Something From Nothing

Ross—One hurdle is knowing when a particular material should or should not be used.

Carlson—Every designer should understand the objective of the packaging and how it will be displayed on the shelf, what paper stock is being used, what is the overall functionality of the package, and how the structural integrity fuses with the design and graphics. Designers need to take the time to make full-sized mockups using the specified stock with the graphics mounted to the package; test it, open it, and close it—set it on the shelf and back up three feet.