What features do you like on the message side of the postcard? How do you like it to be laid out?
I’m curious and researching as I’m creating some of my own postcards. Postcards of where I live are practically non-existent so I’m going to make some instead! But I might start selling them online & locally too.
I’m pretty happy with the front side, but wondering if there’s a general consensus about what people like on the back.
Here’s a picture of the first one I’ve been playing around with…
5 lines (e.g. Russian addresses are quite often and those don’t fit on only 4 lines)
yes, when it’s small enough to be covered with a smaller sized stamp
yes, left side
open space
yes, when it’s not too big - it’s a cute extra
I’d suggest to make the address lines thinner. They are really drawing the attention to them… and they only should help to align the address better. Thinner… or something like 75% black only. The Focus should be on the message side.
For address it’s usually 3+ lines. When lines are printed too thick and too close to each other it’s hard to use them for Asian addresses, which can be about 8 lines easily. Having all and any lines not too thick - then any layout will be good for me
No box (actually I don’t care much), or cute image - then I will try to keep it visible
Bottom left or even better - left, because then top and bottom I can use washi tape and not cover info (I think, Beatrice Potter, Ladybird cover box postcards have very nice layout in this sense)
I prefer no separator, in many cases it makes message part overcrowded and address part too empty (I would prefer decorate and separate with washi if need be)
Love them! Unless they take more than 50% of left side
I don’t particularly enjoy space taken on the bottom right, because I don’t plan address position before writing and need some space saved. Same goes for upper left corner (where I put return address, ID…)
I usually need 4 lines, but for some long address eg in China or Japan I need 5! This one at photo looks like not so good one - description takes a lot of space at the bottom and lines are to thick for me. Russian stamps are usually big so …
No
yes, bottom left
separator
more space for writing
As for me, it’s good example of good backside of the card, but for someone it could be quite boring
If there’re some extra lines after writing address, I just put cute washi tape
There’s one thing though that would upset the Dutch mail company PostNL hugely: text in the bottom right side.
They would put an aggressive sticker over it, even if the address is totally correct and perfect to read.
They hate seeing anything there - I speak sadly from experience…
I would strongly advise to leave that area blank and put the information on the left side of the card (but perhaps another mail company gets upset by text somewhere else ).
On the left side. I don’t want it under the address, because I might need the space for the address (if it’s a long one) or an airmail sticker.
Edit to add: please put the text on th top, not bottom of the left side. If the postcard is mailed to someone in USA, the postal service might print a bar code over the text, making it hard to read.
i would prefer more and longer address lines, but closer to each other. like the example from @gjazh . a lot of addresses have more than 5 lines, i rather have too much space than not enough. i hate it when there’s four lines and i need to fit in a very long address.
i like the layout from some cards from postallove as well btw. (jetoy choo choo as well i believe). they have the lines vertical on the right so there is lots of space to write a message.
also no line in the middle of the card. in case of a short address i like to use the rest of the space for writing my message.
No box for the stamp. I know where it goes and don’t like having to place the stamp strategically to cover the box.
I like a description of the image but cards going to the USA are supposed to have a gap at the bottom for bar codes. They might print over the description where you have it (open to correction on this though).
Not bothered about separation line. Especially when you have address lines, there’s no need to indicate the separation between address and message.
The heron looks great. I’d be happy with that being there.
Just to be controversial, I hate postallove’s portrait layout on the writing side.
Agree. I suffer with cards that have a separator in the middle (and even close to the left) because I love to write a lot in the message part, and the address doesn’t fulfill so much space
Here’s my answer
4-5 lines
Doesn’t matter, it will be covered by stamps anyway
Yes and great, better bottom left side, on top it will be covered when using 3+ stamps (that often happens)
No separator, so I can adjust and balance each part according to different width of addresses
I like 5 lines.
No preference on whether there’s a box or not for where to put the stamp.
I like a short description. Top left is where I’d like to see it. It shouldn’t interfere with the address space.
I like a separator. I find it helps keep things tidy.
And I love having a little image, as long as it isn’t too large. There should still be plenty of space for writing!
I don’t like having lines for the addresses. Sometimes people need only 3, sometimes they need as many as 7. So I adjust the size of my letters to fit the space. And sometimes my note leaks over to the right side, so I don’t want that cluttered up with lines.
A center divider is useful but I prefer it slightly right of center to give me more space to write. But some people don’t write much, so might prefer it stay in the center.
I don’t like a rectangle for where the stamp should go. The most common international stamp from the US is round, so a square is not helpful. And many people like to do multiple stamps so they can use unusual stamps. Most people know where the stamp goes so don’t need the hint.
Hi
Pretty postcard.
Four lines, but I do prefer no lines so I can put as many lines as I need.
No need for a box to where to put the stamp
Yes, I like a short description of the image. Top left.
No separator
I like the Heron, maybe just a little smaller. I feel like it is the artist’s signature.
My thoughts here. Though there is some repitition with other feedback, I wanted to provide rationale for my thinking. How many lines for the address do you like/usually need? - four, in general, but sometimes 5 or 6 for a few places, including Russia Do you like there being a box or image for where to put the stamp? - No. Stamps do not always fit the box size, then one or more size of the box sticks out from under the stamp like an error. Do you like a short description of the image of the card, and if so prefer this on left or right side? - image description is essential and I like to read the name of the person/company/organization that provided the image as well as the date; it’s all part of the narrative that comes with the postcard. I suggest that the image be placed at the top, on the left side; no space between description/name. Why? Washi tape often covers the description, and I presume you want people to know your description. It is less likely to be ‘decorated over’ at the top, than if positioned at the bottom. You could move the heron to the top left corner, then the text beside the upper part of its body, leaving room for handwritten date and any relevant numbers for the lower half of the heron’s body. Or, vice versa, could be interesting/unique. I discourage bottom right for the text info as this could potentially in not enough room for a longer address; also it could get in the way of postal reading devices. You could ‘cheat’ the white space by right-justifying the heron at the centre line; get rid of the centre line, then have the text also right justify toward the heron. Do you prefer having a separator in the middle (for address side and message side) or just open space?Open space allows for creative latitude. Lines for address are also not absolutely essential, but can by helpful, if available. A hindrance if the address is long/wide and/or complex. Do you like pre-printed images on the card (like the heron in the picture), or just blank space to write more?I love pre-printed images. They add to the creative conversation on the postcard between creator, writer, receiver. The heron is just the right size/height/width as to not get in the way.
Your photography is excellent quality and the subject is interesting. I’d buy the postcard.
Is the title necessary on the front. It detracts from such a lovely image. Why not have the title just on the back with description/credits? Or, if you feel it is essential on the front, perhaps try a ‘transparent’ font/layout using a thinner font size so the image remains whole and lovely?
I hope you don’t my direct/honest response.
Thank you for asking the community for feedback. It takes a lot of courage to put your creative work ‘out there’ in this way! Please share with us the final outcome once you complete your creative process.
Best Wishes!
I’d prefer to have the description of the picture on the upper left side, for the lower side is used by postal services like Deutsche Post or United States Postal Service to print a barcode and having text in that area could cause problems while sorting the mail.
Everything else looks fine to me.
I prefer to have lines, it helps people not write the address too far up where it can then not leave enough space for the stamp(s) - I’ve seen that many times. 4 lines is the minimum and they should not be too far apart, so that you can add lines underneath or on top, depending on how many more you need.
(And I also hate the vertical lines on Postallove cards - you’re not allowed to write the address that way here, so you always have to write across the lines. Never looks good.)
No, I don’t like that at all. These boxes are often hard to cover by a stamp and then they stick out and it doesn’t look good.
A description is always great, but it should be on the left side, I think. Top left is probably the standard here, but if you use a separator you could also have it printed either along the line or even instead of one. I find that to be the least intrusive, but also of course easiest to overlook.
I don’t feel strongly about this. A separator can be more neat, but it can also be restrictive. Either way is fine by me.
I don’t feel strongly about this either. The heron is cute, but I wouldn’t miss it if it weren’t there.
How many lines for the address do you like/usually need? >> For Belgium for example you only need 4 lines, but I noticed that for quite some other countries I need 6 !
Do you like there being a box or image for where to put the stamp? I don’t really care about the box :), but don’t mind it either
Do you like a short description of the image of the card, and if so prefer this on left or right side? Yes, I do like to know what I’m seeing. I think it usually goes on the left, so the text side. Top or bottom doesn’t matter
Do you prefer having a separator in the middle (for address side and message side) or just open space? Yes
Do you like pre-printed images on the card (like the heron in the picture), or just blank space to write more? yeah sure, it gives a bit an own touch or different feel to the back side. In this case I personally would put the heron in the middle though, so he looks towards the text side and the extra information on his left side
Personally I like the least amount of pre-printed markings on the back of a card. Maybe a credit or description in the upper left and I can do without everything else.
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