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  • Black Crow Halloween Mail Art Tutorial

    by

    Lindsey Bugbee

    , ,

    This Halloween mail art concept can be used any time of year, but I particularly like it now! The lone crow gives the envelope a bit of a spooky feel, and the neutral colors and natural motif in the design make it feel like autumn. Try making this tutorial next time you’ve got an autumn…

    Black Crow Halloween Mail Art Tutorial

    This Halloween mail art may not be the spookiest in the land, but its solitary crow gives the envelope a bit of an eerie feel. White ink and a kraft envelope are a must for this short project!

    1. Make a Stencil

    To create this envelope, you’ll want to begin by downloading the Printable Bluebird Outline. Print the outline out, and use an X-Acto knife to cut out the top bird.

    Bluebird Outline
    Yep — we’re using a bluebird outline to make a crow! Since the bird will be all black, most people won’t notice a difference.

    2. Paint the Stencil

    Now, lay the bird template over a kraft-colored envelope (the colors Harvest, Stone, or Straw Kraft from Cards & Pockets are all good bets). Then, use sumi ink or black acrylic paint or to paint over the bird stencil.

    Painting Over the Crow
    Whatever permanent black paint or pigment that you have on hand will work for this step. I used sumi ink for this project.

    3. Add Calligraphy

    Once your black ink has dried, write over the silhouette with white ink. I like to write out addresses using Kaitlin Style calligraphy, but any lettering or calligraphy style would look great here!

    Writing an address on a Halloween envelope
    Black ink or paint makes a writing surface a bit smooth for calligraphy. If your strokes aren’t as crisp as you’d like, don’t worry about it!

    4. Add a Branch

    When you finish writing the calligraphy, add postage to the upper right corner. Then draw a branch and some leaves under the bird with waterproof black ink. (You can use the photo below as a reference for what your branches should look like.) Fill in the branch and leaves with watercolor or McCaffery’s ink to give the envelope a little bit of color!

    Adding leaves to Halloween Mail Art
    While watercolor would look great on this envelope, I prefer the muted/stained look that McCaffery’s ink gives the vegetation. It’s perfect for autumn! (I used “Brown” for the branch and “Green” for the leaves.)

    Once you finish painting the branch and leaves, this Halloween mail art is all ready to go!

    Black Crow Halloween Mail Art Tutorial

    I love this envelope art concept because it’s not too Halloween-y. Instead, it’s got a nice autumn feel with the slightest hint of spookiness. If you’re not sure what to put on the inside of the envelope, try writing a letter or making a Halloween card. And, of course, if you can’t think of anyone to send your Halloween mail art to, consider a More Love Letters recipient!

    Thanks so much for reading, and I hope your autumn is shaping up to be cozy and creative!

    Warmly,

    Lindsey's Signature | The Postman's Knock