Program to Make Labels

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kchamber78

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I am semi-computer savvy... what program should I use to make a label? I'm coining my brewery Lone Pine Brewing... Any advice would be sweet...

Thanks!
 
GIMP is a shareware photoshop-like program that some around here use. Since I have Photoshop at work, I haven't bothered to look into it.
 
I perfer to use a vector program so i use Illustrator but 2nd might be Inkscape.

Free Vector Drawing Programs

Beez --Bezier curve SVG animation. .
CadStd -- Many snaps, polar&rect arrays. Fast and nice.
Cenon -- Give away the program, charge for the books.
Expression -- Will be replaced by Acrylic. Does not expire.
Dia -- Many export options. Primarily for diagrams.
EVE WE -- Tiny (86 KB). Extensive SVG usage on website.
GLIPS Graffiti -- Java/Batik based. Very professional appearance.
Inkscape -- SVG editor. Has intern support from Google.
Ipe -- Editor for simple PDF files. Extensive manual.
jFig -- Java based. Port of XFig. Free for noncommercial work.
jPicEdt -- Java based. Useful for TeX.
JustCad -- Functional, but bare bones.
Karbon14 -- Part of KDE. Formerly Kontour.
LaTeXPiX -- Makes EEPIC or PGF code for LaTeX documents
OpenOffice Draw -- Part of the large Oo_O suite. Excellent.
POTrace -- Raster to Vector convertor. Command Line driven.
PSTricks -- Part of LaTeX. A coding language for diagrams.
Scribus -- Designed for desktop publishing.
Skencil -- Python based. Open Source.
TeXCad -- Very limited. Written in Ada.
TpX -- Tiny, powerful, and easy to use. Python based.
Wintopo -- Raster to Vector convertor.
XFig -- Excellent TeX support.
yEd -- Primarily a graph editor
 
+1 for Gimp!

4688-gimp_label.jpg


Above is a screenshot of my template for DVD/CD labels. My brew logo was designed in Gimp along with most of my recent labels.
 
Use inkscape! It's almost the free vestion of Illustrator. You can learn your way around it by following adobe tutorials on the web. It's good. A vector graphics program (Illustrator, Inkscape) is more approriate for drawing labels than a photo editor like photoshop and gimp. There designed to do different things.
 
Adobe Illustrator, Macromdia Freehand, Inkscape.

Photoshop (and gimp) is for editing photos, hence the name, not really made for design. Kinda like writing a letter in excel.
 
Nothing wrong with raster-based programs depending on what look you're going for. Labels can be excellent either way. If you go photoshop, make sure you're in the 300dpi range for silky graphics. That's the standard for most print. High-end commercial printers can lay down a screen that is rougly 600dpi, but for beer labels I wouldn't bother.

Kick it with whatever flavor you like. Confining yourself to one program only limits the possibilities.

-RS
 
I've been using Photoshop only because most of my labels are based on relatively low res images I find online anyway but I agree that vector is where you want to go if you're starting from scratch.
 

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