I would also warn against including too many different fonts in the label. A big rule of design is to not overmix fonts. 2 is pushing it; 3 is almost always too much.
This. I'm trying not to mix it up with too many fonts. I really want the "Peter's Bitter Black Existence" to be the main eyecatch, so throwing around too many other fonts would be distracting. I'm also trying to keep this label relatively "pure," to further drive home the point of the beer. I want the label to seem bleak, devoid of color or life, save for the bold grab of the title of the beer. It sort of screams out above this ambient din.
-People like squares and boxed stuff, so the ounce and alcohol level kinda threw it off since everything seems to follow a strict reticule except that, so as you can see, I shortened it to the abbreviations.
You're absolutely right about that. The "fluid ounces" thing is a bit too long and looks too heavy on that side. Good call.
-I lowered the "Front Row Brew" to touch and to break the gray framed Box and to add some integration with whatever is outside the square, I also shortened the gray box as well. -You can see that by putting the "Imperial stout" in two different lines, you avoid the balance problem, so if you just want to put in the year on the other side, now you could do it.
I like putting the "Imperial Stout" and the "Spring 2009" on two different lines. It uses up more of the vertical space in that box. I'm not sure about shortening the gray box, though, since I really want it to be the focal point of the label. I also really really really really want to avoid making two labels for every bottle, because that's extra work, and the rear label wouldn't have that much going on. I'll play around with it a bit.
-I flipped the text with the description of the ingredients as I don't think that it should be part of the design of the label, its just fun info to read, so by flipping it, you break up the design into two parts but it keeps it integrated (if that makes any sense, I'm not that good at technical stuff in English.)
Not a fan of that. The sideways text makes it way too annoying to read. I already played around with that sort of thing. Aside from that, the two "columns" on either side of the gray box are already pretty well separated from the rest of the label, and if you consider that this is going to be wrapped around a cylinder, you already have to sort of go "hunting" to read that text.
-I would advice against using a "serif" font on the info texts as it's harder to read in smaller sizes, you should also up the contrast a bit with a lighter shade of gray
I really like the look of the serif font. I'll have to print it out and see how it looks. This label is 3.5" wide and 3.25" tall, so I think the text should be quite readable. I also don't want to go tremendously lighter (that's a 40% gray) because it'll start getting too bright.
-I also believe that some art nouveau ish swirls as separators would work well with the theme of the label (not the ones I used, those kinda suck, but again, you get the idea)
Sorry man, nice attempt but I really hate the excessive swirl of those things. As I said, I'm looking to keep most of the elements "clean."
I really like your placement of the logo. It just feels right to me.
The smoothness of the oval is off-putting when compared to the rest of the design, especially in contrast with the scratchiness of the text.
That was a quick job on my part. I just applied an "apparition" filter to it to get it kind of fadey at the edges. I can play around with it more and try to get it to look like it's welling up out of the darkness of the label.
I may have some time this week. I'll try to give you something depressingly appropriate.
Also, is this sticker going to be strictly the square for now, or is it going to be more like other beers where the square is the main eye catch and there will be room on the sides for all that other information you find on a beer bottle label?
Ohmans, suddenly the text on the sides looks like it actually fits! Before, it kinda looked like you trying to fit into my jeans.
I am not a fan of the blurring on that photo. It made it look like a badly-done photoshop job and the black of the flower blends in too much with the black bg. You don't want a blur edge anyway; it's too clean. You want the edge actually broken up and grungy. We can take a look at what your program's capabilities are.
Aaaaaaaaaand a few more revisions later... We have a new logo. I also adjusted the font size on the side text to be all the same. The label is also larger now, to have more presence on the bottle.
Is the design of the "Front Row Brew" label going to be used as the insignia for any other Front Row Crew creations? I mean it's a well-run producer of podcasts and now it's moved on to alcohol. I wonder if some of this beer is going to be sold on the E-COMMERCE SITE!!! For God's Heaven's Sagan's sake Rym, just cut the bullshit and finish it already. I remember hearing you saying that it won't benefit you in any way, well it will because it will not only get you a little more money on the side, but it will keep your listeners happy.
I wonder if some of this beer is going to be sold on theE-COMMERCE SITE!!!ForGod'sHeaven'sSagan's sake Rym, just cut the bullshit and finish it already. I remember hearing you saying that it won't benefit you in any way, well it will because it will not only get you a little more money on the side, but it will keep your listeners happy.
Selling homebrew. Selling homebrew on the internets.
Keeping listeners happy? What kind of a stupid idea is that?
It's a bonus along with compensation.
EDIT: Plus it solves their self-promoing problem in that they only rely on the listeners to spread the message out with a very vibrant and noticeable shirt such as that.
Is the design of the "Front Row Brew" label going to be used as the insignia for any other Front Row Crew creations? I mean it's a well-run producer of podcasts and now it's moved on to alcohol. I wonder if some of this beer is going to be sold on theE-COMMERCE SITE!!!ForGod'sHeaven'sSagan's sake Rym, just cut the bullshit and finish it already. I remember hearing you saying that it won't benefit you in any way, well it will because it will not only get you a little more money on the side, but it will keep your listeners happy.
Thanks for the feedback!
That would be up to Rym and Scott, really. Right now I'm reserving the rights to the logo (as well as all designs related to my brewery), but I might change it to attribution/non-commercial/share-alike, to allow people to use it for other things. However, my brewing exists as an entity entirely separate from Geeknights. We had the term "Front Row Crew" kicking around long before the idea of the podcast came up, so it's more an homage to the group and our overall character.
Selling homebrew is illegal. Flat out. I'm pretty sure it's even illegal for me to give it away, but I ignore that part of the law. However, if I ever move to commercial brewing (which would be a long way away), I would consider selling merch with that logo. In the mean time, I'm going to get it screened onto some pint glasses for my own personal use.
Sagan's sake Rym, just cut the bullshit and finish it already. I remember hearing you saying that it won't benefit you in any way, well it will because it will not only get you a little more money on the side, but it will keep your listeners happy.
1. We only have one product to sell, and until I pay for another print run, very little of the original stock left. If the site were up, you could buy the existing T-Shirt and poster (and nothing else).
2. We have much more important things to work on right now. PAX and AB are just around the corner, nevermind the TEDx and Connecticon, Otakon, NYCC/NYAF, and several other conventions that require extensive preparation on our part.
3. Our secret project starts this weekend. It's 100% more important than being able to sell the last few T-Shirts we have.
We had the term "Front Row Crew" kicking around long before the idea of the podcast came up, so it's more an homage to the group and our overall character.
FYI, Front Row Brew would be 100% yours, but as Scott and I are the only people using "Front Row Crew" in a functional branding context, we appear (from my talk with IP lawyers) to personally have the sole common law trademark rights to "Front Row Crew" in many arenas. ^_^
FYI, Front Row Brew would be 100% yours, but as Scott and I are the only people using "Front Row Crew" in a functional branding context, we appear (from my talk with IP lawyers) to personally have the sole common law trademark rights to "Front Row Crew" in many arenas. ^_^
Right, prior art and all that? Anyhow, I have no intention of using "Front Row Crew" for any potential commercial endeavors. That's all you guys. "Front Row Brew" is my own little take on things. That's also why I decided not to go with my "crossout" logo idea; I want my brand to be sufficiently distinct from any "Front Row Crew" branding so as to avoid potential problems.
Maybe one day I'll have keychains, coasters, T-shirts, mugs and glasses, and so forth. We'll see. It'd be neat.
Prior art doesn't matter for trademarks. What matters is functional use. Prior art would matter if, say, the crew had a shared logo (not word mark) whose IP was jointly-owned, and we wanted to incorporate it into a trademark.
Until you offer a service or product, you don't have any common law rights to the mark. FYI, registering trademarks is fairly cheap, and you can get a trademark ahead of having an actual product or service if you go this route.
Until you offer a service or product, you don't have any common law rights to the mark.
Well, I own the copyright to the image, right? That's not the same thing as a trademark, but I have control over the distribution of the image.
I should really look into getting that trademarked.
EDIT: Hm. I may wish to trademark "Front Row Brew" independent of trademarking the logo itself. That would give me the most options commercially.
EDIT 2: Hmmmmmm. I should probably contact an attorney about this, but it sounds like I may already be engaged in commerce with my beer, so I don't know if it would really be "intent to use" or not.
Pete, question for ya. How much of this beer do you actually have left?
8 bottles. I'm going to make it again though. Well, OK, I'm going to modify the original recipe, but it's still going to be "Peter's Bitter Black Existence." Essentially, it's going to be my imperial stout. Dire Beer is my old ale. Akavitae is my saison. I've not yet decided on other styles or names for them, but once I make a name, it's permanently attached to that style, unless I significantly modify it.
Yes. The image is yours, but the individual words are not themselves a mark. Someone else could sell "Front Row Brew."
Well, according to the law, "text" trademarks are separate from "image" trademarks, and you can't mix both in one application. Thus, I would need to trademark that specific logo separately from the brand "Front Row Brew." I think. Again, there will be lawyer talking to make sure I'm reading this all properly.
Well, according to the law, "text" trademarks are separate from "image" trademarks, and you can't mix both in one application.
Yeap. The GeekNights/Front Row Crew application is actually a large, multi-part trademark. It's fairly complex. You also have to be sure to specify the proper domains for each/all of them.
Don't you think it might be more pertinent to make a label for say, Dire Beer, at this point?
That's next. The logo is really more important than the label. Also, I don't have art for Dire Beer yet. I'm going to look through some creative-commons art and contact the artists.
Yeap. The GeekNights/Front Row Crew application is actually a large, multi-part trademark. It's fairly complex. You also have to be sure to specify the proper domains for each/all of them.
Lawyer is 100% necessary.
Yup, that's what I figured. I may start off with just the phrase "Front Row Brew" and add the logo itself later. Protecting the brand name is more important than protecting a specific iteration of a logo. I can always design a new logo.
EDIT:
Why? It's not like he's going to sell it any time soon. Besides, do not question the creative process!
You might know this, actually. I'm pretty sure that you can sell a product for no charge (at least in New York), right? That's how you can be prosecuted for "selling" contraband products even if you don't charge for them. Thus, I think that transporting and distributing my beer would constitute "commerce" with that beer.
Of course, I'm also pretty sure that it's illegal for me to do that unless I'm registered with the New York State Liquor Authority.
You also brought it to a party in Pennsylvania. Interstate commerce. You're going to the federal ass-poundery now!
Yup. Welcome to the archaic liquor laws surrounding homebrewing! Technically, federal law allows me to brew (IIRC) 50 gallons a year for personal consumption in my home with no licensing requirements.
It's also worth noting that New York state hosts various homebrewing competitions at fairs all across the state, and the Great New York State fair, and they're all technically illegal. The Liquor Authority doesn't bother enforcing all of the laws because they're far too overworked.
I wonder if some of this beer is going to be sold on the E-COMMERCE SITE!!! For God's Heaven's Sagan's sake Rym, just cut the bullshit and finish it already. I remember hearing you saying that it won't benefit you in any way, well it will because it will not only get you a little more money on the side, but it will keep your listeners happy.
Comments
I really like your placement of the logo. It just feels right to me. That was a quick job on my part. I just applied an "apparition" filter to it to get it kind of fadey at the edges. I can play around with it more and try to get it to look like it's welling up out of the darkness of the label.
I added some noise and more irregular blurring to the photo.
Also, is this sticker going to be strictly the square for now, or is it going to be more like other beers where the square is the main eye catch and there will be room on the sides for all that other information you find on a beer bottle label?
I like the look of that. That's the narrowest I want to make it, though. Tried making it more narrow, and it makes the center feel too claustrophobic.
I am not a fan of the blurring on that photo. It made it look like a badly-done photoshop job and the black of the flower blends in too much with the black bg. You don't want a blur edge anyway; it's too clean. You want the edge actually broken up and grungy. We can take a look at what your program's capabilities are.
EDIT:
You mean something like this?
This was a pretty rush job. I can take my time and make it look a lot better. Just trying to get the concept down.
We have a new logo. I also adjusted the font size on the side text to be all the same. The label is also larger now, to have more presence on the bottle.
Is the design of the "Front Row Brew" label going to be used as the insignia for any other Front Row Crew creations? I mean it's a well-run producer of podcasts and now it's moved on to alcohol.
I wonder if some of this beer is going to be sold on the E-COMMERCE SITE!!! For God's Heaven's Sagan's sake Rym, just cut the bullshit and finish it already. I remember hearing you saying that it won't benefit you in any way, well it will because it will not only get you a little more money on the side, but it will keep your listeners happy.
Dohohohohoho.
EDIT: Plus it solves their self-promoing problem in that they only rely on the listeners to spread the message out with a very vibrant and noticeable shirt such as that.
That would be up to Rym and Scott, really. Right now I'm reserving the rights to the logo (as well as all designs related to my brewery), but I might change it to attribution/non-commercial/share-alike, to allow people to use it for other things. However, my brewing exists as an entity entirely separate from Geeknights. We had the term "Front Row Crew" kicking around long before the idea of the podcast came up, so it's more an homage to the group and our overall character.
Selling homebrew is illegal. Flat out. I'm pretty sure it's even illegal for me to give it away, but I ignore that part of the law. However, if I ever move to commercial brewing (which would be a long way away), I would consider selling merch with that logo. In the mean time, I'm going to get it screened onto some pint glasses for my own personal use.
2. We have much more important things to work on right now. PAX and AB are just around the corner, nevermind the TEDx and Connecticon, Otakon, NYCC/NYAF, and several other conventions that require extensive preparation on our part.
3. Our secret project starts this weekend. It's 100% more important than being able to sell the last few T-Shirts we have. FYI, Front Row Brew would be 100% yours, but as Scott and I are the only people using "Front Row Crew" in a functional branding context, we appear (from my talk with IP lawyers) to personally have the sole common law trademark rights to "Front Row Crew" in many arenas. ^_^
Maybe one day I'll have keychains, coasters, T-shirts, mugs and glasses, and so forth. We'll see. It'd be neat.
Until you offer a service or product, you don't have any common law rights to the mark. FYI, registering trademarks is fairly cheap, and you can get a trademark ahead of having an actual product or service if you go this route.
I should really look into getting that trademarked.
EDIT: Hm. I may wish to trademark "Front Row Brew" independent of trademarking the logo itself. That would give me the most options commercially.
EDIT 2: Hmmmmmm. I should probably contact an attorney about this, but it sounds like I may already be engaged in commerce with my beer, so I don't know if it would really be "intent to use" or not.
Lawyer is 100% necessary.
EDIT: You might know this, actually. I'm pretty sure that you can sell a product for no charge (at least in New York), right? That's how you can be prosecuted for "selling" contraband products even if you don't charge for them. Thus, I think that transporting and distributing my beer would constitute "commerce" with that beer.
Of course, I'm also pretty sure that it's illegal for me to do that unless I'm registered with the New York State Liquor Authority.
It's also worth noting that New York state hosts various homebrewing competitions at fairs all across the state, and the Great New York State fair, and they're all technically illegal. The Liquor Authority doesn't bother enforcing all of the laws because they're far too overworked.