Theoretical Experimentation of a Craft Gin Identity

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Brief

This visual communication brief encourages the design and hand-craft of three bespoke labels for any of South Africa’s leading gin. This project aims to experiment with old and new techniques. Using traditional techniques and digital processes to design and craft contemporary labels. Each label is designed by using a different technique and process.

A South African Craft: Victoria Gin

In 2017 our founder fell in love with the picturesque town of Prince Albert, also known as the gem of the Karoo. Inspired by the fascinating flora, serenity, and charm a signature gin was created. Victoria Gin set out to create a high-quality, small-batch luxury gin that embodied a bouquet of African and traditional botanicals, delicate with a smooth finish and nuanced sweetness. The Victoria range, blue, pink, amber, orange blossom, and dry burst with an age-old tradition of gin and tonic, and strongly believe we enhance that experience with our unique gins.

Traditional Printing Process

In this process, I used the letterpress which is essentially painting over the blocked letters, leaves, and flowers which is reversed on the chase for the letterpress to roll over and create a print. This process can be repeated for multiple layers and a reproduction of the artwork.

Traditional printing techniques on the Letterpress

Mixed Media Printing Process

Mixed media entails a combination of both digital and traditional techniques. I used the flower and leaf prints I developed for the previous label and digitally rendered vector rose illustrations, with a slight drop shadow, to give the label some movement. For the different flavours, for example, the BLUE flavour gin, I rendered the colour profile in Adobe Lightroom.

Digital Process

Instead of designing another full-length label for the bottle, I decided to design a wrap-around for the bottleneck. I created a vector pattern of African botanicals which is in the original brand. I used the same colour palette for the different flavour, CLASSIC PINK, and BLUE.

Final Labels