ISTD

ISTD Design Competition 2013/14 - "Paper Messengers"

"Digitized Nature"

Designing stamps combines certain aspects that can be associated with various business fields. A stamp is a physical product and inseparably linked to printing and production processes. This aspect forms the basis for the whole project. Another important aspect is the need to highlight typographical elements.

The International Society of Typographic Designers (ISTD) organized this competition and decided on the general conditions. Stamps show specific images (motifs) in combination with topic-relevant, legal and economic information (theme, country of origin, value etc.). The topic itself does not stand above everything else but it is the artistic and emotional headline, based on promising design ideas.

I designed six different stamps. The motifs vary but there is a central idea, too. I tried to create contemporary visual results that help stamps to defend their very own importance as a means of communication in the digital age. The whole concept is based on the idea of bringing a traditional theme - namely nature -, typography and new media together.

I wanted to highlight the value of each stamp through digital typographical effects that reflect naturalelements respectively raw materials: water, fire, grass, metal, rock and wood. Each stamp has its own QR - Code which is directly linked to further information about the stamp - downloadable largesize images of the stamps and the whole presentation pack can be found on www.asd.co.at . All stamps have their "own internet presence".

Axel Schmitt

First Day Cover