When I first started my project, it was very confusing and the route I was going to take in it wasn’t very clear. Once the process of sketching began, it was a little less confusing, and a few good ideas starting to evolve. So, this is my journey through the creation of an alternative energy stamp set.
I had to research two different things: alternative energy and stamp design. I decided to research the energy issue first, to get a better understanding about the subject of the project.
My research for this first part was done mostly through the Internet, finding from the most basic definitions to more complex uses of alternative energy. I researched different companies that are specialized in the matter, and what they where doing to promote alternative energy. This led me to create an extensive document, with very detailed information about these energies, types, pros and cons, and interesting facts. I also explored what was being done to promote alternative energy use, from in the graphic design world.
Parallel to this I started researching about stamps. I began my search in the Royal Mail website, looking at past stamps and their designs. I found some stamps from the UK, and in some other interesting websites I found stamps from different countries that were very helpful. This helped me have a better understanding about the norms to design a stamp; it inspired me and gave me so many ideas!
Also, we contacted via email a representative from Walsall Security Printers, which is a company that prints stamps. This person helped us, have a better understanding about the printing process of stamps and about creating an eco-friendly stamp. She also referred us to Tullis Russel, which make the paper for the stamps, and we also visited Stanley Gibbons, that is a collector’s shop, here we found out a lot more about stamps and the collectors’ world.
Once this investigation was done, I started trying to develop my idea. So I asked myself, “What do I want to say with these stamps?” “What will my message be?” “how can I design them so people are interested in them?” but most of all, “how is this product going to create awareness on the subject?”.
I came up with a few ideas, most of it revolving around the phrase “The Power of Nature”. I found that it was an area I wanted to give more emphasis to, since alternative energy comes from nature. Also, I made an extensive visual research, and this helped me to come up with some ideas of my own.
I thought that the stamps should be very appealing and eye-catching, so I explored different design ideas. First, I decided to make the stamps, typographic stamps. These stamps would express a message clearly, but at the same time be very attractive design wise.
My second idea was to repeat drawings of everyday objects we use and then have one element that is different, and this element would be related to alternative energy. This led me to a completely different approach: combine objects we use everyday and alternative energy.
So, I explored my third and final idea. Through a continuous line I would unite these everyday objects to a alternative energy source. I think it is important to create awareness in people by showing them that things they use everyday can and are powered by alternative energy. I loved this idea so much that I decided to go further with it, and with the typography idea as well. Once I decided this, they had to go through different stages of sketching to become attractive designs.
To test these ideas, I decided to show my designs to my tutors, my family and my friends. They all really liked them, but people seemed to respond a lot more to the continuous line design, they thought the typographic design was really eye-catching and interesting, but they had a hard time reading it, and preferred the continuous line design over it.
So this led me to chose this design for my final set of stamps. It was a long and confusing journey, but it ended here, with a design I was very proud to make.
Overall I think that this entire process was a great lesson for me on how to manage my time, on how to research and how to develop a mapping process of the project. It also taught me that I need to simplify the process a little, don’t stress so much, and use the information I have to create an idea. I also think that I should focus a little more on visual investigation for the next project, don’t complicate myself so much and don’t over think everything, because some of the best ideas I had were simple, but effective.
