Tag: package design

kids playhouse gender neutral package design

Posted on by Rhea Diehl

kids playhouse gender neutral package design

package design | illustration | crafting

Challenge:

Design a gender neutral brand and product for an assigned kids playhouse.

Design Solution:

During my time in college, I was asked to develop a brand identity and package design for an existing architectural playhouse assigned. I chose to pursue a sandcastle concept that would appeal to children of both genders. Regardless of gender, everyone can agree that kids love sandcastles. I used this common interest as inspiration for this project, and developed a concept of a crab themed sandcastle. From the package design, to the pieces of the kids playhouse itself, the theme is communicated efficiently and cohesively throughout the brand. The playhouse set also features an on-theme paint set with a brush to customize the castle, washable, of course. Whether your kid colors inside the lines or out, the included paint is washable to make cleanup a breeze.

Self-Reflection:

This project combined my branding and crafting skills, and challenged me to build a brand and product that is cohesive throughout. It also challenged me to focus on a broader audience, being a gender neutral product for children. Knowing and being able to appeal to your audience is an important skill in the design world.

Interested in finding out more about gender neutrality in packaging and product design?

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subscription box package design

Posted on by Rhea Diehl

subscription box package design

branding | crafting | web design

Challenge:

Formulate a unique concept and design a monthly subscription box and website.

Design Solution:

For Digital Media Studio II, we developed a brand, corresponding website prototype, and subscription box on a topic of our choosing. Artistic expression was my main focus of this assignment, and this prompted my concept of an art and wine subscription box named Dabble; a brand that promotes dabbling in various arts. I’m sure that I am not the only one who prefers to drink and do my art at home, as opposed to in public. I used this common interest as inspiration for this project, and developed a wine and art box; similar to that of a “wine and paint” event. It was my intention to communicate artistic expression throughout all aspects of the brand (using brush strokes, homemade patterns, and more).

The monthly subscription box features a bottle of wine, an art project with supplies, and a cracker and cheese pairing, as well as offering several ways to get creative, even down to the lid of the complimentary supply box.

Self-Reflection:

This project encompassed an array of my skills, such as branding,  crafting physical prototypes, photography, and web layout design. I took this project as a new challenge, and used the opportunity to come up with a unique concept that was executed beautifully. From the box, to the contents, to the website; this brand and product screams “creative” in a way that is elegant and artistic. I would consider this project one of my strongest yet.

Click the button to view the working desktop prototype for Dabble Creative.

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university acceptance package

Posted on by Rhea Diehl

university acceptance package

print design | typography | crafting

Challenge:

Design an acceptance package for a university of your choosing, utilizing the five senses to create an incredible unboxing experience.

Design Solution:

This project utilized the skills I have learned in spatial design, print design, typography, and prototyping; alongside teaching me printer specifications. Aalto University, an engineering and design institute in Finland, was chosen as the muse of this project due to the modern-style, typography heavy elements that the university employs throughout their branding. The deliverables chosen for the package included the box itself, an interactive acceptance letter, a pack of colored pencils, a sketchbook, a laptop sticker, a Popsocket, and the applicant’s student ID that doubles as a portable flash drive.

I wanted to make this college acceptance package interactive but useful for the applicant to enhance the “package-opening experience”. Bearing this in mind, I made the decision to create an on-brand and fun geometric pattern to utilize throughout the package. This includes on the backside of the acceptance letter, which presents the pattern in black and white so that the applicant can use the included colored pencils to “color their future”. The Student ID/flash drive not only gets the student excited about their acceptance, seeing it “in real life”, but it’s also incredibly practical as a way to store their school documents.

Self-Reflection:

This project taught me how to follow established brand guidelines and still come out with impressive, cohesive deliverables. It also taught me how to think outside the box to create a truly immersive unboxing experience, and the importance of printer specifications in a project.