Design Evaluation

     Good Design.  Ice Fantasy Premium Ice Creams were going for a more classic look to their packaging, and I think they did a pretty good job with that.  First thing I noticed was the positive and negative space and how they used it.  I thought it was pretty innovative the way the scoop of ice cream creates the top section of the package, creating a separation in design.  Even though the ice cream scoop is cut off, the law of closure plays a part where our mind complete the other half.  I liked the rounded handle that is also half circular like the ice cream, which this can follow two more laws.  Law of continuity makes our eyes follow the smooth path around the half circle of the scoop and handles. We can group the handle and scoop shapes based on their similar design as the law of similarity.  Contrasts between the dark backgrounds make the color of the ice cream pop, and seem rich.  Subtle colors bleed into the dark background making a connection between the top and bottom sections.  The design is not cluttered or have unnecessary images, it's strictly focusing on its product and its classiness.
     The Heart brand ice cream is also a design packaging that I think is great.  I notice the continual line starting from the top with the melting syrup falling on the ice cream, then your eye gets drawn to the other image on the bottom left corner. There is a balance with the images on different sides, and text on different sides as well.  The two background colors contrast, and make the top color pop and catch your eye.

Bad Design.  I think we can all agree Blue Bell Ice cream is a bad design.  I feel not a lot of gestalt priciples are present at all.  Its plain, and has terrible color.  Catches my eye because of the color, but also makes cringe.  I think that some sort of color or image to show that the flavor is cookies and cream would have helped, because it seems that the flavor is lemon.  You have to search the label to find the flavor.  Usually designs I know right off the bat the flavor because they incorporate the color of the flavor into the package design.  Very flat, definitely looks cheap; which it may be cheap and not high end like my images above, but I know for fact that I have seen better design than this package that were homemade packaging and very very low cost.  I did look up this brand, and it is higher end than it looks.  There is an updated version of this ice cream on the link below, but the only updated part is really the size and colors. Still lacks real design.  http://houston.culturemap.com/news/restaurants-bars/04-26-13-blue-bell-debuts-a-new-ice-cream-flavor-and-you-wont-believe-what-its-fit-for/