Karel Martens • Love Letters

‘Love Letters’ is a selection of 46 envelopes for the letters that Dutch graphic designer Karel Martens sent to his love, Lous, between 1962 and 1963. The envelopes were all manually crafted using printing ink and a spoon to create the pattern. They were printed during his military service, when he was stationed in the drawing room of the Welfare Service at the Prins Hendrik Barracks. Among other things, there he was tasked with designing a poster titled “Don’t croak about military service matters, the enemy is listening”. 

- 96 pages, in English

- Illustrations: colour

- Size: 6" x 8.5"

- Publisher: Roma Publications

Karel Martens is a Dutch graphic designer, artist, and educator known for his experimental approach to typography and print. Since the 1960s, he has created everything from books and postage stamps to abstract letterpress monoprints made with found materials. Martens blends precision with play, often embracing chance and imperfection in his work. He co-founded the influential Werkplaats Typografie and has inspired generations of designers through both his teaching and his deeply considered, hands-on design practice.