{"id":82067,"date":"2025-06-18T05:15:49","date_gmt":"2025-06-18T12:15:49","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/?p=82067"},"modified":"2025-06-18T05:16:44","modified_gmt":"2025-06-18T12:16:44","slug":"how-to-design-summer-postcards","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/how-to-design-summer-postcards","title":{"rendered":"Design it Yourself: Summer Postcards"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In this week\u2019s Design it Yourself<\/a> tutorial, we\u2019re 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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here\u2019s how to build your own:<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Step 1: Set up your artboard<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Open\u00a0Adobe Illustrator<\/strong>\u00a0and create a new document at\u00a05×7 inches<\/strong>\u00a0or\u00a0A6 size<\/strong>; both are postcard staples. Keep the orientation in mind (portrait or landscape) depending on how you want your composition to flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Step 2: Add your summer assets<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

For this one, we\u2019re going for a layered, mixed-media vibe: watercolor elements, sticker-style illustrations, and handwritten fonts. The assets used in the video include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Watercolor Seashells Clipart by paulaparaula<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 soft edges and natural gradients<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n \n\n\n

Lumosky Handdrawn Display Font by GhaArizal<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 playful structure<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n \n\n\n

SA Del Ray Handwritten Font by artcoastfonts<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 relaxed, note-to-self energy<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n \n\n\n

Surfer Girls Summer Graphics Set by Annakaroline<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0\u2013 bold, feminine lines and beachy icons<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n \n\n\n

Postcard with Envelope Mockups by compositingstudio<\/strong><\/a>: perfect for presentation purposes<\/p>\n\n\n

<\/figure>\n \n\n\n

Start building out your layout using these visuals. Keep your elements spaced out with intention. In the video, you\u2019ll see balance created with clusters of objects that feel collected rather than overly arranged.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/span>Step 3: Add your text<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Now bring in your message. This could be a city name, a summer phrase, or a personal note.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Experiment with combinations:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • One bold display font for headlines (like Lumosky)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • A looser handwritten font for subcopy (SA Del Ray fits beautifully here)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n

    Try shifting the text slightly off-center or letting it interact with your illustrations for more visual flow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>Step 4: Bring in the color<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    Your palette sets the tone. In the video, you\u2019ll see warm coral, faded sand, soft greens, and sun-bleached blues, tones that hint at postcards left in the sun or tucked into journals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Stick with 4\u20136 shades max, and let texture do the rest of the work. You don\u2019t need full gradients or heavy effects.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/span>Step 5: Add the final touches<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

    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\u2019s eye across the design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Once you\u2019re happy with the layout, place your final piece into a mockup like the Postcard with Envelope<\/strong> one above to see it in context.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n\n\n\n

    That\u2019s it! You\u2019ve designed a summer postcard that\u2019s ready to send, share, or save. Use it as a print, a digital note, or part of your brand\u2019s seasonal content. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    In this week\u2019s Design it Yourself tutorial, we\u2019re 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 […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":64857,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":true,"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1807,74,1803],"tags":[1631,1302,1493],"topics":[],"class_list":["post-82067","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-stationery","category-tutorials","category-made-with-creative-market","tag-design-it-yourself","tag-stationery","tag-postcards"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nDesign it Yourself: Summer Postcards - Creative Market Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/creativemarket.com\/blog\/how-to-design-summer-postcards\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Design it Yourself: Summer Postcards\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"In this week\u2019s Design it Yourself tutorial, we\u2019re creating custom summer postcards in Adobe Illustrator. 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