The distorted text packaging design style involves playfully distorting bold text to fill shapes or create a whimsical, flowing effect. To show you how you might be able to recreate this packaging trend, we've adapted it to our own PackMojo packaging in a few simple steps.
You can even consider adding add-ons like embossing, debossing, or foil stamping to the distorted text to make it stand out even more. To add distorted text to your own packaging, follow this 3-step guide:
1. Add Your Text and Vectorize
Begin by adding your text that you would like to distort. Pick a font that you would like to use. The font should match the type of distortion and packaging vibe you are going for. From there, right click and select "Create Outlines" to vectorize the text. From this point on, the content of the text will not be editable.
2. Distort Text With Envelope Distort
Once you're ready to distort, we'll go to the top window and select "Object". "Envelope Distort" and "Make with Warp" to use Illustrator’s preset warps. You'll be able to choose from a variety of different styles. To fit the retro look we’re going for, we’ve selected Wave. You can also manually adjust any points afterward as desired. Instead of using Illustrator's preset warps, you can also choose to do the warp manually by selecting "Warp with Mesh", which overlays a mesh over the text so you can distort it manually. If you have a predetermined shape you would like your text to fit into, you can also choose "Warp with Top Object" with the other shape selected.
3. Expand and Finishing Touches
Finally, in order to add color to the shape, you will have to vectorize the shape again by going to the "Object" menu and selecting "Expand". After this, you will be able to change the color. From here, finish off the packaging by adding your background and any other desired elements.
In our case, we've decided to keep it pretty minimal with only a small handful of elements and have selected colors that reflect the retro vibe we're going for.
Closing Thoughts
Generally, distorted text can add a unique energy to your packaging by giving the text elements some character, guaranteed to attract the attention of consumers. Explore PackMojo, to get eye-catching custom packaging for your own products.