Project #2- Stamp Design

GRAPHIC DESIGN – ART PROGRAM Professor Groat

Commemorative Stamp Design

This project will require you to create one unique stamp design that commemorates notable local history. The stamp that you create must be based a design style from the past. The overall of form of the stamp must be reflective of its content. On a daily basis we are bombarded by an array of graphic media that attempt to convey messages to us, and in order for the media to be successful at communicating these messages it needs to be visually compelling.

Design Concept

Stamp Theme: Commemoration of Significant Local History!

Inventions, Important People, Corporate Development,

Social and Political Change

Design Styles: Art Nouveau (Late 19th Century to Early 20th Century)

Bauhaus (1920’s)

Constructivism (1913-1920's )

Art Deco (1920-1930)

International Typographic Style

(Swiss School of Design) 1950-1970

Modernism / Modern Movement/New York School (1940’s)

Post-Modern Design (Current)

Conceptual Steps/ Design Phases / Creative Stages:

Topic Research

1. Collect visual examples of (20) twenty to (30) thirty stamp designs that are visually engaging to you. These can be digital or physical examples. If they are digital ones, please print them out and mount them on a sheet of paper.

2. Choose your three (3) favorite designs. Make a descriptive list (in bullet form) referencing the specific “informational elements” and “design elements and principles” that are contained within the three collected stamps (lists are below).

3. Collect three to five (3-5) examples of a graphic design style that your stamp will be based upon. (For example, researching posters that were created in an Art Nouveau or Russian Constructivism style). These can be found on the Internet and printed out. Make a descriptive list (in bullet form) referencing the specific elements that are contained within each design movement / style. Describe how the design elements have been implemented.

(lists are at the bottom).

4. Create Traditional Illustration that presents your subject (strive for a dynamic representation). The illustration can either be completed from direct observation or from a photograph / digital print out.

5. Thumbnail Sketches Work on 10-20 thumbnail sketches that investigate design concepts for your stamp design.

6. Chose strongest thumbnail concept and complete 5-10 more thumbnail sketches that present variations of the one design concept.

7. Create a single rough on graph paper based on strongest concept

The rough needs to be at least five inches in height and width. The final dimensions will depend on if you have chosen to design on a square or rectangular format.

8. Digital Scan of Illustration in Photoshop

9. Photoshop—digital manipulation and enhancement

10. Adobe Photoshop or Illustrator Layout

Informational Elements_--STAMP MUST CONTAIN

§ Central Image based on an original illustration.

Create an original illustration with traditional medium such as oil paint, acrylic paint, watercolor, tempera paint, gouache, black sharpie marker or graphite

(with color or without color)

§ Denomination of stamp (Example: 37 cents, $1)

§ Country of Origin (Example: USA)

§ Reference to subject/theme

§ Date of subject/theme

§ Date (year) Stamp was Designed (The year “2005” typeset in 7 or 8 points)

§ Significance (A short phrase relating to the significance of the subject you have chosen)

§ Other information that you feel is appropriate (and represented on stamp designs that you have researched)

Design Attributes and Principles / Postage Stamp Form

When considering these areas please ask yourself “For What Reason Were These Design Elements/Principles Used” and “How Were They Specifically Applied?”

§ Shape of Postage Stamp / Proportion of Stamp / Horizontal or vertical

§ Four Color / Spot Color/ Colors Used Develop a color scheme. What colors conceptually relate to the landmark and design style you work with

§ Type of Central Image / The Illustration

§ Line Detailing / Borders

§ Interpretive Dimension of Type /Type supports the aesthetic of the artwork/theme

§ Typographical Layout: Vertical Type, Horizontal Type, Type on a curve

§ Hierarchical arrangement of elements (Most to least important—Focal Point)

§ Position (proximity) of all informational elements / Symmetrical/Asymmetrical

§ Compositional Devices / Use of Grid

§ Type of Balance Symmetrical or Asymmetrical

§ Illusion of Space / Depth

§ Relationship of Positive and Negative Space

Physical Dimensions

Illustration: Between 11 inches x 14 inches and 11 inches by 8.5 inches

Final Comp: Posted on Your Blog!

Posted on your Blog!

Production Information & Design Description

· Your name / Name of Design

· Name of Software Used / Date

· Paragraph specifically describing how your stamp design

relates to the chosen style or styles of architecture, or graphic design movement.

Graphic Concepts To Consider For Dynamic Designs

· Contrasting Scale of Images

· Contrasting Scale of Type

· Typographical Variation:

1. Upper Case / Lower Case

2. Weight of Text / Bold / Italic

3. Varied Letter Spacing

· Considering the amount of Negative Space left in design

· Clustering of Text Into Units Based On Content

· Nesting Text

· Overlapping of Images and Text To Create Unity

· Typographical Harmony – Family of Font, Style of Font

· Altering Opacity To Create Sense of Depth and Emphasis In Design

· Color Harmony – Relationship of Text Color with Image Color

Resources

United States Postal Service

USPS—commemorative stamps

http://www.usps.com/communications/organization/csac.htm

United States Postal Museum

http://www.postalmuseum.si.edu/

History

http://www.usps.com/history/anrpt04/stamps.htm

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postage_stamp#History