Alexander (aka puzzlel) from Germany says he started drawing as a little child, and never really stopped. Although he considers it just a hobby, his hand-drawn postcards are a work of beauty! We were enchanted by his talent and decided to ask him a few questions about them.
- How did you discover Postcrossing? What made you stay?
One year ago my aunt Karin and her husband Meck introduced me to Postcrossing. I bought some postcards and started. Address No 8 was supposed to go to a postcrosser in America. She wrote in her profile: “Handmade cards are like a gift ~ I love them!” I thought about it and sent her my first handmade card DE-6864388. That – and her very positive reaction when she received the card – was the starting point. You can guess: I owe her a million thanks!
I don’t know what makes me stay. Sometimes I think I got addicted to making postcards…
- As I understand it, you find your inspiration for the postcards on the profiles assigned to you. Could you explain a bit the process of making these postcards?
I get the new address, read the profile and try to find something in the list I could draw or paint. It must be something I am happy with. Sometimes it is pretty easy, for example if the receiver is fond of pineapples or elephants I know what to do. Sometimes I have to think about it for quite a while. If I have no idea at all I read the text to my kids: they have enough ideas!
Next step: I need a reference. I cannot make a pineapple just out of my head without a photo or a real pineapple in front of me. I look in the internet for a proper photo; I check my sketch books for a drawing I could use as reference; I ask my kids “Guys! Does anyone of you have a photo of Darth Vader/a pig/a cat/Lucky Luke/an ice bear? Maybe in one of your books?” Or I ask “Would you mind borrowing me your teddy bear/Eifel tower/plastic scull/little locomotive for a while?”
Then I start to paint or to draw.
There is an important post process as well. I send a photo of every postcard to my aunt Karin (the game does not work without her comments) and I show the card to my wife and my kids for quality check. Sometimes I have to do corrections.
When the card is about an animal or a plant I usually write the name of it in the language of the receiver and in German on the card. A Chinese and a Russian friend help me to check my writing. Once I made a funny mistake: for the animal “Seehund” I wrote the Chinese word “sealing”. It took a while to understand: google does not translate directly German to Chinese, but German to English and then English to Chinese. The English word for “Seehund” is seal.
- Do you have a favourite postcard that you’ve made?
On very rare occasions I stood in front of the letterbox with the new postcard in my hand thinking: No! I would like to keep this one! … I remember that it happened with DE-6959811, DE-7169621 and lately DE-7761999 (still traveling). So I guess these are my favourite ones.
- How much time do you need for a postcard and where do you find the time to make them?
It depends. Usually it takes one or two hours. Not counting the time thinking about what to paint/draw.
Over the years my wife and I watched less and less TV. Last year we replaced it by a fireplace (much better program…). Think of all the free time you generate in the evenings when you stop watching TV and reduce internet surfing to a minimum!
On the weekend I wake up the same time as every day. While my lazy family stays in bed I have one or two hours just for me to do a little painting. And to listen to music they are not so very fond of, like Miles Davis.
Thank you Alexander for this wonderful interview! You can see more of his postcards on his Sent gallery.
174 comments so far
So many beautiful postcards - a wonderful idea!
Thank you for sharing your amazing art with us!
I really hope I'll get one of your cards someday ....
Goldberry59.
whooow, what a talent.... hope to get a card from you some day :)
Oh, Wow! What a treat for the receiver. Just wonderful!!!
wonderful postcards....super idea! Thank you for blogging. Happy postcrossing!
1000 Thanks to you for your wonderful postcard. It has been given a place of honour and I look at it as often as I can.
that you now get a blog here, you more than deserve that.
1000 Dank an Dich für Deine wundervolle Postkarte. Sie hat einen Ehrenplatz erhalten und ich betrachte sie so oft es geht.
dass Du nun hier einen Blog erhälst, das hast du dir mehr als verdient.
Awesome cards!
You're so gifted! That Miles Davis one is gallery worthy!
What a cool blog post! Beautiful postcards, Alexander!
Wow, some are real gems. I am going to put the ones I like best in my favorites.
It's a pleasure to read this interview. Thanks for sharing!
wow! so many nice cards!
Amazing cards! It's inspiring to hear how you make time to create your art and share it.
What a wonderful talent and to do it for free for others is so humbling and using the correct language for the recipient on them too is thoughtful. I love art and you are gifted Alexander. I once had a painted card of Harry Potter from a Russian Postcrosser which I treasure. I also have had a silk hand sewn postcard from someone in the Netherlands. There are some people on this site very good at hobbies.
That is what people miss if they write "no handmade cards, please" in their profile. Great artwork!
Amazing talent!! And what lucky postcrossers to receive a beautiful card from you. I hope to get on your list one day :) Best wishes and keep painting postcards :)
Awesome!!!!!Really beautiful!Thanks for sharing!
Such a great idea! Such a talent and generosity!!! It makes a card a real gift at the same time-a precious gift! Congrats to Alexander!
Wow! What talent! I hope you are given my name some day as I'd be so happy to receive such a card.
I love original art, this is the best!
What a wonderful inspiration! I will have to paint a few postcards now! Thank you!
I'm one of those happy ones, who have received postcard from Puzzlel. Shaun the Sheep postcard is very special card in my collection. Amazing talent, happy to read this introduction, he really deserves it. Keep on drawing, Alexander <3
Amazing! I hope I will one day be a lucky recipient of one of these wonderful cards :) Great job!
Beautiful. I hope to receive once one of those works of art.
Beautiful postcards! I hope to receive one of Alexander's postcards one day!
Your postcards are beautiful, like a real treasure. It would be a honor to receive such a beautiful piece of art. 😊
Such beautiful cards! To receive a handpainted card especially made for you from someone you don't know, it'd be so special. Thanks for sharing your creativity!
This is amazing!
How cool! Your postcards are beautiful, and I love the thought and time you put into them. <3
So cool, I hope you draw my address someday. I also hope you inspire the people who say "no handmade" in their profiles to rethink that...
wauhh, how lucky people are to get handpainted card from you. Postcrossing is very special hobby, when someone make other people happy like you do.
Wonderful story, and beautiful... I wouldn't even call them 'postcards', they are mini-paintings. Thank you for sharing your talent so generously!
Wow! Amazing. I hope to get one someday. I love making cards myself and just more people would appreciate home-made cards.
Wonderful !!!! It's a great job !
Amazing!! I hope to be so lucky to get paired with you one day. You have a wonderful talent! I love making hand made cards and sending to those that write they like them and envy your painting skills a lot. I treasure hand drawn or pained cards so much because I know the time and effort out into them and because my talents are NOT in those areas.
Wow! I wrote in my profile that I prefer not to receive handmade cards, but I would absolutly love one of these! They are amazing
This is so unique in these days of mass production. :) I love your attitude and dedication. :)
I am really happy to read this nice interview.
Really you are a heart in gold, I love what you do, and congratulations for your wonderful family who supports you in your passion.
I may have to change my preference of no handmade cards. These are amazing!
I can only hope to be your next Postcrosser! I must admit it makes me just a little sad when someone says 'no handmade postcards'. Your story is an inspiration to all of us who have the creative seed sprouting within. Thanks for spreading the love!
I think it's great to send postcards I painted myself. I do it when time permits and the participants like homemade postcards, too. So far there were only positive answers when I had sent something painted.
Have fun painting and lots of special postcards in your mailbox!
nice
WOW beautiful, I hope my name comes us as your next postcrosser. June
Alexander, you have put smiles on the faces of so many people--the Postcrossers who have just read this lovely story about you, and all the lucky people around the world who have received (or, will be receiving) your lovely cards. What thoughtful and generous gifts these cards are.
Absolutely fantastic!!!
Amazing works of art! I hope to receive one some day!
I enjoyed reading this profile and I'm happy to say that the card I received from him is still one of my favorites. You can see it here: https://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/DE-7671374
Incredible art!!!!
You really could get your own gallery exhibit displaying these postcards! Oh, to be a recipient of one! Lucky folks! Keep up the brilliant work!
Thanks so much for sharing your beautiful art around the world. How fortunate to those who receive your wonderful card.
This is wonderful! I wish I could receive one from him too!
Beautifully inspiring blog post. Thank you for featuring this unique Postcrosser!
I'd love to receive one of your postcards one day! So beautiful <3 Maybe you should consider making this more than a hobby. Just saying. The shot of your supplies made me jealous. I love making art & wish I could afford more supplies.
Thank you very much for all your nice comments!
@joyoustmjp: It wouldn't be the same if it wasn't a hobby.
very nice indeed, you are really talented and I admire your patience to make such a beautiful and personal cards!
Hope I will receive such a piece of art in my mailbox, once... ;-)
Fantastic Art work like every single made postcard, hope to get one.
Alexander hai un talento fantastico, tutte queste cartoline dipinte sono eccezionali dovresti fare un' esposizione. Ti ringrazio per quesro Blog.
Thanks for sharing keep on going.
What a beautiful collection! I love your handmade postcards!
Just WOW!!! They are amazing! Each is sooooooo unique and special, it must make peoples whole year, not just a day! I wonder how many get framed? You are an amazing artist! I do hope you get my address one day!
the postcards are painting so pretty☕☕🌷🌷🌷🌷
This man is a gifted artist and his artwork deserves this blog. I hope he's sending postcards to his wife and daughter too
Wow, my mum and me (both postcrosser) are really impressed! Your postcards are so great and beautiful. It is amazing how much time you spend to do one personal postcard and how you generate your ideas.. We hope both that one day we will be so lucky to get one of these special art postcards - as everybody else here :-) ! Please don't stop to send these wonderful cards! Hopefully the postcrosser who have "no hand-made" in their profil will change it, they would not deserve your work!
I saw your wall of postcards you sent and... WOW! Amazing!
Your postcards are beautiful!
I hope one day you will pick up my address, I would very happy to have a postcard painted just for me. :D
Although some people have stated in their profiles that they do not like handmade cards, I am one who LOVES creative talent and every time I receive a handmade card, it goes on my bulletin board or shelf instead of my albums, so I can see it all the time. Alexander, you have a wonderful gift and the thoughtfulness that you put into each card shines through.
I hope one day that my address will pop up on your screen! :-)
You have a gift! Amazing art! @puzzlel
Aw - those are beautiful cards! Hope, I'll receive one of them one day.
Это очень красиво и интересно!желаю Вам вдохновения и счастья!Буду ждать открытку от Вас,вдруг она прийдёт!
Oh, Alexander, you paint very beautifully! Immediately evident-in the picture the table of the artist. And sometimes, good ideas come in the morning! Your cards are very cute and with an interesting plot!
they are wonderful you have a great talent:)
Your cards are amazing, what a talent you have!😍 Like everyone else I too wish I will be so lucky to get a card from you some day 🍀
Wishing you lots of joy with your art & postcrossing!
Thank you for the inspiration! I have been toying with the idea of making my own cards for a long time. Now that my son has also shown interest in postcrossing, perhaps I will make it a family project. Your cards are beautiful!
Incredible! Such a gift to receive one of you small masterpieces.
Oh my, I would treasure a hand painted card!! Beautiful work!
How creative and thoughful you are. Can't draw a straight line with a ruler:).My happy hobby is photography. So I match something to the persons profile that is local to my area and turn that into a postcard.Would also be honored to receive one of your creations!
So awesome! I got addicted to his sent section right away. These are art pieces!
But I generally love when people draw or paint. May it be the whole card or a tiny doodle. This week my brightest smile came from the hand drawn horse made by a 8 years old. It was sent without further comment. Not that it needed one.
One day I hope he gets my address, what a treasure to receive. I have gotten many unique cards, some home made, some have "extras", all are appreciated but some are just extra special.
What a wonderful idea! And such a talent you have! Lucky are the ones who receive your postcards! Keep on your good work and keep happy. It's a nice family affair, Nicole from Laval, province of Québec, Canada 😀😘🤗 Tchüss!
Alexander, you are very generous! And I envy your talent. Hope you have fun with this project for a long time.
Really AWESOME! Congrats Alexander!!!
I'm so envy the Postcrosser whom have had received your amazing postcard. Hope can be your next Postcrosser one day!
I hope I get one :-)
Such amazing talent! Postcrossers rock! I enjoyed looking at your sent cards and they are fantastic. I especially liked the iguana and Goofy. Wow!
Thank you for sharing your talent, Alexander. You are a source of inspiration. I hope to receive one from you (though I won't mind if I draw your name instead so I can send you a handmade card).
Wow! It is amazing! The art and also taking time.
Anyone who receives a card from you will be most fortunate. It is thrilling to know how you have combined your talent with being a part of this wonderful community.
WAUW, I hope to get one sometime, really cool
Very beautiful art-cards and interesting interview :) Thank you for this story!!
Great hobby-job!!
This is quite similar to my life with my family and I m with you and Miles Davis...my hobby is music and photography and I have a Blog: 4alle.co
Have a good time with wonderful paintings!
So much love and care in each postcard. Congrats Alexander. They are wonderful and another example of this endless fun that is Pistcrossing.
I find it enviable if someone has the ability to paint such magnificent and beautiful postcards. I wish you farther a lot of fun with painting postcard and a lot of good ideas for motives.
I would be happy to receive one of your self-painted postcards someday.
Puzzle definitely has a talent. I hope to be blessed with receiving one of his art cards some day.
I enjoyed reading this interview.
Love this blog and the introduction of yet another generous, kind, talented Postcrosser. I send handmade cards to those who request them and am delighted when I receive the like.
These are beautiful and encourage me to not be ashamed to send homemade post cards that I love to make! This is such a fun interview!
Wow, truly incredible!
wonderful pieces of art!
So great. I hope I will receive one...
I already have two hand drawn cards from other postcrossers and don't understand when people write "no handmade, please".
Those whose profile forbids sending handmade cards may feel quite annoyed now😅 Such wonderful pieces of art these are👏👏👏
What a beautiful hobby! It almost makes me want to dig out my old watercolouring kits and start a lovely new hobby for 2019!
You are not sending out postcards, you are sending out pieces of art! Lovely!
Breathtaking! I am in awe.
Oh wow! So beautiful! I love how one can make the world a little brighter by their talents and gifts! Thank you so much for sharing yours and I too, like so many, hope to one day be honored with receiving a beautiful postcard from you!
Take care!
Beautiful Alexander! Your paintings are amazing and they are all different and beautiful. Your talent is great. Like almost everyone I hope to get a painting from you too! Wishing you a lot of succes and happiness.
So inspiring! This makes me want to get out my art supplies...THANKS for sharing this great story.
Love this! And the hand painted postcards I've received are the favorites in my collection. Some people ask for no hand made cards. I know and appreciate that every hand made card came from some extra effort and creativity just for me, regardless of the result. I hope I will be lucky enough to receive one of Alexander's cards one day!
pick pick me o great postcrossing algorithm I have a beautiful handmade dutch card on my filing cabinet from 2011..I have received some beautiful handmade cards over the years.I wish I could draw or stick bit to card to make them pretty.I have never understood why some people don't like hand made.
What a great idea! I wish I could that talented! Hopefully I will be lucky to receive a Card from Alexander. Thanks for showing this to us!
Lovely drawings !
You are amazing ! Well done 👍
It’s soooooo beautiful!! Hope can receive your card one day
My first handmade card went to someone as an extra after the I sent her the first one. She loved her birth flower (same as mine) Lily of the Valley. So I made her a special one with that. It was a collage. I was really proud of it. She didn’t seem very thrilled. LOL!
I love these! I really enjoy people hand making cards and get sad when I see so many people say they don't want those types. They're missing out on unique great cards for sure. Loved reading this!!
Awesome! I wish to get one of those cards!
Oh, how I hope Alexander pulls my name at some point! Fabulous work! Love it! Thanks to the PC team for a great article!
Your Friend, Tresart
wow, very nice..i hope we can come across each other. Happy Postcrossing
Wow! THAT right there is the reason I don't mind getting handmade postcards; you never know when you will get a card that is a gallery piece! I hope you continue designing and painting your postcards and I will be a lucky recipient someday :)
This was such a nice article to read, also.
Thank you for sharing your story and I hope to receive one in my Postcrossing live.
I am in awe !! We also never had a TV but that did not make me being able to draw like that (not even close !):-)
Love your attitude which will gladly rub off on your kids as well !
It is amazing to see someone pour their heart and soul into those little postcards. People like Alexander make our tiny world so much brighter!
WOW!!! I hope he picks my name one day :) So talented!!!
WOW!! I hope god gives me a chance to receive a postcard from you........
You are so talented! Lovely that your whole family is included in your process. Fantastic reading your story, thanks for sharing it.
THIS is why I welcome home made cards. Sometimes you get a surprise!
Wonderful! And very talented!
I think many wanted to get such a postcard home ;)
WOW!...this is so awesome! I hope he gets my name for a postcard some day. I loved reading his story.
Awesome postcards. I hope to receive one. Happy Postcrossing xx
Wow so beautiful. Hope in future will receive it :D
Marvelous sketches. Have you contemplated writing a book about the Postcrossing experience illustrated with the charming drawings? I would be first in line to purchase it.
Amasing talent! I love all these cards. I hope one day to receive a postcard from you 😉
My handmade card from Alexander is something I will treasure for a lifetime :)
Dear Alexander, we need more creative angels like you. God Bless You.
https://www.postcrossing.com/postcards/DE-7807654
Hands down - this one is my favorite!!
Brilliant!
As ek ooit een van jou ontvang sal ek dit defnitief raam!
Wow! What a talented guy!
Hope to be lycky winner one day...
I wish more people were receptive to hand made cards. I would love to get creative like this. Maybe I will anyway!!!
beautiful !!!
Wow! WOW! What an amazing talent and what treasured gift these cards must be for the receivers! Wow!
I hope I get a chance to get a postcard.
Cool ! ! !
My new dream - to get a Hippo from you )))
Oh my goodness they are so beautiful!!!!!!
You should make a book one day with all the ones you’ve done so far!!!! I would buy one for sure!!!
I hope you get my name and address one day!!!
Have you sent many cards to Canada yet?
Wow..very beautiful artworks!
Congrats Alexander for your beautiful work!
I really hope I'll get one of your cards someday!
Happy Painting & Happy Postcrossing!
:) :D
Ich habe diesen wunderschönen Block hier verlinkt. Über den gleichen Link im MeWe-Netzwerk finden Sie auch alle meine Postkarten, welche in Briefen bei mir ankamen und nicht direkt auf Postcrossing.
https://mewe.com/group/5c24bd3b1043e23215f0212d
Wonderful!!! Such creative postcards. Really delightful. I hope to one day receive a card from you!
Interesting! I hope the people who receive these cards appreciate them!
I hope I'm lucky enough to get one some day!
It'd have been nice if he could open an Etsy store or something like to sell his hand-drawn postcards!
It's a favorite! (your whole Sent gallery).
Love the paintings! You really put a lot of thought and time into this, and I'm sure the recipients are excited to get them!
Inspiring! I hope some day he gets my name! :D
I was one of the lucky one to receive a hand painted postcard. (DE-7060292). It absolutely made my day. It was perfect as I am a Van Gogh fan. Thanks for sending it to me again. I am amazed at all the ones you have done and the wide variety of subjects.
After just register a wonderful painted postcard from Alexander puzzlel, I saw his name on the homepage.
Now I am one of the lucky ones that received such a marvellous card from him! °Ü°
Thank you Alexander, for making such beauties!
Nellekr
people who receive postcards from him must feel absolutely divine! this is the most beautiful kind of postcards you could ever receive - soul, time and thought truly is put in them! wonderful! hoping to receive a postcard from you one day, Alexander!
Gorgeous! Thank you for sharing your gift with others.
My cherished dream is to get such a postcard, I will ask to execute it with a random)))
Hi Alexander, I am an artist as well. Your postcards are beautiful! I like to paint postcards for sending on Postcrossing, but some people don't want "hand-made" cards, which is disappointing. Keep up the good work.
This is awesome, its great that you "love what you do and do what you love!"
Wow! What a talented artist and Postcrosser!
Very cool! I hope I receive one of these postcards some day.
Amazing work of art! And also very thoughtful!
Sehr, sehr gut!!!
Many people write “not only handmade cards” in their profiles, but I think why not. A good handmade card is a big job. I would love to receive such a postcard.
Thanks to Alexander for his beautiful postcards.
What awesome talent! I have never received a handmade postcard in the three years I am with Postcrossing. How lucky your recipients are!
This is very inspiring. This is one of the things that I wanted to do since I join postcrossing. Im not so keen on sketch but I love coloring. Do you put some sealer for your postcard?
What a great story! Alexander, you are not only a talented painter but a funny storyteller :D I am glad you enjoy painting your postcards so much; they are beautiful! Kudos to you!
Alexander, (puzzled) Thank you so much for posting this and for being so inspired to take the time and precious consideration to "paint" a 'just right' postcard for a fellow postcrosser. This makes my heart smile. I LOVE LOVE LOVE handmade postcards and I do collage art postcards, sometimes I will paint or draw a card, or simply put a statement into a postcard form. I LOVE Snail Mail and am so very grateful for my Postcrossing Community. Thank you for your 'heart & soul' production, lovely for sure, xoxox "Post Card Gal"
A great story. Thank you for sharing. Demaris
Thank you for the link to puzzlel's sent gallery. The gallery is inspirational. I got into Postcrossing to be creative, so I really enjoyed reading about a postcrosser that paints beautiful postcards.
Amazing pieces of art! It was so fascinating to read about Puzzlel.
wow, just wow (in form of a great amount of good wow's)
I love homemade cards, and your paintings. I hope you get my name at some point. Beautiful!
You are very talented, keep up the great work
This is amazing! Keep it up, Alexander! Your art is beautiful :) I love it
A home made card is such a great personal gift to send. Taking effort to make this lovely present is so nice! It inspires me :-)
Wow, you are incredibly talented and generous with your time. Anyone who is lucky enough to be a recipient of your cards, will surely count themselves very lucky.
Debbie
How thoughtful and creative to send handmade postcards! You are blessed with a wonderful talent that you choose to share with the world. Thank you for that.
Amazing! I hope I get one of your cards one day!
you make happy many people! don't stop :)
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