Christmas Stamps 2009

found: www.magpiestudio.co.uk

This is a really nice example of a presentation card for stamps the whole theme of the stamps is really brought out by the packaging. the die cut windows really make this piece something special for a stamp collector and makes it really feel like a special presentation pack.

First Day Cover.

This is a really nice example of a first day cover that I picked up in a charity shop. All the stamps from the british birds series are displayed on the envelope

All the stamps from the british birds range appear on the first day cover envelope which is a method of collecting the stamps that the royal mail still use to date.

An illustration for the overall theme of the stamps appears on the first day cover as well which is something I need to consider within my stamp brief.

Also all the stamps from the series are date stamped so that it captures a moment in time for the collector. This is also a key element to the first day cover!

Inside the first day cover there is also a separate card with more details about british birds and another illustration. Something else to remember to add to my stamp series!

Stamps

First Day Covers for stamps.

The above first day cover is celebrating the beatles album covers and features an example of each stamp from the series.


Above are the stamps that celebrated the 100th anniversary of Rudyard Kipling's Just So Stories childrens book. Each stamps depicts a different story from the book.

Featured is the stamp first day cover which is a unique and inexpensive way to collect Special Stamps. First Day Covers are specially designed envelopes, containing a full set of Special Stamps, personalised with your name and address and cancelled with a ‘First Day of Issue’ handstamp – creating your very own marker in time.

Source: www.royalmail.com/portal/stamps/content1?catId=32300675&mediaId=32400670

sustainable design stamps

Found: www.rsadesigndirections.org

This stamp set is by one of the winners from the RSA brief that was set last year. The designer Kevin Daly created this stamp range with the theme of sustainability.

Each stamp was letterpressed by hand and printed using a grey ink so that it reduces the amount of ink used within the print process.

I really like how effective this stamp set is and its so clean and simple with the use of just letterpress and the use of grey ink.

awww hello...leonard (dogs&cats stamps)

Set of stamps to mark 150 years of Battersea Dogs & Cats Home tugs on the heart strings with images starring the likes of Leonard (see above)

The stamps were designed by CDT with photographs by Steve Hoskins.Each one features a cat or dog who has been succesfully 'rehomed'.

Source: www.creativereview.co.uk/cr-blog

The use of single images works really well within stamp design whether it be a photo like the ones above or an illustration. It seems simple bold designs work best within stamp design.

Stamp Formats.

When the booklet is folded up there is a 5mm edge to take in to account when laying out my designs. Also the royal mail logo takes up most of the booklet so I will need to consider this within my designs.

Important information for the inside of my designs. Each stamp book comes with a set of 6 stamp of which are all of the same kind.

More information on the reverse of the book, including a barcode and what the 1st class stamp is valid for. Also seen in the photo below the fold of the book is perforated so that it can be torn off to make the stamp more accessible to be kept in a wallet or purse.

Royal mail Classic Alblum Cover Stamps.

I'm looking at producing the higher end stamp range, so that they would appear as a collectors item. Here the royal mail have two versions to buy which is just a single souvenir cover sheet which has 10 different stamps included on it. Where as the presentation pack includes more information about the album art work and a separate single sheet with 10 stamps again.

Single Stamps...

Chemistry, Design: Jerczy Karo. Great shapes and overprinting. Nice use of simple imagery!

Celebrating the Centenary of the Telephone, Design Philip Sharland. Simple colour use works really well here.

Lovely use of line and colour!!!

These stamps are printed with a metallic gold and the printing and colour is great, clean and vibrant.

A beautiful set, great halftone images and typography.

Canon stamps.

The presentation of this set of stamps highlights the quality of the product, as its celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Canon SLR. The front cover of the booklet is also embossed with the image of a camera in a repeat pattern, which is a technique I'm looking in to using for mine. Overall the presentation booklet works well and is of a quality finish.

Classic Album Covers Stamps.

Each stamp set from the royal mail comes in 5 different formats for you to buy. Including the Prestige presentation set which is the most expensive to buy but perfect for a collector. Which means that this booklet is of a higher quality and more collectible, as this is something I want to include within my stamp set. Others just simply display the stamps on a card rather than in a booklet, or you can buy them just as a sheet of stamps. I need to consider this when designing my stamps as it needs to work across a range of formats.