Creating a label design can be a challenging process. However, we hope that this guide will make the creative and technical aspects of designing your very first label all the easier for you!
Label creation methods:
Adobe Illustrator (recommended method):
- More control over label design
- Better export/document settings
- Easier export to Adobe Acrobat (PDF)
Label Designer (for beginners):
- Premade templates to help aid design
- Working files not transferable to Adobe
- Design limited to editor style (unique elements can not be created)
OR
Get a professional Label Design service with a custom design concept.
Creating label designs using PS and AI:
1. To get started, log in to your Supliful account, find the product you want to add to your store, click on it, and then click on Customize and sell (see picture below).
2. Now you are on the Product Editor page. On this page, you can modify the product the way you like it – change the description, set up your price, and create your custom label design.
3. Scroll down, and under the product mockup, click on the Create label button.
4. Once the template is open, click the Upload a Design button and download the .ai file located under Custom design upload section:
Now that you have the product templates, let’s move on to the artistic part - creating your label design and product mockup.
1. Open the ZIP file that was downloaded. It consists of two files: the README instructions and the PSD file with the templates. Open the PSD file.
2. Locate the layers menu either on the side panel or in the “windows” tab at the top of the page:
3. Once located scroll on the layers menu until you find the label layer, indicated by the symbol on the bottom right of the layer. This is the editable label layer:
4. Double-click on the “smart layer” to open the label to edit. Here you are able to drop your premade label on top of the current label and save it.
- If you wish to edit our label or create your own you can once again go to the layers menu and double-click on the new layer (there should be only one):
5. Adobe Illustrator will now open with a fully editable label. You can edit the text and add your own logo and branding OR you can scrap our template and create your own logo in the same file:
6. Once you are finished editing the design, remember to CREATE OUTLINES for all of your added text within the file. This ensures all of the text is flattened, and no font is lost during exporting:
a. Select all by pressing Ctrl+A or Cmd+A
b. Outline the text by clicking TYPE, CREATE OUTLINES (Ctrl+O or Cmd+O).
Embedding Images
Same as with the text outline, it is crucial to embed the images used in your design. That way, they will not be missing when checking your label design before printing.
To do so, in Adobe Illustrator:
Select all your images in the Links panel (click WINDOW, LINKS).
Choose “EMBED IMAGES” from the menu panel.
7. Once you are finished designing and creating outlines, you are ready to EXPORT
- Save the Illustrator file and return to the Photoshop file, and it should automatically update from Illustrator
- Save the Ai file label: Scroll to file, then click export, then click export as, use area boards, and export the file as a PDF, and follow these export settings:
- Click FILE --> SAVE AS and save it as a PDF. In the pop-up window “General” tab “Adobe PDF Preset” drop-down menu, choose [High-Quality Print].
- In the “Options” section, make sure that “Preserve Illustrator Editing Capabilities” is not checked.
- Check the option for “Optimize for Fast Web View.”
(Please make sure your PDF file is less than 10MB)
8. Finally, upload the created files to the Product Editor page.
Make your way back to the product edit page and select Create label under the mockup:
And then click Upload a Design - but this time choose step 2 Upload your file.
Once the PDF is uploaded, make sure to click on the Save label. Then exit the Label Designer, and the product mockup will refresh automatically. You’ll be able to see exactly what your product looks like.
Define the color space for PS/ Ai Templates
Defining the color space for your design file can be a bit difficult.
The reason is that RGB has a vast range of colors, and most printers are unable to print and extend their color range into the RGB space.
With ICC Profiles, we are able to get as close to RGB printing as possible.
Supliful printers use the ICC profile of sRGB. This allows the color spectrum to extend into the RGB color space, but it doesn’t cover the entire RGB range. This means that when exporting your final file, it should be saved in the RGB color range as a PDF:
Creating label designs using the Label Designer:
Step 1: Once you've decided on the product, click the Customize & sell button.
You will be taken to the Product Editor, where you can customize your product's appearance in your online store and in real life.
You can edit all parts of the product - from its name and price to the label design and the product mockup. Each editable section has a pencil icon next to it:
Under the mockup, you’ll find two options for creating your label design: either use our Label Designer to design it yourself or order a professional label design service from our team.
Once you’ve created your design in the Label Designer, click the Save label button to save your design, exit the Label Designer, and it will automatically be applied to your mockup.
Lastly, click the Publish button, and the product will be automatically pushed to your store. If you leave the Product Editor page without publishing, the product will automatically be saved on the My Products page as a draft.
