Penelope: Inspiration behind the packaging

Packaging was designed with the idea that the consumer would open it and feel happy and surprised. I used the idea of the happy meal box to create packaging that would make one feel like they were opening a treasure chest (how much I loved happy meals once upon a time). Due to the dimensions of my bowl however, I needed to create a second inner box that could pull out like a drawer. I used a cream coloured tissue paper because it complemented the colour scheme of the packaging. I wanted to create a box that looked simple as well as be functional in incorporating a handle in the packaging net eliminating the need to add on a handle. 

- Caroline Ngo

Penelope: The inspiration behind the bowl

Penelope was designed with nature as a source of inspiration. I chose to design it based around butterfly wings, as the patterns were both simple and yet complex in the variety patterns on different wings. Penelope creates interplay of light and shadow with the silhouettes of these patterns and evokes a sense of elegance with the complex pattern coupled with the simple curved shape that reflects the lightness freedom of flight enables. I wanted to create a dynamic pattern that still felt simple that interjected an element of whimsy. In designing Penelope, I wanted it to be as much of a centrepiece in its own right as much as a bowl that would complement the fruit it held. 

- Caroline Ngo

'Kic' Bowls Internal Packaging

The internal packaging for any Good needs to protect the product and in some cases needs to maintain an attractive aesthetic. In the case of my fruit bowl I needed internal packaging which would protect the acrylic from rattling around in the box when it is carried. As the handle is on the side edge of the box the bowl would want to slip down when carried. To avoid this I used ribbon ties and then lined the box with tissue paper for an extra protective layer.

I chose to use coloured tissue paper and ribbon to brighten the box when opened. As the bowl is made from black acrylic it stands out on the coloured paper.

I chose the block colours green and orange as they complimented the pears image I had chosen as my motif photo for my graphics and poster design. Green and orange embody the fresh summery vibes of pineapples without clashing with the black acrylic and brown cardboard (pineapple yellow would clash with black and brown).

I did five boxes in orange and five boxes in green. The reason I chose to do half another colour  is to make each box original and exciting.

- Espectations Design, Esther Lekeu

‘Kic’ Bowl - Graphics

A major aspect of in creating a marketable product is the exterior packaging, graphics, branding and advertising around the sale of our fruit bowls.

For this project we needed to create:    

       

        - Surface graphics for our box

        - Swing tags attached to our bowls

        - Flyer’s on our table at market day

        - Price tags and

        - Business cards

I wanted all my graphics to be based around the same motif to keep it all connected. I used my own photographs and a section of the warped pineapple pattern I developed as my motif imagery.

- Espectations Design, Esther Lekeu

Swing Tags attached to the fruit bowl

Graphics for the box sleeves

This is the Kic Bowl flyers (front side)

Producing the 'Kic' Bowls

This process involved a lot of physical work and effort rather than designing. With the experience of making two acrylic fruit bowls before, I knew what was required to create a beautiful satin finish. This project required 10 bowls to be produced and to acquire such surface finishes requires hours of sanding and attention to detail.

I used a Stanley knife to shear the edges and create a soft rounded lip around each bowl. This method sped up the process as it required less sanding which is important in multiple production projects. To ensure there was a high level of quality across all ten bowls I broke down the process into sand paper grades, completing sanding on all ten bowls before moving onto the next grade of sand paper. This production line made the process fast and efficient.

Each bowl was then polished with Cut and Polish leaving a beautiful satin finish. I made sure each bowl was a good as the next so every customer received a high quality product. The next step was to heat and shape the bowls ready for packaging.

- Espectations Design, Esther Lekeu

Designing the 'Kic' Fruit Bowl

The inspiration for the design of the Kic fruit bowl is the abrasive segmented skin of a pineapple! The design is a stylized abstraction and uses a repetitive yet irregular pattern. Following the pineapples fresh and vibrant feel, I created the Kic bowl with a sense of playfulness and freshness. The design is unique in aesthetic and configured to allow maximum airflow keeping your fruit fresh and ripe.

My pattern development consisted in many stages of experiencing with scale, balance, warping effects, size and proportion. This process was followed by refining my designs and shaping the exterior outline. Once I had created a few refined designs I did some user trialing to gain some feedback on the aesthetics of my designs.  I used paper modeling to view them in a 3D format. This experimenting and research lead me to my final design choices.

- Espectations Design, Esther Lekeu

‘Kic’ Acrylic Fruit Bowl Design

FANFARE: Market Day Experience

Selling the fanfare

Working at the Eveleigh Artisans Markets - the ultimate end goal - was great experience in marketing our own designs, as selling products that we have designed ourselves is something not many of us get the chance and opportunity to do whilst at university.   All of the challenges and hurdles experienced in the weeks prior to the market day disappear when customers give you positive feedback on your product, and when your hard work is reflected through sales.  

We were all given space to set up and present our designs, and I kept mine minimal in terms of decoration, again keeping in the defined aesthetic of the brand.  I gained a lot of positive feedback on market day from not only those who purchased my bowl, but from individuals having a look around and who commented and appreciated the packaging as a product alongside the bowl - this was re-affirming to hear as it was an element I had mentioned as wanting to achieve in my initial brief. 

Selling our goods in a market context like we did was valuable experience that will help further my career in the future, simply because of the knowledge I now have with regards to what needs to be done when producing and designing packaging and multiples of products.  It was a lot of fun and definitely makes the hard work we all put in to developing our brands and products, very much worth it. 

- Emma Chegwyn