Design it Yourself: Summer Postcards

Hyo Song Last updated: June 18, 2025 · 3 min read

In this week’s Design it Yourself tutorial, we’re creating custom summer postcards in Adobe Illustrator. The kind of piece that feels pulled from a travel diary, but built quickly with the help of pre-designed assets and thoughtful type.

The final design balances watercolor textures and clean vector shapes, with sun-washed colors and playful lettering anchoring the layout. It feels light but intentional, like summer itself.

Here’s how to build your own:

Step 1: Set up your artboard

Open Adobe Illustrator and create a new document at 5×7 inches or A6 size; both are postcard staples. Keep the orientation in mind (portrait or landscape) depending on how you want your composition to flow.

Step 2: Add your summer assets

For this one, we’re going for a layered, mixed-media vibe: watercolor elements, sticker-style illustrations, and handwritten fonts. The assets used in the video include:

Watercolor Seashells Clipart by paulaparaula – soft edges and natural gradients

Lumosky Handdrawn Display Font by GhaArizal – playful structure

SA Del Ray Handwritten Font by artcoastfonts – relaxed, note-to-self energy

Surfer Girls Summer Graphics Set by Annakaroline – bold, feminine lines and beachy icons

Postcard with Envelope Mockups by compositingstudio: perfect for presentation purposes

Start building out your layout using these visuals. Keep your elements spaced out with intention. In the video, you’ll see balance created with clusters of objects that feel collected rather than overly arranged.

Step 3: Add your text

Now bring in your message. This could be a city name, a summer phrase, or a personal note.

Experiment with combinations:

One bold display font for headlines (like Lumosky)
A looser handwritten font for subcopy (SA Del Ray fits beautifully here)

Try shifting the text slightly off-center or letting it interact with your illustrations for more visual flow.

Step 4: Bring in the color

Your palette sets the tone. In the video, you’ll see warm coral, faded sand, soft greens, and sun-bleached blues, tones that hint at postcards left in the sun or tucked into journals.

Stick with 4–6 shades max, and let texture do the rest of the work. You don’t need full gradients or heavy effects.

Step 5: Add the final touches

This is where everything comes together. Adjust alignment, tweak spacing, and nudge elements a few pixels at a time. You can also layer in small extras: circles, dashes, and shadows to guide the viewer’s eye across the design.

Once you’re happy with the layout, place your final piece into a mockup like the Postcard with Envelope one above to see it in context.

That’s it! You’ve designed a summer postcard that’s ready to send, share, or save. Use it as a print, a digital note, or part of your brand’s seasonal content.