USA Postal Stamp Series
Task: Create four original illustrations for a USPS stamp series. The series must combine type and illustrations to honor people or a topic different from a personal lived experience.
Roles: CONCEPT CREATOR, ILLUSTRATOR, ARTIST, TYPOGRAPHY
Programs Used: ILLUSTRATOR
Concept: My concept was to create a stamp series that illustrates The Four Noble Truths of Buddhism. These truths are paramount to Buddhist culture and reflect the principles of the religion in modern United States society. Interestingly, while undergoing research, I found that there is no collection of illustrations that depict these truths; I was excited to have this blank canvas to come up with an original display. Each stamp should convey its unique role in the journey of nirvana.
Why Each Illustration?
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The truth of suffering: Recognition of suffering as one life's inherent characteristics.
The lotus flower is a metaphor to illustrate the journey towards enlightenment. Just as the lotus emerges from muddy waters but remains unstained by them, individuals are encouraged to rise above the suffering and challenges of life to attain enlightenment and purity of mind. The lotus's ability to blossom beautifully despite its murky origins symbolizes the potential for spiritual transformation. It serves as a reminder that even in the darkest times, there is the potential for growth, enlightenment, and liberation from suffering. As Dukkah is the first truth and the first step in the pursuit of Nirvana, a lotus flower embodies the start of this journey.
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Suffering arises due to craving.
The truth explains that suffering is an inherent aspect of life because human nature is to crave. For this stamp, I wanted to depict the concept of “wanting” or “craving” by illustrating praying hands. This visual represents the prominent message behind the second noble truth, Samudāya.
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Releasing the tendency to desire sets you free from suffering.
Letting go of desire is how you achieve peace. In this stamp, representing Nirodha, I wanted to illustrate a blend of letting go and peace. The swirled lines stemming out from the hands depict an internal release, and the meditative positioning of the body is supposed to radiate the idea of peace; creating an intersection of the two concepts.
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The truth of the path to the cessation of suffering.
The final truth, Magga, depicts the achievement of nirvana and the end of suffering. The Buddha is the perfect graphic of this concept: Its teachings, encapsulated in the Four Noble Truths, emphasize the understanding of suffering, its causes, the possibility of its cessation, and the path to achieving liberation from suffering. The Buddha's life and teachings serve as the guiding principles for Buddhists worldwide. The Buddha is known as the founder of Buddhism and the creator of these truths that lead to enlightenment: a path deeply cherished, sought after, and appreciated in the religion.
Visually, in the stamps, the winding line is representative of a path showing the end of a journey illustrated across these four stamps. Incorporating a path and a Buddha resembling figure was the concept behind the final stamp.