May 31, 2016

Canada Post’s Dinos of Canada stamp series isn’t extinct just yet. This exciting sequel breathes new life into five more fossilized finds that are part of Canada’s wealth of paleontological discoveries. With a unique design concept, Subplot Design Inc. has brought the dinos back to life with a 5-stamp series and other collector materials available

In Alberta, we unearth two traditional dinosaurs: the tiny, birdlike Troodon inequalis and the boneheaded Acrotholus audeti. In British Columbia, we find the Comox Valley elasmosaur, a vicious marine reptile, while in Saskatchewan, we dig up the relatively recent Cypretherium coarctatum, one of a group of mammals nicknamed “terminator pigs.” Moving east, to Prince Edward Island, we come across an ancient, mammal-like reptile called Dimetrodon borealis.

“We knew this project would be illustration-heavy and the subject matter would be very specific,” says Roy White, Subplot Founder and Creative Director. “Our first challenge was to find an engaging illustrator – one who was also an expert in the subject.”

The search for such a specialized artist led the team to Ukrainian Sergey Krasovskiy who, as one of the world’s best paleo-artists, specializes in the illustration of dinosaurs and other extinct creatures.

Although Krasovskiy’s work has graced the pages of many textbooks and popular magazines, including National Geographic, these are his first stamps. “When I start an illustration, I visualize it in a magazine,” explains Krasovskiy. “I couldn’t do the same with a small stamp, so I printed a stamp-sized frame to actually see the size I was working with.”

"We came up with the idea of showing the reflection of the creature through the eyes of another. Each eye is a unique frame, so it helps to create an interesting storyline for the stamp. Who’s watching? Predator? Prey? They inspire the imagination without having to depict an entire scene,” says White.

“The repeating eye motif comes roaring back on the uncut press sheet as the eye of a hungry Tyrannosaurus rex and as the frame for a single stamp among seven other souvenir sheets.”

“It’s not just an illustration to me,” adds Krasovskiy, “I enjoy the process. I hope that it reflects in my work, and that the audience feels that passion.”

Dinos of Canada stamps and collector materials are officially released today, May 26, 20-16 and are available at https://www.canadapost.ca/shop/dinos-of-canada/p-404018145.jsf?execution=e1s1

Creative Credits
Creative Concept & Implementation: Subplot Design Inc.
Designers: Liz Wurzinger, Steph Gibson
Creative Directors: Roy White, Matthew Clark
Illustrator: Sergey Krasovskiy

About Subplot Design Inc.
Subplot Design Inc. is a leading brand design firm with international experience in creating category-defining corporate and consumer brands. We specialize in powerful ideas that build intelligent, relevant, stand-out brands and communications in what has become an increasingly competitive marketplace. From our Vancouver, BC owned and operated offices, we do this with breakthrough creative brand design including Logomarks + Identity, Brand Packaging, Product Design, Print Communications, Annual Reports, and Retail Identities + Environments. www.subplot.com