Taj is the first creation I produced in my first year, using Adobe Illustrator. I had to design the packaging for a product of my choice, using the tools learnt in class, and give it a sense of perspective and volume. I also had to place the product in a simple advertising setting, including the name of the brand and a slogan.
For this creation, I wanted to seek inspiration from Indian culture. The product is a blend of spices to season rice, foods that are widely consumed in India. The colourful powdered spices are a reminder of the Holi celebrations, held at the spring equinox, where coloured powders are thrown, each with its own specific meaning.
So I decided to create 4 different flavour blends, each named after an Indian royal and assigned a color based on the spices it contains. Jahan (black pepper and Rajasthani chilli) is red, Ashoka (cardamom and green chilli) is green, Mumtaz (turmeric, cumin and coriander seeds) is yellow, and Rajah (cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg) is brown.
As for the graphic elements, I didn’t have to look very far. The Taj Mahal is used as the logo and lends its name to the product, while a mandala decorates the box and the poster. The slogan, meanwhile, reinforces the notions of royalty and abundance.
