I have a load of home made wine which I am very excited about and am looking for the best method of creating my own wine labels using a pc and printer. I am trying to find A4 gummed paper as I think this is the best option but most of the stuff I have found is multicoloured and not suitable.
Does anyone have any other ideas or can you tell me where I can get a good deal on this kind of paper (preferably white or even brown) in the UK? Is there any free software out there that anyone knows about to help design these labels?
I make all my own labels. I use 4 lables on an 8.5 x 11 paper, but I understand that A4 is slightly different... 8.27 x 11.69 so it should be OK. I have it printed on a color laserjet. If you use an inkjet the ink will run if you get condensation. I glue the label to the bottle using a gluestick that I get at an office supply store, the kind kids use. It's easy to stick on, and, more importantly, it's easier to get off so you can reuse the bottle. The glue rinses off with plain water.
I use MS Publisher, but you shoudl be able to find some free label making software on the Internet.
If water gets down behind the spray paint, you'll get cool watercolor effects from sprayed inkjet labels. But spray paint, or photo fixer at a craft store, do improve things.
Glue stik is definitely the way to go for reuse of bottles later. Other labels are so annoying I'd rather recycle the bottle, let the glass blower burn off the label, and buy a new bottle for about 1$ than kill my back and my septic system with a razor blade and goo gone for hours on end scraping off the otherwise-mounted labels.
Hi Eric ,I am in the Midlands and the company linked to below was the best combination of price and label quality for me at the time. I'm a skinflint so I got the 12 to a sheet option. I went for matt paper.
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I agree that if you use an inkjet (like I do) you need to fix the ink. I used spray varnish on the whole sheet before sticking them on which worked ok for me - though a dedicated inkjet fix spray might be a better option. I have a basic color laser printer on my wishlist because the results from them is more colourfast - but they are still relatively pricey.
It seems that most of the sheets of labels they sell are equivalents of 'Avery' labels a big commercial brand. Therefore you can theoretically download Avery templates which should work in many major programs. It might take you a while to get it right as you may have to set your printer driver just right as well as the page setup in the program you are using to design your label...
I couldn't find an Avery template that matched the code I had been given so eventually I designed my own template and got it calibrated to within 1mm on the printed page - that took about 5 test sheets though!
Hi, I worked out my label design using Photoshop Elements and put it together with Avery DesignPro v4.0 software. I designed the labels to fit the Avery #6878 template (3-3/4 x 4-3/4 inches). That template formats four-up on an 8-1/2 by 11 sheet. From there I can either print the labels on
6878 label paper or on plain paper. If I am going to use my ink-jet printer in either case, I spray a thin layer of clear fixer over the print to keep the labels from running in the presence of moisture. Now, with all that said, you can buy preprinted sheets of labels to stick in your printer and add your name, wine type, etc. Just do a Google search for "wine labels"
Yeah, I doubt they could calibrate to my label sheets sadly or I would do the same. I like to have the label commercially gummed - mine float off easily when the bottle is empty and stick beautifull when full. With my own laser I could do perfect calibrations and test prints etc onto labels :)
Mostly I make my labels on A4 paper and print them with an ink yet. I use the thicker paper so light want shine through when you are using a blank instead of colored bottle.
When printed I spray them with cheap hair spray. This fixes the color against humidity.
I then cut them at the desired measurements turn them around and moisture them with a cloth that is submerged in milk. Milk glues fantastic and later they come off with no problem.
I probably go over board, but I use Avery 6464 removable label, design using Avery software, on a color inkjet, and then I use clear lacquer spray to seal them prior to putting on. That way they don't run when wet. If anyone wants a sample, email me - minus the x's. You'll have to download the Avery software to read this.
I print mine on regular paper, 6 to a page, cut them with a paper cutter, and then use a glue stick to stick them to the bottle. I have found most preglued paper too hard to remove when cleaning the bottles. The glue in the glue sticks just soaks off in a bucket of warm watter.
But I agree with you that a nice colorful label adds a lot of pride to your bottle and is worth the effort.
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