Spirits of the Capital Beer Can Designs
Bringing Ottawa’s Spirit to Life
This project combined branding, packaging design, and original mockup photography for beer can designs developed for Flora Hall Brewing Company, a local brewery in Centretown, Ottawa. Located in a historic building on Flora Street, the brewery combines community spirit with innovative brewing. Drawing inspiration from its rich, sometimes unsavory past, I created a modern folk tale collection of beer cans that reimagines Ottawa's image through storytelling and design.
The goal was to design beer cans that would resonate with Ottawans while appealing to adventurous 25–34-year-olds who love exploring new beers. Working within LCBO's marketing and packaging regulations added a technical challenge to the project. My research started with iconic Ottawa landmarks like the Maman Sculpture and BeaverTails, as well as my own personal iconic characters with the pool cleaner that had me terrified in my youth as a pool enthusiast. These then evolved into darker, illustrative concepts that transformed these elements into Grimm-inspired tales.
Process
From Sketches to Shelf-Ready Designs
The journey began with research and conceptualisation. After developing the ideas for The Bitten Beaver and The Creepy Crawly, I gathered reference images for these objects and started sketching. My goal was to adapt these references into eerie and unnerving designs that aligned with the project’s dark, illustrative aesthetic. Once the sketches felt solid, I moved to Procreate to create detailed illustrations for the front of the cans.
When the illustrations were complete, I transferred them into Photoshop. This step allowed me to retain editable layers, which proved invaluable later in the process. For instance, when the neon green accent colour I initially chose printed muddy and dark, I could quickly make adjustments in just a few minutes. This approach was a fantastic discovery for me as I try and develop my files to be as atomic in their design as possible—this gives me a bit more time when i catch myself pixel-pushing at the end of the project.
Next, I integrated the artwork into Illustrator to finalise the label. I used various techniques, such as layer masks for textured backgrounds, overlays for depth, and vectorised frames for ingredient lists and descriptions. Typography also played a significant role, with careful experimentation to create headlines and layouts that felt both segmented and unified.
The most challenging part of the process was the layout. Balancing the central illustration with the product name and other essential information was like solving a puzzle. Several iterations were needed to create a composition that was visually striking while meeting all practical requirements. The final design brought everything together seamlessly, showcasing depth, character, and a cohesive visual narrative that I had hoped for.
Outcome
Eerie and Engaging Designs
The final product stands out with its eerie, unsettling illustrations, which is very different from my usual whimsical and bright style. The layered textures—from the font choices to the illustrations and backgrounds—create a cohesive design that feels unified and intentional. This project has inspired me to further explore this narrative-driven art style.
Through this experience, I gained valuable insights into LCBO’s labelling requirements and retail display considerations. Additionally, I developed a new standard of atomic design for managing production files, ensuring efficiency and adaptability for future projects. This behind-the-scenes workflow was not part of the original brief but proved to be a game-changer for my design process.
Beer Can Designs
Go & Explore My Projects
I get it I talked a big game up there. Check out my work and see for yourself.
