When I was tasked with creating a label design for O’Shea Brewing they weren’t really sure what they wanted. They knew what they were brewing, they knew what they wanted to call it and they knew the sort of feel they were going for. They wanted something bold and brash. Something that would stand out on the shelf.
With that in mind, I began brainstorming. I came up with the idea of featuring a variety of animals on their labels, starting with a hyena for this particular beer. They liked the idea, so I got to work. I started by creating the anchor of the label, the cackling hyena face. It’s a mixed media (watercolor, arcylic and ink) illustration on paper roughly 13″ high to make sure there’s adequate detail when printed. After that, I built the label around it, featuring hand drawn text and a “CARNIVORA” logo I designed for the label.
In addition to the label, I also created a sales sheet, self talker and case design. Not only was the client thrilled with the results, but the label really stands out among a sea of similar products and I have yet to see another label quite like it.
After scanning the illustration for the label, I added hand drawn text and additional illustrations to make it a standalone piece.