Briefing Design Dutch stamps based on the theme ‘Dutch Icons’.
Insight We know the Dutch icons from the past, but what are the icons of today?
Concept Design per square centimetre. We received the honour of designing a series of Dutch postage stamps for 2007 – a huge assignment to cover a very small space. The collection was made up of ten stamps for national use and priority stamps for mail within and outside Europe. We selected typical Dutch Icons – not just classic icons like the wooden shoe and the windmill, but also today’s refreshing modern icons, which have achieved major international success and are now well known on a global scale for their Dutch DNA. Their recognizability is for a large part related to their unique shapes, which we reduced to their essence. To enlarge their iconic value we placed the objects in typical Dutch landscapes – recognizable horizons that create perfect scenery. Fresh, bold colours, were combined to create a clear and strong design. We used both colour and alignment to connect the individual designs and create one visual effect on the sheet of stamps.