[press release]
Goldfinch and Plague Bird: Loved And Feared
New stamp issue: Birds in the Netherlands
Note: This English version was produced with Google Translate
PostNL has released new stamps on April 23 for international destinations, with illustrations of the putter and the plague bird. These two colorful birds have an age-old name in Dutch history. Both illustrations were made by Michelle Dujardin, the stamp design by art director Yvonne Warmerdam.
EUROPA Stamp Best Design Competition
PostNL will also send the Birds in the Netherlands stamp sheet for the EUROPA Stamp Best Design Competition. This competition is organized by PostEurop, the organization in which all European national postal companies work together. The design competition for 2019 is all about national birds.
Free and Minimalist Style
On the stamps Birds in the Netherlands, the illustrations of the putter and the plague bird are filled with images in the stamps. The illustrations by Michelle Dujardin 
have its characteristic minimalist style: realistic, with a slight abstract-impressionistic touch. Michelle: “The putter and the plague bird are consciously set against each other. They fit well together, all 2 start with a p and both have a striking nickname. And they also form a beautiful contradiction – one loved, the other feared. While both are very beautiful birds. ”
Own Bird Version
For both bird drawings, Michelle used photos to properly capture the feathers, the colors and the shape. “But I always take the liberty to draw my own version of the birds. With a build-up of colors that you don’t always see at first sight,” says Michelle.
Second Issue with Garden Birds
As a follow-up to the issue for PostEurop, PostNL will issue a second stamp sheet on 20 May 2019: Garden Birds in the Netherlands. On this issue there are illustrations of 6 garden birds: blue tit, winter king, robin, house sparrow, golden rooster and great tit. Michelle Dujardin also provided the illustrations for this issue and Yvonne Warmerdam the design.
Availability
The Birds in the Netherlands stamp sheet has 6 stamps in 2 different designs, with international value indication 1 for mail up to and including 20 grams with an international destination. The stamps are available from April 23 at the post office in the Bruna stores and via the website. The stamps can also be ordered by telephone from Collect Club customer service on telephone number 088 – 868 99 00. The validity period is indefinite.
