I had the absolute honor of designing the 2021 Love stamp for the USPS.
With the stamp typically releasing around Valentine’s Day, I wanted to do something that felt more inclusive than the motifs that you might typically find around the holiday. Love exists in many more contexts than just a romantic sense and I wanted the stamps to be able to express all aspects of that feeling— love for a teacher, a family member, a pal, an organization— rather than just one.
I’m not much of a type designer, so I took an illustrative approach to the letters and used formations of a heart illustration to inform the type. For instance, the Top right of the L is curved like the top of a heart icon and the whereas the top right corner is sharp like the point of the heart. I wanted to ensure legibility from a far distance given the small size of the stamps, and as for the color palette my Art Director and I landed on this for its funky bright mix of hues that match the spirit of the design.
The USPS also turned this design into various merch items, including an enamel pin, pictured above.
I worked with Greg Breeding, Art Director and Founder of Journey Group, throughout this project. Greg is the best at what he does and I am so thankful to him for not only bringing this project to me but guiding me through it. I’m forever grateful!
Photos shown on envelopes provided by The USPS and Journey Group.