Part of my favorite media strategy has always been postcards. I love them: I let them collect in my purses to remind me of where I’ve been and what I’ve done, and I think they’re a really effective strategy to let people know about your art, your project or your business. Below the cut I’m pleased to display four of my newest postcards, but first lets talk a bit about production and printing. I have some links to cheap printers and tips to make your cards look great!

Designing a postcard:

You need good images. Get a photographer friend and dress up, like we did for the Animal Print photo shoot. Or source something copyright-free or copyleft and shareable from Wikipedia Commons or the Library of Congress Digital Collections or NYPL archives. Or get your digital camera out and take a picture of someTHING in this beautiful world. And credit your source!

Once you have your image in your computer, make sure it’s set to print resolution and not web resolution! 300dpi! This is critical so you don’t get that weird little-crystal effect when you print. To design, you can use photoshop or indesign, or GIMP [free!]. The most important part when you’re laying out your postcard is a little something called margins and bleed.

Next, before you perfect your postcard, know your print specs. How big is your image going to be? 3.75×5.5 is far off from 4.25×6, when it comes to font size and layout. This means sourcing your printer ahead of time. Will your image bleed off the edge or have a border? Make sure that text is not too close to the margins, and remember that the way things look on your screen often don’t exactly translate to the way they look when printed, so beware of color values that are too close to one another side-by-side.

Printing. I like using overnightprints.com because there are a lot of good discount codes out there for them, and they usually get your order to you in about a week. I just ordered 500 full-color one-sided cards for $20+shipping. Sweet. However, walking into your local independent printer cannot be beat in terms of putting a face to your process, and in my experience, chain-print-place employees are often really rad and discount-y after the managers leave at 5pm.

Here are my most recent products, if you’re curious. And they got here just in time to take to the USSF!

Postcard for performace + creative arts

This is from photo's I got from many of the performers and presenters from the upcoming Femme2010 conference!

This illustration is by Cristy Road

Tues June 15, 7:30 – 9:30pm, 713 Classon Ave, Apt 206, Brooklyn, $free/bring a dish to share
Kick off Femme Pride Week with a Femme Family community dinner, at which we will utilize the potluck to honor our deep lez ancestry and queer activist present. Femme + femme-questioning only, please.

Thurs June 17, 10p-2a. Sugarland [221 N 9th St.], Brooklyn, $5
Co-Head Madam Bevin Branlandingham brings another installation of the Rebel Cupcake Cabaret! The theme is Queer Root, and it features performances by Rosie Lugosie, SirMamSir and the Missus, Lola Dean, and myself, Axon D’Luxe.

Fri June 18. Paddles [250 W 26th St.], NYC 10:30p – 2:30. $10.
Orphanage play party!! SWITCH, New York City’s monthly genderqueer/women/trans/define it for yourself BDSM party, takes you into the dingy world of the wayward, Daddy Warbucks, Cruella DeVille and all those Nuns who’d grown tired of brats run amok. All queer genders welcome. Hostessed by Damien Luxe/Home for the Wayward.

Sat June 19.
It’s Juneteenth! It’s the Mermaid Parade!! It’s my 31st birthday!!!

Sun June 20: 8p – 12a. Stonewall Inn [53 Christopher St,] NYC. $5-$10.
NYC Femme Family is excited to invite you to our second annual pride party!  This year’s party has a very special theme: PINUP, and it’s co-sponsored by Shameless Photography, Bklyn Boihood, and I Heart Brooklyn Girls.  In addition to dancing, drinks, and general revelry, we’re holding a date & service auction you won’t want to miss. Auction info is available on our blog. All femmes + queer allies are welcome.