What’s in the Box? - An Illustrated Gourmet Experience
- Simpleefly Info
- Apr 2
- 4 min read
Client: Brightcrop
Year: 2023
Deliverable: Illustration & Packaging Design
Brightcrop came to us with a brief to create a vibrant, celebratory packaging illustration for their all-natural gift box- one that communicates the freshness of their organic ingredients, the rich cultural roots of their products, and the joy of gifting something truly unique and flavourful.
The Product
An exotic gift box filled with handcrafted, farm-sourced surprises:
Fiery Bhoot Jolokia Sauce (60g)
Bhoot Jolokia Chutney (60g)
Palm Jaggery Syrup (60g)
Natural Honey (60g)
Black Rice Nachos (100g)
Wooden Spoon & Honey Dipper
Each item is made from organically grown ingredients- no synthetic pesticides, GMOs, or chemicals. The box celebrates purity, sustainability, and flavour in every bite.
The Visual Direction
We set out to design a scene that feels festive, earthy, and joyful, with a hand-crafted charm. The illustration had to reflect:
Local farm life and sustainable harvests
Human connection between farmers and consumers
Warmth of nature through organic colors and sunlit tones
The idea of celebration—as this is a gift meant to share love
Illustration Concept
We developed a miniature world on the box—a lush farm valley bustling with activity. Each character is joyfully interacting with the produce:
A farmer holding a giant honeycomb like a trophy
Women harvesting with care
A market stall symbolizing the transition from farm to consumer
The mountainous backdrop, blooming fields, and smiling characters create a visual narrative of nurture, nature, and abundance.
Why This Composition?
The composition was carefully crafted to evoke the essence of abundance, care, and storytelling- the very heart of Brightcrop’s brand. I wanted the viewer to feel like they were stepping into a vibrant valley of flavours, guided by the hands that nurture each ingredient from soil to shelf.
Central Character Trio – Human Connection to Produce
At the center of the scene are three characters, each highlighting a key product:
A palm climber collecting jaggery
A woman with a beehive, symbolizing honey
A man with a bowl of fiery chillies, representing the Bhoot Jolokia sauce
This trio humanizes the farming process and shows that real people, care, and tradition go into every jar. Their placement across the scene ensures the eye travels naturally left to right, telling a story of harvest and flavour.
Market Stall as the Emotional Bridge
The Brightcrop stall in the foreground acts as the bridge between farm and consumer- this is where the journey ends, and the gifting experience begins. Its central position represents Brightcrop as a curator of goodness, bringing together the best from the land.
Flora and Natural Details
The flowers, leaves, and gentle curves of the bushes create a soft, festive frame. They guide the eye inward while evoking joy and organic purity. This detail adds warmth and celebration, tying in the idea of a gift box packed with love.
The Rising Sun – A Symbol of Wholesomeness
The sun nestled in the mountains is symbolic- it’s the eternal light over natural farming. Whether you read it as sunrise (fresh beginnings) or sunset (a day’s fulfilled harvest), it adds a wholesome, grounding element to the narrative.
Illustration
We chose to build a highly textured environment to reflect the brand’s earthy, organic nature. Texture brings life to the landscape: the roughness of the hills, the grain in the fields, the softness of foliage—all of it echoes the tactile experience of natural, unprocessed ingredients. Every stroke was meant to feel handmade, just like the contents of the box.
The color palette leans heavily into warm, sun-kissed tones—burnt oranges, earthy browns, lush greens, and golden yellows. These were chosen deliberately to:
Evoke the heat and spice of ingredients like Bhoot Jolokia
Highlight the golden richness of honey and jaggery
Reinforce a feeling of natural warmth and tradition
The lighting was treated almost like it’s sunrise on a farm—casting a soft, warm glow across the scene. This not only enhanced the emotional warmth but also made the illustration pop visually, standing out as a vibrant, heartwarming gift.
The Bhoot Jolokia sauce packaging was designed to visually match the fiery intensity of the product. The color palette is dominated by deep blacks, charred reds, and gradients of flame orange and yellow—chosen to evoke heat, smoke, and danger, while still feeling premium. These bold hues help the product stand out on shelves and instantly communicate the extreme nature of the ghost pepper.
Texture played a key role in the storytelling. We used subtle flame textures and pepper illustrations to add a sense of motion and warmth, giving the label a handcrafted, tactile feel. This balances the minimal layout with just enough visual heat to echo the burn of the sauce inside.
Typography was carefully selected to balance tradition and energy. The bold serif style of “Bhoot Jolokia” gives it a classic, homegrown vibe, while the contrast in weights (between “Fiery,” “Thick Sauce,” and the rest of the label) helps guide the consumer’s eye through the hierarchy of information. Overall, the label is designed to feel spicy but trustworthy, artisan yet explosive—just like the sauce itself.
This style felt right for Brightcrop—a brand deeply rooted in sustainable farming, traditional processes, and joyful gifting. The result is a box that doesn’t just hold products—it tells a story with every brushstroke.
Final Thoughts
Working on the Brightcrop project was an absolute joy—from the vibrant storytelling of the packaging illustration to the fiery personality of the Bhoot Jolokia label. It allowed us to dive deep into a world where culture, flavour, and design beautifully intersect.
We loved bringing the brand’s farm-to-fork philosophy to life through bold visuals, handcrafted textures, and a rich narrative voice. Projects like this remind us why we do what we do—designing with heart, purpose, and a whole lot of spice. We're proud to have contributed to a brand that nurtures naturally and tells its story so authentically.
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