OUGD503 - Responsive: Future of Bacon Packaging - Designing the Artwork

I started looking for a net that I want to use in a book, and once I found one similar to my idea I uploaded it onto the Mac.

I then altered the size of it to what I needed it to be. I printed this off to make sure that it works and that I was happy with the size.

I then applied the grid in Illustrator to make it easier to work with. First of all I put the logo on the pack which I had gotten by emailing organisers of the competition. I also put a shape on which indicates the cut out window.

Then I started working on the label for the package. I wanted it to be bold and use a block font so that it would stand out on the shelf.

I then tried adding lines to separate the information, using the same colour from the logo.

Then I decided to work on one of the designs I wanted to do, which is the pig. I scanned in a rough sketch I drew so that I had an idea of the shape.

I traced over it and altered the shape until I was happy with it.

I then placed it onto the window to see how it would look. I felt like it was missing something.

I then remembered it would have a tail. I added one but I think I need to adjust it as it doesn't match the rest of the illustration. I also made sure the tail wasn't in the window area as I think this would be too flimsy.

I just used the ear shape and resized and scaled it for the tail which I think works a lot better. As it isn't that flimsy now I put it within the window. This made the pig a bit smaller which I think is better as it takes up a lot of window space for the consumer to see the bacon.

I also changed the layout of the text a bit, as I wanted to fill the space evenly and it didn't beforehand. I made '6 Back Bacon Rashers' fit together in a square, which is 50% of the width I'm using. 'Unsmoked Thick-Cut' works on one line, but I now need to fit information in the rest of the space. I'm not sure what to add here, as I need the weight (220g), and I could add best before and keep refrigerated to the label - although these are sometimes in a different part of the packaging. 

I feel like this idea of having really bold text confined to the shape isn't really working and doesn't look very professional.

I then added the weight to the pig as though it is a brand just to see if the placement could work, and I think this has improved the label.

I then tried it landscape to see if this would look any better, but I prefer it portrait I think as the pig would be really flimsy when the window is die cut as it's only touching one side as opposed to three.

I went back to the portrait style, and tried adding another font to the mix to see if this could improve it. I chose one from Google Web Fonts, as although they are made for websites they are free for commercial use on print as well, and they have a really good selection. I chose a serif font because I feel this will attribute to the established and trustworthy aspect to the brand. It also contrasts with the thick block font I'm using. I changed the colour of the pig to a golden colour, to fit with the maple-cured version. I think to differentiate the different products in the range I could colour code the pig. I think this works a lot better than before.

I also thought I could add the weight to the actual pig as though it is branded, as it wasn't really working on the label, being so small. I feel like the ends of the circle need to be flat.

I tried this on the pig, and although it needs some work I think it could work.

I kept altering it and seeing how I could improve it.

In the end I made it all black to stand out more as I think that was the problem, and made the circle a bit smaller. I also added Keep Refrigerated to the label as I feel this is necessary information. I am really happy with the label now.

This is the label in the full front design. I'm now going to try each version to see if it all works with the different text and change the colour of the pig.

Here are the labels for the different version. I chose a warm red for the smoked version and a pink for the unsmoked. I think all three colours work well together as they are quite subdued.

I noticed that the Thick Cut looks a bit imbalanced with all the white space around it, so I tried it on one line instead. I think I prefer it like this as it doesn't look so out of place. I also think by having it on the same line it is easier for the customer to notice a difference.

I then also moved the designs higher so that the pig sat on the bottom of the window rather than below it, as I think this makes it more clean. I also made sure the weight on each one was correct, as thin and crispy versions are 200g not 220g.

I then made the weight stamp bigger so that people would notice it more. 

Now I need to do the back of the packet and include all of the ingredients, nutritional information etc. I found the nutritional information on Tesco and looked at the back of an existing bacon packaging as I couldn't find Danepak in my supermarket.

At the moment the back of meat packaging is quite cluttered and squashed together which can be quite hard to find information. So I decided to make it cleaner and have a line to separate the heading from the bodycopy, which I've also used on the front of the packaging. 

I tried the background in black because I think it would look more professional when printed.

When I did print it, I was really happy to see that the black looked solid and the text hadn't bled. I think the sizing on the fonts was correct, but when I folded it I realised it could be a lot thinner. I also thought that the window on the front could be a lot thinner. I still wasn't entirely keen on the label either.

I changed the width of the front of the window to a lot narrower.

I then started to experiment with different labels as I really wasn't happy with what I had.

I like this style but it isn't as professional and clean as what I want.

I tried using different fonts and experimenting a bit with the layout.

I think all these fonts are too thick and similar and need a bit of variation.

I like the font Unsmoked is in, as it is a thin sans serif and looks quite clean and smart. However, the 6 looks a bit chunky and out of place.

I made them all justified which I think makes them look cleaner.

I lessened the kerning on Unsmoked. I've used the same font for the 1st and 3rd line but in different weights. I was thinking I could have thick cut in a thicker style, and thin and crispy in a lighter weight. I'm finally a bit happier with this label. I could keep trying and trying to improve it, but I think I need to call it a day on it as I have spent more time on it than I had hoped and I know that I am never going to be completely happy with this design.

To make sure all of the text was aligned properly and had the right size gutter between everything, I took it into InDesign to do this.

I then took it back into Illustrator and put the logo back on (it didn't seem to be working in InDesign), and deleted all of the outlines so that you wouldn't see this when scoring.

Then I put the outline onto a separate document which I am going to print onto tracing paper, so I know where to score when I cut out the packaging.