Postcard design - opinions needed Answered

Inspire-me, people!

I'm supposed to be designing a postcard to be sent to pupils who have done good work in science lessons, but I've hit a creative block.

I'd like to use an XKCD-style cartoon, but copyright is an issue, since this is an official school publication.

Update: WooHoo! The guys from XKCD gave permission to use the cartoon (thanks, XKCD)!

Tags:postcard science

Comments

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caitlinsdad

11 years ago

ahem, I shall add my two pence...

It is all well and good to draw from an existing body of work, but you did not add anything to the equation. You should take one of your ibles like the Paper Trebuchet or shill another one of your creations and scale the plans on one side of the postcard. On the opposite side, provide the "target" card. Add instructions to cut out the part to make it a 3D popup target. You can then congratulate the student by commenting "Smashing Good!" or "You're on target, you've hit the mark!" You should always try to think outside the box if you've come up with a creative block. mini-Paper trebuchet raid against the mini-paper shed anyone?

_{Not responsible for suggesting acts of violence or aggression, providing tools necessary to conspire or commit evil, nor seeing if any of this conforms to mandated postal regulations...}

Kiteman

Reply 11 years ago

That is an excellent idea, but it can't be something to be cut up, as these are the sorts of thing that parents keep on the refrigerator, or even in folders and files for posterity.

waterbaby

Reply 11 years ago

Kiteman, I have to agree with caitlinsdad here, pretty much all around. And something like his bullseye popup is definitely a Kiteman-worthy idea! It actually gets around your concern about the card being cut up since the cutting is only partially around an element on the card. This sort of card is not only clever and creative, but the interactivity adds to the value of your acknowledgement, making it exponentially more appreciated on a fridge and likely to not just be kept in a folder for posterity but brought out and shown to family and friends...or even kept on display (I know if I'd gotten such a treasure from a teacher I'd probably STILL have it out for all to see).

caitlinsdad

Reply 11 years ago

Thanks for the comment waterbaby. I underestimated the British stoicism here and such high regard for academic memorabilia. But, a commemorative series would not be bad incentive. Keep on getting high marks for each marking period and get another one in the series thus making it more collectible. Each does provide its own science lesson and would be enhanced by translating into Latin. It would garner some serious "teacher cred", well that and doing the chicken dance on youtube.

Kiteman

Reply 11 years ago

OK, I'm thinking about it. I'd have to talk to the head about colour, I don't know what the budget is...

caitlinsdad

Reply 11 years ago

You arm those kids in detention with a magic marker to colour in the postcard, just like we use prisoners to crank out license plates.

Kiteman

Reply 11 years ago

...to colour everything but... LOL