10 Unique Art Subscription Ideas to Try with StampFans
After I shared how I’ve been making money from StampFans, to mail out monthly art to my audience, the biggest question I got was: “Okay, but what do I actually send every month?”
You could send a studio letter with sketches and personal updates, or a printable flash tattoo sheet your audience can color or hang up. No matter your style, there’s a way to turn your art into something mailable, and meaningful.
If you wanna give it a shot, use my code WOI100 after you sign up here to give to your followers so new subscribers get their first month free.
If this is the first time you’re hearing about StampFans is kind of like Patreon, but instead of digital perks, you're mailing real stuff.
It has no upfront costs.
No post office runs.
No printing.
Real, steady income from people who actually love what you make.
Before you dive in, let’s find the mail idea that fits you best. I’ve put together a bunch of creative options to help spark something worth sending.
POSTCARD IDEAS
6 x 9” full-color, double-sided, with a UV gloss finish. Display-worthy and durable.
Let’s start with the idea I personally use, one you’re totally welcome to steal.
1. Pep Talks (what I do for Women of Illustration)
The front of the postcard features a bold, hand-drawn quote or graphic, something emotional, motivating, or chaotic in the best way. It's designed to be stuck to your wall, taped in your sketchbook, or handed to a friend who needs a little love.
Then the back includes a QR code and password that links to a members-only blog post with:
A personal pep talk (plus bonus marketing tips for artists)
A creative prompt to help you get unstuck
And an opportunity to get featured to our 800k+ followers on Instagram to anyone who participates in the prompt
This format is super simple to make and deeply rewarding for your subscribers.
If you want to see how this works in real life (and get your own monthly pep talk in the mail), sign up for mine here on StampFans.
Best for: Artists, illustrators, creatives with burnout, or anyone who’s tired of superficial content and wants real encouragement, delivered with heart and ink.
2. Art Print Collectors Series
Not into pep talks? Try focusing on sending your subscribers beautifully printed, display-worthy mini art prints that tell a story or build out a world.
Some Theme Ideas:
Character Series: Develop a set of original characters, each with their own unique style, mood, or story.
Seasonal Collections: Create artwork inspired by each season, holiday, or emotional theme.
Monthly Mood Boards: Use color palettes, illustrations, or patterns to capture a vibe your audience can relate to.
Icon Sets: Design symbolic or abstract images around shared themes like nature, emotion, identity, or energy.
Collect-and-Build Sets: Let fans piece together a full collection over time, adding one card each month to complete the set.
Best for: Character artists, illustrators, tattoo-style creators, and anyone with a little worldbuilding itch to scratch.
3. Mini Prompts + Games
This idea turns the back of your postcard into a playground. You’re not just mailing art, you’re delivering interaction.
What to Include:
“Draw This in Your Style” Prompt:
Include a small version of one of your characters or objects, and invite subscribers to redraw it in their own way.Word-to-Image Prompts:
Send a 3-word combo (e.g., “mossy / broken / neon”) and challenge readers to turn it into a sketch, collage, or story.Mini Game:
Include a micro crossword, fill-in-the-blank affirmation, or visual puzzle using your art.QR Code Bonus:
Link to a curated Spotify playlist, a private journaling prompt, or a PDF of extended exercises.
Best for: Artists building community, coaches who teach creativity, educators, and anyone who wants their mail to be more than just decorative, it’s interactive.
LETTER IDEAS
8.5 x 11”, two-sided, up to 10 pages, tri-folded in a window envelope.
4. Studio Diary Letters
This is the closest thing to having a real-life creative pen pal. It’s a behind-the-scenes pass into your creative life, and your people will feel like they’re part of something real.
What to Include:
Messy Process Photos: Snapshots of your sketchbook, work desk, or digital WIP screenshots. Let them see the chaos before it becomes polished.
Creative Rants: Go off about what’s been bugging you. What’s working. What’s not. What you’re learning. Share the kind of honesty that doesn’t fit in a Reel.
What You’re Obsessed With Right Now: Whether it’s a new tool, an indie artist, a vintage toy, or a hyper-specific color palette. Let your niche interests fuel the letter.
Secret QR Codes: Link to:
Unlisted YouTube videos
Behind-the-scenes vlogs
Blog posts you don’t promote anywhere else
Spotify playlists you made for this exact mood
Even a Google Drive folder of digital freebies (wallpapers, PDFs, sneak peeks)
Best for: Artists with stories to tell, creators building fandoms, educators who lead with honesty, and anyone who wants their audience to feel like they're in the studio with them, not just watching from a distance.
5. Printable Worksheets + Creative Challenges
Think of this as a monthly workbook that doubles as an artistic intervention. For teachers trying to stay connected to themselves and their craft.
What to Include:
Step-by-step drawing guides to help people build core skill, like learning how to draw basic forms, develop characters, or explore different illustration styles.
Journaling prompts that encourage self-reflection, mindset shifts, or spark new creative ideas.
Creative organization tools like project trackers, sketchbook logs, or space to plan out goals, habits, or routines.
Visual templates that guide people through your process, whether it’s how you develop a drawing from a rough idea or how you explore themes in your work.
Best for: Coaches, educators, mental health artists, ADHD creators, or literally anyone who wants to grow without forcing it.
6. Flash-Style Tattoo Sheets
If you love bold lines, strong themes, and art that looks like it could live on someone’s body, this is your format.
What to Include:
Full-Page Flash Sheet: Bold black linework, high contrast, and a well-balanced composition. Think traditional flash, alternative symbols, or stylized icon sets.
Strong Monthly Themes:
Create a recurring series subscribers can’t wait to see next.Mini Labeling or Lore:
Use margins to add titles, names, or fake tattoo meanings. Subscribers love when each piece has a story, even if it’s weird or made up.
Best for: Tattoo artists, alternative illustrators, sticker designers, and creators who want their work proudly displayed (or permanently inked).
7. Cut-Out Paper Dolls
This isn’t your childhood paper doll sheet, it’s a fully illustrated, character-building, fashion explosion in your audience’s mailbox.
What to Include:
Character Base Page:
One full-body paper doll illustration, human, creature, android, whatever fits your vibe. Include subtle tabs or guides to help users cut and dress the figure.Modular Accessories:
Create mix-and-match pieces: weapons, wings, cloaks, layered outfits, crowns, familiars, and tools. Add notes or tiny labels for added lore.
Best for: Fantasy illustrators, character designers, RPG fans, fashion-focused artists, and anyone who wants to mail a little piece of their imagination out into the world (and watch people build on it).
8. Fan-Favorite Recaps
Your audience already loved this content online. Now you’re giving it a second life in a physical form they can collect, pin to their wall, or stick in their sketchbook for later.
What to Include:
Top Posts of the Month: Reprint your highest-performing or most emotionally resonant content, think powerful art captions, carousel commentary, or single-frame artwork that made people stop scrolling.
Q&A or Comment Section Highlights: Pull insightful, funny, or deeply relatable questions from your DMs or comment sections and respond to them directly in your letter.
Mini Essays or Thought Threads: Expand on something you posted that sparked discussion, add new context, vulnerable insights, or behind-the-scenes inspiration that didn’t make it into the post.
Printable Bonus: Include a black-and-white coloring version of one of your illustrations, a motivational quote print, or a sticker sheet layout fans can cut and use.
QR Code Bonuses: Link to the original posts, video versions, or a secret blog post that dives deeper into the topics you’re recapping.
Best for: Creators with existing online communities who want to deepen connection without starting from scratch every month. Ideal for illustrators, writers, coaches, and educators who post regularly and already get good feedback.
ZINE IDEAS
5.5 x 8.5” folded booklet, full-color, 70# stock, full bleed.
9. Mini Comics or Serialized Stories
Whether you’re exploring original lore, diving into character backstories, or reimagining a fan-favorite universe, this is your chance to turn your longform work into bite-sized monthly episodes.
What You Can Include:
Serialized Graphic Novel Drops:
Break your comic into 4–8 page installments. Great for building momentum toward a future book or digital release. Add a “Previously on…” panel and tease what’s coming next.Illustrated Flash Fiction or Fanfic:
Pair micro-stories or poetry with full-page illustrations. Think of it like mood-based worldbuilding, where the vibes are just as important as the plot.Worldbuilding Extras:
Insert a spread with maps, character class charts, invented languages, prop sketches, or “in-world” diary entries to make your zine feel more immersive.QR Code Bonuses:
Link to voice notes of you reading the story aloud, playlist soundtracks, or behind-the-panels videos showing how you built the layout or character design.
Best for: Comic artists, indie authors, fanfic writers, fantasy/sci-fi illustrators, and anyone looking to build an emotional following around an original or adapted universe.
10. Community Spotlight Zines
Each issue can spotlight a new guest artist, feature fan submissions, or center around a creative theme your community can respond to. Think of it as your own little cult-favorite magazine.
What to include:
Guest Artist Interviews: Share an illustrated Q&A with an emerging or under-hyped creator. Let them talk about their process, weird rituals, or what they wish they knew sooner.
Fan Features: Repost fan art, photos of your merch in the wild, or messages from subscribers. Let your audience see themselves in the mail you send.
Writing or Drawing Prompts: Encourage people to submit their own short stories, comics, or illustrations based on your monthly prompt. You can print selected responses in the next zine.
Mini Collab Projects: Invite artists to submit pieces around a shared theme, like “Monsters We Made,” “Cottage Chaos,” or “Wardrobe of a Space Witch.”
QR Code Bonuses: Link to behind-the-scenes audio interviews, collab playlists, or secret dropbox folders of printable assets.
This kind of zine becomes something people want to contribute to, not just read.
Best for: Creators building a fandom, indie collectives, educators, and anyone who wants to grow community while still staying low-effort and sustainable.
Want to Start Your StampFans?
Ready to try it? You don’t need a big following or a huge product line. Just pick one format, upload something beautiful, and start building your own subscription.
Sign up here and share the code WOI100 with your audience so they can get their first month free.
Choose your format: postcard, letter, or zine
Upload your artwork or file (PDF or image)
Set your price (most are $8–$20/month)
Share your link with your audience
Done. They ship, print, and fulfill it for you
Real art. Real income. No burnout.
