USPS Forever Stamp
Mock USPS Forever Stamp design modeled after the 1914 George Washington commemorative stamp. This project features the children’s character Strawberry Shortcake and her friends. While the project wasn’t created for the USPS, it did follow the official design rules and guidelines provided for USPS stamps.
Tools Used: Linoleum, Photoshop, Illustrator
Course: Images in Communication, The University of Texas at Austin
Deliverables: Four unique stamps, two stamp booklets, and a mock Instagram post announcing the stamps
The Vision
I was drawn to the style and aesthetic of the stamps made in the early 20th century. I loved the monochromatic aspect of the stamps, along with the detail and values from the etching method used. Once I saw the red stamps of Washington made in 1914, I was instantly inspired to recreate it, but using Strawberry Shortcake.
Strawberry Shortcake was one of my favorite shows growing up, and it has, oddly enough, actually aided me in design. Articulating ideas, design concepts, or moods is often difficult for me, and one handy reference that I find myself referring to is the Strawberry Shortcake franchise. For example, in a recent tennis-themed project, I knew I wanted the color palette to be circa 2003 Lime Light. Since the franchise has been a guide for me in my design journey and an inspiration to young girls, it feels fitting to create a stamp commemorating the franchise.
The Process
I explored the original 80’s and 90’s character style as well as the 2003 Strawberry Shortcake character design I had grown up with. I tried many different compositions, layouts, and characters, but ultimately decided to create the original Strawberry Shortcake and her friends in the same style as the red Washington stamp.
I created linoleum prints of Strawberry Shortcake, Orange Blossom, Blueberry Muffin, and Lemon Meringue to emulate the etchings on the original stamp. By tracing over my rough sketches in Illustrator, I was then able to create a precise guide to carve from. I put all four stamp designs on an 8.5×11-inch document to the scale that I wanted the prints to be.
With my 1.5 mm triangular Power Grip carving tool, I carved around all the black lines. This tool was extremely helpful with the tiny details in the print. I used an Exacto knife for the especially intricate details, such as the eyes.
After creating physical prints I was then able to transfer them to the digital space. I enjoyed the thrill of working in and out of the digital realm.
