STEP 1: Find an object for which you'd like to make a little treasure chest. This treasure chest can be up to 6" wide x 6" deep x 2" tall, so choose your object(s) carefully. Making a package that fits the object perfectly will be a big part of your overall design grade. (Keep in mind that the package must work when it's folded and be a contained space.)
Also, once you've found your object, decide what kind of package you'd like to make to house it. I'll show a few simple box designs that you can use, but it would be wonderful for you to come up with something even more relevant and exciting!
The first thing we'll do together is look at your object and make a package that fits it. Then we'll take the package apart. We'll make and unmake that box 10 different times. Each of the boxes will be your sketchpad where you'll draw ten different idea sketches.
STEP 2: Using your folded or unfolded packages, make ten different intentional sketches. The designs should each be different and they should be relevant to the object inside. Be sure to consider each side of the box as a separate design space, but one that works with the whole package. Make the designs in color and with as much detail as you can muster so that each side of the package comes to life.
In class we'll take a look at Annie Atkins and her work for Wes Anderson's movies. Here are some links to help with sketch inspiration:
Once we've narrowed down your sketches to just one, we'll unfold it. This flattened package will become your Adobe Illustrator template.
STEP 3: Using the unfolded package as your guide, create an Illustrator document with all of the guides and grids and lines that could possibly be helpful to make your designed box (in flat form). Having your guides in the right place will be important so that all of your designs line up when the box is printed out and folded in the end. At this point you may want to print your template out just to be sure it folds up nicely.
STEP 4: After a scan of your favorite sketch, make your design in Illustrator using all the tools we've used and a few new ones we'll talk about for this project.
STEP 5: Print it out and fold it up!
Your package design grade will be based on the following criteria:
- How well your final design fits the object you wanted to put inside.
- How well your design fits into the spaces that are visible to the person looking at the folded package.
- How detailed the design is.
- How the design relates to the object inside.
- And lastly, your skillfulness in using Adobe Illustrator to make the design.
Credits:
Created with images by Pexels - "archive boxes shelf" • geralt - "checklist check rectangles" • Pezibear - "treasure chest money paper money" • ninita_7 - "post letter mail box mailbox" • PublicDomainPictures - "beige box brown" • RedMaiden - "birthday celebration anniversary" • boaphotostudio - "gift box present"