An attractive image of a perfume box or café cup is not, by itself, enough to start production. You need an approved dieline for the actual package, reliable assets and copy, artwork mapped to its panels, files meeting the printer’s requirements, and explicit approval of the agreed proof. This applies whether you start with a sketch, a 3D concept or an AI-generated image.
Ask more than “Can you reproduce this picture?” Establish what will reach the printer, which template it uses, who checks text, colour and dimensions, and who authorises production. A written answer separates approval of a visual direction from approval of the file that will be manufactured.
Separate the concept, identity and production artwork
| Stage | What it decides | What it does not establish alone |
|---|---|---|
| Reference image or mockup | Overall direction, colours and visual elements | Dimensions, cutting or manufacturing feasibility |
| Visual identity | Logo, typography and application rules | Suitability for a particular package and printer |
| Artwork on a dieline | Placement of graphics, text and panels | Factual accuracy or automatic production acceptance |
| Prepress checks and approved proof | Readiness of a specific version for an agreed next step | Approval of subsequent changes |
If the brand name or logo is still changing, settle the visual identity and usage rules before extending it across sizes. If the identity is already approved, the work may be packaging application rather than a complete rebrand.
Start with the manufacturer before locking the design
Request the actual package template from the production supplier, with a clear revision identifier. A dieline maps the panels, cuts and folds. Packaging supplier PackMojo requires artwork on the relevant dieline for its production process: a useful illustration of why a similar-looking image is not enough. Source: PackMojo’s dieline guidance.
Also request dimensions and units, material, print side, glue or closure zones, areas that must not contain important content, and conventions for cutting and finishing layers. Establish who approves the package structure and its suitability for the product. Decorating the surface does not verify that it will protect a bottle or perform in use.
For café cups, do not assume a capacity change simply requires scaling the artwork. Obtain each supplier template and identify the print seam. For bags and pouches, check closures and openings: content visible on a flat image may land in an unsuitable position after assembly.
What should you do with an AI-generated image?
Use it to explain the direction, then separate its components. Which colours or motifs matter? Is the logo real and approved? Is every word correct? Can the supplier make that package shape? Do not reuse marks or assets you lack permission to use simply because they appear in the image.
Some tools can produce editable assets; other images require substantial reconstruction. Assess the actual file, not the tool’s name. Keep text and identifiers inspectable and retain an editable source. Enlarging a picture of the front panel does not create the other panels or a valid dieline.
Content production can be scoped separately for descriptive copy. Product ingredients, warnings, claims and regulatory content must come from the product owner in a form approved by the relevant responsible specialist. Typesetting those details is not a regulatory review or compliance certification.
Define “print-ready” in the scope
Specify readiness for review or production with the named printer and its approved requirements, then agree acceptance criteria:
- The template, revision and scale match the supplier’s approval.
- Text is legible, with important information clear of the template’s restricted areas.
- Images and fonts suit their intended use and final size, with embedding or delivery handled according to the agreement and licences.
- Spot colours, foil and varnish, where used, follow the printer’s conventions.
- PDF format, colour profile, bleed and production marks follow the agreed specifications rather than a universal preset.
- Preview, production and editable source files are clearly distinguished.
Adobe explains that extending artwork beyond the trim edge helps prevent white gaps and advises checking printer requirements. Its PDF settings also control colour profiles. Do not apply one bleed value or colour setup to every supplier and material. Source: Adobe PDF marks, bleed and colour settings.
Worked example: a perfume brand starting with one image
Consider a hypothetical Saudi brand with two fragrances in two sizes. It needs a box and label for each product, plus a shared bag and wrapping paper. This is an illustrative example, not a LAB project.
The initial artwork count is four products multiplied by two applications: eight artworks, plus the bag and wrapping paper, giving ten application artworks. That does not necessarily mean ten different dielines. Products may share a template while retaining separate content and approval records.
| Step | Decision in this example |
|---|---|
| Define scope | Inventory products, sizes, boxes, labels, bag and wrapping paper |
| Receive templates | Supplier provides the correct dielines and identifies each revision |
| Approve copy | Product owner approves fragrance names, sizes and product information |
| Approve a representative design | Review a box and label before extending the system |
| Roll out | Apply the rules to other products while reconciling their data |
| Release production | Approve the specific final revision after supplier checks and the required proof |
During review, the team discovers a label capacity that does not match the product record. Approval of that application stops. The source is corrected, and a new revision is issued for the label and any other affected panel. A message saying “the correct size is…” is not enough while the old file remains available for production.
For a hypothetical café, apply the same logic to cups, sleeves, boxes and bags. Each application has its own template, reading space and logo placement, rather than being a resized copy of one image. A subsequent product catalogue for distributors should use the same approved product information and images.
Who approves what?
| Owner | Review responsibility |
|---|---|
| Product owner or authorised reviewer | Names, sizes, copy, claims and asset rights |
| Designer and prepress owner | Layout, files, fonts, layers and supplier-specification checks |
| Printer or manufacturer | Dieline, material, production setup and finishing |
| Client’s production approver | The identified revision and proof, and authorisation for the agreed production quantity |
Specify the proof type and what it demonstrates. A PDF preview supports text and layout checks but cannot establish how paper feels in the hand. Agree a physical sample or colour proof when appropriate to the project and supplier process; do not assume every sample represents every final-production characteristic.
Use a filename such as PRF-A-50_BOX_AR-EN_R03 and a record linking it to its dieline, copy approval and supplier review. A change after approval reopens review of the affected version. Retain earlier versions for reference while preventing their use for production.
Handoff checklist and common mistakes
Before closing the project, collect the product-and-application register, agreed editable sources, production files, separate previews, and check and approval records. Test the package on another computer to identify missing images or fonts. Where a barcode or other code is included, check readability on the proof according to its intended use and the supplier’s requirements.
Common mistakes include judging colour only on a phone, stamping “approved” without identifying a revision, changing printer while assuming the previous specifications still apply, and expecting a factory to use an internet template without review. A convincing mockup should not, by itself, trigger a full production run.
Frequently asked questions
Does an AI file mean artificial intelligence created the design?
Not necessarily. The .ai extension identifies an Adobe Illustrator file. Distinguish the format from how the artwork was created, then inspect its contents and editability.
Can the designer create the dieline?
That may require a separately scoped structural-design specialist. For brand application work, use a supplier-approved template, or obtain explicit supplier approval of a proposed structure before applying artwork.
Does artwork design include printing and delivery?
Do not assume it does. Separate design and prepress fees from manufacturing, printing, samples and shipping. Identify the contracting party and responsible owner for each item.
When can we establish a delivery date?
After identifying applications, receiving templates and copy, and agreeing reviewers and proof requirements. Concept approval alone does not establish the time needed for supplier reviews or sample production.
Can LAB take responsibility for packaging artwork?
Before committing to a packaging and label artwork scope, verify a qualified prepress owner and a representative example of their output accepted by a printer for production, alongside your supplier’s requirements and proof-approval process. These conditions must be established, not assumed. The scope does not imply structural package engineering, regulatory approval or manufacturing. Share your current image, application list and printer details to establish what can be delivered and what requires an independent specialist.
