out. I hate to give that feedback because I want EVERYTHING on the chips, and haven’t ever done a custom myself because of it.

Other feedback regarding the overall feel: what are you wanting to the chip to feel like? What was the bar like? The current coloring is very dusty or peanuts on the floor or western like (not in a bad way at all). The “yellowing” reminds me of western or parchment, like the various Mr.cheese hitching post custom sets or hornets poker lab.

You have a great meaningful concept, now it’s just fine tuning what you want. If erring on the side of caution, I’d bring in a designer and let them do different iterations before you fall in love with something.

Lastly, I’m a HUGE fan of small differences between denoms. Don’t know if you are.

Color matching is one component. Maybe a subtle nod like the lightbulbs if you end up keeping lights? A 2nd notion would be what if the door opened slightly each increasing denom. So frac door is closed, $1 it’s cracked, $5 ajar, etc., by the $100 (or whatever your largest denom) the door is open, inviting you in.

 

[dizzyChipper]

Love the personal touch. I know it’s general and ai generated/pre designer, but some random subjective feedback so far:

I think it may be too busy, but I prefer B. Reasoning being the building itself and the background gradient color. In A, the dropoff from building to background is very square and sudden, making it feel like a building was dropped in the design.

Feedback I hate to give - feels like you’re going to have to pick what to drop. The sign over the door, the wall lamps, the people walking, etc. It’s too much forcing all the design components to be far too small, and they’ll be hard to pick out. I hate to give that feedback because I want EVERYTHING on the chips, and haven’t ever done a custom myself because of it.

Other feedback regarding the overall feel: what are you wanting to the chip to feel like? What was the bar like? The current coloring is very dusty or peanuts on the floor or western like (not in a bad way at all). The “yellowing” reminds me of western or parchment, like the various Mr.cheese hitching post custom sets or hornets poker lab.

View attachment 1694940
View attachment 1694941

You have a great meaningful concept, now it’s just fine tuning what you want. If erring on the side of caution, I’d bring in a designer and let them do different iterations before you fall in love with something.

Lastly, I’m a HUGE fan of small differences between denoms. Don’t know if you are.

Color matching is one component. Maybe a subtle nod like the lightbulbs if you end up keeping lights? A 2nd notion would be what if the door opened slightly each increasing denom. So frac door is closed, $1 it’s cracked, $5 ajar, etc., by the $100 (or whatever your largest denom) the door is open, inviting you in.

I had another thought but Barrie touches on the subtle difference per denom being fun. Somewhat inspired by the different versions I liked smallest denom would be morning and the building would be lit up by morning sun, maybe blue sky in the background. As the denoms progress the day get later. The front lights are on. It's clearly night.

If you use small denoms for cash and large denoms for tournaments maybe this is a differentiator while still having all chips part of a cohesive set.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

Love the personal touch. I know it’s general and ai generated/pre designer, but some random subjective feedback so far:

I think it may be too busy, but I prefer B. Reasoning being the building itself and the background gradient color. In A, the dropoff from building to background is very square and sudden, making it feel like a building was dropped in the design.

Feedback I hate to give - feels like you’re going to have to pick what to drop. The sign over the door, the wall lamps, the people walking, etc. It’s too much forcing all the design components to be far too small, and they’ll be hard to pick out. I hate to give that feedback because I want EVERYTHING on the chips, and haven’t ever done a custom myself because of it.

Other feedback regarding the overall feel: what are you wanting to the chip to feel like? What was the bar like? The current coloring is very dusty or peanuts on the floor or western like (not in a bad way at all). The “yellowing” reminds me of western or parchment, like the various Mr.cheese hitching post custom sets or hornets poker lab.

View attachment 1694940
View attachment 1694941

You have a great meaningful concept, now it’s just fine tuning what you want. If erring on the side of caution, I’d bring in a designer and let them do different iterations before you fall in love with something.

Lastly, I’m a HUGE fan of small differences between denoms. Don’t know if you are.

Color matching is one component. Maybe a subtle nod like the lightbulbs if you end up keeping lights? A 2nd notion would be what if the door opened slightly each increasing denom. So frac door is closed, $1 it’s cracked, $5 ajar, etc., by the $100 (or whatever your largest denom) the door is open, inviting you in.

D. is definitely too busy and loses most of it at actual size. The bar was the quintessential neighborhood corner bar in a working class neighborhood. I am going for a retro feel to match the 1960's era when the bar existed, hence the parchment background and old school fonts. The sign is the primary item I want to stand out besides the text but I think the building provides more context. I did start toying with subtle differences for each chip. The denomination would match the base chip color. A second item you will see in the $500 chip, where I changed the door color to match an edge spot. So on the $5 chip, I would make the door arc yellow. I haven't done this with the individual denominations yet but below is a set shot that will give you the idea of what they look like and may spur additional suggestions for the subtle differences. I am hoping to work with @Colquhoun to refine the idea since it was his original mock up that I fell in love with. I have toyed with three different sets of chips for these inlays including a set of solid THC chips, a group of casino chips to overlabel but I think I have settled on relabeling my current CPC set since I no longer play at the club they were named for.

 

[dizzyChipper]

D. is definitely too busy and loses most of it at actual size. The bar was the quintessential neighborhood corner bar in a working class neighborhood. I am going for a retro feel to match the 1960's era when the bar existed, hence the parchment background and old school fonts. The sign is the primary item I want to stand out besides the text but I think the building provides more context. I did start toying with subtle differences for each chip. The denomination would match the base chip color. A second item you will see in the $500 chip, where I changed the door color to match an edge spot. So on the $5 chip, I would make the door arc yellow. I haven't done this with the individual denominations yet but below is a set shot that will give you the idea of what they look like and may spur additional suggestions for the subtle differences. I am hoping to work with @Colquhoun to refine the idea since it was his original mock up that I fell in love with. I have toyed with three different sets of chips for these inlays including a set of solid THC chips, a group of casino chips to overlabel but I think I have settled on relabeling my current CPC set since I no longer play at the club they were named for.

View attachment 1694948

Bigger pic and sign on one side - no denom.
Bigger number atop Bigger Pic and sign on second side - big denom.

OR

ONLY building on one side - no Sadie's, no denom, no philly - maximum Thompson sign unlocked.
Sadies, Bigger number, Philly atop very subtle building on second side (for cohesion)

This way the building and sign can be most pronounced.

 

[FestiveKnight]

I think the photographic inlay has a place in chip design but I don’t know if it’s here. The font and theme has so much vintage to it which is where a lot of the early suggestions in this thread suggested and I think, along the lines of Barrie’s suggestion to drop some details, the photo is overwhelming. I think you’ll get more mileage from something that doesn’t overwhelm the clay chip and that lets the “Sadie’s” shine. The names and the shapes (rectangular building with the sign) convey so much you don’t need the photo to convey the exact details

 

[AlbinoDragon]

As you continue to iterate on these, make sure you print them at the actual size they will be on the chip and put them out on a table preferably in the same or similar lighting to what you will use the chips in.

Put them in front of you like they are in your stack.

Put a few in the middle like a splashed pot.

Maybe put a couple across the table like they are in another stack.

...then sit back and look at them from those distances and see how you feel about them at that time.

It's very easy to look at designs and design elements on a screen and be happy with it there, but in final printed size it becomes clearer what works in a design on such a small canvas. I've done this with all five of my custom sets and every time, I found I removed elements, simplified others and ultimately 'de-cluttered' down to a couple of the strongest and most iconic items in the final inlay.

The temptation is add a bunch of fine details, and especially when looking at them on a screen that's many times larger than the inlay will be in real life. It's tough to let go of things you've been focused on and agonizing over for weeks or months, but I found the "print test" definitely helps focus the design.

Good luck with the process. Thanks for sharing as you are going along.

 

[GreatWhiteDope]

Maybe a little cleaner and focused on the main elements. Denomination needs to be moved a bit but you get the idea.