“Love is a many splendored thing”. “The greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return”. “A loving heart is the truest wisdom” …
The latest in our Special Occasions stamp series is the With Love stamp issue, released on 6 February 2018, in time for Valentine’s Day. These delightful and light-hearted love-themed stamps were designed by Jeanette Fallon, an award-winning Melbourne-based graphic designer with a wealth of experience, in Australia and Europe, over 25 years. Many collectors may remember Fallon’s 2004 Christmas stamp designs, for which she won the Create Design Award for Illustration.
We interviewed Jeanette about her love of design and the challenge of designing for small spaces.
Jeanette has always had a love of art, craft and ‘making things’ – as far back as early childhood. With creative parents as inspiration, Jeanette could work for hours and days, “totally absorbed in a project, in my own world, creating things”.
“I remember being obsessed with patterns, trying to work out where the patterns on the 70’s lino floors and wallpapers lined up and repeated. I was interested in symbolism and interpreting the meanings behind things I saw around me. At school, I was the arty kid that always got A+ for my art projects, and was constantly doodling in class,” says Jeanette.
It wasn’t until her university days that she realised she could forge a career and get paid doing what she loved! After leaving university, Jeanette worked with Garry Emery – one of Australia’s most influential designers, which fuelled Jeanette’s passion for design and her determination to do well at it.
“Several years later I left to broaden my creative horizons and travel the world. My end goal was arriving in London, where I worked with some of Europe’s leading design studios for almost a decade. On returning to Melbourne I worked with one of the big branding studios briefly, before starting up my own practice in 2003,” says Jeanette.
Jeanette draws inspiration from many sources: art, architecture and the patterns of nature, found treasures and travelling the world. Jeanette particularly enjoys the problem-solving aspects of design: “I enjoy developing effective solutions that go beyond the rational and are instilled with a certain ‘magic’. Solutions which engage and delight audiences. It’s great helping clients achieve successful outcomes,” she says.
Jeanette’s projects are diverse. As well as her beautiful stamp designs, Jeanette creates designs that span brand identity, publications and marketing campaigns, as well as branded outdoor spaces, such as her award-winning designs for outdoor furniture at Federation Square. Regardless of size or medium, it’s vital for Jeanette that each project communicates to its audience.
To achieve this, Jeanette first engages in what she calls “design-thinking”: “I work on the concepts and ideas, writing and sketching by hand. Having gone through many ideas and options, I sort through and develop the ones I think have potential, and develop them further on the computer. Then I develop further, and then further... until at the end of a long process I have ‘the one’ (or in this case I have several) to submit,” says Jeanette.
Postage stamps have one of the smallest areas that Jeanette has designed for, which of course poses its own set of challenges: “I wanted to convey a narrative, while working within the confines of a small space. The designs needed to be simple – too much detail and they lose impact” says Jeanette.
When choosing subjects for the With Love stamp designs, Jeanette worked to express the many different types of love, whether friendship, affection, love for family, as well as romantic love. “I aimed to convey an overall feeling of joy and happiness, based around symbols and sentiments of love, friendship and beauty.”
Love bird
“I chose the love bird, because the grace and beauty of birds have captivated the human imagination since time immemorial. The bird is generally thought to symbolise freedom. They can walk on the Earth but they also have the ability to soar into the sky, beyond earthly concerns – almost magically. Some believe they’re messengers of the Gods, signifying spirituality, singing praises, bringing joy, love, friendship and beauty to the world.”
Flower
“The flower has long been a symbol of love and care. Flowers have a language of their own. For every sentiment, there is a flower that can express feelings, care and love, without words.”
“The history of Australia can be traced through its stamps, on which all aspects of Australian culture and natural heritage have been presented. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed working on this project, and it’s a privilege to be part of this historic collection and archive,” says Jeanette.
“And I like the idea of sending love to the corners of the Earth.”
Learn more about Jeanette Fallon and her work.
The With Love stamp issue is available from 6 February 2018, online, at participating Post Offices and via mail order on 1800 331 794, while stocks last.
View the gallery and technical details for this issue
This article was produced at the time of publication and will not be updated.
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