DIY Postcards 2 - The Art

The front of the card is the side to decorate and grab attention. 

ATTENTION GETTING things to remember...

• If it’s colorful and looks hand-made, it may get more attention. - The thing is, you don't really want it to look like it's some printed out thing that has been duplicated hundreds of times and sent out to just anybody.  The handmade quality is what sets it apart!!!
• It doesn’t have to be fabulous.  If you are sending it to someone you're mad at, who cares if it is museum quality?  Relax and have fun while you are helping to save Democracy!  
• Shorter messages work best.  Assume the reader/s are in a hurry.  

Get as artsy AS YOU WANT.

The front of your card can be super simple or if you are creative and artsy and have some time, it could be more involved.  

Inspiration - I am often inspired by protest posters and online memes.  Many times, the idea I see in a meme can be simplified using just stick figures and it's still quite fun and gets the message across.

You could use just words or a quote.  Not every card has to have a picture.

To make it more exciting, add a fun border or vary the size and style of your words. Put the quote over an abstract background. 

Draw like a kid!

Stick figures and simple drawings work and they are super easy.  You can change the expression to whatever emotion your card needs.  You can write any message you like in a speech bubble or a sign.

ART SUPPLIES - You don't need much.  

The paper - I cut 4x6 pages out of watercolor paper.  You can see more about what to look for in order to be the right weight for postcards HERE.

Pens, Pencils, Markers, etc - I mostly just used what I had on hand.  

• Colored pencils, crayons, markers - I prefer colored pencils.  They don't smear.
• Pens and markers - I like Pigma Micron black permanent ink pens, fav sizes = 05 and 08.  The 05 makes fine lines.  The 08 is just a a little bolder and has become the size I use most.  
• If you are artsy, you can use watercolors or acrylic paints. 

I use a LIGHT BOX a lot to trace a picture!!!  They are not very expensive - $5-$30.  I now have 3 of them.  I bought the extras for a workshop and figured my grands could use them when they visit as well. 

I have a $30 one that requires being plugged in.  

My favorite light box is a kid friendly Crayola brand battery-operated one. (Crayola® Light-Up Tracing Pad). You can find some great ones  at places like FIVE BELOW (which is a blue-friendly store) for around $5.  I thought this inexpensive one might not be as good and it might be harder to see through the thick watercolor paper, but I was wrong. All of the light boxes work well, but I use the battery operated one most so I don't need to worry about being near an outlet.  

This shows how a printed page shows up through 
watercolor paper when using a light board.
You can see how easy it is to trace.
I printed an image I liked in two sizes.  
I now know exactly how large to make 
an image so I don't waste printer paper.

A few of these took a bit of time to create but while I worked on them, I could feel my stress level drop.  Having fun while doing your part to save democracy is a win-win!

“Whimsy isn’t needless frivolity or childishness. It is a survival strategy when each news cycle seems to bring with it more uncertainty and hard things than the last.  Simply put, whimsy is a tool for a calmer nervous system.  When I say whimsy, I’m not talking about toxic positivity or hustle-harder hype. Rather, I’m referring to intentionally embracing playful, imaginative, or lighthearted actions with a side of quirky delight, artistic creativity, and childlike curiosity.  Researchers who study play have discovered tiny, whimsical acts signal safety to our brains. Whimsy is a resilience strategy."

- D. Michell Perry, THE SATURDAY STROLL (on Substack)