THE Postcards are no longer just stationery items that we send to our loved ones when we go on vacation. Today, postcards have become a key element in the world of decoration.
We give them as souvenirs, we display them at home for travel, we mix them with other decorative elements in the house, we collect them, we pass them on... In short, There are a thousand and one ways to make this object your own ! Discover in this guide the different styles of postcards offered as well as all our advice for choosing your postcards.
How to choose your postcard?
What are the different types and styles of postcards?
When we talk about postcards, we often think of photos and illustrations of cities that we visit. Paris, Valence, Lacanau or even Agen… Each city has postcards that represent them and highlight their architectural, culinary, traditional specificities…
Among these representations, we distinguish several types of postcards.
Old maps
Old postcards usually offer historical views of the emblematic places of a city : monuments, churches, the town hall, the market, large houses, bridges, places of passage and gathering...
We also find many representations of moments in life: a group of lace-making women, the great Bourbonnais evenings, a Basque festival... Very often, these postcards have a caption located at the bottom or on the side of the card, sometimes indicating the place, the date on which the photograph was taken or even describing the scene captured.
Their colors give these cards a unique look: often in black and white, they were sometimes hand-colored later. Today, color printing allows for the creation of postcards with perfect colorization.
Collectible cards
Many people collect postcards! Carefully stored in albums designed for this purpose, Collectible postcards are true works of art . Whether by theme, by city, or by type of representation, the cards provide valuable information about cities and villages and how people lived in different eras.
It was in 1869 that the postcard was born and has since become a unique object for cartophiles. Since then, cards have become witnesses to history, the history with a capital H, like the small history of cities and people.
Illustrated cards
Among the most popular models on the market, we find in particular illustrated cards with photos and illustrative postcards . These offer a wide range of styles and have an original and unique look.
This is the style of postcards you will find at Marcel Travel Posters: illustrations with a unique design, original colors and a retro universe that will take you to the four corners of the world...
How big is a postcard?
Contrary to what one might think, postcards are not published in a single format. Today, other sizes exist, including:
- A6 format
- A5 format
- The square format
The style of the postcards is worked according to whether the illustration is horizontal (A6 format) or to the vertical (A5 format) . So, you can now find city map illustrations in square format or even A5 format drawings with a white border which will give an even more qualitative effect to the map. You will find a wide choice on our site!
Add a paragraph on the use of postcards as decorative objects
Our tips for writing and sending your postcard
That's it, you've chosen the model you liked the most, now it's time to move on to writing... The process of writing is considered by some to be a ritual, a unique moment during vacations and other weekends. On the other hand, for others, write a postcard turns out to be more complicated. So we have prepared some key points to make it easier for you!
Who are you sending the postcard to?
The choice of card is largely determined by the person you are sending it to. To make your choice, consider your answers to these different questions:
- Is this person a family member, a friend, a relative, a colleague, someone you love, or just an acquaintance?
- What is your connection with the Who is the card recipient ? Do you have a common passion? Do you work together? Are you neighbors?
- Does the place you are visiting represent something in particular for this person?
We'd rather send a classic card to someone with whom we have little affection, for example an A6 card that depicts an iconic part of the city we're visiting. Whereas you can allow yourself to be more eccentric by sending it to someone you see regularly and who knows you well.
Also, the message you want to convey will be important in choosing the card. Do you want to share news from your vacation spot? Do you want to give a shout-out to someone? Would you like to celebrate or announce good news to a loved one?
Let your instinct guide you in choosing a card that will match both the recipient's personality and the type of message you want to write.
The postcard: what formulas should you use to write it?
It exists some rules to follow when you want to send a postcard to someone:
- The date is mentioned in the top right corner to place the letter in a temporal context.
- Depending on the recipient, the letter begins at the top left with phrases such as "First Name" or "Hello + Family Name".
- For the content, you can discuss several subjects (city location, weather, activities, etc.) by adopting a style that adapts to the recipient.
- Finally, don't forget to sign! It may seem like nothing, but it's not a detail...
There you go, all that's left is to send your card! Your postcard will now live its second life in the hands of its recipient. They're free to reply or display it wherever they like...
