Recently, I had the opportunity to work with BE KIND. By Ellen for their Summer 2022 box and I’m so excited to reveal the final look!
Before I share the inspiration behind the design and #bts process, let me share a bit more about the box and what BE KIND. By Ellen does!
BE KIND. by Ellen features socially conscious products that give back and do good in the world. Each season, Ellen hand selects each item that will go in the box and for this summer, I got to design the cover of it! All of the brands inside give back to an amazing cause and I am honored to have this opportunity to design the cover of this summer’s box.
First, the design concept of the design was simply poppies. Growing up in California, I’ve loved seeing wild poppies bloom when the weather got warm. It always reminded me that summer was coming and design is a celebration of that. And of course, I chose them because they are stunning to look at. I wanted to capture their vibrant colors, beautiful silhouette, and their free, wild nature.
Poppies also symbolize remembrance, peace and sacrifice, which give it a deeper meaning. I resonate deeply with this in my personal life so I felt even more drawn to poppies. You'll definitely see them pop up throughout my designs.
For my medium, I used watercolor and gouache to hand paint each flower then created different layouts and patterns on Photoshop. Watercolor is my usual go-to, but I wanted to add something a bit more vibrant and punchy so adding gouache was the perfect choice! Gouache is slightly thicker in consistency which makes colors more vivid, but it also pairs perfectly with watercolor. Honestly, it’s the best of both worlds.
I also added a little hand lettering for the cover and reversed the color way on the inside. I’m obsessed with the way it came out and I can’t wait to see it in people’s hands!
If you’d like to order your own limited edition summer box, you can get one here.
