Thanks for the feedback. Moss, actually now you mention it, I can see that the shadow is odd. Supposing it wins, can I change some things, like that for instance, or is it tough luck? What's wrong with the type treatment? (I'm not even sure what that is ) Are you referring to the warped text? - cause I got rid of that, you know
Regarding the type, the gap between the individual letters is really uneven. Sometimes they're far apart, sometimes they're touching each other. It's a bit jarring. Ideally you want them evenly spaced.
With crazy fonts like that it's always better to hand draw them. Even if you trace over pre existing fonts to get the basic outline you can still tweak the shapes and positions for a better overall look. Of course, the downside of this method is that it's harder to edit should you change your mind about something later.
With crazy fonts like that it's always better to hand draw them.
This is me asking a genuine question, not being a dick. Assuming you're using Illustrator, what's the difference between hand drawing them and turning them into outlines? The result is the same, no?
With crazy fonts like that it's always better to hand draw them.
This is me asking a genuine question, not being a dick. Assuming you're using Illustrator, what's the difference between hand drawing them and turning them into outlines? The result is the same, no?
With crazy fonts like that it's always better to hand draw them.
This is me asking a genuine question, not being a dick. Assuming you're using Illustrator, what's the difference between hand drawing them and turning them into outlines? The result is the same, no?
I thought the same thing?
Quick question:
Entry, did you use a Pantone for that design or regular CMYK? If you used RGB, I'll kill you!!!
I'm afraid you're going to have to get out ye olde killing club then :S
I used RGB. To be honest I'm not that much of an illustrator-expert. I just tapped ok when it asked in the start and it was on RGB as default... I didn't give it any thought. Is it so terrible? I mean, will it have any consequences other than you killing me (print-wise, that is)?
1. Through light, like with a rainbow or a prisma. RGB is the color mode meant for those things that are gonna be created through light, like a computer monitor.
2. Through pigments, like with oils or pastels. CMYK is the color mode meant for pigment printing.
You can make your design in RGB and print it on a home printer, however, at the press it will be converted to CMYK. This will cause unwanted color shifts.
On paper, when I'm doing a monochrome design like this one, to reduce printing costs I do it on a single Pantone. Unlike CMYK a pantone isnt a combination of inks that make up one color, its a pre-mixed ink that will have incredible color fidelity. You can access the pantone color window in illustrator by going to Window/swatch library and picking the appropriate pantone.
Unlike CMYK you can lower the intensity (not opacity) of the pantone and make a lighter version of the color without actually having to shift into a new color. doing it this way you change your design from full color (expensive!!!) to single or dual color.
I've never actually printed a shirt before, this is how it works on paper. I hope it's the same process. Maybe moss knows.
MagicToaster on
0
CrayonSleeps in the wrong bed.TejasRegistered Userregular
edited May 2007
Definitely let us know if you win, I'll totally buy one.
Oh great, I'm trying to figure that pantone thing out. It's totally new to me. So, it's some kind of set of standard colors that any press has, so if you choose a specific Pantone color and don't fiddle with it's best? I see there are alot of libaries, and I've tried to open a few, but I'm not quite sure how I can achieve the same result (=colors) with them as the "original"? I have the 5 colors (well, it's basicly the same color only darker/lighter) in their respective layers as it is now. How can I change them into Pantone colors and still have aprox. the same relations between the light?
I'm not expressing myself very well at the moment, but i hope you know what I mean?
Alternatively, is there any way I can turn it into CMYK and then tweak the colors back? (Will I be able to see any change on my screen?)
I have 5 colors [...] well, it's basicly the same color only darker/lighter.
Press wise, this logic is wrong, you have five colors, not variations of one color (look at the hexadecimal code or RGB/CMYK code, it's diffrent on each one). Should this print, it would be a full color print because it has more than 3 colors. The advantage of doing this type of design in Pantones is that instead of shifting into a new color you are still designing using the same Pantone thusly using one color.
If you want to turn your design into a Pantone, then you'll have to manually match to the closest approximation of the darkest color. Once you have that, it's a matter of going to the Color Tab (windos/color) and knocking down the intensity on the Pantone to match the lighter tones in the design.
There's a lot of color library's, but there are two main categories, coated and uncoated. Basically coated is for glossy finishes, uncoated for flat finishes. Usually I stick to Solid coated or solid uncoated.
It really doesn't matter much if you do it on Pantones or CMYK, what you should not do is continue this in RGB! You can shift from RGB to CMYK and backwards in Illustrator by going to File/Document Color mode and then choosing either RGB or CMYK. Most likely the color shift will be minimal on screen, its more discernible once it's been printed. Things never print they way they look on screen.
The design has to be in CMYK for screenprinting, though Threadless will do a number of proofs until it is as close to the original submission as possible.
If Threadless screenprint then you can use Pantones as Toaster described. Whether or not Threadless bothers to allow people to specify Pantone inks is another matter - it's probably more trouble than it's worth to them.
There's a lot of color library's, but there are two main categories, coated and uncoated. Basically coated is for glossy finishes, uncoated for flat finishes. Usually I stick to Solid coated or solid uncoated.
In terms of printing, it doesn't actually make any difference whether you select coated or uncoated Pantones. The ink is the same, all choosing coated or uncoated does is attempts to simulate on screen what that ink will look like when printed on a coated or uncoated substrate. Same goes for the physical swatch guides - they just print the same inks onto coated and uncoated stock so you can see what it looks like on both. What you should absolutely avoid is any swatch library with Process in the name, because they are four colour swatches and so require a four colour printing process (using Pantone's own CMYK inks) to reproduce - stick to the solid swatch libraries which are colours made from premixed inks.
Moss, you never answered our question about the difference between tracing a font and making an outline.
You must understand that when I say 'trace', I don't mean it in the literal sense. I do not mean that you should trace the letters exactly. Rather, you should use them as a guide and add your own tweaks and adjustments to make them work with your graphic. Don't just try to shoehorn a font in there because it's easier.
The whole point of pyschedelic 60s fonts is that they look hand drawn with no two letters being completely identical. By loosely tracing a font you can tweak individual letters to accomodate spacing and individuality. It works especially well for designs like this, where the text borders the design.
It's often very obvious and fairly jarring when a premade font is used on top of a hand drawn design. By drawing your letters from scratch or even loosely tracing them you can make your words 'fit' the aesthetic more successfully than if you had simply slapped a font on top of it.
Of course, if you're going for a clean, simple design, premade fonts might be the best choice. It's up to you to decide what's appropriate to your concept. It's just that many people see premade fonts as a shortcut or a necessity, when actually hand drawing them is easier and more beneficial than you might think.
Here are some examples of what I mean. On the whole my typography is fucking awul. Having never been tought any theory, I just sort of pieced it together by looking at adverts and posters and books.
Isn't it also technically illegal to use some free fonts for profit? If you use a free font from say blambot and publish something using said free font, wouldn't you have to compensate the original creator of the font? I'm really asking that as a question, I'm not totally sure of the answer.
Yeah, I understand what the source material is. But threadless tends to trade on visual puns or concepts and I'm not seeing it. It's a neat illustration though.
Does Threadless sell poster prints of the shirt designs? I really like a lot of them (and I love this walrus guy) but I wouldn't parade them around on a shirt, I'd rather hang them up around the studio for design inspiration
Yeah, I understand what the source material is. But threadless tends to trade on visual puns or concepts and I'm not seeing it. It's a neat illustration though.
Well, there's no pun other than it's a walrus saying Goo Goo G'Joob, which is kinda funny if you know the background. I don't think it needs more than that.
Isn't it also technically illegal to use some free fonts for profit? If you use a free font from say blambot and publish something using said free font, wouldn't you have to compensate the original creator of the font? I'm really asking that as a question, I'm not totally sure of the answer.
This came to my mind as well. And then, in theory, if you change it (enough) that copyright goes away, wouldn't you say?
Also, thanks Moss for the elaboration :P I will consider drawing out the letters myself. It's not that I'm lazy, actually - the problem is I've never been any good at drawing letters. My handwriting is shit as well I'm afraid it would look absolutely terrible. But then again, I could "trace" the font, to achieve the feel of the letters being uneven. If I decide to stick with it as it is, I will definitely fix the kerning.
Posts
The walrus drawing is cool, though.
It's a refference to I am the walrus by the Beatles.
Flickr ... Myspace
It goes better with the song as is.
Flickr ... Myspace
This is me asking a genuine question, not being a dick. Assuming you're using Illustrator, what's the difference between hand drawing them and turning them into outlines? The result is the same, no?
I thought the same thing?
Flickr ... Myspace
Quick question:
Entry, did you use a Pantone for that design or regular CMYK? If you used RGB, I'll kill you!!!
I used RGB. To be honest I'm not that much of an illustrator-expert. I just tapped ok when it asked in the start and it was on RGB as default... I didn't give it any thought. Is it so terrible? I mean, will it have any consequences other than you killing me (print-wise, that is)?
Flickr ... Myspace
1. Through light, like with a rainbow or a prisma. RGB is the color mode meant for those things that are gonna be created through light, like a computer monitor.
2. Through pigments, like with oils or pastels. CMYK is the color mode meant for pigment printing.
You can make your design in RGB and print it on a home printer, however, at the press it will be converted to CMYK. This will cause unwanted color shifts.
On paper, when I'm doing a monochrome design like this one, to reduce printing costs I do it on a single Pantone. Unlike CMYK a pantone isnt a combination of inks that make up one color, its a pre-mixed ink that will have incredible color fidelity. You can access the pantone color window in illustrator by going to Window/swatch library and picking the appropriate pantone.
Unlike CMYK you can lower the intensity (not opacity) of the pantone and make a lighter version of the color without actually having to shift into a new color. doing it this way you change your design from full color (expensive!!!) to single or dual color.
I've never actually printed a shirt before, this is how it works on paper. I hope it's the same process. Maybe moss knows.
I'm not expressing myself very well at the moment, but i hope you know what I mean?
Alternatively, is there any way I can turn it into CMYK and then tweak the colors back? (Will I be able to see any change on my screen?)
Will do! ;-)
Flickr ... Myspace
Press wise, this logic is wrong, you have five colors, not variations of one color (look at the hexadecimal code or RGB/CMYK code, it's diffrent on each one). Should this print, it would be a full color print because it has more than 3 colors. The advantage of doing this type of design in Pantones is that instead of shifting into a new color you are still designing using the same Pantone thusly using one color.
If you want to turn your design into a Pantone, then you'll have to manually match to the closest approximation of the darkest color. Once you have that, it's a matter of going to the Color Tab (windos/color) and knocking down the intensity on the Pantone to match the lighter tones in the design.
There's a lot of color library's, but there are two main categories, coated and uncoated. Basically coated is for glossy finishes, uncoated for flat finishes. Usually I stick to Solid coated or solid uncoated.
It really doesn't matter much if you do it on Pantones or CMYK, what you should not do is continue this in RGB! You can shift from RGB to CMYK and backwards in Illustrator by going to File/Document Color mode and then choosing either RGB or CMYK. Most likely the color shift will be minimal on screen, its more discernible once it's been printed. Things never print they way they look on screen.
Flickr ... Myspace
I'll post it here when and if it gets in the run
Flickr ... Myspace
In terms of printing, it doesn't actually make any difference whether you select coated or uncoated Pantones. The ink is the same, all choosing coated or uncoated does is attempts to simulate on screen what that ink will look like when printed on a coated or uncoated substrate. Same goes for the physical swatch guides - they just print the same inks onto coated and uncoated stock so you can see what it looks like on both. What you should absolutely avoid is any swatch library with Process in the name, because they are four colour swatches and so require a four colour printing process (using Pantone's own CMYK inks) to reproduce - stick to the solid swatch libraries which are colours made from premixed inks.
You must understand that when I say 'trace', I don't mean it in the literal sense. I do not mean that you should trace the letters exactly. Rather, you should use them as a guide and add your own tweaks and adjustments to make them work with your graphic. Don't just try to shoehorn a font in there because it's easier.
The whole point of pyschedelic 60s fonts is that they look hand drawn with no two letters being completely identical. By loosely tracing a font you can tweak individual letters to accomodate spacing and individuality. It works especially well for designs like this, where the text borders the design.
It's often very obvious and fairly jarring when a premade font is used on top of a hand drawn design. By drawing your letters from scratch or even loosely tracing them you can make your words 'fit' the aesthetic more successfully than if you had simply slapped a font on top of it.
Of course, if you're going for a clean, simple design, premade fonts might be the best choice. It's up to you to decide what's appropriate to your concept. It's just that many people see premade fonts as a shortcut or a necessity, when actually hand drawing them is easier and more beneficial than you might think.
Hand drawn:
Premade:
Yeah, I understand what the source material is. But threadless tends to trade on visual puns or concepts and I'm not seeing it. It's a neat illustration though.
Well, there's no pun other than it's a walrus saying Goo Goo G'Joob, which is kinda funny if you know the background. I don't think it needs more than that.
This came to my mind as well. And then, in theory, if you change it (enough) that copyright goes away, wouldn't you say?
Also, thanks Moss for the elaboration :P I will consider drawing out the letters myself. It's not that I'm lazy, actually - the problem is I've never been any good at drawing letters. My handwriting is shit as well I'm afraid it would look absolutely terrible. But then again, I could "trace" the font, to achieve the feel of the letters being uneven. If I decide to stick with it as it is, I will definitely fix the kerning.
Flickr ... Myspace
It got in the running! Woo! I'm so thrilled! Now I just need you guys who like it to go rate it over at the Threadless rating site.
I wonder if this pays any money :P
Flickr ... Myspace