Cup Sleeve Illustrations

OVERVIEW

For my first passion project, I challenged myself to learn a new design skill by creating original work for 30 minutes each day over the course of 30 days.

Before beginning this assignment, I had never used Adobe Illustrator and found the program intimidating. I chose to focus on mastering the pen tool by creating a series of original illustrations designed for coffee sleeves, a typically overlooked canvas with the potential to become a more engaging brand touchpoint. I began by building an inspiration library on Pinterest, identifying visual styles and elements that I wanted to translate into my own illustrations.

Starting with a simple pink and yellow sunset design, I focused on understanding the fundamentals of the pen tool and building confidence with vector illustration. As the project progressed, I became more comfortable working in Illustrator, allowing me to create more detailed compositions with additional layers, textures, and visual elements in less time.

While each coffee sleeve design stands independently, the collection as a whole represents my growth as a designer and my journey in learning a new tool. This project transformed an everyday, functional item into an opportunity for creativity and encouraged viewers to see ordinary objects through a more imaginative lens.