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Illustrator help: Making a conical label

M

macjakob

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Feb 16, 2006
27
0
Hey,

I have some trouble making a conical label in Illustrator. It is a label for a conical cup (imagine a starbucks cup you have to put a label around). I have all the measurements for the label, but I just can't figure out how to make it in illustrator, especially the curvature of it.

Does anyone have some experience with this?

Thanks in advance!

Jakob
 
yeah, i also believe it's just a trapezoid with a flat top and bottom. Just make sure you get your angles and measurements right. The best way i would go about it, is to cut apart the cup you want to use, and fold it out flat, scan it, and then build your file on top of it. Take measurements too, while it's flat, so you know that it's right.

-JE
 
Nope. Not just a trapezoid. The top and bottom will have a curve. If you don't curve the artwork with the cup it will distort upward on the edges. I agree that cutting apart the cup and laying it flat to get measurements is a good way to start. Scanning it so you can get the curve right will help too. You might also try to contact the manufacturer of the cup to see if they have any digital versions of the die they use.
 
Is this for a commercial job? A lot of packaging printers will let you submit artwork flat and they'll reshape it in their rip software.
 
It's basic technical drawing. You need to know how to develop a cone, and to do that you need the diameters at the top and bottom, and the vertical distance between them. I'm not sure Illustrator has the tools to do this, but a CAD program would have, or you could draught it by hand. I've done an example for a label 100mm tall, with a diameter at the top of 120mm and at the bottom 72mm - if you let me have the accurate dimensions (in mm please!) for your container I'll do one for you.
 

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stevep said:
It's basic technical drawing. You need to know how to develop a cone, and to do that you need the diameters at the top and bottom, and the vertical distance between them. I'm not sure Illustrator has the tools to do this, but a CAD program would have, or you could draught it by hand. I've done an example for a label 100mm tall, with a diameter at the top of 120mm and at the bottom 72mm - if you let me have the accurate dimensions (in mm please!) for your container I'll do one for you.
Click to expand...



man...you're a really nice guy. props to you. i was just reading through the thread for interest and was surprised by your generosity.
 
i'd like to take you up on the offer

hi i'm new to this but i'm designing a label for a bottle i created in 3DS Max. i'm going to give you the hieght of the label and the diameters of the two circles, if that's ok?

erm i'll post my e-mail so you can send me the draught
rjcook03@aol.com
thankyou so so so much
you're gonna sve my life, cause i couldn't possibly of drawn the shape to scale on fireworks or any other related soft ware

hieght 500
upper diameter 435
lower diameter 770
if you need units just use mm

thanks again
i'l post you an image of the bottle the label is for
 

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Just mailed you a drawing - you'll have to check it's ok - I'm a bit rushed today so could easily have screwed it up.
 
Easier than older suggestions

I've just started using Illustrator. The above suggestions would work, but I've discovered a much easier method, particularly if you don't have CAD won't be dealing with a big commercial job or want to make a mock up to pitch an idea. Simply measure the height of the area on the container you want to make a label for and also the approximate circumference. Open a new document in Illustrator and create a rectangle with those dimensions. Use the warp>arc command and set the amount to 10. Print out the warped rectangle, cut it out and see if it will work. Then adjust the amount of warp accordingly. It's an "old school" design method, but it worked the first time for my project.
 
Artwork for container...

stevep said:
It's basic technical drawing. You need to know how to develop a cone, and to do that you need the diameters at the top and bottom, and the vertical distance between them. I'm not sure Illustrator has the tools to do this, but a CAD program would have, or you could draught it by hand. I've done an example for a label 100mm tall, with a diameter at the top of 120mm and at the bottom 72mm - if you let me have the accurate dimensions (in mm please!) for your container I'll do one for you.
Click to expand...

Quite possible you could save my life - any chance you could do one for this: Top of container 118mm diameter, bottom 100mm, height 90mm.

I've tried figuring this out myself but can't figure out how to get the angle of the curve.

Cheers in advance!
 
co1in said:
Quite possible you could save my life - any chance you could do one for this: Top of container 118mm diameter, bottom 100mm, height 90mm.

I've tried figuring this out myself but can't figure out how to get the angle of the curve.

Cheers in advance!
Click to expand...

Hi guys, I had the same problem and I'm just a graphic designer not an engineer, so I used some weird but easy logic to figure out the warp-arch percentage to use on my label.

Simply divide the top diameter by the bottom diameter and it will give you a percentage number, take a rectangle and go to menu object/ envelope distort/ make it with warp.. choose style ARCH and use your percentage! it works, print the retangle and cut it, put it over your cup and it will fit.

I love the conical development that stevep suggested, mine is for the right brain designers :D

Cheers:D
 
I am trying to make a label which I can fit on a kind of a real life cone shaped container, without having the label distorted. Does anyone have a better procedure to make these labels? Are there any plug-ins available that can do the job ?
 
can you please help me

stevep said:
It's basic technical drawing. You need to know how to develop a cone, and to do that you need the diameters at the top and bottom, and the vertical distance between them. I'm not sure Illustrator has the tools to do this, but a CAD program would have, or you could draught it by hand. I've done an example for a label 100mm tall, with a diameter at the top of 120mm and at the bottom 72mm - if you let me have the accurate dimensions (in mm please!) for your container I'll do one for you.
Click to expand...

My details:
Height = 52mm (5.2 cm)
Upper diameter 114 mm (11.4 cm)
Lower diamter 90 mm (9cm)
 
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