Generating Package Artwork

In this session we needed our scanned in images of our chosen cereal box design. To start the session we needed to open the scanned image into Photoshop, as the coloration of the paper and ink needs to be corrected and prominent. In order to ensure our sheet of paper shows up white as it appears naturally, we need to go to the image>adjustments and “Levels” tool. You don’t need to do much to the image in order to get the color balance back, gently pull the marker shown to the right within the “Input Levels”, towards the left hand-side as required. Any heightened areas on the highlights side of the histogram show where there is a lot of data and in order to turn the background to a pure solid white we are required to force the software to turn many pixels to pure white, which as long as we are gentle with this process the pen marks should remain. The same can apply to the dark marked areas of the sketch, however we are going to use a different method to brighten the black in the image.

Levels Histogram

To do so duplicate the layer and on the above layer change the layer blend mode to “Multiply”, what this does is add onto any saturated areas within the image and therefore makes our darks more prominent. These techniques are really good for this sort of line work, however if you were to alter the histogram for say a landscape photograph, you would want to be much more delicate in your alterations. This is because within this example we only need white and black as a guide for our vector design, whereas with a detailed photograph forcing the darkest or lightest parts across the pixels would cause details within the image to disappear.

Export As - Jpeg

 I now used the "Export As" option in order to check the file settings before saving and began to work on it within illustrator. Firstly I needed to set the new document up as A4, set to landscape and set the rulers to mm. This is to ensure we effectively size our illustrations ready for printing. Before creating our character we first needed to create a simple rectangle, to which we altered the measurements manually via the dimensions toolbar as to achieve accuracy. I then proceeded to resize the scanned image in a layer below to fit within the rectangular box as my guide. 

Illustrator file setup

Using the same techniques learnt in previous process and production workshops, I began to trace around my image and build up the character. An important aspect of creating the character which makes this session different from those in past, is that we need to have a layer dedicated to linework(or strokes) alone and another for just colour fills. This is due to the way a printer prints images out and in order for the black outlines to be accurate and true in colour it needs to be separated from the other colours. So we have Red, Green, Blue and all those colours made up by such within one layer and black in a layer above. With this in mind, I found half-way that my initial idea of tracing around and duplicating the layer group would need further work as to be effective in portraying the character. This is because I realized I would need to alter the outlines layer contents as to ensure the different sections of the character and background wouldn’t overlap in a destructive way.

Something we were required to give thought to was the colour theme of our packaging. This is important, as you need colours that both work together and grab attention, especially in the case of children’s cereal. I created the above colour guides and based the initial colours of purple and blue off the idea of the alien coming from space and so it developed from there. In regards to my typeface selection also, I considered my options and chose Hobo Std Medium as my cereal brand’s voice. I chose this font as I felt its large chunky form gave for a fun, comic-like appeal and combined with the width and curvature of the typeface, it has an energetic movement.

Last but not least, we needed to create the other sections to the net of our box. In order to do this in a reduced time-consuming fashion, we loaded a scanned image of a flattened mini-cereal box and matched this up to our measurements, as a quick guide for the rest of the pack. Below you can see how my layers have accumulated within the document and as always it is very important to clearly name these in order for easy access. Before my third and final workshop in regards to character and packaging development, I will prepare the rest of the package until finished.

 

Front Design

How did you find this?

I found the aspect of learning about colouring within Illustrator useful, as it hadn’t occurred to me previously about the black ink being most commonly printed separate to the colour. Also I learnt that how this affects your outlines in comparison to your fills is important in regards to ensuring no unintended overlaps are created.