A deep burgundy corrugated shipping box dominates the photographic frame, its lid propped open to reveal the interior surface emblazoned with white sans-serif typography reading "HEARTFELT CREATIONS F

A vibrant triptych of marketing panels suspended within black powder-coated aluminum frames dominates this outdoor environmental composition, deployed against a weathered neutral concrete wall whose m

Bronze Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design · 2026

Craftoria Brand Identity

by Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira

A' Design Award 2026 Bronze Winner in Graphics, Illustration and Visual Communication Design
Awarded April 15, 2026
CLIENT: Cansu Ferreira
Estimated Number of Design Views: 6,610
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About Craftoria Brand Identity

Craftoria rebranding explores the intersection of historical art movements and modern wellness rituals. Inspired by 1920s art scene, the identity utilizes a refined serif wordmark and Victorian era illustration to position paint by numbers kits as a sophisticated, meditative activity. The structural design of the mailer packaging facilitates transition from exterior minimalism to a high contrast, richly colored interior, formalizing the unboxing as a gateway to creative focus. This cohesive system bridges nostalgic craftsmanship with modern lifestyle design to elevate the hobbyist experience.

Cansu Dagbagli Ferreira's Craftoria Brand Identity inhabits the vital contemporary territory where thoughtful graphic design meets experiential packaging, demonstrating how visual communication extends beyond two-dimensional surfaces into three-dimensional brand encounters that shape user experience and emotional connection, positioning itself within the flourishing intersection of subscription service design, artisan craft supply curation, and lifestyle brand development that has emerged prominently in the past decade as digital commerce seeks to restore tactile pleasure and personal connection to commercial transactions. The compositional achievement evident in this brand touchpoint reveals sophisticated understanding of information hierarchy, typographic clarity, and the crucial role of packaging as silent salesperson and brand ambassador, with the messaging "HEARTFELT CREATIONS FOR EVERYDAY SMILES" employing approachable inclusive language that democratizes creative practice while the accompanying tool illustrations provide immediate visual communication of category and content, executed with the clean linear precision characteristic of contemporary iconographic design that prioritizes universal readability across cultural contexts. The chromatic restraint demonstrated through the burgundy-and-white palette evidences mature design judgment, selecting a distinctive saturated hue that differentiates the brand within crowded marketplace contexts while maintaining elegance and avoiding the visual noise of multi-color complexity, the deep wine tone carrying connotations of creativity, passion, and premium quality while remaining gender-neutral and broadly appealing, paired with white that ensures maximum legibility and suggests purity, possibility, and the blank canvas awaiting creative expression. The integration of human presence and active creative engagement within the photographic composition transforms static product documentation into aspirational lifestyle narrative, inviting viewers to imagine themselves as the hands holding the brush, the person experiencing the satisfaction of creative flow, the recipient of carefully curated materials delivered in packaging that honors both the tools within and the creative journey they enable. What questions might this brand identity invite regarding the role of visual design in shaping not merely aesthetic preference but actual creative behavior, the ways thoughtful packaging can extend brand values into embodied experience, and how contemporary graphic designers working in applied commercial contexts negotiate the balance between functional clarity and emotional resonance, creating systems that communicate instantly while rewarding sustained attention and deeper engagement?

Press Kit

Unique Properties: Craftoria rebranding aims to inspire joy, mindfulness, and self expression through a creative, accessible activity. The visual identity blends modern simplicity with nostalgic elements by transporting customers to a 1920s splendid art scene. A key innovation is the mailer packaging: muted colored exterior conceals a high contrast, richly colored interior. This design creates a surprise unboxing experience that anchors the transition from the mundane world into a vibrant space of creativity.
Dimensions & Packaging: Box dimensions are 514 x 404 x 32 mm to accomodate 40 x 50 artwork.
Tags: art, painting, hobby, vintage, illustration
Production Technology: The design process utilized a Diverge and Converge methodology. In the Diverge phase, historical art advertisements and vintage studio layouts were analyzed to capture the essence of the 1920s. In the Converge phase, these were distilled into vector assets using Adobe Illustrator. Packaging prototypes were developed to test the surprise effect of the interior colors. Product photography and digital mockups were staged to ensure the brand’s real world experience is translated across web and social media platforms.
Design Challenge: The primary challenge was to rebrand a brand that has sold more than 100000 products until then. Avoiding the childish or mass-market aesthetic typical of DIY kits was our aim. Finding the balance between 1920s decorative flair and contemporary clean aesthetics required rigorous typographic testing, eventually pairing a refined serif with an approachable sans-serif. Additionally, ensuring the high-contrast interior print of the packaging didn't bleed into the exterior pastel tones required precise technical coordination with printing specifications to maintain a quality feel.
Project Duration: 6 months, France and USA
Operation Flow: The interaction begins with the receipt of a minimalist, sunburst-embellished mailer. The physical flow is defined by the unboxing surprise: as the customer opens the pastel-toned lid, they are immediately immersed in a rich, dark-colored interior that acts as a visual stage for the art supplies. This transition mimics the act of entering an art gallery or studio. Once the kit is revealed, the refined typography and hand-drawn interior illustrations guide the user through a meditative painting process, turning a simple activity into a premium, multi-sensory journey.
Research: Type: Visual Ethnography and UX Research. Objectives: To elevate the perceived value of paint-by-numbers kits. Methodology: Analysis of historical art eras and contemporary mindfulness trends. Tools: Mood-boarding, color psychology mapping, and unboxing prototyping. Participants: Hobbyists and DIY-creatives. Results: Identified that a "surprise" element in packaging increases emotional brand loyalty. Insights/Impact: Blending Victorian motifs with modern clean lines creates "nostalgic trust." Real-Life Effect: The design turned a commodity product into a giftable, premium lifestyle object.
Inspiration: The project is inspired by the art era of 1920s. The aim was to evoke the therapeutic atmosphere of a classic art studio and transport customers to a vintage art studio, while keeping the brand accessible for modern consumers. The sunburst pattern represents the spark of creativity, while the hand-drawn Victorian hand illustration in the logo serves as a literal and metaphorical invitation to engage in manual, tactile creation in an increasingly digital world.