About This Stamp
In 2018, the U.S. Postal Service® celebrated dragons, the high-flying, fire-breathing mythological creatures that have roamed our imaginations for millennia.
Each of the 16 stamps showcases one of four dragons: a green fire-breathing dragon towering over a medieval-inspired castle; a purple dragon with orange wings and sharp black armor on its back snaking around a white castle; a black dragon with green wings and green armor on its back swooping past a ship on the sea; and a wingless orange dragon weaving its way around a pagoda.
The words “Forever” and “USA” run along the bottom edge of each stamp. “Dragons,” along with a black fire-breathing dragon, appear at the top of the sheet, which includes four of each design. Each of the stamps and the header feature orange foiled highlights that add a fire-like glint.
Throughout history and across the globe — from Europe to the Middle East to Asia to the Americas — people have enjoyed tales of dragons. Though these legendary animals vary in shape, size, and color, they’re most often described as lizard-like with four legs, sharp claws, scales, wings, and spiky tails.
As time passed, dragons never lost their aura. In the 20th century, the beasts showed their might in the pages of countless fantasy novels. In recent years, the creatures have appeared in popular board games, books, television programs, and movies, and take many forms, from cute and cuddly to big and ferocious. Today, through the power of our imagination, dragons continue to roar.
The stamps feature digital illustrations created by artist Don Clark of Invisible Creature studio. Art director Greg Breeding designed the issuance.
Stamp Designer, Stamp Art Director
Greg Breeding
Greg Breeding is a graphic designer and principal of Journey Group, a design company he co-founded in 1992, located in Charlottesville, Virginia. He was creative director until 2013, at which time he began serving as president and continued in that role through 2023.
Breeding’s fascination with modernism began while studying design at Virginia Commonwealth University. His affinity with the movement continues and motivates his ongoing advanced studies at the Basel School of Design in Switzerland most every summer.
As an art director for postage stamp design since 2012, Breeding has designed more than 100 stamps covering a diverse array of subjects, from Star Wars droids and Batman to Harlem Renaissance writers and the transcontinental railroad.
His work has been recognized in annual design competitions held by Graphis, AIGA, PRINT magazine, and Communication Arts.
Breeding lives in North Garden, Virginia, with his wife and enjoys nothing so much as frolicking on the floor with his grandchildren.
Stamp Artist and Typographer
Don Clark
After growing up in Bend, Oregon, and Sacramento, California, musician Don Clark started a band and toured the country. In the late 1990s, he transitioned to the world of graphic design. In 2006, Clark and his brother Ryan founded Seattle design and illustration studio, Invisible Creature. IC has worked with clients such as Target, NASA, LEGO, Nike, Adobe, XBox, The New York Times, Wired, and MTV. Music packaging designed by the studio has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. Invisible Creature also designs and curates its own line of toys and products for both children and adults.
Dragons (2018), Clark's first project for the U.S. Postal Service, was followed by Holiday Elves (2022) and the “Smile” artwork for Pinback Buttons (2024).