Tracing is a great shortcut if you don’t have the time and/or the energy to freehand draw. It’s a technique that can help you to make some beautiful projects (like illuminated letters and flourished ampersands). Today, I’m adding another fun project to the tracing roster: this vintage roses mail art. Set aside 45 minutes or so to put on some good music or a podcast, enjoy your favorite fall beverage, and create a beautiful envelope for a loved one!
1. Gather Your Supplies
To make this vintage roses mail art, you’ll need a few supplies:
- Mail Art Roses Template from the Illustrated Roses Templates for Tracing/Collage collection
- White envelope – You need one that’s high-quality, otherwise your ink will feather. Cards and Pockets “White” is a safe bet.
- Ziller Soot Black ink – I have a whole bunch of ink spill specials available right now.
- Watercolor palette
- Straight pen fitted with a Nikko G nib
- Light Box – Optional but highly recommended. To read more about light boxes and learn if you’d use one enough to justify the purchase, see this article.
2. Trace the Roses
Turn on your light box, then, place the Mail Art Roses Template on top of the light box. Center your A7 white envelope over the template.

Now, use your straight pen + Nikko G nib and Ziller ink to trace over the roses and leaves.

Once you’re finished, your envelope will look like the one below.

3. Write the Address
Now, draw a few wavy pencil guidelines in the space between the roses and leaves on the left and the rose in the lower right corner. Then, use Kaitlin Style calligraphy to write your recipient’s address on those wavy pencil guidelines. Once the ink dries, erase your pencil guidelines.

4. Add Watercolor
Next, use your favorite watercolor palette to add color to the roses and leaves.

5. Enjoy!
When you finish adding watercolor, you’re ready to send this vintage roses mail art! If you want to, you can waterproof the roses with some MicroGlaze, but doing that is not a “must”. You can either add a postage stamp collage or just one elegant stamp to the upper right corner, whatever feels best to you.
I hope that you liked today’s mail art project! For more projects that you can make using the Illustrated Roses Templates for Tracing/Collage, see:
- DIY Holiday Card + Artistic Envelope Tutorial
- Classy Black, White, and Gold Botanical Letter Tutorial
- Elegant Floral Get Well Soon Card Tutorial
- Vintage Illustrated Roses Envelope
Happy creating, and thanks very much for reading TPK!
Warmly,