Decorate
Letters
EMMA LEYFIELD suggests a
creative way to keep in touch,
inspired by the VictoriansM
y love affair with illustrated
letters began as
correspondence between
myself and my grandmother, varying
between humorous cartoons and
exquisite illustrations for the simple
delight that receiving a letter can
bring. Add this to the surprise of being
given something so beautifully crafted
and the time spent making it by hand
and sending a decorated letter
becomes a unique gift that is infi nitely
more personal than a text or email.
The letters themselves are a joy to
create and I’m endlessly inspired by
the concept. Fitting an illustration into
the confi nes of an envelope – and
exploring the relationship between
the artwork and the address – is a
fantastic challenge. Then there’s the
physicality of a letter and the ability to
enclose small things, such as tickets
or scraps of fabric, which might also
be at home in a sketchbook.
Obviously, letter art is by no means
a new trend. Originating as a pastime
and means of keeping in touch with
loved ones, surviving correspondence
mostly comes from unknown Victorian
artists whose letters remain assnippetsintothelivesofeveryday
people.Withtheintroductionof
postagestamps,andlaterthepenny
post,morepeoplebegantoexplore
theplacementofstampsand
illustrativepotentialofenvelopes.
Morerecently,notableartistswho
havedabbledindecoratedletters
includeLucianFreudandYvesSaint
Laurent.Therearemanybeautiful
examplesintheSmithsonian’s
archivesandtheWashington
Calligrapher’sGuildholdsanannual
“GracefulEnvelopeContest”andpast
winnerscanbeviewedonitswebsite.
Asanartist,I striveforbeauty
inmywork.It doesn’thavetobe
conventionalbeauty,butanimage
mustsingwiththatunidentifiable#PaintAtHome
CHALLENGE 3
SEND AN ARTY LETTER
In our current climate, people all
over the world are turning to
creativity. I invite you to start
your own decorated letter
project and create something
beautiful.
Here are a few ideas of things
you might draw on envelopes:
•Yourself, or your recipient- Stamps of your own design
- An illustration to complement
the contents of your letter
•Botanicals and spring fl owers
•Animals and insects
something that makes it a pleasure to
look at. An illustrated letter does just
that. It not only helps you keep in
touch with friends and family, but also
brings joy to your loved ones as well.
http://www.valerian.co.ukABOVE Three of
Emma’s ink-and-
wash envelopes