Final Product

The final is finally done, and I am very happy with it. Over the process of this assignment I found myself focusing most on the graphics. I wanted to stay true to Benefit cosmetics (who my products was designed for) but also make sure I was happy with the end result. I think the colors work well together and the graphics are simple yet very apparent. The words and the photograph were so important to me that I could not get rid of either of them for my final, so I am happy I found a resolution for my dilemma and created something I am happy with. Below are images of my final from different angles.

I will say, if I had to do this again I would spend more time developing the closure of the compact case. I had always intended on using a magnet to close it, but did not spend enough time experimenting with it. I had a plan of wrapping one layer of magnet underneath the cardboard around the blush and another strip of magnet bordering the mirror. When I went to create it the magnet did not work...they were not strong enough to go through the chip board. I then decided to just let the magnet show and put a little square on each side of the compact. I know it is not as asthetically pleasing, and I know the magnet still does not work, so again, if I were to create another version of my model I would get it to stay perfectly closed.

Almost there!

Things are moving along very well with my packing, I am definitely coming to a concrete idea I think I will be very happy with. I am trying many different models, playing around with colors, layouts and text. The shape of the image is set, so now it is all about the graphics. Below are images of my latest sketch models. The pink and blue model is closest to my final product. I want the graphics to be simple yet playful. It will get the idea across with out being super overwhelming.

Package influence

As mentioned before, my company I am using is Benefit Cosmetics. The brand is fun, girly and playful. The packages are always aesthetically pleasing and very unique compared to other make up brands.  Here are just a couple images of great packaging by Benefit.

Packaging Progress

 This past week I worked on developing a concrete shape for my package. The package is something one would buy the blush in and keep in your make up back. I first explored different shapes for the package in my sketch book, thinking of how practical I wanted my package. In the ended I decided one a square shape that would hold a brush as well as the powder blush.

  

after creating my sketch models. I realized my packaging was too large, no one would want something so thick in their make up bag. In the models above it is an inch and a half thick, so I need to make it thinner. I also realized having a separate compartment for the brush is a waste of space. My next models will explore ways of making the packaging smaller.

The next step to my process is working on the graphics of the packaging. I want my packaging to be cohesive with my advertisement, and be recognizable. Below are ideas for the front of the package (image with photo of two people) and ideas for the inside and sides of the package.

Branding

For our second assignment, I knew I had to create something much stronger than my postcard. I originally started with a similar image. I really liked my first idea, but needed a new way to execute it. I began to play around with different images and finding more "playful", or "soft" images. The two images below were in my first stage of this assignment.

After I created these two templates it was still not accomplishing what I wanted. I realized what I wanted was something more natural, even more unexpected. I am selling blush, so I wanted to tell a story, focus on why women wear blush and why people blush in general. The next image was my next move going away from my first idea - getting out of a rut. 

This image was a step in the right direction, but still not exactly what I wanted. MY influence for my advertisement was benefit cosmetics, which definately always has a fun and unexpected touch to their products and ads. I started trying crazy images, like a 70 year old woman in black and white and then the blush on her cheek. The image below is my final product. I am very happy with it, and I would say I am 90% to my final goal of where I am taking my product. I created a composition which was playful and told a story. It lets the audience take what they want from the ad.

Postcard

This was our first assignment for the course. We were given two days to create this postcard, which I realized was really not long enough for me. With only two days it is hard to go through a design process which I have realized is imperative for me. When beginning this process I had an idea of a silhouette of a face and the cheeks having a lot of blush on them. My execution did not work out. If I were to do this again I would have made it more playful and gone through several drafts before completing my final product. 

Other blogs

Looking at other blogs all week has been very inspiring. My favorite one so far is Tommy Kane's Art Blog (tommykane.blogspot.com) Kist sketches are beautiful and fully developed. I feel as if I am really looking through the world through his eyes, either by the way he does se it or how he wants to see it. His sketches have humor, yet make a point of you want them to. The one of the women on the beach is very good. The use of color in the swim suites and simplicity in the sketch is what stands out to me the most. I am very excited to get my blog started and see what creative ideas I can come up with.