ellen - snowman

this is an old one from the days when i was sending a lot of mail and was not too concerned with quality. just cranking them out really fast. i can't think of any other time that i did this kind of double outline. i could see spending more time on the concept. loved those snowmen stamps.

john no. 2 (of 10)

this illustrates *shape*. the flat shape of the olive branch is used as a design element. i often look for a tiny element in the stamp to repeat on the address. outlines and layering.

john no. 1 (of10)

this is the first in a series of 10 i did for an article for Bound and Lettered, a wonderful resource for lettering people and hand made book people. it is available through John Neal Bookseller.
http://www.johnnealbooks.com/ at the top you can click on the Bound and Lettered Button. this envelope shows how to use the colors on the stamp. i like a lot of contrast. again, i touch the letters so i don't have to worry about space and i outline with a very fine pen to make them crisp. a square dot separates the two words. maybe john can add a comment here and tell us if there are any back issues available of the issue that has my article.

jackie no. 7 (of 10)

outlining. a heavier line right on the edge of the color and then a thinner line. i think i avoid the difficulty of spacing by letting the letters touch.

jackie no. 2

another one in the happy birthday series. sharpie markers, outlines, touching letters, bouncy lines. compare this one to kathy no. 10 below. same stamp, but this one has a big first name/small last name. one piece of confetti is trying to dot an *i* that does not need a dot

jackie no. 4 (of 10)

quick choppy letters. did all the green strokes first. too much space between the i and the e, so i tucked the davis in between. sometimes poor planning is more interesting. and that's weird how the A has two yellow dots and the C has none. sharpie markers and zig zags on the outline. wacky.