Hi, I have a few albums of Cigar Box Guitar Music and I have redone the artwork, I wanted to get rid of all the computer art as I don't think computer art looks good, plus I wanted to have CDs made with no plastic or those cheap plastic cases, I wanted to focus on hand done printing, I just think its more in line cigar box guitars.
anyways this is not buy my stuff spam, I was hoping for friendly advice???? I just wanted to share the new album covers and if you would like to see them you can see them click here
anyways, there is lots of differnet artworks, check them out and let me know what you think, I am open to feedback so I can get better! if there is something or some area I can improve, tell me!!!!
anyways, here they are again here they are click here
thanks for your time, John
Replies
So I was playing around looking for ways to make a rubber stamp and found a plan where you cut up rubber bands and it worked out pretty nice. Really simple but I only put in about 20 minutes to make it work and it printed pretty clear. May be worth taking more time with
@ Matt
Hobby Lobby and Michael's used to carry make your own stamp blocks. I'm guessing they still do, also have pads, ink, and brayers.
If you get to feeling adventurous you might want to try making electro-etched metal printing plates. It's a really simple process.
@ BJ
Less cluttered covers in the brown paper seems a good idea.
Now if I had to stamp a bunch of covers I would build a press.
Since all it needs to do is guide the stamp straight up & down consistently you could make one out of PVC pipe, a 4-way PVC fitting and some scrap lumber.
I can sketch one up if you need a visual example.
That is cool, I checked out the stamp thing. Looks promising. I still think I will try some block printing with Styrofoam as well. It is the art major in me. Also I tend to go for a more painterly look often as it is just my personality. so where do you get the thick packing paper from? I am wondering if it cheaper. I have seen some really cool fold your own cd case instructions and think it might be cool to try.
HeyMatt send me your address again and I can send you my newest album, I don't think you have it, I did it after I sent that stuff a few years back I sent you.
as for the covers in the photo above, I just went to walgreens and bought a roll of 3M shipping brown paper, I then carefully opened a regular white cd slip and used it as a template and traced it and cut out my own and folded them and glued them, but I made the opening lip longer to be cool....but its just standard brown paper...3 dollar roll makes about 80 cd covers!
as for the fold your own cardboard cd covers, I do use those too from etsy, the brown ones, but they cost a lot to ship as they are a quarter inch thick.....but those brown cd cases from recycled paper on etsy do have a great look too, I do use those also....anyways send me your address...I will send you my disc and a sleeve so you can see it.
lastly, as for making your own stamp, yes I have seen people do that too, what works best is using a giant school eraser and you carve on it with an exacto knife and carve it backwards...presto a vintage homemade rubber stamp!...there is a whole group of hobbiest that do just that hobby!...homemade rubber stamps from erasers
That is cool, who makes your stamp? I really like the idea a lot. I was thinking maybe try to cut a woodblock or linoleum block print of some kind. I think the stamp is a better idea. Cool that you make your own covers. I can buy them made from that kind of heavy card stock pretty cheap. I saw you did make one with a little less extra printing. The 3 and 4 string bottle neck slide one I believe. That is exactly what I mean. The placement on the case and use of negative space made it pop a lot, for me at least. I wonder if you could incorporate a cool simple picture or symbol as well. Not sure if it would make it better though. You are really getting an old time print feeling from what you have now. Which is what I assume you are after. It works really well as is. I like how you are the only one going for this look. Makes it very unique
I get my stamps made from a stamp maker I met on etsy, his email is
Scott McDonald :amazingscott@gmail.com
you just make image and put it in a PDF file and he burns it into a stamp....that's it!
as far as a photo image, I really cant draw very well so I just do lettering, everyone knows how to write!...you can do it too!
I just write words on paper, the take a photo with a camera and put them on a PDF file, he does the rest, I just tell him the size, usally about 4 inches by 4 inches...then I take a big jumbo ink pad....ink it up, and try my best to stamp it strait...takes a steady hand.....I do mess up every few times, but looks great when done!
I like them a whole lot. I do think the ones that are a little less cluttered work better visually. I am wondering if you could print on both the front and back. Put the bolder font on the front and pay close attention to composition. Not just the law of thirds but some more organic placement. You do it some on one of the ones down near the bottom. Then you could put more on the back. I think you need all the information you put on there but maybe splitting it up would allow you to use the negative space better. Just an idea from a guy who never gets to use his art degree. Really do like the overall look. I also went to using those cases and think they are great. I will have to think if there is a better way to put the image on it. You are one creative guy. Its cool when someone else's idea gets my own motors turning.
Thanks for that , I needed that in depth insight to make it better!
I do printing on the back, believe it or not those cd covers are just made from rolls of brown shipping paper....I just cut it out and fold it like a standard white cd sleeve, but I use that thick brown paper and it gives a great feel in the hands.
as for less cluttered, I did try one with that negative space, I think it looks great...plus it easy to print!....so I will defiantly work on my others that are not done as I have 3 more covers in the works, still from scratch... I will definably put that in my memory bank...thanks!
lastly if you are doing your own covers, alls I do is get big rubber stamps made ....and like they did in the old days just ink it and in one press stamp it!...its takes a steady hand but looks great when done....plus cheap
GROOVY!!!
-
1
-
2
of 2 Next