Mothers Day Mug Design
Print-Ready Design
Adobe Illustrator
This project involved creating a print ready Mother’s Day mug design for HJM Designs’ Nick Freitas merch shop.
The Problem
HUM Designs needed a standout mug that captured Nick Freitas’s patriotic tone, while still feeling like a heartfelt Mother’s Day gift. The challenge was to blend humour, warmth, and femininity into a design that remained true to the brand. It also had to meet print production standards and read clearly on curved ceramic surfaces without losing visual impact.
Project Scope
This was a full creative and production design project. I was responsible for everything from concept to delivery-ready files. The brief required a two-sided mug design that communicated emotional tone while staying visually strong. The final assets included CMYK-optimised artwork, layout files with print-safe margins, ready for manufacturing.
Users & Audience
The target audience was family-oriented, patriotic buyers looking for a gift that was personal, funny, and easy to understand. Many would encounter the product through quick online browsing, so clarity and message impact were key. The design needed to speak to the occasion while staying aligned with Nick Freitas’s straightforward, values-based voice.
Design Process
Research & Concept
I reviewed existing merch from HUM Designs and Nick Freitas, pulling key themes around tone, typography, and colour. The message needed to feel bold but emotionally relevant, so I developed a direction that combined strong layout structure with a muted colour palette tailored for the occasion.
Layout Planning & Template Setup
I built the design within the printer’s production specs—trim lines, bleed, and safe zones—to ensure clean, reproducible output. The layout included a strong front-facing statement and a softer reverse message. Both were placed for high visibility and typographic balance on a curved ceramic surface.
Visual Production
I created all assets in Adobe Illustrator using outlined fonts and CMYK colour. The palette drew from red, white, and blue tones, softened into pastels for a more feminine style. The artwork was finalised at 300 DPI with full bleed and structured layers to ensure compatibility with print production workflows.
Final Design Preview
The front featured the slogan “Yeah – I’ve made people” in a bold sans-serif typeface. On the reverse, a handwritten-style script added emotional depth. Together, the contrast in fonts and tone created a playful, gift-appropriate piece that felt both visually direct and personally meaningful.
Outcome & Impact
The final assets were delivered on schedule, and HJM Designs handed the print-ready files over to Nick Freitas. He listed the mug on OnlyMugz as a limited Mother’s Day offering, promoted it in the run-up to the holiday and received positive feedback from his audience. The design struck a chord, drove several sales and generated healthy profit for Freitas’s shop. Both HJM Designs and Freitas agreed it was a success—and a clear example of how thoughtful design can boost marketing and sales.
"Jimmi provided a high quality service as a contracted graphic designer. We hired RavenPixel to assist with a high volume of design work. He provided an expedited service, delivered each project ahead of schedule and was receptive to any changes we needed. His skillset was integral to helping us meet our business needs."
Harry Murphy
HJM Design (Founder)
Reflection
This project strengthened my ability to design for physical products where layout, readability, and emotional tone all need to land at once. Balancing a bold brand voice with a softer, feminine feel pushed me to be more intentional with type, spacing, and colour. I also gained more experience working within strict production constraints—something that’s easy to overlook in digital design. If I revisited this project, I’d prototype the mug in 3D or test print a sample to refine how the design behaves in real-world conditions.
