picture letter; hand-drawn illustrated letter
A letter that includes a simple hand-drawn picture, often sent as a personal, warm message. Associated with a Japanese cultural practice of combining a drawing and a short note.
I sent my grandmother a picture letter with a drawing of seasonal flowers.
I'm learning how to paint with watercolors at a picture-letter class.
Compound of 絵 (e, 'picture') and 手紙 (tegami, 'letter'). The term became widely known through a cultural movement started in the late 20th century promoting simple, heartfelt illustrated correspondence.