Heritage Month Day 14

Monday, September 14, 2026 – A Beacon of Light

How’s it going so far? We’re almost at the mid-point of Ukrainian Heritage Month, and I’m feeling rather pleased that I have 14 very different postcards for Defenders. Already, I’m thinking about the [easier] ideas that I’ll employ again in the coming months, as I saw a lot of neat new ideas as I was preparing this month’s challenge and want to try some in the coming months.

But, … we still have 16 creative days ahead! So, stay with me!

Postcard Challenge – Lighthouse

On Day 14 of the Heritage Month postcard challenge, I wanted to do something where I could show how I do a batch of postcards in one sitting. I chose five cards. Then, I wanted to draw something that related to both Iceland and Norway where we are presently traveling. As we notice a lot of lighthouses, I decided to draw a lighthouse to serve as a metaphor that Defenders are a beacon of light for Ukraine and for the world.

I searched Instagram because I wanted something that I can share on our social feeds, but you can find ideas on YouTube, too. The idea that I most liked was created by @timoostrich. Simple and few tools needed.

What you need: water colour paint or markers (white, red, black, brown); black, blue and yellow gel pens. An imagination. And a postcard. Of course. 😉

You will create the general shape of a lighthouse using either watercolour paint or paint marker. @timoostrich uses paint markers, but I didn’t have any with me. I managed to find some watercolour paints. You will then fill in some simple details once you’ve created your ‘shape’ so it looks like a lighthouse.

1. Start at the bottom, with brown, to create the rock base. Swipe across three strokes of your brown [paint or marker]. Then, move upward in alternating red and white [hint of grey for contrast on your white paper] sections; again, using gentle strokes across that are growing smaller as you move up to the top of the lighthouse. Don’t worry about them being perfectly even. Because you are working on a postcard, eyeball the space available for your lighthouse. I used fewer strokes for each colour than @timoostrich because my lighthouse had to be shorter than his seems. NOTE: if you are working with watercolour, you’ll have to wait until each [colour] section dries before you do the next one.
2. Using a ruler – or not; I did both – draw the side lines of the lighthouse. It’s okay if some of your colour bleeds off the edges.
3. Draw the lighthouse keeper’s ‘walk’ that is located at the top, just above your last red ring.
4. Draw the light above the lighthouse keeper’s ‘walk’; first, it’s base, then the roof.
5. Draw a post at the top of the lighthouse. You can leave it ‘as is’. Or, you can add a flag.
6. Add the fine details of the lighthouse using a fine black gel pen. Start with the lighthouse steps, so you can draw the door on them; either closed or open. I tried both. Moving upward, draw the lighthouse windows. I did three.
7. Add some rocks at the rocky base. Just a few to give a ‘sense’ of the rockiness.
8. If you wish, add a Ukrainian flag at the top. I typically like to add some blue/yellow to my postcards.
9. Add a few birds. The kind you drew when you were a child. 😉
10. Write your message. I wanted to include the phrase, You are a beacon of light to the world, because the lighthouse is my metaphor for Ukrainian Defenders. In Ukrainian: Ви — маяк світла для світу.
11. Add the date that you created your artwork. An “original”. Of course! 😉

First, the 5 steps, after creating the lighthouse shape with watercolours or markers.

Et voilà! Finished cards, ready to ship to Ukraine.

This postcard art was easy but took time because I had to wait for the watercolour paint to dry. And because I decided to do five postcards today which reflects my typical daily postcard writing of 3 or 4 postcards that are similar. I was glad that I did five postcards. The lighthouse is the consistent feature on each postcard, while the card images and the messages differ.  

Did you try @timoostrich’s lighthouse, or a different lighthouse? Let us know how it went.

Tomorrow … flamingos.

Each day through Ukrainian Heritage Month, we’ll share some easy-to-do ideas that you can try on your postcards to Defenders. 30 days. 30 cards. Simple art.

Our Ultimate Heritage Challenge to you, dear postcard warriors: one postcard per day during September. Try some of the postcard ideas we offer through the month. Prizes will be drawn for three winners who have tried at least three different ideas that we’ve shared through the month of September. We’ll know because your cards will ‘show’ us. Deadline: we must receive your Ukrainian Heritage Month challenge package of postcards in our mailbox by October 20.

Share your creative ideas with us, and any other ways in which you acknowledge Ukrainian Heritage Month.

Email your ideas and images to us along with a brief explanation and we’ll share: postcardstothefront.canada@gmail.com

Tag us on Instagram, Facebook, Threads. We’d love to share your stories with others. Don’t forget to tag the creators whose ideas you use.

IG and Threads: @postcardstothefront_canada   @ukrainian.heritage.month   @timoostrich

Facebook: ukrainianheritagemonthontario * uccontario

Tags: #ukrainianheritagemonth #ukrainianheritagemonthontario #standwithukraine #canadaukraine #postcardstothefrontcanada #postcardart