Chronicling Graphic Design Trends of Pakistan Postage Stamps (1948 – 2018)

الملخص

The paper aims to investigate and chronicle the graphic design trends of Pakistan
postage stamps by examining the stamps issued during the past seventy years (1948-
2018). The study mainly focuses on the modes of illustration and printing methods;
however, other design fades and significant features are also interpreted. The study
reveals that Pakistan postage stamps offer three obvious graphic trends; divided into eradefining
periods. Era-I (1948-64) is termed as line art, further split into monochromatic
(1948-54) and polychromatic (1955-64). Era-II (1965-70) is characterized by clipart and
halftone, whereas Era-III (1971-2018) is coined as photographic. Furthermore, almost
all stamps from 1948 to 1957 were printed in the intaglio process while gravure, serigraphy
and emboss techniques were also used for stamp printing. Majority of stamps,
particularly from 1970s, were printed in offset lithography.