Postage Stamps
Postage Stamp Design
I’ve been, on and off, designing postage stamps since 1999. That first issue was for Gibraltar. At the time I didn’t think much about it. It was just another job – one that I enjoyed, but just another job. I have worked now, on several postage stamp issues and it’s become a bit of a niche.
Over these issues, there is an evolution of my work. I was working mostly using an airbrush. Then started painting the people in the artwork with acrylic paints. Applying later the airbrushed areas. The Titanic issue was produced with digital artwork along with scanned painted areas. And the last few issues have all been painted using oils on paper support.
Click on an image to see that issue…
‘120 Years ~ The Sinking of the SS Stella’
‘Centenary of the Titanic’
1912 ~ 2012
‘Les Casquets Lighthouse’
‘Corbière’ ~ Grand National Winner
‘Just So Stories’
‘The Once & Future King’
‘The Battle of Hastings Stamps for Alderney’
‘Memories of World War 2’
‘Little Mermaid’
‘Brunel Bicentenary’
‘Postal Union’
‘Christmas Stamps for Alderney & Guernsey’
50 Years of Guernsey Post – Churchill Stamp
The Westminster Collection & Collectology Commissions
Click here to check out my other stamp related work for The Westminster Collection.
Artwork
Often I have been given historic subjects to illustrate. These have few or no photo’s and there is a lot of research to be done.
The postage stamps have the Queen’s Head or the Royal Cypher on each issue and therefore has to be approved by Buckingham Palace. The time this takes has to be factored into the deadline. Once finished the artwork is sent away and kept by each Philatelic Bureau, as it is technically currency. Though I always think that walking into Tesco’s with a fistful of stamps and trying to pay with them, isn’t going to get you very far!
Philatelic Bureau’s have the final say over the designs. Sometimes the lettering is changed and moved around etc. I now don’t worry too much about the typesetting, just indicating where the lettering might go. The illustration is what I am commissioned to concentrate on.
“We have always been really impressed with Nick’s interpretation, style and choice of colours.”
Dawn Gallienne ~ head of philatelic Guernsey Post Ltd.
‘Little limited edition prints that are collected around the world…’
Well that’s what I like to think anyway, but there is something rather special in knowing that your pictures may not only form part of a collection but also potentially, journey around the globe.
Guernsey Stamps
Jersey Stamps
Gibraltar Stamps
The Westminster Collection