Arcana
Designed a vibrant can label for Arcana, a sparkling tea with botanical-infused flavours.
TYPE
Beverage Can Label • Project
ROLE
Graphic Designer
TOOLS
Illustrator, Photoshop
Design Process and Rationale
Arcana is a sparkling tea drink with three exquisite flavours—Butterfly Pea Lemonade, Matcha Mint, and Orange Pekoe.
The goal was to create a unique and unexpected combination in the beverage market. The concept was inspired by the fusion of carbonated beverages and the calming, bold flavours of tea.
The name “Arcana” represents secrets waiting to be uncovered with each flavour revealing something new. I incorporated shattering glass shards to symbolize revelation, breaking expectations, and unveiling bold tastes.
To reflect the uniqueness of each flavour, each label features a distinct ombre gradient, inspired by the colour characteristics of the flavours:
- Butterfly Pea Lemonade: Blue to purple, capturing its colour-changing magic.
- Matcha Mint: Light to dark green, evoking freshness.
- Orange Pekoe: Warm amber, mirroring classic black tea with citrus notes.
I used Illustrator to create the vector elements, ensuring scalability and precision, and Photoshop for final adjustments and mockups. Custom gradients were applied to create fluid transitions between colours, reflecting the natural blending of tea when different ingredients mix or based on the steeping time.
Challenges and Solution
The bilingual requirement for the Canadian market made it challenging to incorporate both French and English text without overcrowding the design. To solve this, I separated the text into distinct sections—English on one side and French on the other—ensuring readability and a clean layout.
Conclusion
This project taught me the importance of ensuring that colours allow barcodes to be easily scanned and that the design remains visually appealing and recognizable when wrapped around a can. I also learned how to balance bilingual content (French and English) in a design, either combining or separating them based on the layout, while maintaining both regulatory compliance and visual appeal.