Activity 3
Week 2
Experiment 1 - The Comic of the Future
AI is insanely cool and terrifying so I wanted to try and create something using it to get a feel for how it works and how I could apply it. I thought a small comic panel could be a fun experiment so I asked ChatGPT to write me a 4 panel comic about a Bee and then I used the text it generated for each panel as a prompt to put into Midjourney to create the illustrations. It came out absolutely terrifying. I compiled it all together in Indesign and ChatGPT chose comic sans not me. As you can see, Midjourney can create some amazing artworks incredibly fast, but it is almost impossible (at least for me) to get it to generate the same Bee doing different things. I feel like Midjourney is excellent for idea generation and one off pieces of art, but not well suited for a job that requires consistency.
Experiment 2 - The Ratatouille Experience (For Wine Labels)
So you know how in the movie Ratatouille, the rat can see flavours? I wanted to try and create a painting that expressed the subtleties and flavours noted in tasting notes on a bottle of wine to then create an abstract label for the wine that looks how it tastes. This project is part of a collaboration with a real life winery and is my first professional experimentation but I have permission to show some of the earlier test paints to illustrate the concept. The tasting notes for the two wines will be in the comments and you can see I was trying to use colour theory to match flavours with colours like greens with freshness and reds with berries, etc. The paintings are meant to be an abstract representation of the flavours swirling through your mouth.
Project Brief
AR Intergrated Wine Labels
For this project, I have been working with Ballandean Estate Wines to create a series of new and interesting labels for their easy drinking wine range. Together with the client we have loosely brainstormed some concepts and I have been given creative liberty to experiment with different technologies and techniques such as AR.
Target Audience:
The task I have been set is to create a series of labels for the "easy drinking range". They get the name due to the higher sugar content and lower alcohol level. The demographic that these wines are most popular with is typically those from the age range of 20-30. The winery itself has quite an expansive audience, so this demographic was chosen to focus on for this assignment as a way to refine the scope a bit. As wine drinking is quite an indulgent behaviour, the socioeconomic status of the average client is mid to high.
Purpose:
The goal of the new labels on a practical level is to promote the wines and create a visual distinction between the easy drinking range and the more advanced and complex wines. All while keeping true to their style. On a technological level, the labels aim to utilise emerging tech such as AR to provide a novel and interactive experience that appeals to a younger audience.
Constraints:
The client has a specific label size to adhere to, as well as the logo and legal information that needs to be present on the label. As the design will include AR, viewers will also be required to view this through some form of mobile device. As the client doesn't have an app with AR capabilities at this moment, I will use existing AR apps such as Eyejack to provide a proof of concept.
Expectations:
The expected outcome of this project is to create a new style of label for Ballandean Estate Wines new range of easy drinking wines. The label needs to conform to the dimensions set by the client and contain the logo and legal info. The artwork itself should be interesting enough without relying so heavily on AR engagement if the viewer doesn't have the means to. However, upon viewing the label in AR, it should offer a new experience through an animation that brings the label to life and tells a story through movement.
Initial Ideas:
- AR labels that tell parts of the story or history of the wines and winery itself through animation.
- Labels that bring the flavours to life (ratatouille)
Research:
What's on the shelf?
I began my field research by heading to a bottle shop and having a look at what other designers have done for similar products. I felt this was a good place to start so that I could get some inspiration and insight into what works and what doesn't. However, as you can see from the images collected, it seems that pretty much anything goes when it comes to a label design. To me, the label is almost like a thumbnail on a video, it's kind of like clickbait and aims to draw in a specific audience. Considering this, I need to ensure my final design speaks to the audience of the client and stays true to their values and identity.
Key Takeaways
All wine labels aim to achieve the same thing, and yet no two labels look the same and each winery approaches the task differently. Based on the images collected, the way in which wineries define their own style of labels comes down to the way they alter a few key variables.
Form
The form of the label includes not only the shape, but the style of label.The most popular forms labels take, are a single sticker that wraps around the bottle, and two separate stickers for front and back. The shapes of these stickers are up to the designer, but as you can see, there is no real rhyme or reason to it, anything goes.
Colour
Colour is the most obvious variable and probably the most important. It's main job is to lure the gaze of a potential buyers, however, a brands values and aesthetic also play a factor. Some wineries have a specific colour pallet and style that are used consistently throughout their range, and others prefer to make every label unique. Based on my field research, typically the higher end labels tend to have less colour and are more minimalist. That being said, often oil paintings are associated with class and prestige and some wineries utilise this aesthetic on their labels to convey those same characteristics of fine art with their wine. This was what I attempted in my Ratatouille experiment in week 2 as it allows for more colour without compromising class.
Texture
Texture isn't exactly something you would immediately think of when discussing wine labels, but it can make all the difference between what seems cheap and what just feels like quality. There are various techniques that label printers can use to add texture to a design. Things like spot gloss and embossing are used to change up the texture of the label which gives it a varied texture as opposed to just a smooth sheet of paper. There is even a high build screen printing technique that gives a label those very pronounced spots that make you want to touch them to see if they feel as good as they look.
Material
Finally, there is the material you choose for the label. There are various papers and textiles that can be used to express the personality of the wine/winery. They can vary from papers and plastics to metallic textiles and all in between. The material plays a huge role in the texture of a label but deserved its own category because it is so highly customizable on its own.
What's online? (Mood Board)
Here is a collection of some of the wine labels I found in my online search that I found quite interesting. Each of these labels play with the variables discussed earlier in very fun and creative ways. I gathered these into a mood board of sorts to use as inspiration for my A2 project.
This design plays with texture and material by layering the paper itself to create depth to imitate the caves the winery is famous for. This was a very cool find in my opinion because the idea of layering the sticker itself to create depth wasn't something I had considered before and it makes for a very cool aesthetic.
This label uses colour and light to convey a sense of energy. This is a prime example of a designer creating something to catch your eye. So much so that it glows in the dark so you can't miss it even if the lights go out. I think this is a very cool idea and may resonate with the target demographic, but it may not fit with the aesthetic of my client.
Here is an example of texture creating the textile look and feel, almost inviting you to touch it. This is the sort of design I want to try and create with my project. Its simple yet elegant with a limited but effective use of colour. The colours used here are very similar to the colour pallet of my client, however for the new labels we are working towards something with lighter colours for the easy drinking wines.
Here is an example of a designer taking form to a whole new level. These labels are more of an art piece than anything of function as they are individually labelled by hand. I really like the aesthetic and outside of the box thinking but practically they would not fit the needs of my client.
This label plays with design theories such as gestalts figure and ground as well as closure to create a visually interesting design. I like the paper texture of this design as well as the light embossing. I am limited in the label size and form for my client, however, I can play with the textures and maybe create something similar to this one.
Similar to the last, this label uses figure and ground and closure to create an image with the shape of the sticker itself. I really like the sense of user engagement consumers can have with this label as it changes the more they drink. While I can't do this with the restrictions set by my clients required label format, I still find this designers creative thinking as a great form of inspiration.
Existing AR Wine Labels
With such an extensive list of ways in which a physical label can stand out from a crowd, the idea of adding AR on top of that can create a whole new world of whats possible with label design. Some companies have also seen this technologies potential and have created their own range of AR wine labels.
19 Crimes
I started looking online to see if there were any major competitors in the world of AR wine labels and the top result was a wine called 19 Crimes. The company used AR to make the characters on each bottle come to life and share their story. Each bottle has a portrait of a convicted felon and the AR allows them to have their say on the matter. This is quite an interesting use of AR and definitely creates a talking point which in turn, increases the wines popularity and broadens the audience.
This example has given me a proof of concept and shown me that there is indeed a market for this type of label. The talking heads however is not exactly what I want to create for my project but it is still very cool. The technology used is just a simple QR reader but it takes the viewer to a website that they then need to choose the label they want to look at before being able to activate the AR component. This creates a few steps that may deter some viewers especially once they start actually drinking the wine. Also the experience requires the viewer to hear what the labels are saying which can be great fun at a dinner party but not so easy to hear at louder social events.
Winerytale
It's no surprise that there is a company that aims to provide a service which allows wineries to create their own AR experiences using their own software. This is quite an interesting option as it uses the label as the trigger image but then instead of playing an animation of some form to bring the label to life, it creates an overlay of information.
While this is definitely an interesting and unique approach, it's not quite what I have in mind for this project. For starters, I wan't the label itself to be the star and to come alive to tell the story. This service creates an overlay of information that covers the label entirely which I feel takes away from the art and become more about information. The platform does give the opportunity for the winemakers to tell their story in writing, but I enjoy the challenge of creating the story through visuals alone.
Week 5
Prototyping Experiment
For my prototyping experiment, I wanted to try a couple of different things. Firstly, I wanted to try and use the paintings that I created in week 2 to create a label. The purpose of this was to practice working to the dimensions and restrictions set by the client so that when it comes to A2, I will have some experience. I also then wanted to test out Eyejacks compatibility with this project to gain some insights in how this might function on an actual wine bottle.
As I am working on this project with a client, I also gained some insight in how the back and fourth between designer and client actually works. This was a bit of a journey to say the least, but each time I was presented with an issue, it was actually quite enjoyable to try and figure out a resolution. The following iterations were all results of many chats with the client until we reached something all parties were quite happy with. These labels are being designed for the more "high-end" wines available at the winery which is a different demographic for the labels I plan to design for A2.
The next two images are the most recent variations of the labels in terms of the patterns, placement of text and legal info. At this point I was happy enough to print out some of these labels to see what they looked like on an actual wine bottle.
I added a "gloss" layer to some of the brush strokes to see how it would look and add some texture so the artwork. I did this because I wanted to get a feel for how the difference in textures would make the label look and feel. Adding the gloss sections isn't as simple as just slapping it on there, I need to decide which strokes in particular should be "glossed" to maintain a sense of balance on the label.
I fitted it to the bottle and immediately saw some potential issues for the AR side of things. I wasn't too sure how Eyejack was going to go with tracking an image that curved around a bottle. So there was only one thing to do and that was to test it out.
I created a simple animation in AE to use as a test animation for Eyejack and for my first test I used the entire label as the trigger image. As you can see from the video, that did not work well at all. The main issue as expected was the animation not wrapping around the bottle and instead, flickering in and out as the app tried to track the label.
For the next test, I used the logo as the trigger image to see how it would react to a smaller section of the label. This did work a bit better than the last but still wasn't a great result which is a tad upsetting. These experiments have definitely highlighted some potential concerns that need to be addressed while working on A2.
For the final test I used the full height of the label but cut the width to show just the face of the label. This was the most promising result so far as the AR tracking works much better than the full label as well as providing me with a larger "screen" to work with as opposed to just the logo.
Despite the last test being quite successful, I feel I need to explore some other AR alternatives to Eyejack to see if there is anything that could work better for this project. Another option I could look into is removing the AR component from an individual label and instead create a series of labels that form an image when put next to each other. This would then create a larger surface or "screen" for the AR to track to which could resolve the issue and create quite an interesting experience. However, this option does limit the user engagement level substantially as they would need to buy all the wines to use the AR feature. While that could be a good business strategy, it isn't very fun so I still want to create individually engaging labels.
Week 6
Possible deliverables for Ballandean Estate:
Users: Wine lovers both new and old.
Scenario: Ballandean Estate Wines is looking to implement a new feature that can promote the business and offer a new and memorable experience to new and existing customers.
Main objective: To create a new experience for wine lovers that provides a deeper level of connection and engagement between the customer and the story of the wine/winery.
Possible deliverables:
- AR Integrated Wine Labels: (As previously discussed in express document)
- Refine Art Style for new range of labels: With a release of a new series of wine label, there will need to be some style exploration to decide on what could capture a new audience and remain true to the brands identity.
- Ballandean Estate Wines App with AR capabilities: The company doesn't have an app at the moment so there is an opportunity for me to design one. The app would need to offer more opportunities than the website does to warrant the need for one. There will need to be an AR function similar to EyeJack that is easily accessible for the audience for viewing of the AR labels.
- Virtual Wine Tastings: The website or app could offer a virtual wine tasting experience that walks you through the wine you are drinking.
- Virtual Reality Tours: There could be a function that offers a virtual tour of the vineyard so that users could wander through the vineyard that the wine they are drinking came from.
- Personalized packaging: There could be a "create your own" custom packaging process that allows users to design for specific gifts or celebrations.
- Smart Wine Labels: Wine labels that change colour or reveal an image/text telling the user if the environment is sufficient for the wines storage.
- Wine Related Games: There could be a secret hidden in the labels that can be searched for and if found, the user could potentially go in the draw to win something or it could just be for fun.
In context Mock up 1 - Ratatouille labels
As i'm already well on the way with the first potential deliverable of AR wine labels, I decided to create my in context mock up in partnership with the client. We printed out some of the labels and stuck them on the actual wines, and then put them on display.
As you can see, the colours of the original artwork have been changed quite a bit, this was because we adjusted the colour pallets to suit each wine and create more tailored labels. These mock ups can give us an idea of how the final will look, but when they become professionally printed, the various gloss and foil textures will be added which will boost the quality immensely.
These new labels are quite different from the existing labels as they are quite colourful in comparison. This was very much the intention as the oil painting aims to create the visual distinction between the new high end wines and the easy drinking range which will be the design focus of A2.
In context Mock up 2 - AR Label Art Style
The style I wanted to explore for this mock up was kind of a grey scale scratchy line art similar to the one below. This is because I feel like the hand drawn element can make the label feel a little rustic and raw which I think could suit the clients values. This aesthetic is also quite minimalist which can reference some fine art and bring that sense of class to the label. Finally, this style also creates an opportunity to tell a story through illustration, which when partnered with AR, could result in some truly engaging labels.
To test out this design I first started sketching out a farmer on his tractor. I chose this because I had been talking with the client about this idea and we thought that a label that showed the founder of the winery on the tractor would be an excellent way to start telling the story of the wine.
To create my final mock up I used a similar template to the previous wine labels I have been developing and re drew my sketch in Photoshop to see how it could look. After the AR experiment I attempted in week 4, I learned that a smaller portion of the label works far better as the trigger image. With that in mind, I made this mock up so that the image was big enough to look decent without the AR, but small enough to function properly with the AR. I also feel like the scratchy texture of the lines could translate quite well to a textured wine label and invite users to feel the bumps and lines of the drawing.
Reflection:
Throughout this project I have had the opportunity to explore some of the different mediums and technologies that I haven’t really had the chance to dig my hands into yet during this degree. While this meant I had a whole world of opportunities to choose from, it also meant I had to somehow decide what to experiment with and why. The biggest challenge of this assignment was picking a direction and when given complete freedom it can be quite a difficult task.
With AI technology growing at such a rapid rate and being a little bit of a grey area in terms of using it for assignments, I jumped at the opportunity to experiment with it for this one. In the early stages of this assignment, I didn’t know where to take it, but playing with Midjourney and ChatGPT was a great way for me to gauge its usefulness in my career. I found that it can definitely be an excellent ideation tool, for both story and visual concepts but it lacks consistency as I discovered with the comic I made with it in week 2. With that experiment ending in a bit of an entertaining flop, I decided I needed to give myself a bit more of a direction for my experimenting. This was when I approached my family’s winery with the idea of visually exploring their tasting notes through a painting.
This was an important learning experience for me as I could have messed around with AI endlessly, but it took an external client and a brief to provide me with the direction I needed to get started. I feel this is because as designers, we are essentially problem solvers, and without a problem to solve we just end up making a robot write a comic about a bee and then make another robot color it in. Once I had established my problem through my client, the design process began to flow naturally and before I knew it A1 and A2 had some structure.
For the remainder of the experiments in this project I was working with a specific end goal in mind that made each of them feel like a step towards A2. While I enjoyed the freedom to explore in this assignment, I learned that I function best when I narrow my scope early in a project. However, as a third year design student, I am well aware of the design process being extremely messy in the early stages and becoming clearer as the project goes along. So basically, this entire project has provided the quintessential designing experience of a chaotic cloud of dodgy ideas turning into a straight line of clarity, purpose and precision.
Image References:
- Castelletti, A. (2022). Grotte Di Santita. In W. Label (Ed.).
- Castelletti, A. (2020). il vicolo. In W. Label (Ed.).
- Leyendas, N. (2022). Rødder Wine. In W. Label (Ed.).
- Studiosize. (2022). Kolaž. In W. Label (Ed.).
- Winerytale. (2023). Winerytale AR. https://winerytale.com/
- Wines, B. E. (2023). Ballandean Estate Wines. https://ballandeanestate.com/
- Winery, F. E. (2021). Lusarev. In W. Label (Ed.).
- Winery, M. V. (2021). Incanto Black. In W. Label (Ed.).
- 123RF. (2023). Windmill country landscape engraving vector illustration. In Illustration (Ed.).
- 19Crimes. (2023). 19 Crimes. https://aus.19crimes.com/pages/living-labels
Research References:
- Bird, B. (2007). Ratatouille https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NgsQ8mVkN8w
- Wines, B. E. (2023). Ballandean Estate Wines. https://ballandeanestate.com/
- Winerytale. (2023). Winerytale AR. https://winerytale.com/
- 19Crimes. (2023). 19 Crimes. https://aus.19crimes.com/pages/living-labels