Postcards & Doodles is grouped into six chapters.  Chapter 1, Small Beginnings, is Hodge’s paintings and cartoons on blank postcards.  Many of these include production notes.  “Markers on illustration board.”  “Pen & ink with watercolor wash.”  “Pen & ink with colored pencil.”  “Acrylic, felt brush pen, and colored pencil.”  “Scratchboard with watercolor tinting.”  “The Rani and Dutchess here were an experiment on a paper sample I got in the mail.”  Chapter 2, Scraps, is Hodge’s experimental work on toned paper such as scrap cardboard.  Hodge says, “There’s no pressure not to make a mistake like there is when you paint on expensive paper.” (p. 26)  These include experiments in acrylics and oil paintings on scrap paper and even corrugated cardboard.  Chapter 3, Coffee Break, is drawings painted in instant coffee.  Hodge says of a cartoon gorilla Western sheriff, “Coffee tends to be thicker than watercolor paint.  Especially when I make it very concentrated to get the color and density I want.  However, when it’s this dark, it doesn’t soak into the paper very well.  It just sits on top until it dries.  You can see where it puddled up on his left hand.” (p. 54)  Chapter 4, Pushing the Envelope, consists of illustrated envelopes.  Chapter 5, DoodleFlix, is all black line drawings or paintings on dark scarlet NetFlix® return envelopes.  The final Chapter 6, Thank You, presents illustrated postcards from other artists, family and friends including other animators, that Hodge has been sent in return. 

Postcards & Doodles is a gaudy frill that nevertheless may inspire other artists as to the fun of quick, throwaway art, including some quick and cheap experimentations, that is so attractive that most recipients won’t want to throw it away.  The eBooklet also has embedded animations and videos.  For $3.99, how can you go wrong?  “This book is available for download on your iPad with iBooks 2 or on your computer with iTunes.  To read this book, you must be using an iPad with iBooks 2.”