- Size and Proportion: Building Visual Balance to Fit the Carrier
The core shape of a dome label is circular or near-circular (e.g., oval, rounded-square). Its size and proportion directly determine its “presence” on the carrier — too large appears bulky, while too small risks being overlooked. Designers must consider the carrier size, usage scenario, and information load to establish a balanced visual framework.
Carrier adaptation principle:
For small items (e.g., lipstick tubes, perfume caps), label diameters should be kept within 15–30 mm to avoid overwhelming the design of the product itself. For instance, a luxury lipstick brand used a 20 mm dome label on the tube top — highlighting the brand logo without covering the metallic finish of the body.
For medium packaging (e.g., face cream jars, tea gift boxes), diameters between 30–60 mm are suitable, balancing more information capacity with proportional harmony. A high-end face cream jar, for example, used a 45 mm dome label on an 8 cm jar — neither too small to look awkward nor too large to dominate the container.
For large objects (e.g., appliance panels, furniture surfaces), labels can exceed 60 mm but must coordinate with surrounding elements. For example, an 80 mm function label on a premium refrigerator panel echoed the size of nearby buttons, ensuring visual unity.
Elliptical ratio control:
Oval labels bring more dynamism than circles, but the ratio of long axis to short axis should stay between 1.2:1 and 1.5:1. A higher ratio looks narrow and unbalanced, while a lower ratio appears too similar to a circle. For instance, a wine bottle neck label measured 50 mm by 35 mm (≈1.4:1), fitting the curved surface while adding flow, avoiding the stiffness of a perfect circle.
- Color Matching: “Simple and Premium” as the Core, Enhancing Brand Recall
Because dome labels are relatively small, overly complex color schemes create clutter and reduce elegance. Thus, designers should follow three principles: simplicity, high contrast, and brand alignment.
Primary color selection:
The main color sets the “visual tone” and should be tied closely to the brand’s visual identity (VI) or product attributes. If a brand has an iconic color (e.g., Hermès Orange, Tiffany Blue), it should be applied consistently to strengthen recognition. For example, Tiffany’s jewelry dome label used pure Tiffany Blue with only a white logo, conveying both recognition and premium purity.
If highlighting product attributes, natural products may use off-white, light brown, or soft green, while tech products may lean on silver, deep blue, or black.
Number of colors: max three
Dome labels should ideally use no more than three colors: primary + secondary + accent. For example, a premium chocolate dome label used dark brown (chocolate texture), gold (luxury), and white (flavor text), creating clarity and harmony.
Labels with only two colors (e.g., primary + accent) often feel more minimalist and high-end, such as a perfume cap dome label in black with a silver logo — striking contrast, understated luxury.
Contrast balance:
Contrast should balance clarity and comfort. Too low (e.g., light gray + off-white) causes illegibility, especially in small sizes. Too high (e.g., neon red + bright yellow) feels harsh and undermines luxury. Preferred schemes include cool-warm contrast (e.g., navy + pale gold) or light-dark contrast (e.g., black + off-white), which ensure both clarity and refined aesthetics.
- Element Layout: “Central Focus + Adequate White Space” to Optimize Information Hierarchy
Due to the circular structure, dome labels naturally guide the eye toward the center. Thus, layouts should revolve around central focus, while leaving appropriate blank space to prevent clutter, ensuring core information is prioritized.
