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Hanhemuhle generously sent me a tin of their postcards for review purposes. I decided ’tis the season for Christmas cards! I can’t think of a better use of these cool, sturdy postcards than decorating them for family and friends. The specs for these little gems are as such:
HAHNEMUHLE POSTCARDS:
Paper Weight: 230gsm
Paper Details: Acid free, archival, white watercolor paper, rounded corners
Texture: Rough (highly patterned)
Size: 4″ x 6″ (10.5cm x 14.8cm)
# in Tin: 30 postcards
Tin Details: The postcards come in a decorative tin, each year Hahnemuhle puts out a unique tin with artwork on it, there are ten different editions so far.
This Tin: This is the 9th edition, the artist who painted the lid is Gerard HendriksOther reviewers had expressed that Hahnemuhle’s postcards were highly textured. Yes, the other reviews are correct, there is a distinct pattern on the front of each postcard. The back where you add your particulars, salutation and address is smooth. Notice in the section that is cobalt turquoise on the card (above), you can see the grid-like texture. Now that you know what you’re looking for, you can see the pattern more subtly in the other colors.
The texture of these postcards was truly pleasing. I didn’t find any problem at all with ink lines wobbling, lettering pens skipping or watercolor paint pooling unusually. What I found was actually the opposite. The texture added a lovely and unique look to each little piece of art. I was concerned when I first started drawing out my designs, thinking my microns would not move smoothly over the paper. I did concentrate a little more than usual but found no real problem.I worried the most about the Tombow Dual Brush Pen lettering skipping or feathering instead of allowing for crisp lines. I really had nothing to worry about which surprised me. I found there was no more skipping or uneven line work than any other time I’ve done lettering. I’m new at making my own sayings with brush pens but I was thrilled to see how it all turned out. There was very little tweaking needed.
Hahnemuhle, a German Paper Company, has been making quality paper since 1584, you can see that number embossed on the tin with their signature Rooster. Notice the rounded corners of the postcard in the Christmas tree painting. The tin also has rounded corners making it a great place to store your completed masterpieces. The tin can also be easily turned into a travel palette. I will be putting up a DIY post for that in the upcoming week.This watercolor paper is both fun and challenging to paint on. The paper allowed for incredible lifting of color, even phthalos. I was amazed at that and it made for some fun playing. This feature of the paper made me change the way I painted in small ways. It took me some time to learn the best techniques to bring out the qualities of the paper. I found that thinner, wetter washes made the texture show the most. This is noticeable in in the tree painting above. I used Hooker’s Green (Sennelier) as the main tree color and then, while the paper was quite wet, I added a few details. I found this painting showed the most texture because of the technique I used. I liked how working wet added the paper’s texture to the tree. When I used more layering of paint with less water the texture of the paper was less noticeable. You can see, the paper looks smoother in the Holly Painting below.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS:
It is wonderfully surprising to me how much I loved playing on these postcards. I can see myself coming back to them again and again. They are the perfect size for giving. I usually work larger but with a smaller size one needs to put in less work and therefore giving them away doesn’t hurt as much. Also, as an artist, I don’t “play” much. I paint for a reason, to make salable art, to review product or to create something for family or friends (can I call that a commission even though I don’t get paid, lol).These little postcards were like magic for me. I didn’t feel pressured to be perfect. It was just a little play time. In fact, I’ve already stamped & addressed several of the cards you see above to be mailed out to friends this Christmas season. I’ve never done that before. I’m always so busy with other things. If you’re a busy artist too, maybe a tin of these will let you relax and have a little art therapy. And remember, you get to keep the tin! Ooh, another DIY Palette in your future. ;o)
To see all the links and where these postcards can be purchased come on over to my blog post HERE.
I am having a giveaway starting today for a tin of Hahnemuhle postcards generously donated by Hahnemuhle. I will also be including a signature Bee Mug in the giveaway. GO HERE to read all about the prize and enter.
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