Here at MorningPrint, we receive many amazing designs. Knowing the motivations behind those designs and the process of what went into the creation of them, is something we feel is our duty to highlight and pass on to our readers. Particularly, any aspiring designers needing a good resource for inspiration. We are honored to be able share some of those inspiring designs with you as part of our Design of the Month series.

This month we decided to go festive and choose a wonderfully designed Christmas Postcard.

Our pick comes from Jason Sato of Top Shelf Designs and features his handsome newborn son, Aiden. Jason photographed and designed the card himself.

We asked Jason to give us his take on great Holiday themed design.

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Firstly, we’d like to wish you a happy holiday season and congratulations on the birth of your newborn son. What a wonderful Christmas present!

MP: Your design has a wonderfully retro feel to it. Simple, clean design with muted color tones. For some reason it makes me think of the movie, “A Christmas Story.” Was there any design influence from the era or is it just me?  

JS: That is a good reference, but not the influence.  My wife and I liked the vintage Coca-cola feel of their campaigns, so that was a big influence. We also used a similar Coke font.

MP: In your opinion, what elements make a great Holiday Postcard?  

JS: I think you have to be able to tell a story without words.  Think cheer, happiness and love.

MP: What do you like most about our Heavy Nouveau paper stock?  

JS: The Heavy Nouveau is my favorite paper stock because of the thick, smooth quality of the paper.  Plus I love that it picks up the softness of colors when needed, like on my vintage holiday card.

MP: Gold-foiled font and embellishments is a big trend in holiday cards these days, what made you opt out of it for your design?  

JS: Didn't feel vintage to me.

MP: Lastly, we really loved Aiden’s pose on this card. He is giving some serious model face. Do you have any tips for our parents wanting to photograph their little ones for holiday portraits?  

JS: It's a very easy thing if you know what your child likes.  If a rattle, stuffed toy, their mother or even your smile makes them light up and smile you will be able to get a ton of good shots.  I'm a big fan of natural light, but in these winter months its easier to use studio lights and keep it in a controlled environment.  

Morning Print would like to thank Jason Sato for contributing to this blog post and his ongoing support of our products + services. For more information on Jason Sato & Top Shelf Graphics, please visit their website.