How to create an unofficial GF postcard?

Hello, I collect GF postcards, I would like to create my unofficial GF about my city.
I’m sure someone already did it, do you have any suggestions (what software to use, what font)? Do you have a ready-to-use template for me? :rofl:
Thank you for any suggestions and any help!

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I think there is topic about this somewhere, and the original creator of this series doesn’t like people making their own.

Maybe do it a little similar style, but so that it won’t get confused with the original ones.

(Edit. I’m talking about GF series from Postallove)

(Edit 2. Here is short topic about this: How to get the authorization from the author of "Greetings from..." )

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I have made several cards about my hometown and other places nearby. I am not trying to emulate the style of any “official” card producers; I’d rather create my own cards. I take the photos (obviously), and then add the caption and/or other visuals/graphics with GIMP (it’s a free but awesome software for image manipulation).
Here are two examples. I didn’t add “Greetings from…” because I like to write this on the card myself.

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Nobody can copyright the phrase “Greetings From” so you are free to make your cards using that phrase.

But generally it is a good idea to design your cards in your own style and not copy others. Just as you would not want to put a lot of thought into a particular design, and then make a business out of it which you use to pay your rent, feed your family and so on, and then have someone else copy that same design and not give you credit or any compensation for their use. That’s what copyright protection is all about - to protect the person who put the work in from having other people use/steal what’s called their “intellectual property”

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Yes of course, maybe I need to emphasise I meant the whole layout style Postallove uses with the same font etc (in case someone understood wrongly). I have received some people made themselves, so unofficial ones, and they look very bad compared to the original, so I understand the original creator doesn’t want people thinking that is the quality of her cards.

But sure anyone can make a card with text in it :slight_smile:

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@S_Tuulia @TwasBrillig @BeachWanderer thank you for your opinion and ideas

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This isn’t correct, there is copyright law - artists don’t have to protect their work with a registered trademark. The author of a work always retains the right to prevent defacing and to be identified as the author.

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You could always ask the original creator of the series to make oneof your city if you want an ifficial card.

However, if you want to make a parody no one can stop you. However if you use the originals as an idea sooner or later you will change things on it. All i can say is be creative and inventive.

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You’re referring to jurisdiction of the USA, but which copyright law is applicable depends on the country where the protection of the work is demanded (lex loci protectionis).

A copyright is a type of intellectual property that gives its owner the exclusive right to copy, distribute, adapt, display, and perform a creative work, usually for a limited time. The creative work may be in a literary, artistic, educational, or musical form. (Source: Wikipedia)

I just wouldn’t state that it surely isn’t a copyright violation if someone copies a GF postcard’s design, to a grade where one can assume that the design must be from this polish shop, especially when there already are 80 examples of this design.

Edit : Even if it isn’t a copyright violation, it seems wrong to me to steal the design of GF and let others assume that a) it’s a card bought at Postallove or b) that the person who copied the design has effected the creative effort.

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If you need inspiration for GF City, these are from Indonesian publisher





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As well as being the morally right thing to do, distancing your postcard designs from those of Postallove is important from a legal perspective mainly to avoid the risk of passing off. Even without registration, the overall ‘get up’ (the general look and feel, overall design, combinations of colours and fonts, etc.) of Postallove’s cards may be legally protected.

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@MihneaR can help you.

I can not help into that situation; In our shop we have several situation with copying FOTW or MOTW. Idea is that a design with a flag of a country CAN NOT be copyrighted - because it can not :smiley: What I really don’t understand: If you want to create anything for your town - why you don’t create something on your own and copy other people’s idea? Is not ok at all. I am sure that Ewa from Postallove, as me from Postcardsmarket and all other existent shops invest quite a lot in marketing. And after all investments - somebody from China, India, Algeria or whatever country comes and simply take the idea and make his/her own card… That is NOT OK at all. Create your own - put your immagination at work!

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Regardless of whether the original creator wants people to make their own (of course they wouldn’t, they want you to buy theirs instead!) the card design should be very easy to recreate.

If you want to sell them rather than just send them as others have pointed out, you may get a letter from them asking you to change your design, but to be honest the design is so generic it would be impossible to fight in a British court, though who knows about elsewhere. I only studied English law at university :stuck_out_tongue:

First, get an image of where you’re from. Either take one yourself or find one that is copyright free. Here’s one I’ve taken in Sirmione. Probably not the best image as there’s too many white/bright colours, which isn’t great for white text over the top.

You want it to probably be a larger size image than that, but it will work for this idea. You then want to crop it to be in a 2:3 ratio.

I can’t find an exact match for the font online using this tool, but it is roughly Catalina Anacapa Sans. I’m not spending £8 on a font for this post, so I’ll just use a close equivalent “the skinny” which is free to download. It doesn’t have numbers which is a big feature of the “greetings from” cards.

You then want to add a little white border to the image, and start doing some text and such on top with some facts and little vector images. If you have access to photoshop or something like firealpaca for editing images, it isn’t exactly rocket science. I’ll just show the finished product of what you can knock up in a few minutes.

Have fun getting arty :blush:

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and that is the perfect example why is better to create your own design than copying others… :wink: is not about going to any court - is about respecting other people’s idea and imagination. And, believe me - I always believe that who is collecting postcards is open minded and do not copy randomly other shop’s ideas.
I run my onlyne shop - is about postcardsmarket - about 6 years already. Many times I had situation when it was pointed to me that X or Y copy my cards. literally copy / paste them; I can not do anyhing against somebody in China or India or whatever corner of the world – but my postcards are printed on a special cardboard in a printing company - so they have a certain quality… and people recognise that easily. if all the world would be made from copy/paste - then no step forward, no developing, nothing… we can all go home (in our caves) , right? :joy:

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I honestly had no idea that the person who made the postal love greetings from the series didn’t like the copycats, especially as I’ve seen so many around that it felt like it was some sort of artistic freedom to make it look like those. As I’m from the Netherlands I never bought her cards, because every time I find a person who collects those cards, they usually already have the Netherlands. Apparently, we send them out a lot. So I always bought a version someone made for the island where I live and it’s usually very popular with people who get them. I feel bad that the owner feels that way about it, but she also only makes it from countries only and not from cities/villages specifically, so I also do have a feeling that people know it’s not the real one if they get one from a specific place.

I don’t think so, many don’t even know what this series is, who makes it, so how could they differ what is the original and what a copied one.

Well, i only sent them to people who do ask for them specifically, so as they collect them they should know and usually I do write it on the card as well that since they had NL already I got this unofficial one from my place. Then again, I honestly I had no idea that it had offended the creator a lot :frowning:

Even if they collect and didn’t look what is the original idea, it’s not given they know what is unofficial.
Of course they will know when you tell, but even then it’s not sure they understand :smile:
But I’m not blaming you or anything :hugs: and understand you’re sending these in good thought.

Just thinking as it’s a clear, easy to recognise style, I would not like to copy it nor support anyone copying it (so buying). But of course I understand not all customers can know about this, and not all think like I.

(Edit. I also think, that if I would collect this series, I still wouldn’t like to encourage into copying it :slight_smile: )