Monday, January 28, 2008

Bent Out of Shape

USPS Preview of New 2008 Stamps Includes Eames Set

Among some of the cool stamps coming out this year is a tribute set to my favorite design team: Ray and Charles Eames. The 16 stamp sheet includes chairs, furniture, a portrait of the husband and wife team and some of their abstract designs. Way ahead of their time (post WWII) the Eames created some stunning design in furniture, architecture, graphics, films and more. They pioneered new industrial design techniques and had great vision.

I always thought stamp design was a really neat medium as the designs have gotten better in the recent past (I really liked the superhero stamps from the last two years with the mini covers!). The brilliant color on these little canvases are seen by millions. Stamp design needs to be expression, tight and dynamic!

Other stamps for 2008 include: the young Frank Sinatra, vintage black cinema, Betty Davis (and her eyes), a really nice Latin jazz design (by graphic artist/illustrator Michael Bartalos) and a series of nutcrackers for Xmas 2008!

View the Eames stamps on the Print magazine website- click here.

See all the new 2008 USPS Stamps on their site- click here.

"In recognition of their groundbreaking contributions to architecture, furniture design, manufacturing and photographic arts, designers Charles and Ray Eames will be honored next summer with a pane of 16 stamps designed by Derry Noyes of Washington, DC. If you’ve ever sat in a stackable molded chair, you’ve experienced their creativity." (Print magazine)

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always ask for "interesting" stamps when I head to the Post Office - Related note: When was the last time you wrote a letter?

I am partial to this here one:

Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat
The 2008 commemorative stamp celebrates the Chinese Lunar New Year with the issuance of the Celebrating Lunar New Year: Year of the Rat stamp. The rat is the first of 12 animals associated with the Chinese lunar calendar.

mark said...

Yeah, I know.... I don't send many letters. We do send out a lot of invoices and checks with the business and I occasionally send out CDs and gifts and photos to family and friends.

Is the PO making cooler stamps thinking they are going to get people to mail more letters, or are strictly targeted to collectors?