How to alter bought & unused postcards
As explained yesterday in my post about my current diy postcard materials and vintage illustrations I also have this stack of unused printed postcards in my possession (most of them were free because they’re made by a company trying to sell something). Postcards I will never send to anyone and that’s just here taking up space. So I thought I’d try to keep a little bit of some of their motifs and then alter them enough that they feel like something I have made! If you don’t have unused postcards you could also alter cards that you have received of course. If they have writing on the back, just print one of my diy postcard backsides and glue over the text to make them as good as new.
Gather your materials and let’s start.
Here’s is the first of my postcards. A Guigou Camille painting from Musée d’Orsay in Paris. I have nothing against this painting, but it does not speak to me. So I cut out a few hills from an origami paper and covered most of the image:
On my desk: black coffee, glue stick, scissors, the children’s book of images to cut stuff from – and the postcard. After adding a focal image, a smiling lady friend, it’s almost done.
I’ll add a few words to each of my postcards at the end and show you the finished result tomorrow.
You could of course have kept more of the original postcard if you liked it/the background, but it’s up to you to make creative decisions with the canvas you have.
Altering a postcard to me is a bit like playing in an altered book: there’s something there when you start and it’s up to you to decide if you want to paint over/cover all of the text or image, or let some of it peek through.
What you end up with of course depends on what postcard canvas you start with and what collage papers you bring to the table. You could try this idea by creating abstract, cubistic or realistic postcards. The sky is the limit, if even.
This next one is one of my favorites, a horse on top of Vincent van Gogh’s painting Landscape at twilight:
I’m not sure how it happened, but I really like the top origami paper’s beige color together with the color of the horse, and of course any painting by van Gogh is beautiful in itself. I’m sure there will be people who hate this idea and think that I’m ruining the perfectly fine postcard, but to me this was a fun experiment. Almost like a collaboration between me and a dead artist. Hashtag dream collab.
A few of the postcards I had should’ve gone into the trash a long time ago, so I just used them as a canvas and covered the original image and message entirely. Like on this one, with the dog as focal point:
A few years ago I was on the board of Sweden’s Embroidery Guild, and once we received a big stack of old embroidery postcards (printed in 2001). I really liked them all, but now I have had them so long that I am getting tired of them. So I decided to use a few of them for this project. Here’s the first example. A really close up of a wild free-form applique and embroidered piece that I did a little collage scene on.
I like how the cactus is as spiky and wild as the background. Farmer’s wife is dreaming of a brighter tomorrow. Blue cornflower at the edge is from a piece of wallpaper that was on my desk after another project not yet blogged.
The second embroidered postcard has some tulle applique and feather like stitches. I think it’s lovely as is, but to qualify to be in a swap of handmade art postcards, I could not send it like that anyway so I added a few similar looking origami papers to the background, and a bird from a bird book.
Lastly in this “before and after” series with ideas on how to alter printed postcards, a postcard featuring Camille Pissarro’s painting The Quay at Rouen (1883) printed by Courtauld Institute Galleries of University of London by Sackerville Press back in 1977. I’m sure it’s a lovely painting, but I’m not a huge fan so I covered most of it up.
And with that, let’s move forward.
It’s count down time: five days left! I am counting down until the 10th of November when the DIY Postcard Swap that I host closes. Sign up before that date if you want to join us for the fall swap. If you don’t have time right now, there will be another chance in March or April next year as usual, and if you are subscribed to blog posts and/or my newsletter you will be the first to know when it opens up again.
And in case my previous desk pic felt too pristine and orderly, here’s the reality of the situation most of the time:
Last lastly, here’s what one of the free postcard’s backside look like:
Should I cover all of it with my free printable postcard backside or just add a label with my information, and let it be “altered” on the back as well? What would you do?
Do you have a collection of unsent / never used postcards somewhere – and why? LOL.
This post is part of NaBloPoMo where I write 30 blog posts in November. Thanks for reading and leaving me a comment, it encourages me to keep going. To follow along subscribe to blog posts via email or RSS. I also have a sweet Substack Newsletter about art, craft and creativity that you might want to sign up for so that we can keep in touch in the future. I’d love that. On instagram I’m @ihannas and on YouTube Studio iHanna. Take care and stay creative friends.
Also sharing this post with the WOYWW community challenge 805.
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You created some lovely postcards.
I think my favorite one I s the embroidered one with the bird.
I am glad you included that last photo of your desk because that is about how it looks if I get crafting.
Thank you. The bird one is the most traditional (normal?) of these I think… I mean, a cow on a postcard maybe that is too strange really – now that I think about it… lol.
These altered postcards are so cool, iHanna! I really love the embroidered ones. I love your idea of collaborating with the original artist. I don’t have a collection of old postcards, so I bought a pack of pre-cut ones to use for the exchange. I wish they were just a bit thicker, but they’ll work.
Thank you! I usually cut out a postcard sized canvas from cereal boxes or something similar for my mixed media postcards, instead of buying new cardstock. I’m a fan or recycling and using what I already have, when at all possible.
I love those! Such a neat way to reuse the postcards. I do much of the same thing with my envelopes when I send letters.
Thanks Meike. I’d love to see some of those envelopes. I love the idea of pen pals and writing letter and did it a lot when I was younger, but I’m not good at keeping up with it unfortunately. Do you have many pen pals?
I loved the shot of your desk – don’t you think that would make a great image for a jigsaw puzzle?! Lots of colour and patterns, just like everything on show today – as a fabric and stitchy person, I was drawn to those beautiful embroidered postcards you featured. They were definitely worthy of upcycling xx
Happy WOYWW,
Hugs LLJ xx *4
Thank you. I’m so glad you agreed that I did right by the embroidery postcards! And isn’t close-up of embroidery and stitching always so beautiful? :-)
Such a busy shot of your desk and a riot of colour on your postcards.
I don’t tend to keep postcards and have never been a collector of anything except craft stuff (LOL)
It seems a lovely hobby to have.
Hugs, Neet 1 xx
Thanks Neet. I collect way too many things, but now I’m glad that the postcards from my little collection turned out to BE craft materials finally. That feels good as I love recycling and repurposing materials when I craft.
Hi Hanna, great to see you over at woyww… I love to see your messy desk. People say mine always looks ‘orderly and neat’ and seeing yours (or other’s) I’m afraid I have to agree… that’s me I guess. I also love the stitched/embriodered postcard, cute! Happy woyww, enjoy your week. Love from Holland, Marit #14
Hi, love how you’re using the postcards. It’s so easy to collect things like this with the intention of using them and if you’re like me I seem to collect them rather than use them and really need to have a clear out and use some of this stuff. Wishing you a very happy woyww. Hugs Angela x7x
Love your altered postcards, especially the embroidered ones.
Happy WOYWW
Hugs
I have a collection of postcards, mostly ones I bought on holiday. If I can remember where they are it could be the start of something new! A cow is not strange on a postcard! People are apt the say the same thing about altering books, but if it’s art or bin – go for art! Happy WOYWW. Angela #11,
Love what you have done withthe postcards. Hope you have a happy and creative week. helen #2
You have inspired me to pull out my magazines and play with some found image collage! Your postcards are looking fab
I recently found a huge box of postcards in a charity shop for a few dollars! I am enjoying using them in lots of ways. Glad to see your untidy desk looks like mine! Happy WOYWW! Susan £9
They are all beautiful. My favourites are the one with Vincent V Gogh’s painting (he’s my all-time favourite artist) and the farmer’s wife!
What fabulous altered postcards Hanna – especially the embroidered pieces. Sorry I am late commenting but I had to rush out yesterday morning then got told last minute we had a 2 hour meeting after school! Happy WOYWW. Sarah
Very interesting idea! I have a bunch of Christmas cards that I could do this with, I will have to try a few! Your desk looks nice and busy, and I love the big cup of coffee! I have a big cup too! Have a great week, Lindart #15
I love the creativity! I need to make room for crafts and creativity in my life again… I miss it and you reminded me of that today!