A topic came up on another thread regarding new labels for bottles used in an effect. I posted these pics on that thread, but thought some who frequent here in the workshop section of the Café might also find this of interest.

I re-did my multiplying bottle labels with my own design. Here is what they looked like originally:



...And here they are customized:




Just thought I would strech out my arm a little bit and pat myself on the back.

Seriously though, I am proud of how they turned out. I'm really not very good with workshop type projects so it's a big deal to me when I start tinkering with a prop that already looks fine in hopes of "improving" it. LOL!


Lyndel

V E R Y V E R Y N I C E!

I never liked the Martini lables because I felt they limited who you could do the routine for. Your lables could be used for children shows, adult shows you name it.

Great Job

Great job Lyndel! Did you vary the size of the labels to compensate for the different sizes of the bottles? I have already re-labeled my set (identical to yours) but I used uniform sized labels and am wondering if I should re-relabel them with differing sized labels?

While you are at it, consider producing bottles with different labels and even different color bottles. When you get into the multiplying of the bottles, there's no need to keep producing a bottle that looks identical to the others. Pouring a different drink from each bottle is also possible using balloons, but I'll leave that for the truly adventurous.

PS, nice bottles, Lyndel!

Lyndel, your bottles look great!

I have re-labeled a couple sets. For the bar act, I have 10 bottles in the multiplying phase (standard set of 8, plus a nesting set of 2 pinched from an old Passe set). Three of the bottles are identical for the initial Passe routine, and all that follow are different colors and labels, as the bottles rapidly multiply.

This takes away concerns about similar bottles of different sizes. The different colors of bottles and labels, and different label shapes and sizes, draws the fire away from the discrepancy. The same idea is used with the Himber vanishing bottles.

For the kid show, I have a standard set of 8 re-labeled as IBC rootbeer. It goes against what I just suggested, but they are instantly recognizable to the kids and the parents.

I also re-labeled a set of Topsy-Turvey bottles to look like Worchestershire sauce. Goofy item, but huge comedy when you get the kids to try and say Worchestershire. This set has a hot sauce kicker.

It makes good sense to do things like this to your props whenever you can. It makes your stuff stand out against all the other magicians. Good for business!

Very nice Lyndel!!! Would you mind sharing how you did it? Those really turned out great!

Regan

Hey guys! Thanks for the comments!

Eric: I suppose I could use them for kids shows... never have, but I guess I could. "Lyndel Ale" could be interpreted as a brand of ginger ale I guess. But I really don't think the audience takes the time to read the labels. I think they see bottles and just accept them at face value for what they are. Most of the time they are pretty far back and couldn't make out what it says anyway - unless you left the martini labels which are a little bold and of a font and text size that seems to stand out and be readable at a distance.

lbean: I originally considered using varying size labels to compensate for the difference in bottle sizes, but then I came to the conclusion, "Why run if I'm not being chased?" I really think that the label size is a non issue as far as the audience is concerned. They're only going to see them for a few moments and won't be handling them or comparing them A-B.

I do however, when I produce them, position them on my table with the taller ones closer to the audience and the shorter ones closer to me. I figure psychologically it forces their perspective. The bottles in the back are further away, so they should appear smaller right? Well, that's my thinking anyway...

If I had it all to do over again though, I would probably do as Spellbinder and Michael suggested and have all the bottles painted different colors. Not for size compensation/explanation, but more for the variety in the bottles like one might see lined up behind a bar. If I ever decide to do that, I would probably take them to an auto body shop and let them paint them with auto quality baked on enamel paint so they look "glassy" like a real bottle should.

Regan: I soaked each bottle in the sink to loosen the martini labels, but wound up having to use lighter fluid to remove the remaining glue. I researched various wine and liquor bottle labels online and drew elements from several different bottle label designs that appealed to me visually.

I designed my own new labels in photoshop and printed them on glossy, sticky back paper I found at an office supply store. I think it's important to use glossy paper for the labels to help sell it as a label. The Martini labels were not glossy and that tiny little detail always bothered me a little (probably running with out being chased there, but the non glossy label was a petpeve.)


Lyndel

Thank you for sharing your method of producing the labels, and the reasoning behind them. very nicely done
bob

Looks great.

Thanks Lyndel. They do look great!

Thanks for showing your beautiful work and the explanation of your work!

I like your labels in particular, and I think you don't have to worry about the size of the label in relation to the size of the bottles - because you used round labels that can be centered anywhere on the bottle.

Nice Job!

Thanks Lyndel for sharing a brilliant idea.
It is this kind of inivative thinking that inspires me to get my creative juices flowing.
I know that sounds kinda sappy, especially for the spring time but what the hoot.


Eric

Good work....

CC

Wow. They really look great. Nice job.

I think you improved on the original design. I like the color of the labels.

Thanks everyone!

I also really liked the colors. I actually saw a label on line somewhere that was blue in the center and faded out to orange like I did on my bottles. I thought it was an interesting color combination that would be highly visible from pretty far away.

The idea to add the yellow to the design was my own idea to once again create visibility. After all, school busses are painted yellow for a reason! The lion logo... I don't remember if that was something I saw on another bottle design some where or if I came up with the idea of using it on my own. I just thought it looked cool. I did these back in 2005 so it's been a couple years.


Lyndel

Great job Lyndel. You've reminded us what some imagination and a "can do" attitude can do.

While we're on the subject. Does anyone have problems with bottles sticking to each other and if so how you've solved that problem?

Lyndel

Thanks to you and your great looking bottles you just cost me some money.

I could never use the “regular” bottles in anything I do.
Also I was very hesitant to start making and changing labels.
(I kind of wrote it off as not possible.)

You have trashed my excuse(s) for buying a nice set of multiplying bottles and
putting them in a show.
(Next time just modify a deck of cards, it'll cost me less.)

Very impressive. Thanks for sharing the details.

Your new labels look fantastic, and look totally professional. I'm with Mr Ree here, next thing on my shopping list is multiplying bottles and the time to design a bunch of different labels for them.

If you want to obtain an immediate gallery of different color bottles, and many different labels, follow this link:
http://weburbanist.com/2009/04/09/61-exc......-designs