To expand my portfolio, I created a fictional project for dog treats in collaboration with my mentor, Helen Biles. The illustrations for this assignment are designed to demonstrate my understanding of creating visuals for pet-related products. These illustrations are intended for packaging and promotion on social media.
The brand is called TailWag and is a new brand for dog products. They are launching a new line of premium dog treats, which requires a series of engaging illustrations for product packaging and their social media campaigns.
The illustrations should reflect the playful identity of the brand and appeal to dog owners. The tone is playful, friendly, and caring, with a focus on the natural ingredients the brand uses, highlighting happy, healthy dogs enjoying their treats.
The concept is that the treats are more than just a snack; they’re a loving way to give your pet something both healthy and enjoyable. The illustrations should reflect this by depicting cheerful, vibrant scenes that emphasize the atmosphere of natural ingredients and the joy these treats bring to dogs.
Since there was minimal material available, everything had to be developed from scratch. This gave me a lot of creative freedom, though boundaries can sometimes be helpful. I started by studying many dogs and making sketches. I also reviewed various other packaging designs where illustrations played a key role (such as Edgard Cooper, Denzel’s, and Forthglade).
In the end, I chose a German Shepherd.
German Shepherds are intelligent, alert, protective of their family, and affectionate. Despite their serious demeanor, they also have a playful side. They need plenty of exercise and enjoy activities like walking, running, swimming, and playing. They love active play and are very obedient and loyal, with a strong sense of responsibility and a deep bond with their owner.
A dog that embodies all the suitable traits for this project (playful, friendly, and caring). Below are some sketches, the vector renderings, the packaging, and, of course, some animations. The illustrations were deliberately done in vector format to keep them scalable and sharp at any size.
Various sketches of the dog
The vector renderings
The packaging (mockups)
The social media animations
To emphasize the premium line, I used purple as the primary color, which also creates a nice contrast with the color of the dog.
For the animations, I made the dog’s color slightly darker to create a good contrast with the background and packaging. This video shows two animations in sequence, but they are meant as two separate story posts.
To complete the project, I created the payoff line “pure joy in every bite.” This way, the client sees what’s possible, and the entire concept is complete. Click the play button to view the animations.
