Lift Off Energy: Iterative Process

Composite image of a sketch of an energy drink can label design transitioning to a final rendering of the can label.

From Sketch to Final

The Lift Off Energy concept is for an energy drink company with a power-driven, yet whimsical vibe. I was inspired to sketch this design when I saw how beverage can labels could be printed with simple transparency and I wanted to see what I could come up with to leverage it. I chose an energy drink because I like the visual language that goes along with a high energy brand; a language that utilizes high contrast and bright colors. I started with initial design ideas and sketches and moved to a first draft. Tools used: pencil and paper sketch, Adobe Illustrator, Blender for 3D renders, Adobe Lightroom Classic for color grading.

Image of can wrapper design laid flat.

First Draft

In designing the first draft, I separated the canvas into three equal parts. When I studied cans in my fridge I observed that you can see only 1/3 of the sides from any angle. I arranged the composition to match the sketch and decided on which spaces would show through to the can surface. Next, I like to render my designs in 3D space to inspect for mistakes or unintended tangents that only make themselves visible when viewed at specific angles.

3 Energy drink cans floating in a peachy gradient space.

Final Form

Through multiple rounds of revisions and some opinions, I decided on a final draft for Lift Off Energy. The words "LIFT" and "OFF" are now unified and follow hierarchy rules of typography. The "white-space" of the black background has contextual elements to create contrast and interest.