PHOTOSHOP / PROCREATE / FIGMA / ILLUSTRATOR
COMMON THREAD is a modern penpal service inspired by the curiosity and care of traditional letter writing. We match individuals from around the world and guide them with weekly, anthropology-themed prompts that encourage exploration of culture, environment, memory, and everyday life.
At its heart, COMMON THREAD is about rediscovering connection; not through screens, but through paper, ink, and the shared curiosity of people learning each other’s world.
THE BOOKLET
POSTAGE STAMPS AND PENPALS
This project began as a passion piece for my Senior Design Seminar. The challenge was simple in theory but wildly immersive in practice: create a postage-stamp design every day for 26 days, each inspired by a different letter of the alphabet. I paired each letter with a randomly generated word, and from there matched it to a country whose culture or history resonated with that prompt.
What started as a daily design exercise quickly became a deep dive into global stories; researching folklore, language, traditions, and visual motifs from around the world. That exploration sparked something bigger: the idea for a penpal service rooted in anthropology, curiosity, and meaningful cultural connection.
SOCIAL - THE MARKETABILITY
This Penpal Service fills a growing niche for thoughtful, screen-free connection; and its blend of guided content and open-ended play makes it marketable as both a gift and an engagement tool.
I aimed to market this service towards more of an online market, specificlaly targetting frineds who may be far from eachother - using this service as a means to stay connected.
PROCESS - THE MAKING OF COMMON THREAD
