The rose is the most common flowering plant on stamps throughout the world. There are hundreds of species of roses, and they are often among the favorite flowers within a garden. President Ronald Reagan designated the rose as the official flower and floral emblem of the United States in 1986. Resplendent in color and diverse in its varieties, the rose image continues to be one of the most popular flowering plants sold on US stamps.
Love Issue
Love concept stamp art
ISSUE Love
MEDIUM paper; gouache; pencil
ILLUSTRATOR Richard Sheaff
ART DIRECTOR Jack Williams
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE July 4, 1988
This concept art represents one of the first designs developed for the 1988 25-cent Love stamp, for which a large number of sketches were prepared. The artist based this design on a series of rose photographs.
Love concept stamp art
ISSUE Love
MEDIUM paper; gouache; pencil
ILLUSTRATOR Richard Sheaff
ART DIRECTOR Jack Williams
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE July 4, 1988
This concept art represents one of the last drawings prepared for the 25-cent Love stamp. The approved stamp design depicted a pink-colored rose against a leafy background. The actual production image was likely finalized with digital editing software.
Love concept stamp art
ISSUE Love
MEDIUM paper; gouache; pencil
ILLUSTRATOR Richard Sheaff
ART DIRECTOR Jack Williams
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE July 4, 1988
This bright red rose was one of many designs prepared for the 25-cent Love stamp. The concept artwork was not drawn to articulate a specific rose variety but instead was drawn to prominently display a recognizable rose image for the first time on a Love stamp.
Flora and Fauna Issue
Rose approved stamp art
ISSUE Flora and Fauna
MEDIUM paper; gouache; pencil
ILLUSTRATOR Gyo Fujikawa
ART DIRECTOR Joseph Brockert
FIRST DAY OF ISSUE June 2, 1995, October 24, 1996 and August 1, 1997
By the early–mid 1990s, the USPS began to issue rose stamps more frequently and in various formats, such as the booklet, pane, and coil. This approved art represents Gyo Fujikawa’s third, fourth, and fifth rose stamps. As in the case of many approved postal art pieces, digital color adjustments were made to her final artwork.
