Labels

Having your favorite artwork on your NFC token is the perfect finishing touch to your Zaparoo collection. The Zaparoo team has tried to streamline and document this process to accommodate every skill level.

Generating Labels

Zaparoo Designer

File:Zaparoo Designer.png

Zaparoo Designer web app

Labels can be created in bulk using the Zaparoo Designer web app by Andrea Bogazzi. This app allows you to easily add images, which will be automatically applied to templates and made available to exported for printing. The app is pre-filled with the official set of templates by Tim Wilsie, Ariel Aces and Andrea Bogazzi

Zaparoo Template Files

You can also download the template files directly to use in your own design software. The official Zaparoo templates are free to use and modify to meet your needs. You must follow the Zaparoo logo usage guidelines if you choose to include it.

• Zaparoo official template collection - by Tim Wilsie. Includes files for horizontal, vertical, and NFC Engine layouts.
• Zaparoo Upgrade labels - designed to be applied on the Zaparoo Trading Cards and the Zaparoo Universal Labels.

Community Label Packs

• Arcade & Computer core artwork - collated and edited by NML32

Pre-Printed Zaparoo Labels

A request that we've heard often is where people can order pre-printed labels. Unfortunately the Zaparoo project is not able to offer this due to concerns over the IP rights regarding artwork.

Creating Your Own Labels

All links to products are provided as examples, and are not direct endorsements or affiliate links.

Printers

An inkjet or color laser printer from a reputable brand such as Epson, HP, Canon, Brother, etc is recommended for creating quality prints. As a general rule: high-end printer = higher fidelity printing. Standard home printers with CMYK cartridges or eco-tanks are the best middle ground of cost/quality. Especially as most people already have access to one.

Photo printers that utilize additional inks beyond CMYK offer even higher quality output in color and overall fidelity. Especially when paired with premium printable materials.

Paper Types

The type of paper you print on can have as much impact on the quality of the labels as printer choice.

Standard printer paper will work perfectly, or try a premium or photo stock for additional fidelity. You can then affix them to the cards using tape, glue, or spray adhesive.

For a truly professional look, consider printable sticker paper. You can find this at most craft stores and online retailers in both matte and glossy finishes.

Cutting Labels

Please be careful and always follow safety practices when working with sharp objects!

There are quite a few options for cutting labels. The most accessible is a trusty pair of scissors and some patience.

Another option is a hobby knife and a straight edge to create clean cuts. Craft paper cutters and guillotine trimmers are also good options to create quick and consistent straight cuts.

To really give your labels a finished feel, you can use a corner rounder to quickly cut perfectly round corners on your prints to more closely match your NFC cards. Standard NFC cards have a corner radius of 3mm (R3), but the label templates from the Zaparoo Designer are also compatible (and look good!) with 4mm (R4) cuts which is what most common corner rounders are.

Cutting labels using a plotter device

Cricut, Silhouette, or similar devices give you even more options for printing and cutting labels. Most of these devices have a function called "Print and Cut" that allows you to print label sheets that the plotter can then cut out. Combining a plotter with a home printer allows you to take advantage of faster and accurate cutting on a wide variety of materials.

Instructions and full depth of possibilities with this method are outside the scope of this document, but many Zaparoo users have utilized these devices to make some incredibly creative labels.