Photoshop workshop- Post Card Research

The earliest known picture postcard was a hand-painted design on card, posted in London to the writer Theodore Hook in 1840 bearing a penny black stamp. He probably created and posted the card to himself as a practical joke on the postal service, since the image is a caricature of workers in the post office.

 

This is claimed to be the first ever printed post card.

People often used their own photographs of family portraits as post cards. It was a way of sending personal photos to family who may not live close. Over time the purpose of postcards has broadened greatly postcards are now a form of invitation or thank you, they are often sent from galleries and museums.

I really like the simple back of this postcard. I am planning to have a standard layout for my own postcards.

I like the stock used for these postcards, it helps add new tones and depth to the monotonous print. I like the simplistic patterns and forms of the shapes.

I really like these postcards as a collective. I think the use of the penguin logo on the back and front of every postcards makes them look really cohesive. I would like to use a logo or motif on my postcards to tire them all together and make sure they work as a set.

The theme i got given for my post card was circle. I started by looking at general circular designs to get inspiration.

I really like the ambiguity of the disappearing circle in this design. This is something I would like to use in my own work. I also like the use of bright colours against the neutral background.

I like the use of monochrome in this image. This design is also more relevant to the brief as it uses photography.   

I really like the way that the photography in this circle is very abstract and obstructed. I also really like the spacing between the circles and the use of colours. There are lots of colours used but the spacing and neutral background mean its not over baring. 

Overall i think my research has really helped me and i feel well informed to go and design my post cards now. I am going to use the some of the ideas that i has seen whilst researching, for instance i want to have a really simple and stylised back of my postcards. I also want to use my photographs in an abstract and interesting way. To make them seem like attract painting and forms rather than true photography.