We've decided to tell the story of one of the most difficult projects we've worked on. It was challenging both in terms of concept and realization. Detailed descriptions of the tasks issued by our client and how we came to approach it can be seen here and here. The challenge was that we had to draw and paint in the style of Renoir, one of the greatest impressionist painters. This was difficult for us, but also a very unique packaging design idea. We were unable to conduct an analysis of similar packaging designs because, even though the market is full of product illustrations, few of them remind of a particular artist's work.
Therefore, our analysis was actually based on impressionist art - we had to go through a myriad of albums full of impressionist works, study the artists' style and immerse ourselves in the atmosphere and technique, so that we could create works of our own in the same manner.
Meanwhile, we were also looking into ways to accomplish this in digital form. Unfortunately, rcreating the characteristic thick and vibrant strokes in Photoshop already proved to be a very laborious task. After some periments and a lot of searching, we found a suitable program, Art Rage, and partially drew the faces for the packaging there.

STAGE 1: DRAWING

Thus we begin drawing without having created a particular composition sketch for the packaging. This is not typical, but in this case it is necessary, as we must get accustomed to the technique before bringing our idea to life. Initially, we try to create traditional graphic art with a quill or chalk (figuratively, of course, as the entire work was done using a tablet). We draw characteristically impressionist scenes, so as to develop further the concept for this project - we want to create a female character who will bring the design to life as the central figure in the story it tells, but the idea is not fully developed yet. We're still looking at different angles.

The next step is adding watercolor to the pencil sketches (again, in a figurative sense as all of this is done using a tablet), and trying to come up with suitable scenes to draw for all three kinds of mini wafers and two kinds of large ones. Gradually, we begin to isolate topics relevant to the period which we think could have inspired a contemporary artist. We pinpoint two, which motivate the illustrations for both product lines.

Our first source of inspiration are typical impressionist scenes from the 19th c. A dock with the setting sun in the background. Boats in the midst of a stormy sea. A boat ride. Or more generally - impressions of fleeting moments, nature, a momentary feeling or a particular mood.

Our second is, of course, the technological progress in France during the second half of the 19th c. We chose to sketch the Exposition in Paris, where hot air balloon trips over the city were offered. The Exposition took place in the area surrounding the Eiffel Tower today - this used to be a Parisian suburb until the Tower was built especially for the Exposition. In our piece, you can see the city nearby. We use a quill and watercolor paints to draw the Exposition in full view. And so, while drawing in his sketchbook, Ренуа sees a gorgeous unfamiliar woman climbing aboard one of these balloons with a group of well-dressed young people. Later in his studio, he draws this woman and her group of friends floating above Paris in the balloon.

The next sketch we do has a more pronounced social message. A carefree bicycle ride. Certain social changes come along at the same time as those in technology. Women can now use bicycles with no onlookers being perplexed or expressing disapproval. The bicycle has become an affordable means of transportation for the middle class.

The two illustrations show a movement away from the past, both vertically and horizontally, prompted by technological innovation.

Having a photo on the front of the packaging is essential for any design that does not include an opening  from which the product is visible. We have photographs taken by our client to work with. The wafers, however, are very delicate and break easily, even when touched lightly. Therefore, in order for the photographs to look ideal, so as to increase sales potential, some of the layers have to be redrawn. This is why the photos were carefully retouched - we left the finished images looking natural but removed the imperfections and redrew some parts.

To finish the project, we piece together many components:

• The illustration mimicking an oil painting for the front

• The pencil and watercolor sketches for the back and the portrait of the woman - the source of inspiration

• An authentic story from the painter's notebook

• The retouched product photo

• A beautiful product photo showing the taste of the wafers

• 3D models showing the finished packaging from two sides for every product

• The entire pre-press processing

Having a photo on the front of the packaging is essential for any design that does not include an opening  from which the product is visible. We have photographs taken by our client to work with. The wafers, however, are very delicate and break easily, even when touched lightly. Therefore, in order for the photographs to look ideal, so as to increase sales potential, some of the layers have to be redrawn. This is why the photos were carefully retouched - we left the finished images looking natural but removed the imperfections and redrew some parts.

To finish the project, we piece together many components:

• The illustration mimicking an oil painting for the front

• The pencil and watercolor sketches for the back and the portrait of the woman - the source of inspiration

• An authentic story from the painter's notebook

• The retouched product photo

• A beautiful product photo showing the taste of the wafers

• 3D models showing the finished packaging from two sides for every product

• The entire pre-press processing

We pay special attention to the back of the packaging as its purpose is to create a finished narrative along with the front and make the message of the entire packaging stand out more clearly. The back shows a pencil and watercolor sketch pulled out of the artist's sketchbook.

We base the snippets from Ренуа's life on the illustrations from the front of the packaging, which we elaborate on by showing fragments from his diary. The scenery from the front shows the places where Ренуа would draw. We go back to our initial sketches and use them on the back. The diary shows the drawings and sketches done alongside the painting and the impressions of the artist jotted down in the margins. What adds emotion to the story is the image of the woman whom Ренуа sees at these places and draws inspiration from.

We offer our client variants of the texts to be shown on the backs of the packaging. After some editing, they look like this:

Hazelnut
May 2, 1883 - the suburbs of Argenteuil
It's the first time I leave the stifling airs of Paris ... I'm rowing. A ray of May sunlight shines over me ... The newly-arrived spring energies engulf me. The joyous grasshopper song obscures Seine's murmur. An intoxicating breath of fresh air. The sun and the green ... Oh, yes! It´s really green! I heard her voice: "What a beautiful day!"

Milk Chocolate
August 26, 1882 - Pourville resort
The peaceful wild shores of Pourville. It's a strange time - I want to combine the constant changes of color and mood so that I can capture the weightless transition between summer and autumn on the canvas. The finishing touch is the contrast between nature's calm and the fleeting image of the beautiful stranger. Their first meeting provoked by a decisive gust of wind that carries away her hat. A contrast between emotions.

Chocolate Truffle
September 15, 1883 - port Havre
The sun rises from the sea. My goal is to paint the impression the view leaves me with ... The scene is secondary ... A mere sketch. The brush strokes and the manner in which paint spreads on paper are capable of recreating every spark of the sun ... Their union ... Their confession.

The second product line by this client includes two tastes of larger rectangular wafers, which are sold in cardboard boxes. When creating designs for this line, we used our second source of inspiration - the technological progress and social changes from the second half of the 19th c. in France.

The first packaging design in this line shows the technological advancements from this period - in particular, the hot-air balloons, which anyone can use to soar over Paris and take in the city sights from a different perspective. The other design shows social change in the form of a carefree woman riding her bicycle without causing disapproving gazes.