Assignment: Design a Postage Stamp
Using Adobe Illustrator
Most of us have mailed a letter using a postage stamp.
But few of us have considered when and where stamps
were first used.
The first effort to mark letters for delivery came in 1653, when
Frenchman, De Valayer was granted permission to establish a
postal system in Paris.
He set up mail boxes at various location though out the city and
delivered the letters people placed in them, but only if they used
envelopes that only he sold. Letters were marked by wrapping
them with a slip of paper bearing the inscription
"post-paid______day of_________1653."
De Valayer’s system was short-lived.
An enemy of De Valayer's
put live mice into the letter
boxes. They chewed and
nested in the letters and
ruined his business.
Later, in 1716, Spain began experimenting with postage.
It wasn’t until 1840 that England introduced
the first adhesive stamp like we are familiar with today.
The 1840 “Queen
Victoria” or
“Black Penny”
stamp is now worth
between $40,000
and $60,000.
The first two American postage stamps
were issued in 1847, a five cent Ben Franklin
and ten cent George Washington.
The five-cent stamp paid for domestic letters
within a 300 mile radius of the post office from
which it was sent, and the ten-cent stamp for
anything beyond that.
Between 1851 and 1860 new stamps of differing values replace these
first stamps. As with the first stamps, the more the postage the greater
the delivery distance. A ninety cent stamp went to Europe.
FRANKLIN 1 CENT
WASHINGTON 12 CENT
WASHINGTON 2 CENT
JEFFERSON 5 CENT
WASHINGTON 10 CENT
WASHINGTON 20 CENT
WASHINGTON 30 CENT
WASHINGTON 90 CENT
http://www.1847usa.com/identify/19th/1847.htm
In 1869 American stamps began to feature images other than
portraits.
FRANKLIN
PONY EXPRESS
S S ADRIATIC
LANDING OF
COLUMBUS
LOCOMOTIVE
SIGNING
DECLARATION
OF
INDEPENDANCE
WASHINGTON
EAGLE, SHIELD
& FLAG
EAGLE & SHIELD
LINCOLN
http://www.arago.si.edu/index.asp?con=1&cmd=1&tid=20279
The first U.S. stamps issued specifically to commemorate our
history were issued in 1893 and honored Christopher Columbus.
Other Commemorative Stamps
Requirements for stamp design
More current commemoratives
Many of the subjects chosen to appear on U.S. stamps and
postal stationery are suggested by the public. Each year, the
Postal Service receives from the American public thousands
of letters proposing stamp subjects. Every stamp suggestion
meeting criteria is considered, regardless of who makes it or
how it is presented.
On behalf of the Postmaster General, the Citizens' Stamp
Advisory Committee is tasked with evaluating the merits of
all stamp proposals. Established in 1957, the Committee
provides the Postal Service with a "breadth of judgment and
depth of experience in various areas that influence subject
matter, character and beauty of postage stamps."
The
Duke Ellington
stamp was part of the 2008
commemorative stamp
series honoring black
cinema.
The
Take Me Out to the Ballgame
stamp was a 2008
commemorative stamp
honoring black baseball
history.
The
Red Grange
stamp was part of the 2008
commemorative stamp
series honoring football
legends.
The
Love
stamp was part of the 2002
commemorative stamp
series recognizing the
importance of love.
Some stamps commemorate people, events or institutions.
Some stamps educate.
The stamps you design will be created using Adobe
Illustrator and will have an appearance like one of
the following examples.
Today’s stamps have taken on a new
and more contemporary appearance.
What kind of information is displayed on a stamp?
value
illustration
country
Class:
regular
first
air