R.I. Saltwater Fish Stamps

In my Image Editing and Design class during my Senior year, I got the final project assignment of creating a Culture & Heritage USPS Stamp Series. We were to create a series of four different stamps that celebrate heritage from anywhere around the world, as well as a poster to go along with them for advertisements. The goal here was to create an understanding of any aspects of the chosen culture and heritage. This included lots of researching, sketching, refining, and Photoshop work.

Project Strategies/Solutions:
This project used Adobe Illustrator and Adobe Photoshop to develop my designs. My chosen topic for this was Rhode Island Saltwater Fish. This idea came from wanting to celebrate the culture of being a native Rhode Islander. Many asked, out of all aspects of Rhode Island, why fish? This is because my mom and dad taught me how to fish as soon as I could walk, and I come from a family who loves it. I went with saltwater fish because I adore the beach and primarily partake in saltwater fishing (although I do love a good cast into freshwater too). And yes, I have a tattoo of a striped bass on my arm.

I created four classic stamps of saltwater fish found in Rhode Island, the Striped Bass (obviously), Scup, Atlantic Cod, and Bluefin Tuna. The background includes a vintage-style map of Rhode Island, specifically South County and the ocean. This color scheme involved creating a warm, earthy feeling. The poster background includes a photo from a Watch Hill beach and showcases the stamps along with the name of the series. I really like how this came out, and it is my last design project of this degree, so it has a special place in my heart.