Overview

Our Packaging Design course is crafted with the unique processes of the discipline in mind. You will learn everything there is to know about how to take great designs and make them meet strict press and packaging requirements. Lessons cover a broad range of topics from incorporating illustrations into your workflow through to working with graphic software and fixing problem designs.

This course is aimed at making packaging design workflows simpler and faster. Designers who are working with large amounts of artwork will benefit from our high-level workflow guidelines. Content is aimed at intermediate level of proficiency.

Levels: Essentials Intermediate Advanced

Course Outline

Packaging design workflows

  • Important considerations before you begin
  • Packaging types
  • Sizes and form factors
  • Weight, size, and fragility

Design considerations

  • Colour and printing requirements
  • Considering type
  • Multilingual requirements
  • Working with converters
  • Image requirements
  • Legal parameters

Analyzing the packaging structure

  • Key product measurements
  • Preparing your documents
  • Working with box panels
  • Mockup testing
  • Creating workable deadlines
  • Meeting deadline technical requirements

Prepress considerations

  • Bleed area
  • Unique color considerations
  • Working with color chips
  • Designing for flexibility
  • Raster effects
  • Fitting art to panels
  • Special requirements

Barcodes

  • Barcode creation options
  • FPO barcodes
  • QR codes

Print Production Guidelines

  • Trapping
  • Spot Colour Channels
  • Colour Separations
  • Preparing content for Pre-press
  • PDF/X and standards based printing
  • Output considerations and RIPping
  • Overprint
  • Knockout
  • Monotones, Duotones, Tritones and Quadtones

Typographic controls

  • Adding Type
  • Character & Paragraph Settings
  • Create Clipping Masks from Type
  • Warping Type
  • Type on Path

Proofing designs

  • 3D structures
  • Adding artwork to 3D matrix
  • Presentation to clients
  • Printed artboards and PDF presentations

Plugins and 3D software

  • Plugins for packaging design
  • Incorporating CAD in your workflow
  • Substrate considerations
  • Packaging design tools on the market

Model design

  • Importing models
  • Model libraries
  • Templates
  • Object editor

Working with materials

  • Material imports
  • Material creation
  • 3D environments
  • Lighting

Packaging types and considerations

  • Bottles
  • Flexibles
  • Magazines
  • DVD Cases
  • Packets/Bags
  • Cartons
  • Plastic Containers
  • Tins

Print effects

  • Hot and Cold Foils
  • Emboss and Deboss
  • Holographic
  • Lenticular
  • Opaque White
  • Metallic Inks

Get the course outline PDF