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Hi Friends,

Welcome to the May edition of Work in Progress, brimming with updates, inspiration, and insights. I'm keeping this intro short since I went a bit long in some other areas...

Last month I was hired to create a few designs to help share the exclusive and unique experience of visiting Kantishna Roadhouse in Denali National Park.

For these designs, we wanted to showcase the gorgeous natural landscape, the majesty of the mountain, and the exclusive, private and pristine experience of the Roadhouse, where getting there is half the fun!

Due to the landslide road closure of 2021, the Roadhouse now runs a destination fly in/out operation while the Park road is closed for repairs. Where there used to be hundreds of visitors in the backcountry, now there is with a very limited amount of travelers due to the restricted access, which only makes it that much more special and exclusive to visit. Being a guest is the best way to snag one of these stickers!

I had to buy a new tent last weekend, since mine had been destroyed by the terrible wind of 2023. And I'm glad to say that I still have the black topper! Do you remember when I was the only black tent at the market?? -- "the black sheep" I had joked.

You can still expect my market days to be a bit sporadic, as my availability is based on my husband’s shift schedule.

Speaking of the Market, I’ll have some fresh new items with me this year!

I was so impressed by the broad scope of sketching included in the exhibit -- to see how different creators utilize a sketchbook to develop ideas, record daily life, or explore fields of research.

You’ll find all this throughout the beautifully curated exhibit, showcasing comics to field sketches to architecture. You're sure to leave fully inspired!

I'm about to leave for a 3-day Adventure Camp with my daughter's 5th grade class. I'm not a super-outdoorsy person, so field trips like these really push me out of my comfort zone and into new territory...

The teacher has also asked me to host a painting lesson while we're out there, so not only will I be out in the wilderness, but I'll also be hosting an art lesson which will push me further outside my comfortable creative zone.

Yet, I know that stepping out of one's comfort zone is crucial for fostering creativity. A journey outside the comfort zone often leads to new perspectives, unconventional ideas, and breakthroughs in artistic expression, and ultimately cultivates a deeper understanding of a craft.

Have you ever pushed yourself outside your comfort zone? And did your venture result in boundless creativity? I'd love to know!

I am actually quite excited about the next 3 days, and I can't wait to share more about how this goes in next month's newsletter!

For the last 6 months I’ve been working on a massive packaging design project, which I can’t share just yet. Beyond creating the layout design for the packages, this one also involves a different custom illustration for each item, which are designed to work well together, to accentuate the newly developed brand, and to honor different locations of Alaska. Okay, sneak peek of one of the illustrations below...

I’m creating a work of art for each package, and that is exactly why I was hired. The owner wanted to create a product package that not only looked great on the shelf, but would perhaps be worthy of keeping even when the contents within were gone.

It’s a great example of a business owner accepting that packaging is a prime marketing opportunity, and not just an added cost. After all, the purpose of product packaging is not just to protect the contents inside, but to also attract consumers.

5 reasons why packaging design matters:

1. Establish Trust: With honest and clear packaging and labels, consumers can determine which products to purchase based on their personal needs. If the packaging accurately reflects the contents within, it creates a bond of trust with your brand, and consumers will likely associate this trust with your other products as well.

2. Level Up the Competition: Enticing product packaging allows your product stand out among a wall of competitors, and great packaging might be the key differentiator between you and your competitors’ products. Packaging your product is an opportunity to influence consumers to spend their hard-earned money on you.

3. Increase Revenue: Attractive packaging creates a perception of value, which justifies the asking price. Many business report a revenue increase after improving product packaging, particularly when you consider that 72% of U.S. consumers say that product packaging design influences purchase decisions.

4. Build Loyalty: In today’s social media age, many consumers share photos of products with unique and branded packaging, or with great unboxing experiences. To keep your brand in people’s mind, your packaging has to be memorable — great packaging fully enhances that consumer experience.

5. Instill Brand Values: Paper-based packaging is generally thought to be more environmentally responsible. A majority of consumers ( prefer sustainable alternative materials over plastics, like paper, hemp, and cardboard, instead of plastic.

Thank you for giving me space in your inbox. Stay creative!

Your friend,

Brianna Reagan

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P.S.S. I’ve updated my society6 shop – check it out!