(Spanish version) I’m sharing the design process behind the product image of Fontañinas, the delicious handmade almond cookies born in the spring of 2025 at A Punto de Nieve bakery, in La Pola de Gordón (León).

The owner and pastry chef is María P. Madrigal. We met in 2024, and since then we’ve collaborated on several small projects related to her business. It’s funny how, even though I wasn’t the original creator of her brand identity, we always seem to agree naturally on designs, colors, and graphics. That retro style her bakery has, combined with the soft mint green, feels simply irresistible to both of us.

When I found out she wanted me to design the product image and packaging for her new almond cookies, I spent several days obsessing over box types, materials, vintage and modern styles… and diving into a sea of references on vegetation and landscapes.

But then… what exactly is a Fontañina, and why is it called that?

This tender almond and Iberian lard cookie, shaped like a mountain or snow-capped peak, is a Fontañina:

Lard is a traditional ingredient in Spanish baking, especially valued for the unique flavor and delicate texture it brings to certain sweets. It’s commonly used in holiday treats like polvorones—crumbly, melt-in-your-mouth cookies that are a staple of the Christmas season. This ingredient adds a rich, nostalgic taste that many people associate with family celebrations and homemade desserts.

Fontañán, standing 1,634 meters tall, is one of the peaks surrounding La Pola de Gordón. It gives its name to the Fontañinas, which are on their way to becoming a signature local treat—thanks to their handmade recipe, classic ingredients, and delicate flavor.

I’m going to start at the end, by showing you the final result. These are the illustrated boxes of the Fontañinas:

My original illustration:

It’s a mountain scene, featuring an abstract silhouette of a snow-covered peak, a green valley with clusters of vegetation, and, in the foreground, a group of native plants. The text elements will be placed over the valley.

Let’s talk about inspiration:

As I’ve been mentioning, Fontañán is the highest peak in our town, and one of the most beloved hiking routes for those who visit.

Its landscapes, shifting light, and native flora—like beech trees, heath (urz), and mountain peonies—inspired the scene depicted on the boxes.

The process:

Algunas imágenes del proceso y los detalles:

The illustration is slightly smaller than A2 size, painted on cold-pressed Arches cotton paper. It’s one of my favorite papers to use—it handles layering, mixing, and retouching beautifully… probably the best paper I’ve ever worked with.

For the watercolor, I used White Nights tubes by NEVSKAYA PALITRA, my favorite brand so far.

I also used gouache from the popular brand HIMI for the peony colors and the light green leaves in the foreground. As for the white gouache, I switch between Winsor & Newton and Lefranc Bourgeois, depending on the day!

I won’t go into more detail for now, because I’m working on a longer video that includes the full painting process.

Once the illustration was finished, I digitized it by scanning it in high resolution and moved on to working with it on the computer—choosing fonts, creating a custom vintage-style frame, adding logos…

In addition to the illustration on the lid, there are other essential elements. Above is the sketch that would later become the product information label, what it is, where it comes from, who makes it, what it contains…

Below is a full showcase of the different sides of the cardboard box (which we’ve named the Daily Edition), and how we’ve tried to tell a complete story through its design:

And this is the metal tin, the Gift Edition, which includes a greeting or gift card, also designed by me:

The card is also a floral illustration, featuring soft pink peonies with golden-toned leaves. It reads “Sweet moments, happy memories,” a phrase we find deeply evocative of those shared times around the table—over coffee, sweet treats, and good company.

In Spain, it’s traditional to stay at the table after a meal for what we call la sobremesa, an unhurried moment of conversation and connection. It’s a sign of respect for the person who cooked, but also a cherished cultural habit: the time when stories are shared, jokes are told, and no one is in a rush. In a way, it’s similar to the Swedish fika (a coffee break enjoyed with something sweet) though in Spain, we don’t have a specific name for it. We simply sit, sip coffee, enjoy a treat, and let time slow down a little.

That’s it for today’s look at the development of this product image. Don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter, bookmark this page, or follow me on social media if you’d like to be notified when I share more details about how to bring an abstract idea to life as a physical product.

Until then, thank you so much for reading!