Packaging design might start with a sketch, a scribbled note or an idea that arrives inconveniently before trying to get a full nights sleep. But sooner or later, it needs to make its way onto a screen.
That’s where design software comes in.
Modern packaging designers use a surprisingly broad collection of tools to create everything from logos and illustrations to dielines, 3D mockups and print-ready artwork. Some programs are industry standards, while others solve very specific problems. And, as with most creative tools, having more software doesn’t automatically make you a better designer.
The trick is knowing which tool to reach for and when.
Packaging design covers several disciplines at once. There’s branding, typography, illustration, photography, structural design, artwork production and more so nowadays, 3D visualisation. As a result, most brand designers work across several applications rather than relying solely on one piece of software.
Adobe Illustrator has got to be one of the main tools for designers working with packaging design.
Its vector-based workflow makes it really useful for creating logos, typography, icons, illustrations and packaging artwork that needs to scale without losing quality. It’s also well suited to working with packaging dielines, where precision matters considerably more than whether something looks nice when you zoom out.
For cartons, labels, pouches, sleeves and other printed packaging, Illustrator is often the one to go for, where the bulk of the final artwork comes together.
If Illustrator handles vectors, Photoshop takes care of the pixels.
Packaging designers commonly use Photoshop for image editing, retouching, compositing and creating realistic textures or visual effects. It can also be great for producing presentation mockups, particularly when a client needs to see how a brand design might look in the real world before anybody commits to printing thousands of the things.
It isn't generally the best place to construct technical packaging artwork, but alongside Illustrator it forms a pretty formidable double act.
InDesign is more commonly associated with editorial design, but it can still earn its keep in packaging design projects.
It’s especially handy when packaging involves large amounts of structured information, multiple pages or supporting materials such as instruction booklets, inserts and brand guidelines.
For a straightforward cereal box? Illustrator will probably get the call. For a 40-page packaging guidelines document covering an entire product range? InDesign suddenly becomes considerably more attractive.
For packaging design specialists, Esko provides software designed specifically around packaging production and prepress workflows.
Its tools can help with artwork, colour management, structural design, preflight checks and 3D packaging visualisation. Unlike general-purpose graphic design applications, Esko's ecosystem has been developed with the practical realities of packaging production firmly in mind.
That specialist functionality can be mega for agencies, repro houses, printers and larger brands handling complex packaging operations.
Image source: esko.com
Structural packaging is another world entirely.
ArtiosCAD is widely used for structural packaging design, particularly for cartons and corrugated packaging. Designers and packaging engineers can develop accurate shapes and structures, create dielines and test how packaging will be constructed.
It bridges the gap between graphic design and physical engineering. After all, a beautiful box isn't much use if the tabs don't meet when somebody tries to assemble it.
Image source: esko.com
3D visualisation is changing how we bring packaging design ideas to life
Applications such as Blender can create detailed packaging renders without requiring physical prototypes for every design iteration. Specialist packaging visualisation platforms can take this further by allowing artwork to be mapped directly onto realistic packaging structures.
This can make design reviews faster and presentations more convincing. Rather than asking a client to imagine what a flat dieline will look like folded around a bottle, you can simply just show them.
Like magic ey?
There’s no magical bit of packaging design software that does everything perfectly. Annoying, we know. Different tools are good at different things, so it’s usually about finding the right mix for the job.
Adobe Illustrator is the trusty old favourite. It gives you loads of control over vector artwork, works nicely with print workflows and, crucially, printers and repro teams know what to do with the files you send them. Nobody needs a 4pm Friday email asking what on earth you’ve supplied.
The downside? Illustrator wasn’t built specifically for packaging design. Once things get a bit more technical with the likes of structural design and production requirements, you might need to bring in some tools for an extra hand.
Photoshop is great when you want lovely imagery, textures and convincing visuals. Precise vector artwork and dielines though? Not so much. And those enormous layered files have a habit of making your computer sound like it’s preparing for take-off, usually when the deadline is getting uncomfortably close.
Then you’ve got specialist packaging platforms such as Esko. These can handle some seriously clever production, automation and visualisation work, particularly when you’re dealing with packaging design at scale.
But all that naturally comes with a price tag … and a learning curve. Licences, hardware, training and changes to your workflow can add up quickly. If you’re producing thousands of SKUs, that investment can make plenty of sense. If you need to design six boxes, perhaps don't build mission control just yet.
3D software has its own pros and cons. It can create banging visuals, help you spot problems early and save you from producing physical mockup after physical mockup. But it’s also very easy to get carried away making everything look beautifully realistic when you’re only trying to check whether the design works.
Ultimately, the fanciest tool isn’t automatically the best one. Sometimes you need specialist software doing clever things behind the scenes. Sometimes you just need Illustrator and someone who knows exactly what they’re doing with it.
Design technology doesn't sit still for very long.
New features arrive constantly, covering everything from collaboration and automated artwork production to 3D rendering and AI-assisted creative workflows. Keeping track of those tech updates matters, but designers don't need to adopt every shiny new feature the week it appears.
A better approach is to look at whether a technology solves an actual problem.
Can it make artwork production faster? Can it reduce errors? Does it make client presentations clearer? Can it help explore ideas without reducing everything to generic-looking output? Does it improve collaboration between designers, brands and printers?
If the answer is yes, give it a go!
Following software release notes, packaging publications, design communities and print-production specialists can help packaging designers spot meaningful changes without spending every morning reading technology announcements.
Testing new tools on internal or low-risk projects is a good idea too. It gives a design team the chance to understand where technology genuinely improves the workflow before introducing it into a live packaging project with a deadline rapidly approaching.
AI is an obvious example. Generative tools can help with early-stage exploration, visualisation and repetitive production tasks, but they don't replace the thinking behind effective packaging design. A tool might generate fifty directions in seconds. Someone still has to recognise which direction actually makes sense for the brand.
And that’s where experience still counts. We’re Noramble, a brand and packaging design agency based in Manchester, and we know a thing or two about making packaging work. Not to toot our own horn or anything but the best tools are only as good as the people using them. Good packaging still needs a good idea, a clear understanding of the brand and an agency who knows how to bring the whole thing together. Fancy software can help but trust us when we say, it can’t do all the thinking for you.
The best tools for designers remove friction between an idea and the finished result. Illustrator might be right for one job, specialist packaging software for another and a pencil on a scrap of paper for the first ten minutes.
Technology will continue to change, and designers should absolutely keep up with it. But software remains exactly what the name suggests: a tool.
A beautifully rendered pack can still be strategically confused. A technically perfect dieline can still contain branding nobody notices on the shelf.
At Noramble, we're far more interested in what the packaging design is communicating than which application happened to create it. If your packaging looks polished but isn't quite pulling its weight, we can help you to identify where the design, positioning or overall brand could be working harder.
Because upgrading your software is easy.
Getting people to care about what's inside the box is something that requires a little more brain power. We’re packaging and brand designers based in Manchester.
