Postcards to colour

Welcome to Postcrossing Sally! :tada: :postcrossing: Don’t worry about rude people, I think those are quite rare. You will surely have a great time here :blush: I personally haven’t got a single rude reply in over 200 official cards.

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I have had rude comments from time to time, but the vast majority of Postcrossers are polite and often very enthusiastic recipients. I admit that sometimes the rude ones “color” my perception for the day, but I try not to focus on them. :wink:

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I received a blank postcard to colour long time ago and the person said that I can colour it if I want, so I think it nice to send them blank for people who like to draw and you also can send half-coloured card like a co-worker=)

Hi! And thank you! :smile:

That’s very reassuring to hear. I guess we can’t all be the same and be thankful for what we get sent or at least have the good grace to keep quiet if we really can’t be grateful :love_letter:

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Hi Beth!

I think I will be the same, to be honest. It takes all sorts I guess, but focus on the good :+1: :smile:

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I had a chuckle when I read your comments about colouring in. Colouring is supposed to be relaxing and recently I was given a Millie Marotta book with colouring pencils as a present. Oh the stress of the decisions over what colour to use and keeping it neat! I’m glad it’s not just me thinking that way.

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I send them uncoloured and usually if the profile has an interest in the subject matter depicted. To me it’s like giving them a clean template to fill therapeutically.

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I send them coloured :slight_smile: But I don’t think I’ll buy any more colour-in postcards as it’s so much work haha.

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I send them uncoloured. They don’t really appeal to me but I was given some and tend to only pick profiles that have those on their list.

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I’ve not sent colouring in postcards via Postcrossing (yet?) but have sent them to family and friends and either I coloured them or my kids did. I wouldn’t have thought to send them uncoloured — and I have received one that way (also not via Postcrossing) but actually felt a bit stressed by it, like it was something else to add to my to-do list…!

But then you mentioned sending a maze postcard not solved, and of course that makes sense to me: it would be wrong to send a solved puzzle.

Why the difference? I hardly understand myself! :sweat_smile:

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I personally would prefer to received them coloured, because it is more personal that way. I have never sent any, and I have received some coloured en some uncoloured.

I totally understand what you mean. An uncolored postcard seems like it is missing something, but a postcard with a puzzle already made seems like it is robbing me of the fun of doing the puzzle.

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Hmmm…I think it depends on whether or not you need to take pen to paper in order to solve the puzzle.

For me I think part of it is that the message on the back is from the other person. I don’t want to add my own stuff to what was sent. So I wouldn’t mind someone sending me an uncolored blank, unwritten card in an envelope as an “extra” and I also don’t mind too much when people send blank coloring cards just because they like the black-and-white line image.

With puzzles, I definitely wouldn’t want to get a “Where’s Waldo” card where someone had circled Waldo. A maze card, sudoku card, or whatever is a bit different. I guess if I were so inclined I could copy over the puzzle or just do it in my head. But I wouldn’t write on the card the person had sent me. Maybe if their message talked abou the card (e.g. “I solved this Sudoku on my way to work this morning while on the commuter bus”) then I would like it filled in, but otherwise, no.

But like you, it’s a bit of a grey area for me!

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I’d recommend coloring them ahead of time and taking pictures for people who like coloring and art cards to trade. If they don’t like it they don’t need to trade or criticize.

I personally would like it if I thought they made an effort and it wasn’t perfect, because I accept art as self expression of the person and not necessarily to please others. So that fact that someone enjoyed it and spent time making it is meaningful to me.

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I’ve just started Postcrossing and before my cards arrived in the new year colouring cards were all I had.
I’ve seen quite frankly vile comments about them being the worst possible card to receive on the forum and on profiles. Sometimes it can take hours to colour these. I use a pencil that when activated the ink turns permanent. So I do it twice.
My first address was someone open to handmade so I sent this as my first ever postcrossing card and although she registered it she didn’t take a picture and I was so sad I didn’t realise I could do that when it was travelling.
I’ve since made another and I’ll save it for someone who will appreciate it. I’ve e enjoyed colouring as a hobby since 2016 so I was very happy to think I could combine hobbies but then disheartened to see so many being a bit snobby about it :smirk:

I’d be happy to send uncoloured if I thought someone would like to do that. It would be a collaboration :blush:

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I’d like to receive a coloured card from you, if you happen to get my address, the card very nicely coloured!

Maybe the ones who don’t care what kind of card it is, don’t write about it here, and so one easily gets the impression people are mostly against this kind of card.

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Oh jeez I laughed so hard to this!!

I like them colored or uncoloured, but definitely not half colored. I send them usually as handmade to ones that would like that, and I would send uncoloured to people who dont like handmade, if the subject matched their likes

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I have been thinking about this too. I think it depends on whether you percieve such card as something interactive to play with or a piece of art.

And honestly, I have to change my original statement to either way is fine. What @AstroBee posted would totally pass as a handmade card for me! I guess I was imagining something a little bit different due to what I have seen so far. For example I have this card which would be a shame to send coloured in.

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Thank you that’s very sweet of you

Oh, yes, I agree. That card should be sent as is. What a great card! You can color it in in your mind. I hope when you send it you translate it (including the “color key” at the bottom).