Conspiracy Theory Brewing Company is a local craft brewery with a very interesting concept, a concept that I think could be much better reflected in their designs and beers. These cans were created as an assignment, who's parameters included that we design for local breweries, and that the designs included on our cans were recognizably Ottawa-based.
I wanted to pick something that would be recognizable, but be something that hasn't been "done to death" so to speak. I thought that Conspiracy Theory lent itself perfectly to the idea of using myths and legends around the Ottawa area for my inspiration. The Chateau Laurier is a well known and well-represented part of Ottawa's history and culture. However, the spirit reported to haunt it's hauls is less of a common figure.
The haunting of the Chateau Laurier is one of Ottawa's most well known legends, but not one that tends to make its way into the city's imagery much. With stories of the buildings commissioner still wandering the halls of the hotel he never got to see open, it's easy to become taken in by the buildings beauty, history, and mystery.
The legend and the shape of the hotel itself brought to mind the absolutely iconic cover of Salem's Lot, and I decided to take inspiration and create my own version of the cover for this can's design. I wanted to keep the palette muted and close to monochrome, so I chose this vintage feeling collection of browns and oranges, and the skyline of the Chateau fits so perfectly into the design, it almost felt like it was just waiting to be used together. The can features the story of the legend on the back, so it's ties to Ottawa are clear and easy to find.
Initially my second can design wasn't my favourite, but after reworking and some edits to the artwork, I feel like I managed to bring Old Tessie to a place that I could love just as much as the Laurier Spectre design. I wanted her to match the style I'd chosen for the Laurier Spectre artwork, while pulling a cool blue colour palette to easily differentiate them.
Old Tessie, or the Mugwump, is a creature said to have resided in Lake Timiskaming for centuries. Stories of a lake dweller have been spread by many different people, dating back to early indigenous mythology. Lake monsters seem to be rather plentiful in North America, and it seemed only fitting that Tessie should get a little more use. While she has been described as more of a sea-serpent than the dinosaur like build that Nessie has, I felt that this shape was more recognizable at a glance. I used the same pattern of parliament that I have on the Laurier Spectre can. While Lake Temiskaming isn't exactly in the heart of Ottawa, I felt like using it brought Ottawa more into the design, and helped to frame the artwork nicely.
