Baxter & Bailey has labored with illustrator Katie Ponder on six nativity-themed stamps designed to look as if they’re emitting gentle.
Royal Mail’s set of Christmas 2022 stamps have been launched as we speak that includes “jewel-like” illustrations of the nativity scene.
Brighton-based studio Baxter & Bailey led the venture and labored collaboratively with Kent-based illustrator Katie Ponder on the six-piece stamp set. Additionally they created the presentation pack, mini sheet, and first day cowl.
The studio’s artistic director Matt Baxter says the “method and vibrancy of the colors” is a response to the Royal Mail transient, which was to create one thing “jewel-like”. He provides that the design group checked out numerous illustrators however recognized early on that Ponder’s “vibrant model” and use of “clear graphic shapes” match properly with the transient.
Whereas Ponder’s work is up to date and all produced digitally, there may be additionally proof of “conventional artwork deco and gothic affect”, in response to Baxter & Bailey design director Rory Brady. He provides that her model is a “placing and unique” approach to inform the nativity story.
Inside every stamp is a central level of sunshine, such because the Angel Gabriel within the first and fourth stamp and the Star of Bethlehem within the fifth and sixth stamp. Baxter says this was a deliberate design selection and every stamp ought to look as if “gentle is emitting from them”.
The nativity story is instructed chronologically throughout the six stamps, beginning with the Angel Gabriel’s go to to Mary on the 2nd class stamp, which would be the most generally used, and ending with the three Magis presenting their presents on the costlier stamp. The way in which that the characters are dealing with on the far left and much proper stamps “bookends the set”, Brady says.
He provides {that a} “definitive lead color” was chosen from every stamp to make use of for his or her accompanying QR codes.
Baxter explains that one of many studio’s challenges was “condensing a protracted story into six key scenes” that might talk the narrative properly. He provides: “It’s additionally tempting with stamp design to blow them as much as a bigger dimension on the display screen and work into them that method, however we inspired Ponder to view them at precise print dimension”.
This ensured that each one the “tiny parts”, equivalent to the pinnacle, the worth and design parts had been distinctive at precise dimension, says Baxter.
Historically, Christmas stamps alternate between a nativity-themed set and a secular set year-to-year, nevertheless, final 12 months’s stamps designed by Supple Studio additionally depicted a nativity scene. Baxter says: “Our set has taken a brighter extra graphic method to final years, which adopted a painterly model”.
Baxter & Bailey labored on the venture for 18 months. “An outstanding period of time, effort and dialogue” went into it, contemplating its “a bodily tiny output”, in response to Baxter.
The Christmas 2022 stamp set and accompanying supplies are actually that can be purchased.
