The Lost Art of Letter Writing & The Benefits
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- Опубліковано 3 жов 2024
- Do most people write letters anymore? For me, it's always been a wonderful, creative exercise and great way to communicate with friends.
However, technology has put letter writing on the same path as the typewriter and the pay phone. Mainstays of daily life now nearly forgotten... except for junk mail and bills, of course.
There is tremendous value in letter writing and what I call "passive creativity."
Learn more about "Passive Creativity" in my previous video:
• PASSIVE CREATIVITY & E...
I hope you enjoy this video and I'd love to hear your feedback and whether you still enjoy writing letters and sharing your creative spirit.
MUSIC:
“Still Fall” by M.D. Campbell © 2019 M.D. Campbell • All rights reserved
Blog: www.markdcampbe...
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The intent of my channel is to bring videos of useful content to help fellow artists and art students with insightful information, as well as bring consumers real-world reviews on the products we're likely to buy and use every day.
I'm always grateful for feedback to help improve my channel, so please feel free to leave your thoughts in the comment section below.
Thank you for your time watching! Cheers! ~ Mark
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#mdcampbell
#passivecreativity
#letterwriting
This is what scrapbooking was about back in the day. There is nothing like receiving something that the other person actually touched and created, no text, no video, no phone call can replace it. Plus you can save letters. Is there anyone out there who couldn’t immediately recognize their Mom or Dad’s handwriting? Having gotten to an age where I have lost both my parents I am SO glad I have things in their handwriting, especially letters. The other benefit is getting something in the mail that isn’t a bill or advertisement! I decorate y envelopes with stamps, doodles, stickers, anything I feel will make the other person smile. I would love to be one pals if you’re looking for one. I feel sad for the young people today who are being cheated out of real relationships, sharing your heart with another, learning to write properly (both grammar and handwriting). Thanks for sharing what you do. There are online groups of people who enjoy both “envelope art” and letter writing.
I LOVE that you draw on your bills before mailing them! BRAVO!
I remember doing something of this sort with my friend from HS, back in the day, when we both still knew how to write.. He drew, at the time I did not but I would write cryptic messages on the back of the envelope, usually in runes, or something. I am not sure exactly when, or why we stopped. Now it is a virtual message of some kind or, on rare occasion, a phone call.
I sent him the link to this video, I think he will enjoy it as much as I do.
We always figured the post office had to love us!
I'm sure the post office totally loved you, @robineliason7850! I think back to high school and I was that guy who people love to trade notes with in the hallway - the ones we folded up into little footballs - because I put the most ridiculous doodles in my notes, along with words. Now, like you said, it's all text, Facetime, or phone calls. Little time for letter writing... unless we make the time! Perhaps it's time for you to revisit your old school friend? Cheers! ~ Mark
What I love about this idea is that it is something you can do anytime, anywhere. Last year, I sent my friends postcards inspired by my favorite David Hockney quote, "Get up and work immediately." Each one started with the same foam stamp design made from a sketch of one of my favorite knickknacks. I filled the background with my quote, and used different media and colors for each one. You are so right about the lost art of letter writing. I wish I still had all the letters my mother sent me, filled with the minutia of daily life, and written in her beautiful handwriting.
Just started making watercolor postcards to send to friends. I seal the outside that’s painted with a varnish spray , so it becomes waterproof.😊👍
I've been doing Mail Art for decades, but frequently it leans more on collage. Such fun!
I think that's fabulous! Collage and assemblage art is a great way to pull your creativity together _and_ have a blast putting it into a letter or piece of mail! Great approach! Thank you, @LaLa_ArtGal!!
If you're interested, we could trade letters. 😊
I usually enclose a drawn card with a note/letter because I think envelopes may get disposed (by some recipients) after they’ve been opened. But I may start drawing on envelopes now :)
Yes, @jellymiu I agree. I accept that my art may be discarded or tossed away, so I try not to get _too_ invested in a drawing and keep it simple. The fun, I think, is in the initial getting it. And once they open it, the letter inside usually is loaded with doodles, as well. Glad to know I'm not alone in this practice! Thank you for watching and for sharing your thoughts!! Be well!! Mark
@@MDCampbell yeah definitely not alone. Let's all have fun drawing!
Postal workers: A it brightens their day B They're more likely to care about letters & packages with hand handdrawn art.
Commenting beforehand as I want to see if I'm right about one of the reasons you draw on envelopes.
Edit: Yes! I absolutely draw on envelopes & especially ones to businesses & the government for the above & reasons similar to yours.
Making letters and cards are so enjoyable for everyone involved.😊👍
I hope this video will inspire others. I enjoy decorating the back of envelopes. I seal it with pretty washi tape and add stickers or art according to the season or holiday.
You know, @kathyhaynes6818, I've known about the tape and stickers for years, but really never thought to use it! Maybe that's my new mission: to incorporate other mediums into my drawings, like stickers and such! What a great idea! Thank you! Stay well and thank you for checking this video out. ~ Mark
Sometimes I write a letter or at least a post card to my best friend who lives in the next town over. I use rubber stamps to decorate the envelope and since I use mostly watercolors or felt tip markers I treat the picture with some diy-"faux wax". And of couse I use a real stamp. You're so right about the writing and language skills. Years ago I learned that to really learn a language you should read a "good" newspaper. But I sometimes wonder if the people writing the newspaper articles even went to school 🤣
I love the rubber stamps idea, which I got into briefly many years ago! I've lost or given away all my stamps since, but it's such a great idea! I agree that a newspaper is a great way to learn a language! I always watch the news when I go to another country. So funny, too, that many of the online news articles are so poorly written, I wonder how the authors were even hired! LOL! Thanks for checking this one out, Tina! Be well! ~ Mark
I love this idea! I'm going do this for family and friends. Unfortunately the art of correspondence by mail is becoming a rare thing.
Right? Like I mentioned, I have a friend whom I've been corresponding with this way for decades. We hung out almost every day back in college, but now, it's difficult to find time to get together. This keeps us in check creatively, allows us to speak our thoughts without distraction, and keeps us connected so when we do find time to hang out, we're already up to date on each other's recent events. It's wonderful! Cheers and thank you for checking this one out. ~ Mark
Dear Mark, thank you for this brilliant idea. It is way to Express your feelings and talent together. Imagine if you were taking photo of each envelope you sent, it may collected in one book. Brilliant.
Also if we could share our art with some emails we are sending. Again it is a lot of fun.
Picasso gave to his hairdresser a paint then it is a museum and the value are uncountable.
Drawing on the envelope is a lot of fun and entertaining. Thanks Mark for the video, the art and the fun.
I'm thrilled you enjoyed this one and the idea, @ismailabdelhamid7114. For me, it's great to speak my thoughts, uninterrupted or distracted, and illustrate those thoughts with a little doodle. So fun! Thank you, always, for being so supportive. I appreciate you so much! ~ Mark
Great video ! 👍👍
Beautifully done! It truly is an artform to maintain written correspondence. I love it
Wonderful video as always. I now feel inspired to send a letter to my sister.
Hi, I found your channel randomly on my feed. I enjoy writing letters and decorating the envelopes and stationery pages. I have many pen friends that I only know thru letters. It's very relaxing and fun for me to send mail out. This started back in 2010 for me and I have not taken a pause since then. I enjoyed your video and thank you for sharing your thoughts. Happy writing!
Nahapi:pi Mark,
This was a great insight into your modes of thinking. I love the idea of creating art on packaging. It adds a personal touch...with the added benefit of being a sort-of branding.
Most of the time these days my mail is either bills or obligood Tory Most of the time these days my outgoing mail is either bills, holiday cards or otherwise obligatory. On the chance that it's actually me mailing a purchase of some artwork, I try to personalize and brand my packaging. Typically I will send a note or thank you card and maybe some magnets, stickers or a small print. I like the idea of doodling.
My nephew was never taught cursive in school. He is twenty-one. I have to slow down and concentrate when I write cursive. Otherwise, it is often eligible or it looks like thirteen different people wrote it.😂 I've heard that handwriting experts say that is a sign of a sick mind.🤷🏻♂️ That's anecdotal though.
Most of the time when people contact me it's via email or DM these days. Hell, even ninety percent of the phone calls I get are spam.
Pilahuk,
Charles
P.S.
(I could have edited my comment but I'll stick with the shtick.)
I wanted to also thank you for taking the time out to share these insights. They're invaluable.
Personally, I love the "shtick!" lol! That's the thing though, Charles, is that we are _so_ overwhelmed and drenched in spam and junk mail, that we've come to expect that nothing personal ever comes in the mail except maybe for the holidays or birthdays. It's sad because it's _such_ a great tool of communication that we've all kind of given up on. That's why I chose the topic, to maybe invigorate the idea to a small community in hopes the idea may grow. It may be too tedious for most people, so it's doubtful to catch on, but hey, why not. And don't even get me started on the whole cursive thing. omg. My kids were raised in their early elementary school years to write in a style (there's a name, but I forget it now) that took traditional block letters and combined it with cursive. Then, the school abandoned that style, leaving my kids (and their friends) with this weird, messed up, backwards way of writing letters. I get incensed when I think about it, because it really screwed kids up and the teachers were just like, "oh well, our bad." Regardless, I really like your take on the "branding" idea and making the drawing on the package work for the artist. Very clever! Thanks for taking the time to watch and share your thoughts, Charles! Hoping all is going great in '24!! ~ Mark
I love drawing on my envelopes...
Hi Mark, I just recently subscribed to you. It's so much fun to watch you create your crazy faces! When you mentioned Peter Max, My heart started pounding!! I was born in the mid 50's and my mom who was a very cool interior designer, and when we were teenagers, she had our entire bathroom wall papered in Peter Max works of art! It brings back such cool and amazing memories for me and my wonderful mom! My sister even had a P Max belt, which of course went brilliantly with her mini skirt!! ;) Thanks for the wild memories.
They are all such great ideas you expressed! I'm glad there are people who still put some time in their correspondence with personal touches. I also decorate envelopes that have cards or notes I send to a long-time friend who says how excited she gets when the mail arrives and she sees that it includes something from me by the envelope it comes in.
I love your videos! All so inspiring! I have doodled on envelopes since HS and I'm in my 60s! I now send stickers and ATC (artist trading cards) to various libraries across the country and what response I've gotten back has been very good. I love to make my own envelopes, add my own handmade stickers and I love to use more unusual stamps on the envelopes!! Thank you for being so inspiring!!
❤😊
❤😊 right back to you, @ArteSana3!
I always assumed the post office machines would screw up and lose the envelope if i did this.
I really appreciate the fun and comedy of your art. Thank you so much for sharing. I use to do penpal in high school great way to contact people from across the world. Did you had a penpal?