Today’s article will help you transform your mail into artistic masterpieces. You’ll learn design techniques, creative tips, and mailing best practices. The new Feathers and Fins Mail Art Bundle provides ready-made templates to get you started!
Early in the planning stages of my book, my editors and I agreed that mail art should be included. I ended up making six envelopes for a spread, which I sent to London to be photographed. The photographer, Nigel Wright, couldn’t get enough of one envelope in particular. This envelope featured two koi fish surrounded by lily pads, flowers, and bubbles circling around the recipient’s name.
I absolutely love the artistic photographs that Nigel took for the book, and I wanted to express that to him in a unique and meaningful way. Knowing how much he loved the koi fish envelope, I decided to make one for him, which I’ll use to send a thank you card. In the process, I made envelope templates for you, too, if you like the artwork and want to send one out yourself. Today, we’ll talk about the process behind making an envelope like this, why it’s worth it to send mail art in the first place, and the new Feathers and Fins Mail Art Bundle.
During the time that I was writing my book, I had plenty of time constraints to deal with. Now that the book is finished, however, I can take things slower. I took full advantage of that for Nigel’s envelope, savoring every step of its creation over the span of several days. This is the best way to make mail art: take it slow and enjoy it!
Start by landing on a theme, then search for reference images to enhance that theme. I looked at images of koi fish to design a composition, which I sketched out in pencil. Then, I traced over my pencil sketch using a Pilot Falcon pen with an extra fine nib (affiliate link). My lily pads and flowers didn’t require a reference image; they’re pretty simple drawings.
Once you’ve traced over everything with your pen, wait for the ink to completely dry (give it 24 hours, just to be safe). Then, erase any pencil sketch lines.
Tip: Mail art requires a sturdy envelope. For today’s project, I used a white A7 envelope from Cards and Pockets (affiliate link), but an envelope from any of these sources will work well.
Some artists make the mistake of letting their color medium exclusively work to add dimension to the piece. You can make your work exceptional by building that dimension into the ink portion of the illustration. Add shadows and hatching/crosshatching (find a beginner’s guide here) to make everything pop!
In the photo below, you can see how much of a difference some shading can make. The left side of the illustration has been enhanced with hatching and outlines, while the right side hasn’t been detailed yet.
Adding shading takes time, but the effect is absolutely worth it. When you feel like you might be done, prop your envelope against something, then step away from it. If it looks polished from a distance, you’re ready to add color.
Once you finish your illustration, think about how you want to add color. You can use anything: colored pencils, crayons, markers, or — my favorite — watercolors. No matter which medium you choose, keep the richness of the illustration in mind. Try to use several different tones of the same color. For example, for the illustration below, I used four different blues to make a vibrant pond.
When you feel happy with the mail art illustration, add the recipient’s address. Typically, I like to use straightforward hand lettering (versus calligraphy) on a really detailed envelope like this one. Doing so helps the illustration to shine.
When you’ve written the address, the mail art is finished! At this point, you can decide whether to apply a postage stamp directly to the envelope or wrap it in cellophane first, as my friend Phyllis Macaluso does (see this example). I ordered some international stamps today, and I plan to place one in the negative space between the lily ponds.
Once you’ve applied the stamp, protect your envelope with something like MicroGlaze. Doing so will ensure that your mail art arrives in a fresh-looking and smudge-free state.
When I create detailed mail art, I always make a high-quality scan of the envelope before adding color to it. This allows me to reuse the design and send out equally impressive mail art in a fraction of the time it took to create the original. Today, I’m making that scan available to you in a couple of different formats — and with a bonus design, too!
For the bundle, I included another illustration from a mail art piece in The Calligraphy Book. This illustration features a vintage-style bluebird perched on a branch.
The bundle includes two printable mail art templates that you can fold into 6-1/8″ x 4-3/8″ (15.6 x 11.1 cm) envelopes.
You’ll also find two 5″x7″ (12.7 cm x 17.75 cm) printable illustrations. I like to add color and an address to these illustrations, then I cut them out.
There are two possible routes to go with the 5″x7″ illustrations. The first option is to pop one into a clear envelope, as shown below.
Alternatively, you can decoupage the illustration onto an A7 envelope. For more natural-looking edges, consider adding gold foil to a couple of the corners.
The nice thing about these templates is they give you the joy of creating without the time commitment. The illustrations are already there, waiting for you to breathe life into them with your choice of colors! Then, you can play around with different lettering styles to artfully write someone’s address. I challenge you to make these your own: be brave with your color schemes, and try a lettering technique you aren’t quite sure about. The reward will be not only the satisfying creation process, but also a very delighted recipient.
In today’s digital age, people largely don’t communicate via snail mail anymore (after all, I’m talking to you right now via a screen). Emails, instant messaging, and social media have become the primary modes of staying in touch. So, why bother with mail art?
Truthfully, the fact that other, non-tangible modes of communication exist makes mail art even more special. No one expects to go to the mailbox and find something delightful there. When they do, it’s an unexpected joy that stands out amidst the usual bills and advertisements. A decorated envelope and its contents foster a tangible connection between the sender and receiver, filled with the personal touches and creativity that digital communication lacks.
You might be surprised at how easily mail art becomes a keepsake. Years ago, when I lived in an apartment, I found out the management company kept all my rent check envelopes on a bulletin board. Last week, we visited my family for the 4th of July, and I couldn’t help but notice that my mother has the envelope pictured above prominently displayed in her bedroom. The personal touch of mail art creates connections and memories that last far beyond the moment of delivery.
I have heard from many a reader who expresses the fear of mail art failure. To be clear: they aren’t afraid to make the mail art; they’re afraid to hand over their precious piece of art to the post office. And for good reason! Readers have reported all sorts of envelopes being lost or experiencing delivery delays. Some readers even get scolded by the post office for attempting to send something out of the ordinary.
If you’re nervous about sending mail art, you can start by reading these tips for mastering mail art delivery. If you’re already following the tips and still experiencing issues, consider placing your mail art envelope inside a larger envelope with a shipping label and tracking. In this case, you don’t need to write the recipient’s address on the mail art envelope itself. Alternatively, try using a first-class trackable label on your envelope, and take on the challenge of decorating the entire back of the envelope.
The beauty of mail art lies in its personal touch. It shows that you’ve taken the time to create something special for someone. So, embrace the process, enjoy the creation, and try to let go of your fear. Instead, promise yourself that you’ll adapt next time if things don’t go as planned. Different post offices might have different rules, but that just means more opportunities to think outside the box and enhance your creativity.
I hope that you enjoy the inspiration in today’s blog post, and that you have fun with the Feathers and Fins Mail Art Bundle! Thanks so much for reading, and have a lovely weekend.
Warmly,
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