This project is a Canada Post stamp collection that blends the cultural richness of Montréal with the imaginative world of Pokémon. Each stamp features a different Pokémon illustrated as interacting with or inhabiting an iconic Montréal location—such as Starly exploring the Old Port, Wooloo at the St Josephs’ Oratory, or Bidoof at the Orange Julep.
The series aims to celebrate both the city’s architectural and natural landmarks and the playful spirit of Pokémon. Designed with a cohesive visual style, the stamps are intended for display, collectible sets, and educational use, highlighting Montréal’s distinct character through familiar, beloved creatures and the iconic locations that they reside at.
For this stamp collection, I was actually inspired by special utility covers called Poké Lids! For Those who don’t know, Poké Lids are a special campaign held throughout Japan as part of the Pokémon Local Acts campaign, where Pokémon become ambassadors of certain areas in Japan and help with the economy and local features including parks. They are often placed in lesser known tourist spots as a way to revitalize cities that face are struck by natural disasters!
I was immediately hooked when I found out about such a unique marketing campaign, and it greatly pushed my creativity when doing this project. I heavily incorporated the use of different line-weights along with brighter colors to reference the Poké Lids. I wanted my design to not only represent the colorful artwork known in the pokemon community through the various artists they hire, but also these beautiful lids that go unnoticed.
This project was an excellent opportunity to push the boundaries of my illustrative skills. Working solely in Illustrator required careful problem-solving and creativity, particularly when merging Pokémon characters with the distinctive landscapes of Montreal. Incorporating the city’s four seasons added another level of challenge, inspiring me to develop a color palette that was both varied and cohesive. Overall, this project strengthened my ability to combine imagination, technical precision, and visual consistency into a unified, engaging design.