Label Design for Beer Lovers

Oh Fun! During my work with BrewNanny, I became a member of American Homebrewers Association. I attended their national conference to learn more about beer and brewing. It was an eye-opening experience. This was not a group of happy-go-lucky alcoholics wanting a source of cheap beer. I found the home brew crowd to be a bunch of chemists, biologist and an intelligent group. They had an understanding of beer-making which extended hundreds of years. They do things like collect yeast spores from all over the world and grow them in very controlled environments.
When the group had a label contest I had an urge to see what I could come up with. Out of hundreds of beer label design entries, my pear label was a finalist … but the others beer label designs were so much more fun for me to produce.

Being a member of the Home Brew Association there is an open invite to submit art for a label competition. The State of this Pear Label was selected as a finalist, however I was beat out by a more clever label.

Using Photoshop and illustrator interchangeably to create illustration for the beer label design.

This beer label began as a pencil sketch. Then imported into illustrator and outlined using a charcoal brush. The the file was then manipulated in Photoshop, adding type and coloring. The type was warped to fit the design in Photoshop. The Photoshop file was then exported out as a high res-file, and back into Illustrator to complete the coloring with the blob brush on a separate layer.

Above is an image capture of a Pencil sketch, imported into Illustrator. The line work was done using a tablet and a charcoal brush.

Pumpkin Beer Label Detail

Use the Charcoal Brush for Line Work

I believe the charcoal brush comes with illustrator. If you don;t have the charcoal brush you may need to make one – or purchase one ready made.

Download Charcoal Brush

Adjust the size/thickness of the brush in relation to the size of the art board.

Big Ass Pumpkin Stout

Needless to say, beer drinkers come up with some clever names. The pumpkin beer label was created using the Illustrator/Photoshop method. Here we need to mention the uncanny skill of the pencil sketch. The ability to draw the foundation to creating an illustration. Some illustrators can draw solely using their computer tools. I guess the creation of art starts in the mind. The real skill is in the transference of an idea — what’s in the mind — to what can be put down through the arm into the hand and onto the paper — or straight to digital. Kind of makes me wonder where the original idea comes from.

Other Beer Label Designs