Cereal Box

This is an extensive project that will span several weeks of class. Most of the instructions and activities will happen during class. This web page is a tool to help you stay organized and on task.

Step 1 - Deciding on a Theme

Decide on a theme that you will carry out both visually and verbally. What drives you? What are you interested in? What unique background knowledge can you bring to the project? You'll be married to this theme for 5 weeks so you might as well decide on something that motivates you.

Download these pages and complete them. Here's a finished example.

Step 2 - Cereal Description / Side Panel

Write the text that will eventually appear on the side panel of the box. The text should be 100-150 words. The text will serve 3 purposes:

Describe the product - What's in the box? Flakes? O's? Spheres? Is it made out of corn, wheat, bran or fish pellets? What's it taste like? Are there marshmallows? Is it sweet? Unsweetened?
Promote the product - Sell it. Keep it positive. Why should the consumer buy this product? What are its benefits? What will this cereal do for the consumer? Is it healthy? Will it make their teeth whiter? Will it give them energy? Is it good for the environment?
Cram the theme down our throat - Lay it on thick and heavy! Replace ordinary adjectives and verbs with theme based adjectives and verbs. Take ideas straight off of your last homework assignment...THAT'S WHY WE DID IT!

Typed (no exceptions). TRIPLE SPACE, RUN SPELL CHECK, run spell check again (in case you forgot to), name & period.

Download the instructions. Here's a finished example.

Step 3 - Templates

Check with Mr. Eagen to get the folder of templates and resource files.

Step 4 - Logo Design - 5 class periods

Read Cerealously! - pages 17-25

In-class logo technique "checklist" activity.

The logo is the most important element on the box. Use the "just the logo" files for now. Trust me. Begin in Illustrator for general layout. Transfer into Photoshop for embellishment.

Transfer the logo (structure) from Illustrator to Photoshop. Here's how to do it.

Extra credit is available if you research and demonstrate a new Photoshop technique. Bookmark tutorial.

Transfer the layered "photoshoppy" logo into the front template as a single layer. Here's how to do it.

Step 5 - Cereal Photography - 20 minutes

Here is a link to a few high resolution cereal bowls to choose from if you didn't shoot your own photos.

Step 6 - Front Panel - 7 class periods

Read chapter 4 in Cerealously! - pages 33-41. The front of the box will address the following considerations:

Logo placement
Cereal masking and placement - tutorial - Here is a link to FPO (for placement only) images
Optional - milk spashes - tutorial -Check your templates folder to find layered Photoshop files as well as vector "cartoony" splashes.
Character (cartoon? photograph?) - Clip art, high res internet photo, istockphoto.com (check with teacher about purchasing from this site)
Character placement - asymmetry, cropping, overlapping, space - tutorial
Background - contrast, theme, size - tutorial
Packaging requirements - description line, net weight, manufacturer's logo - tutorial
Details - slogan? fine tuning? - example
Teaser - pages 39-40 - design as an additional logo - give the consumer incentive to buy YOUR box - tutorial - really bad real world example - really good real world examples

Please use these 7 class periods efficiently.

Step 7 - Back Panel - 6 class periods

Read chapter 5 in Cerealously! - pages 43-47. Watch this short overview video. The back of the box will address the following considerations:

Keep the consumer occupied for 5 to 10 minutes
Creative activity or activities
Visual hierarchy
Reality check - we have a finite amount of time as well as limited resources
Requirements - manufacturer's logo, cereal logo
Optional - Here's how to transfer layers (background?) from the front panel to the back panel.

Please use these 5 class periods efficiently.

Step 8 - The Other Panels - 4 class periods

Read chapter 6 in Cerealously! - pages 49-57. The remaining panels will address the following considerations:

Nutrition label - feel free to customize! method 1 (copy paste) | method 2 (smart object)
Product promotion - refer back to what you wrote in step 2 - tutorial
side panel requirements - tutorial
Top & bottom panel requirements- overlapping, logos, UPC code, etc. - tutorial
fine tuning - last chance to get it perfect - tutorial

Step 9 - File Preparation - 1/2 class period

In order to insure that your files are printed and trimmed correctly carefully follow these instructions:

Saving the front panel - tutorial - NOTE: video is old so:

Ignore "common info" layer
Stop watching video at 1:13 (pause break). Instead...

1. Save file as "Lastname front CMYK.psd"

2. Edit>Convert to Profile - Don't make any changes...just click OK

3. File>Save As - Name the file "Lastname front CMYK.pdf"
• Choose Photoshop PDF as the file format
• Make sure that Alpha Channels and Layers AREN'T checked