stamp confusion

I love patriotism on stamps. I’d like to see a stronger return to patriotic elements on our stamps. The whole cultural recognition on stamps (Simpsons stamps, movie actor stamps, etc.) has become pretty silly and worn out. You can’t wear out the idea of showing a U.S. President or a flag on a stamp. But the general awkwardness and clumsiness of the current 3 cent stamp’s design does not appropriately represent American patriotism.

The main star is mostly red, but it’s legs are blue. I understand representing red, white, and blue, but making the bottom part of a star in this manner is rather clumsy. It almost seems random.

There’s a white star in front of the blue/red star attempting to stir some negative space dynamics. Instead it’s creating an awkward space in the red/blue star’s armpits.

There’s also a strange void between the blue section of the red/blue star.

It’s kinda neat to imagine the white star isn’t there. The blue parts start to look like chop sticks or scissors. They also look like legs. How this represents patriotism I don’t know.

The angle is weird. Why angle this graphic? It becomes cartoonic.

This stamp has been around since 2002?!?! It’s time to retire this stamp. I don’t get it. It looks like a really bad logo for a bank, insurance company or one of those bad reverse mortgage retirement commercials.

From the USPS website: “This 3-cent “make up rate” stamp was first issued in June 2002 and features a star highlighted in red, white and blue.”
It’s interesting that they recognize only one star in this design.

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Matt Maldre
Admin
10 years ago

The three-cent st-ar sta-mp fr-om 2002 was desi-gned by Ph-il Jor-dan of Fa-lls Chu-rch, Virg-inia. He’s been the art director of the US-PS since 1991. http://www.knottywood-treasures.com/id22.html

Matt Maldre
Admin
10 years ago

I couldn’t get my entire comment to be approved due to spam filters, so here’s a link to my full comment about this guy: https://plus.google.com/114954173006255665409/posts/RT1FHY3sZFR