Cards: Killing Two Birds with One Stone

Those of you that personally know me are probably aware that I am a card sender. Apparently this is not a common characteristic of people today in their mid-20s, but it is very important for me to at least send out a birthday card each year to the people that truly matter. In addition to finding the sentiment valuable, I have always felt that greeting cards (when done well) are great examples of graphic design.

During this past summer while thinking about my need to create more art projects for myself while also saving money I came up with an idea - I should create my own greeting cards. Although I have not succeeded in pursuing this personal project to the extent I originally conceived, I have created a few cards for friends and family. In doing so, I have helped myself keep my artistic mind alive and also save a few bucks.

The very first card I made to fulfill this goal of killing two birds with one stone was a card of encouragement for one of my very best friends who was soon going to be competing in the Berlin Marathon. The card, seen below, was mostly about font and color for me. Because the marathon was taking place in Berlin, I decided to use the German flag as my main inspiration. In making it on Photoshop, I kept in mind the art of paper cutting and picked the colors of the text and footprints on each strip based on what color would be revealed if the colors of the German flag were layered with yellow on the bottom, red in the middle, and black on top and then cut away. My friend, Paule, is actually going to be running another marathon, Brighton, this upcoming weekend. I am definitely thinking of her and only wishing I had found the time to make another card for her for this marathon.


I also just recently made a card for my little brother's birthday pictured below. Somehow my brother is already nineteen! The design for this card seems to coincide with my academic studies at the moment. I am currently taking a course in Islamic art and am reading a great deal about how their art is known for its obsession with rhythmic surface decoration and the form of the arabesque. Lately I think my study of art has been eclipsing my creation of art, but I hope to keep the two in better balance in the future.