Label design for Irish Fat Walrus Brewery‘s IPA “Amuse the Muse”.
Project: This single-hop IPA from Fat Walrus Brewery is moderately bitter and assertively aromatic. Easy to drink and enjoy with friends, it’s just perfect for a nice summer day.
The brewery had an established brand with a fun and playful personality. A walrus is the brewery muse and symbol, and was a must-to-have on the label.
The design is a play on the variety of hops used in this beer called “Mosaic”. Ancient Greek and Roman mosaic tradition, as well as Irish mosaics, had inspired the style. We wanted to bring the notion of a mosaic into contemporary design and add a pinch of fun.
The star was born. The renowned hero of the past – Walrusus Calisto (from ancient greek “Most beautiful”) – is forever preserved in a mosaic discovered recently by British archaeologists. His confident and handsome profile tells the story of his many victories.
A profile of the walrus surrounded by a round medallion was drawn digitally in Procreate. To imitate the mosaic technique, I used varied shades of colours and dark grout.
Outcome: Two honourable profiles of the Walruses wearing a hops wreath are facing each other. They are looking curiously at a beholder. The name of the beer – “Amuse the Muse” – is transformed into a mosaic and integrated with an overall design.
The background colour and lavish geometric ornament are testimony to the walrus’s element – water. A bright, vibrant colour palette creates a summery feel to the overall design.
It was a particular challenge to make the design seamless. I used prototyping on a dummy can to fine-tune image alignment and achieve a perfect match.
This vibrant can with character is memorable, unique and stands out from other craft beers on a supermarket shelf. Beer experts and customers had a fantastic response to this IPA and its packaging.
