Postage stamps - A Social Mail

What should my designs accomplish?

1. A set of 6 stamps to encourage letter writing and the sending of letters
2. 'If' it was aimed at children it could teach them into a habit
3. Keep up the British tradition of the 'Royal Mail'

To Start I had a look and personally photographed a stamp collection:
These are a few of the interestingly interesting designs:

 

The following stamp designs are the ones which I found incredibly inspiring, all for various reasons:

Looking at these stamps first-hand is truly inspiring.  They are beautifully coloured and there designs all completely different and some quite revolutionary and genius.  Each stamp clearly tells a different story but manages to capture the imagination on such a small scale.  The next stamps I found most appropriate, relevant and inspiring:

These postage stamps are bright and brilliant.  They involve children and would clearly stand out from the dull envelope it would be stuck on.  The first is telling a story of the FUN of the circus and the second actually involves children which is great in teaching children tradition and the fun that can be created from sending or receiving letters.

 This stamp is particularly relevant to this project as it encourages the continuing long held tradition of sending letters.  It shows how from 1852, no matter what fashions or trends come and go, the Royal Mail are a constant.  A British tradition and major piece of our history and heritage. 

By having each stamp as a slightly altered design of post box (progressing through time) the iconic post box stamps in themselves are something to collect and cherish.

These set of stamps are encouraging sending greetings messages through the post.  Here the artist has taken already popular illustrative characters and used them for this purpose.  This is a great idea as it uses something that is already popular with all generations and used them to promote the postal system.  They are vibrant and INCLUSIVE of everyone.

I find these very interesting.  The comic book style of the illustration is reflected in the format.  Its a great idea to have each characters story (which is relevant to the post) played out in a comic book strip style.  Putting the stamps together (once collected) would reveal a great storyboard.  This is interesting to all ages and generations.  I will take from these, the idea of linking each stamp witch's in the collection together into creating a story.

Quentin Blake Stamp Designs:

These Christmas stamps illustrated by Quentin Blake are incredibly inspiring.  Just like with all his images they are full of fun and enthusiasm.  Each stamp works well on its own individually as well as complimenting each other in a set.  His theme is A Christmas Carol, 1843 and the characters he depicts are active and clearly displayed their personalities.  For example Scrooge is hunched, towering gangelly over the fearful looking children.  These designs are truly magical and I WILL take inspiration from what I have learnt from each. 

How can I create imagery to encourage sending letters?

• Connect with the masses
• Make it personal
• Emotional blackmail
• Bright and in-your-face
• Be negative of other forms of communication e.g. Internet / email
• Be comical
• Go into tradition
• Personal touch of the postman

The Story of the letter:

Let the hands tell the story:

Design Idea / Theme

I will create a series of stamps showing the process of sending a letter to a loved one:

Rough design idea:

1. Writing the letter
2. Letter in hand walking to the post box
3. Putting the letter in the post box
4. Postman handing letter to the recipient
5. Recipient starting to open the letter
6. Recipient reading the letter

I have decided to have another theme, focusing on hands. The use of hands can create powerful feelings and emotions. A simple gesture can express a powerful meaning. Plus it also emphasises the personal touch of a letter over the alternatives such as Internet.

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Drawing from life:

Life drawing with reference from my photographic sources:

Refined designs for final piece:

These are my final image stamp illustrations:

 

These stamps were designed with the idea that there is nothing more special than send or receiving a letter from a loved one.  This uses the emotions to try and promote the more sociable Royal Mail than other electronic forms of communication.  I have tried to include variations on the Royal Mail’s royal red and blue in each stamp, giving them an obvious flow.  Another, more prominent theme is the use of hands alone to tell the story.  Hands are very emotive things and can create or heighten emotion or gesture towards the intended message.  As the Royal Mail is a personal touch depending and relying on people, whether it be to send these messages and the men and women to deliver them, this makes the focus on ‘hands’ even more relevant.