Welcome to the forum cherisdenise. Please read these important threads posted HERE and especially HERE. They will explain a lot about how the forum runs, from the rules and regulations to frequently discussed topics to the background on some of our lingo and inside jokes.

If working for a company, Adobe CS is the standard (Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, etc.) so definitely know that, since companies wont adapt to you.

Yes, you would use Illustrator to create any vectorized work, but that's not all. InDesign is your bread and butter for layout. Photoshop is also essential, but for rasterized work, such as photography. InDesign can import these objects from both Illustrator and Photoshop, so it's not uncommon to have all three software's open at once.

Books can show you the processes, but they wont necessarily make you a better designer. A designer gains a better appreciation when he/she is observing the process, seeing the artists, interning, attaining inspiration, etc. The closest thing to first-hand observation other than literally being there are video documentaries. My two favorites?: "Art and Copy" and "Helvetica."

As a graphic designer, I don't know of companies who would expect you to present your work in real 3D (but it may not hurt if you had the skills). I think it's always better to make a real life small scale mock-up. This way, viewers can hold your mock-up and gain an appreciation of your work from all angles and even set it down and judge variables, like distance. You can't fully attain those qualities from 3D software. Personally, when I got my Bachelor's in Graphic Design, I never had to take a 3D class. When we did package design, it was all about mock-ups and 3-point perspective imagery with Adobe CS.

I know of 3 packaging companies around here and all want designers to know 3D software. I believe they all use Strata.

But, just know that much of what you need to know can't be learned from books. It has to be learned on the job.

In my experience, packaging for beverages (cans/bottles/carrier packs, displays), Adobe illustrator is used pretty much exclusively for the design aspect.

In terms of 3D renders to present ones work, strata is most commonly used.

Yep. Same here. Illustrator seems to be the #1 software.

Thanks everyone!

I really appreciate the information.

Thankfully we have the adobe creative suite at my university. I'm pretty good in InDesign, but never really got too far into illustrator. I'll be starting on that tomorrow.

I've never heard of strata so I don't think we have that program. But i'll see if I can get a trial.

The biggest thing I am concern about right now is the printing process. I pretty much know nothing about it. Any suggestions?

To an extent, the printing process is mostly left to your printer (person). That's a entirely different realm of knowledge. Printers do things differently, so if you try to setup the file yourself (ex. spot color varnish), they may not agree with your approach to it and redo it based on their own approach, so you're better off talking with a printer, explaining what you want, and let them do the thinking. That's what they're paid to do. Eventually, you will develop a relationship with a printer (or two) you trust.

I've heard of Strata, but I never used it, and in the two universities I attended, neither had them installed. It's mostly just Adobe. I'd get really good at Adobe first and worry about Strata later, but to each their own.

I wouldn't worry about strata to start. Can't say if it works the same throughout the wide world of packaging, but rendering studios take care of any top-knotch 3D rendering I need, and in the design process including presentation purposes, illustrator is used exclusively.

Package design unlike the rest of the Graphic Design industry uses Illustrator rather than InDesign. That being said, a better than working knowledge of InDesign is a plus. So it is not a wasted effort to have become skilled in InDesign.

Regarding the printing process. You should have an decent understanding of spot color, 4-color; off-set, digital printing and silkscreen. You will be expected to design for specific printing processes using specific color systems and profiles. You will also interact with the printer, and ask them for specs, follow them carefully, and ask questions.

If you haven't already, you might want to check out these sites.

The Dieline

Lovely Package

Packaging of the World

Pan,

Thanks very much for those links. THey are quite cool to play around on and they give some very nice inspiration.

I tend to use Cover action pro 2 for Photoshop when doing boxes/covers/books

Its a great addon. Just copy your design into the document, Hit play and it renders the file out.

^And that folks, is what the design industry has become.

I'm new to the design industry. What does that mean?

Whats wrong with that?

All it is is a saved sets of actions. Thats what Actions are and people rarely use them when doing work. My Went through my entire degree and not one teacher ever brought up actions in photoshop.

Cover action pro 2 for Photoshop.

Photoshop is NOT A LAYOUT PROGRAM.
The first step in using that template driven action software is to "Create" your piece in Photoshop, which is wrong. Or at least it used to be.

If you are using this simply to bring in artwork created correctly elsewhere and can live constrained by 120 or so standard packaging templates, that's one thing. To actually use this to create from ground zero is completely another.

Everyday 'graphic design' has become a cookie cutter industry with a heavy reliance on templates, standard grids, and trends. The biggest trend is the use of Photoshop for everything it shouldn't be used for. If you want to do more than be an everyday graphic designer, you need to leave that stuff behind. Especially in package and product design. I'm all for work saving tricks and use plenty of plug-ins to streamline my work flow but at some point, working within the constraints of only what you have for software will be limiting to your career.

As PanToshi mentioned, Illustrator is pretty much an industry standard for packaging design. He also mentioned a render farm where he sends his product mockup files. These things exist so your design is not limited. Do companies like Gillette or any of the beauty product lines use typical off-the-shelf product shapes?

Again, if you are just importing correctly derived artwork, that's fine.
But using that plug in to create? Just don't.