The Packaging Designer's Book of Patterns

"The Packaging Designer's Book of Patterns", currently in this newly revised third edition, is a massive collection of cardboard and corrugated board packaging designs. The book has a small introduction to these materials, highlighting the basic principles behind scoring and die-cutting, plus some information on the common printing processes available for folding carton and some comparison charts between the materials. There is a chapter (mostly in diagram form) about closures and corner locks, which could perhaps benefit from some extra (textual) aids, but it serves its basic purpose. The book chapters are organized by packaging type (Folding Carton, Set-up Paper Boxes, Corrugated Containers and Point-of-Purchase Displays), with various designs of cartons, tubes, trays, multi-packs, point-of-purchase displays, shipping containers, etc. Each design features both the pattern and assembled forms, but there is little or no accessory information to complement them (the author states that this is intentional, not to "stifle the creative process", but as he himself states, many people have asked for this, so why not give the people what they want? Maybe a fourth edition will correct this). There is practically a design for every use imaginable, and you can surely adapt the designs to other purposes as well. Supposedly, these designs are ready to be scanned or photocopied (be aware that some of the designs are patented), but you will probably find this very difficult without damaging the book's spine, as many of the graphics are too close to the inner margin and will most likely suffer distortion if scanned/photocopied. To make matters worse, the paper used for the pages is also incredibly thin for a book of this size and at times, even with mere handling, I am genuinely afraid of making a tear in them. Whether you are a hobbyist looking for functional packaging patterns, a student trying to learn from practical examples or a designer looking for inspiration, this book will most definitely be of use.

This is a great book for patterns and I found just the right design for my project

This incredible reference shows hundred of patterns for boxes, cartons, tubes, displays, etc. I don't mean "four sides and a bottom", though you have plenty of those. I mean things with internal dividers, things the hold together by themselves, decorative, utilitarian, and the entire range. This book has an industrial orientation, as if you're planning a die-cut paper product. It also assumes that you're a fairly skilled designer. Although the patterns are given in full detail, you'll have to make lots of adjustments. That includes sizes, cardboard thicknesses, customization, and proportions. That last can be tricky, because so many of the measurements interlock with with each other, and Roth hasn't given any indication of what the dependencies are. Some of the more complex pieces also appear to assmble in non-obvious ways, which you'll have to work out for yourself. Still, many of these patterns are well within the reach of a home crafter, and offer some exciting possibilities for gift boxes and other kinds of containers or stands. The patterns aren't the kind you can cut out directly from the book, but can be scanned and scaled, or just act as a conceptual inspiration. Whether you're a commercial designer or a paper-crafting hobbyist, this is a unique and incredibly rich resource. Even if it doesn't solve your design problems directly, it shows hundreds of techniques that can be adapted to your own solutions. //wiredweird

This book contains lots of creative, (and basic), packaging patterns which are scaled so mock-ups are easily made. When I am starting a package design project I page through the book to get ideas. The carton section is especially helpful.

This book takes all the stress out of figuring out how to put unique and traditional packages together and lets you focus on what interest you the most instead of fidling with technical details. Its easy to read, and has nice large illustrations. I have found it really easy to trace these illos in adobe illustrator instead of starting from scratch. It is thick and comprehensive. There are so many examples it is hard to find one that isn't in the book.