Design Process for my Vodka Premix Bottle
Written by Jacob Cass on Sunday, April 13, 2008 – 2:38 pm
Another university project completed and this time two weeks early. We had to create a Vodka premix bottle and label design for ‘Wedgetail Distillery’ using Cinema 4D and the Creative Suite. Here is how I went about doing it.
The scenario we were given (in short)
Wedgetail Distillery, makers of premium vodka produtcts have asked you to design the new bottle and labels for their pre-mixed vodka and citrus drink. It is a mid priced product (about $65 for a case of 24) and they are aiming for the 18 to 35 years market. It must have all the Australian legal requirements (which we had to research). It can have up to 4 colours including special or spots or CMYK if you wish. It must feature an eagle somewhere.
You must complete a 3D render of your bottle in Cinema 4D and the final presentation must be A4 in size and it must be targeted towards the client to sell your design concept.
Design Process
Research
I first redefined the problem then I researched bottle designs by going into my local bottle store and I also borrowed packaging books from the university library. I also researched the legal requirements for Australian packaging and alcohol. Who ever thought I was going to be researching Vodka?
Bottle Design Sketches
This was where we had to design the outline of the bottle. We could have any shape or texture or material we wanted, there were no restrictions.
I kept to the typical glass bottle design as I wanted to make it look realistic as possible however I did add some cool bevelled effects to the bottom of the glass bottle.
You can see to the left the shape of the bottle I designed.
Label Design Sketches & Vectorisation
After I had the bottle design done I could now start on the design of the label. I did a lot of sketches here and then once I had the general idea of how I wanted the design to look I started vectorising my ideas.
You can see the vector outline of my original label to the left and then the final label designs below. The fonts I used were Mesquite Std Medium (for Wedgetail), Adobe Garamond Pro Bold (for Citrus), Edwardian Script ITC Regular (for Premium Vodka).
The colours I used were Pantone 877C (Metallic), Pantone 8404C (Metallic), Pantone 1795 C (Solid Uncoated), Pantone Process Black U.
3D Rendering
After the labels were completed we had to render the 3D bottle in Cinema 4D from our original bottle designs (this was a big learning curve, let me tell you!). After we had rendered the 3D bottle then we had to bring the labels into Cinema 4D and wrap them around the 3D Bottle.
Below you can see a screenshot from Cinema 4D of me doing all of this.
Presentation
After I had completed all the renderings it was time for me to make them presentable. In Photoshop I experimented with different backgrounds and effects to see what was the best. Below you can see just some of the experimentations of different background effects.
I added the lemons into the composition to for scale and to add a bit of contrast to the image and to emphasise the citrus flavour of the vodka premix drink. I created smoke using the clouds filter and then used a light feathering on the clouds and then I added a zoom effect to make it look like a kind of back light coming out of the bottle.
Final Composition
Below is the final A4 composition that I printed out on Semi Gloss photo paper and to be honest it looks so much better in print. What do you guys think?
If you want to check out more of my university work go here.
As an added extra, just because I liked this project so much I did a little mock up of the 6 pack box.
Comments are always appreciated.
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By Victor Fernandez (1 comments) on Apr 13, 2008 | Reply
Wow. Amazing work. Eventually, i do need to learn about 3d aplications.
By Eli (12 comments) on Apr 13, 2008 | Reply
Absolutely beautiful brand, and overall outcome! Bravo.
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By modemlooper (36 comments) on Apr 13, 2008 | Reply
hot!
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By Nikki (2 comments) on Apr 13, 2008 | Reply
Wow their awesome jacob! Im very jealous of ur talent!
Nikki’s last blog post..Welcome to the DesignNerd Blog
By inspirationbit (45 comments) on Apr 13, 2008 | Reply
Wohoo… I didn’t know you’re so good with the 3D, Jacob. Great work! Let me know when your Citrus Wedgetail hits the market
inspirationbit’s last blog post..Behind The Scenes Of Exquisite Web Typography - Part Three
By Jacob Share (9 comments) on Apr 13, 2008 | Reply
Nice one. Looks like I can reach out and pull it off the screen for a swig, but I’m sure that TV commercial’s been done before
Jacob Share’s last blog post..Lessons Learned from Odd Moments on the Job
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
Thank you all for the feedback.
Vivien, this is the first time I have done 3D.
By dr. shirota (1 comments) on Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
i’m just curious, what are the Australian legal requirements for softdrinks ? Is “premium citrus vodka” enough ?
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
Good observation you had there. Actually all the legal requirements are on the back however I didn’t think this was an important aspect in selling the concept and brand to the client so you can only see the back and side view of the bottles in the bottom right corner of the final design. The legal requirements included having a bar code, a recycle symbol, percentage of alcohol per volume, address of distillery, an ingredients list, how many standard drinks it had inside and we also had to include a short description of what was inside.
By ZaZa (3 comments) on Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
you truly are a natural talent, for someone who for the first time went 3d your design outcome looks wonderful, neat and clean design yet with a prestigious feel to it. Nice!
By DT (6 comments) on Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
LOL, nice graphics, but the foot of the bottle looks like it is going to fall over?
DT’s last blog post..11 The Beautiful Game of Foosball
By Kelly (54 comments) on Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
Jacob,
I love it and you know I always like your work, but I have to admit, the base does look a bit like one of those Weebles ( little round-based toys, “wobble but they don’t fall down,” don’t know if that means anything to you being in AUS and a lot younger than I am). Just a little picky thing. Too rounded?
(Hey, maybe that’s a good thing for after your target market has had one too many.
)
The lemons are a perfect touch, not just for scale but for contrast, also. The vibrant yellow gives the eye a reason to visit that last area on the page. I think the label colors you chose are very “now,” too.
The wedge-tail is very nicely done. Subtle.
Regards,
Kelly
Kelly’s last blog post..Tip of the Week: Want Profits? Don’t Be Cruel
By kristarella (58 comments) on Apr 14, 2008 | Reply
Nicey done! I like the variety of poster options you created, and I like the one you chose. I think the blue one works well too - more of an afternoon BBQ atmosphere, for people who don’t drink beer at those events.
Excellent work wrapping the label. I’m alright at modelling 3D, but I’m pretty useless at applyig flat things onto the models.
Assignment done two weeks early! I don’t think I’ve ever done that.
kristarella’s last blog post..1 uni update, 7 linkies and a birthday
By Erica (1 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
Great job!! I love the label design. It’s very elegant, and yet it’s bold and modern. My only suggestion would be to make the bottle design more streamlined. The shape reminds me of a beer bottle, which to me doesn’t fit the classiness of premium vodka (unless this is supposed to be like an everyday kind of drink?). Also, the label already leans a bit towards the masculine side, so I would balance this by making the bottle a little more feminine. Nothing crazy. Just a more subtly smooth curve on the sides. I feel like the bottle looks more marketed towards young males. Otherwise, an outstanding job!
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
Zaza,
Yeah it did take quite a bit of a learning curve but once you got the basics it was ok. But to tell you the truth I probably couldn’t make much else without more practice.
DT,
Yes, I actually have just noticed that - strange I never did before. Argh so annoying. Least I have 2 more weeks.
Kelly,
Always good to hear that people like my work. As in the comment to DT above yes I have just noticed it and yes it is way too rounded and it is a Weeble (I posted a pic below, it made me laugh). Maybe I can edit it in PS without another half hour render but we will see.
I am thinking now I should have added the lemons to the 6 pack box as well. It just shows there is always room for improvement especially after you hear feedback from others.
Glad you got the wedge - tail bit hehe, didn’t think anyone would pick up on that.
Kristarella, Erica
I also liked the blue one as well but wasn’t really what image I was going for. I wanted an edgy kind look about it which the black proved best however I do agree with Erica about it being quite masculine - whether this is a good or bad thing I do not know but a more feminine bottle could work. But yes it is an everyday kind of drink (mid range) much alike how Smirnoff is marketed - they call it premium yet it is one of the cheapest brands of Vodka there is. Actually now I think of it, pretty much every bottle I researched had ‘Premium’ on the bottle.
Thank you all for your comments, it is always appreciated!
By Brian Yerkes (41 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
Jacob,
Excellent work mate! Impressive.
I liked the blue background you did, provided a lot of contract to the bottle.
I also agree on the weeble bottom!
Really cool post. As someone that never got to be a graphic design student, I am very jealous of the great uni projects you get. The parents demanded that I got a business degree instead….5 years later, I am making a living from graphic and web design! Everytime im back home in Ireland, I remind them with an “I told you so”!
You never seem to let us in on feedback you receive from your professor/teacher…Im interested to see how you match up to the other students in your class. Does anyone in your class blog also?
Thanks for the post
Brian Yerkes’s last blog post..Logo Composition (Part 2) - Symmetry
By LaurenMarie - Creative Curio (85 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
As much as I disliked 3D, I really wish they had made us learn it early on so we could create more realistic packaging mockups. This looks pretty good, Jacob! It’s an interesting mix of Wild West (Mesquite typeface) and English crests. It’s great how you turned it into an ad, too. Very slick. You had quite a range of experience with this project: concept, logo, packaging, 3D, ad layout… Would have loved to see those initial sketches. Post them next time!
You are creating a great triangle between all three instances of the red-orange logo and if done right, this can very effectively keep the viewer’s eye on the page. Can I make a suggestion? The lemons at the bottom, because they are bright (value and color wise), lead the eye out of the page. Try darkening them a bit; not so they are unnatural, but so they draw less attention to the lower right corner.
Your design skills have really improved since the first projects I saw in your portfolio! How far along in your studies are you now?
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By Jennifer (5 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
Hi Jacob, great work. I love the colours you’ve used and the shape of the label is terrific.
It’s an interesting project too - I think I’m going to give it to my next set of students on the photoshop class.
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By DT (6 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
LOL not to worry mate you can photoshop it out!
DT’s last blog post..An Exercise Born Out of Frustration
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
Brian,
Yes it did provide a lot of contrast but I thought just too much, it clashed with the actual brand of the bottle.
The uni projects are what you make of them. They are so flexible (unlike most real world jobs) so that is the best thing. Too bad about the business degree but it is something that will always stay with you.
I never get to give feedback as I post the articles before I even hand my projects in to mark. It then takes about a month or two before the marks even come back in and by that time everyone has moved on from the article but if you are curious I am on the Uni’s faculty commendation list (over 85% average).
There is one other friend of at Uni who I know who blogs by the name of Asgeir Hoem (http://www.asgeirhoem.no) but he doesn’t really write - he used to.
Lauren,
You can always make up mock-ups that aren’t 3D such as the the 6 pack box I did. I found this great post on creative bits where I actually got the box for the 6 pack. http://creativebits.org/toolbo.....ity_design - It has lots of blank products that you can brand.
Yeah well this project as I think earlier mentioned was a third year project (even though I am in second year I am kind of skipping ahead haha) that is why it was such a wide range of experience.
Re the sketches it is best you didn’t see them
No one could understand them but myself but I will next time for kicks.
I will have a go changing the brightness of the lemons, thanks!
Great to hear I have improved. I am 1 year and 1/2 a semester through my studies. I have 1 year and 1.5 more semesters to go… that is unless I get some massively cool job and I will just drop out.
Jennifer
What age / year of students do you teach? It is quite a hard project if you are doing it in 3D but making a mock-up such as the 6 pack box I did it is quite easy. All you need to learn is the perspective and scale tool.
DT,
Hopefully, if not I will render it all again which is a massive process.
By aronil (5 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
Whooa that’s cool man. how does cinema 4d fair in comparison with simpler programs like xara3d?
aronil’s last blog post..Cramping A Blogger’s Style
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
You know what? I have never tried any other 3d program however I did read an article on different 3d programs and most people actually use Cinema 4D as it is the easiest. The ultra elite pros go for AutoCad.
By kristarella (58 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
I’ve used Blender and the trials of Cinema 4D and Maya. Blender has a steep learning curve, but is very powerful - and free. Cinema 4D is definitely worth the $90 or whatever it costs. It’s easy to use and makes pretty things. Maya is similar to C4D in terms of interface and functions, but it must have some super features when you get deep down into it because it’s about $5000.
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By aronil (5 comments) on Apr 15, 2008 | Reply
oooh ok, i asked because I have been meaning to try this effect out from shiny binary, and the tutorial mentioned xara3d. I’ll give cinema 4d a go
aronil’s last blog post..Cramping A Blogger’s Style
By Kristine (9 comments) on Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
I’m sold! I want to do this…. hey I should call you about an olive oil label/ bottle I’m working on….
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
And AutoCad is $6000+ I had a go at Xara3D once but I think that lasted a whole of 30minutes and I never came back to it. Now I think of it, it still is installed.
By LaurenMarie - Creative Curio (85 comments) on Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
Oh, cool! Thanks for that link, Jacob. I signed up for a CB account a while ago, but never used it much. With finds like this, perhaps I should be visiting them more!
LaurenMarie - Creative Curio’s last blog post..Thank You!
By mario reyes (1 comments) on Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
Jacob Cass, I don´t speck english, I speack Spanish. Maravillosa tu página, quiero pedir permiso para publicar este proceso de diseño en la web de la Red Latinoamericana de Diseño (www.rldiseno.com). Si me escribes algo especial de este diseño te lo agradeceré mucho.
Edit: From Babelfish the translation told me…
Wonderful your page, I want to request permission to publish this process of design in the Web of the Latin American Network of Design (www.rldiseno.com). If you write something to me special of this design I will thank for you much.
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Apr 16, 2008 | Reply
Yes Mario you can publish the process of design.
By Jenna (3 comments) on Apr 18, 2008 | Reply
Very cool design! I like it a lot!
Jenna’s last blog post..Dear Diary (Part 1/2)
By Nikki Slade (2 comments) on Apr 22, 2008 | Reply
Haha! I love what you’ve done - and I love that a Google search while doing research for my own submission for this assignment actually brought me here. XD
Looks great (much better than mine so far!) I think that’s a HD coming your way, definitely.
Now I’m going to have to explore your site further!
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Apr 22, 2008 | Reply
Thanks Jenna.
Hi Nikki,
Second year IT student at Newcastle I read on your about page, are you enjoying your course?
Thanks for your comments and hopefully HD.
Jacob
By Nikki Slade (2 comments) on Apr 22, 2008 | Reply
Actually, third year! Thanks for pointing that out to me - I noticed it’s still in my CV and such, too. I need to keep those up to date! XD
But yeah, so far - even if you have just totally showed me up.
Hope Chris and the tutors agree with me come marking time - although with all the work you’ve put into it, I’m sure they will!
And hey, maybe I’ll spot you in class sometime. XD
By Erika (11 comments) on Jul 28, 2008 | Reply
You know, the more I visit your site, the more that I wish I took graphic design in college. Ah, well, I could always go back, I suppose.
The package - for some reason - reminds me of Smirnoff, but it’s still very classy. Nice!
Just saw the date of this post… boy, am I late! LOL!
Erikas last blog post..Miami Web Design
By diedfamous (3 comments) on Jul 29, 2008 | Reply
Just curious, why did you use different bottles for the sixer?
By Jacob Cass (531 comments) on Jul 29, 2008 | Reply
Erika,
I leave most of my posts open for comments. It probably reminds you of Smirnoff because of the Silver and Red colours.
No worries about being late
Dledfamous,
The sixpack was a blank canvas that I had from my files and was only a mockup and I had the shot before the bottle was designed.
By Bob (2 comments) on Aug 23, 2008 | Reply
Wow you do amazing work