Art Nouveau Meets Beer: The Carnetel Label

Egwin Wilterdink's Award-Winning Design Marries Art and Brewing

The Carnetel is a unique beer label that stands out in the crowd. It's not just a label, but a piece of art that tells a story about the beer it represents. The design is intricate, with many details about the brewing process incorporated into it. This gives the label a dual function - it's not just a branding tool, but also an informative guide for beer enthusiasts.

Wilterdink's inspiration for the design came from the Art Nouveau style. He wanted to break away from the standard beer label format and create something unique and eye-catching. The result is a design that is both aesthetically pleasing and functional. The label fits on two different bottle sizes, simply by adjusting the print size to 100% or 70%. This flexibility is a testament to Wilterdink's innovative approach to design.

The design process for the Carnetel was a blend of traditional and modern techniques. Wilterdink started by sketching the label on paper, then transferred it to Illustrator, and finally imported it into InDesign to connect it to a database. This database ensures that each bottle receives a unique filling number, adding another layer of uniqueness to the design.

The Carnetel project was completed over the course of a year, from January to December 2018, in the Netherlands. Wilterdink conducted extensive research on Art Nouveau to ensure that the style was a good fit for the design. The result is a label that has an authentic feel, perfectly matching the small, independent brewer's ethos.

Creating the Carnetel was not without its challenges. Wilterdink had to overcome the obstacle of not immediately resorting to a computer program for the design. He decided to start with a literal sketch of the label, which allowed him to shape it further from there. The final design can be placed four times on an A4 size paper, with minimal waste.

In conclusion, the Carnetel is more than just a beer label. It's a testament to the power of design and the potential for innovation in even the most unexpected places. Egwin Wilterdink's design is a perfect example of how art and technology can come together to create something truly unique and award-winning.