The assignment was to create a stamp design for the U.S. Postal Service’s series of Love stamps using an artistic media or approach not previously used. The stamp needed to appear fresh with an appeal appropriate to a wide constituency sending mail for a variety of occasions and celebrations.

After deciding to pursue artwork created with paper quilling to represent “love," the challenge was to find a quilling artist who was not only adept at the craft but also had an excellent sense of design and color. The artist, Yulia Brodskaya, first worked with the art director to develop the concept and design through multiple pencil sketches. Upon arriving at a successful sketch, the artist created an oversized three-dimensional paper sculpture which then was photographed before being reduced to stamp size and combined with appropriate typography. All the elements came together perfectly to suggest the joyous energy of love.

Three hundred million stamps were produced and they were very well received. Within 11 months 76% of the total print run had sold. This stamp issuance garnered a great deal of media as well and raised the profile of quilling, an art form not featured on U.S. stamps before. It also introduced a popular craft/do-it-yourself aesthetic to the U.S. Postal Service stamp program. The client couldn’t be happier with the results.