Rethinking about packaging style

The problem of style is something that no designer can avoid. For many years, designers have been exploring and studying the style of design, especially for packaging design. As soon as packaging is available, whether it is good or bad, it will appear in a certain style. When you enter supermarkets and shopping malls, you will feel different if you compare them slightly. In addition to the different information conveyed by the packaging, there are different mental outlooks. They are full of freehand brushwork, but also beautiful and neat; there are serious and grand, but also funny and humorous; fresh and elegant, but also elegant and luxurious; there are full of sensationalism, but also tend to philosophy ... through the packaging of different styles We can still feel its cultural attachment and national sentiment.

Pursuit of desire or natural exposition does not mean that the formation of a style is inseparable from its overall performance techniques, cultural background, and the spirit of the times. Among the many factors affecting the packaging style, there are both material and non-material factors. Material factors include the entire form system of the package's appearance, color, material, and form of composition. Non-material factors are often potential factors such as cultural background, regional environment and ethnic habits of packaging. Relatively speaking, the material factors can be easily changed. The non-material factors are often inherited because of their inheritance, and will occupy more and more important positions with the accumulation of culture.

Material factors

In terms of performance techniques, the formation of packaging styles often comes from the most noticeable features of the entire packaging image. Most of the packaging is based on the three-dimensional space, so there are many factors that affect the packaging style. Such as the packaging's external shape and structure, the composition and composition of the packaging screen, the color and color of the packaging, the proportion, the material of the packaging, the closure and opening of the packaging, and even the size of the packaging, etc., will be the packaging style. Have an impact. Among these factors, how to find the most compelling factor is the key to the formation of style. In one case, the form of the packaging screen often plays a dominant role. This is because a large number of packages are ordinary square and round types; even if the shape is slightly changed, it is still not enough to compete with vivid colors. Such as a group of cosmetics packaging, taking different container shapes and different materials, due to the unity of the composition and design style of the label screen, so the overall style is still unified. Among these, the most striking feature is clearly an elegant label. There are many ways to form a unified style, such as a group of packaging. Although its appearance, structure, form, and colors are all different, it all uses the same material, the same opening and closing methods, or the colors are different. However, the principle of coloring is similar, and they are all made of high-purity red, yellow, blue, etc.; or their picture composition is different, but the principle of composition is similar, and they all use the plane, interval, jump, interspersed, etc. to activate the picture; or Although its packaging is not the same shape, but the molding principles are similar, all take rounded, ups and downs and full and smooth principles to form, and thus always achieve a unified, overall style. Among these, choosing a common point is an effective way to form a style. Of course, some packages have unified the appearance of the package, unified the form of the packaging picture, unified the logo, and with changes in color and color to pursue the changes in the unity, we can still do without undermining the overall style So that each package has its own unique personality.

For a piece of packaged work, distinctive and distinctive styles can only be produced in an overall orderly form. Arbitrarily stacked, random pieces, the kind of trivial and fragmented form, will cause style confusion. On the contrary, among many factors, it is very important to identify the most compelling factors and appropriately weaken other factors. This factor may be its shape structure, or its unique picture composition, or it may be different material material, or its coloring and so on. Whatever you want is unique, the result can be long and long. You can get rid of each other and cause visual disturbance. No one can stand out, and the original style can be weakened. As the ancient Chinese craftsmanship pays attention to harmony and exquisite restraint, overemphasizing each aspect of the design will inevitably lead to loss of "harmony."

Non-material factors

The formation of the overall packaging style is also influenced by non-material factors such as its cultural background and ethnic habits. At present, various regions and countries in the world have different economic and cultural conditions and customs, and the style of product packaging is also varied, such as European and American styles, Japanese styles, and Chinese national styles.

European and American countries started earlier in packaging and have a high degree of industrialization. Modern design methods are widely used. The United States is an immigration country and its ideology is open. It is reflected in the design of packaging. France is a country that respects tradition and promotes modern awareness. French people believe in religion and are also enthusiastic about science. They are multicultural countries. Their mantra is that "France is always changing, and solidifying is the disaster of the French." Therefore, the packaging of Europe and the United States is novel and scientific, especially functional packaging, and emphasizes on the commercial nature. Usually, the use of color photo images vividly reflects the characteristics of the contents, allowing consumers to see at a glance and facilitate sales and shopping. The trademark is clearly visible and impressive. A large number of textual charts introduce product ingredients and performance. The brand name adopts a concise and oversized font; the colors use highly pure primary colors, have distinctive personalities, and have a strong visual impact in the display of similar products, which can be seen in European and American style packaging. Pay attention to practical functions, and more use of commercial art practices, contains a strong commercial atmosphere.

On the other hand, in Japan's packaging design, we can feel a strong oriental charm, using natural materials such as bamboo, rattan, or all kinds of recycled paper to make boxes and enamels. The surface uses cursive monograms as a design means and traditionally. The design is a design element, and it takes a lot of attention to details. The processing of small color blocks and delicate and feminine patterns are elegant. The colors are elegant, commonly used in milk white, light, orange, and purple, which strongly reflect Japanese unique style. Overall, the Japanese style of packaging is fresh and elegant, and the structure processing and strapping methods are quite elegant, giving people overall aesthetic feeling. Japanese designers often use the combination of traditional and modern techniques. This is inseparable from Japan’s unique historical and cultural background. For example, both China and Japan are countries with a long history of tea culture. In Japan, the packaging of tea is mostly white, and the structure is simple, giving a sense of cleanliness, while China uses more dark colors to give people a sense of calm. This is caused by differences in its cultural background.

If you say that foreign modern packaging is expensive, then Chinese traditional packaging is expensive to express the implicit beauty of classical Chinese aesthetics. China is an ancient civilization with thousands of years of history. Its predecessors left a large number of artistic treasures, which is the embodiment of the East. China's traditional product packaging and people's live supplies, such as the brush packaging box in the West Han Dynasty, women's lacquer makeup kits, Brocade boxes and so on are consistent with the principle of application, solid, beautiful and scientific. The blue cloth box that holds the artifacts is developed from traditional decoration one by one "wrapped envelopes", simple and generous. The ink box of Sheng ink adds a small title, which is both rich and elegant. The packaging of many native products, alcoholic drinks, and cakes in China also likes to adopt national forms and styles. For example, Shaoxing’s “Daughter Red” painted a colorful play on the wine jar, expressing joyously the Chinese people’s good wishes for “Happy Family”. Jiangnan's "crabs" and "cloud cakes" are packaged in red paper with wood-engraved text, which is quite unique. There are also teas packed in bamboo shoots in Fujian, tea bags woven in corn in Shandong, gluten in Wuxi, salt pork in Taiwan, and preserved eggs in bamboo baskets in Hunan Yiyang. Strong local flavor and ethnic characteristics. In addition to the above traditional packaging styles, there are also national preferences on many modern packaging. For example, many packages use symmetrical and balanced decoration, or use traditional calligraphy, auspicious patterns, and folk patterns to transform into modern designs. Style reflects China's unique Confucianism. Many local products use ethnic patterns and patterns, unique composition, unique packaging methods and materials, and the overall taste of China is still exuding. For tea packaging designed by Hong Kong designer Chen Youjian, the line drawing of the old tea house is incorporated into the design. From its packaging, the tea's long history and strong Chinese traditional culture can be felt.

It can be seen that injecting national and cultural atmosphere into packaging design, making packaging reflect cultural value, and enhancing the packaging design effect to the spiritual enjoyment of the space level, can make packaging express a strong visual tension and make the human body come to a unique style. However, the embodiment of packaging culture style is not an ancient painting or folk pattern as a pattern, nor is it to find a few words in the “Calligraphy Dictionary” to put together a piece of work, not to use big red, green, and gold inlays. Silver can show its culture. Packaging design should be expressed in an artful visual language, but it must not be copied and expressed in perfect harmony.

Mr. Lu Xun once said: “If you have a local color, it is easy for you to become the world, that is, for the attention of other countries.” Therefore, how to design a packaging with a distinctive Chinese style should be considered not only by the designer Their modern expression methods, production methods and other material factors should pay more attention to the deeper connotations of their cultural background, national characteristics, and lifestyle. Finding and using traditional and ethnic resources for modern design will be more conducive to the creation of Chinese style.

Source: Guangdong Packaging