From sketch to shelf-ready visuals, I break down the steps I follow to bring a packaging concept to life — with tools, tips and plenty of Figma layers. Every project starts the same way: with a brief, a blank page, and a strong cup of tea. The brief tells me what the product is, who it is for, and what the client hopes people will feel when they pick it up. Everything that follows is in service of answering that brief as clearly and as beautifully as possible.
After the initial research and concept phase, I move into rough sketching — not because digital tools aren’t available from the start, but because paper is faster for thinking. I want to explore as many directions as possible before committing anything to screen. Once a direction feels promising, I move into Figma for the detailed design work, building out the full dieline and working up the typography and colour system. Mockups come last, once the design is resolved, not before.
The thing I always tell clients is that a good mockup can make a mediocre design look great — and that is a problem. I would rather show work in a flat format first, where it has to stand on its own, and bring in the mockups once we both agree the design is solid. It is a more honest way of working, and it produces better outcomes.