Congratulations to Haluka Yagi (IDEA Grad 2021) for gaining the Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) Honourable Mention for Packaging Design with her “En Sake” project. Shown above: front view of the three variations. Check out her award-winning packaging design project.

En Sake

En Sake is a fictional Japanese rice wine brewery located in Vancouver, BC that focuses on incorporating west coast flavour profiles in their sake. The packaging is presented in a modern minimalist design to fit the target market of Vancouver locals while reflecting back to its roots by incorporating Japanese inspired patterns and vertically set typography. The pattern on the back of the bottle can be seen through the glass to symbolize its transparent practices using only locally sourced ingredients.

Process

For this project, it was necessary that I work with the actual bottle to designing hands-on, as there were several components (the patterned backgrounds) that were designed to be seen through the bottle and the sake inside. Working with tangible objects helped speed up my workflow, as I was able to see what designs worked and which did not instantaneously, as well as checking the visibility of the type choices. It was also a good challenge to create mockups from my own photos, as I learned how meticulous the process is, as well as the importance of getting the perfect lighting when taking photos of glass objects.

About RGD

The Association of Registered Graphic Designers (RGD) is a non-profit, professional Association that represents over 4,100 design practitioners, including firm owners, freelancers, managers, educators and students.

For all the winners, see rgd.ca.