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I've been asked to make sympathy cards for my humane society (they send them out to adopters who've subsequently lost their pets). It's a LOT of cards, unfortunately. I'm inclined to do them in somber colors, as I would any sympathy card. But after awhile, that kinda gets depressing (and boring) and I want to lighten it up.
If I add bright colors, will it be seen by the recipients as cheerful or flippant? Is it in poor taste to do a sympathy card in brights and/or pastels?
I do my human ones in blacks and grays and browns, but I have to admit I do make pet ones in more bright colors. I think it is the card design that counts, not just the colors.
I think any pastel or earthtone color (greens/burgundys, etc) would work fine, especially if you used a neutral base or mat. I agree, it's the sentiment that's the most important.
__________________ Connie ~ AKA Grandma to 3*perfect*grandkids Jimmie Johnson #48 fan! KS Jayhawk alumni!
I tend to use earth tones with neutrals. I think it depends on what you pair your colours with. Marina mist with crumb cake is a nice combo, while not completely somber KWIM?
__________________ "You may not have lost all your marbles, but there's definitely a hole in the bag." Grumpy Cat
Heck, I've used pink for female sympathy cards, they turn out so pretty. For animals, I use whatever color I feel like using. I think the one's who receive the cards are really looking more at the sentiment then what color the card stock. Maybe I'm wrong, but I would not be upset if I received any color card after the loss of one of my pets.
I change up my colors with the seasons. In the winter, my sympathy cards are more somber - dark blues & greys. But in spring I tend to use a lot of flowers, which can be pastel or bright. In summer I use ocean themes - blues, green and tans, and in fall I use lots of reds, oranges and browns.
__________________ aka Sue. Or Sue-odd.
No blog for me. My gallery chronicles my card-making successes and mishaps.
Oh, my...I use lavender, pink, mint green, peach...all sorts of colors for women. For men, I've used burgundy, black with gold sponging. I've never really thought that any color was off limits except maybe neon colors. Have you ever just gone to a Hallmark store or the card section of any store that you frequent and looked at the Sympathy section? Card designers use all colors.
I know that when my mother died I was just as happy with the brighter, more cheerful cards I received, so I always feel that colour is fine. I wouldn't go psychedelic, of course. And as an earlier poster mentioned, for pets I'd think you could use the rainbow. Maybe it's just me, but a little colour is cheerful and bright, and when it's a sympathy card, that means the recipient could probably do with a little cheer. It's the thought and care behind it that means the most, in the end.
iamvics, I read many of the poems on the "Rainbow Bridge Poem" link you so kindly provided. Wow! As a huge pet lover, I had a good cry for pets that have gone before me and it was a lovely reminder of just how much our current dogs mean to me! Thanks for sharing!
I've gone round and round about this in my own mind. I finally decided to make the cards completely for the recipient. Generally I have at least a passing acquaintance with the beliefs of the recpient. So my sympathy cards reflect those, rather than my own feelings. Some have a calmer attitude toward death and believe in an afterlife for their pets. To me no color is out as long as the card can be well received.
sympathy cards - colors
