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2009 Sketch Card `TOPPS SERIES 1 received TODAY
- Thread starter phalm
- Start date
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WoundedDuck
Active member
- Aug 23, 2008
- 2,904
- 2
would love to see a scan
ru4scuba
New member
Warren's All Stars said:
Sweet! He got Opie Cunningham!!
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Bob Loblaw
Active member
That's hideous. It looks like a giant turd swinging a bat.
aminors
New member
Wow, I must agree...that sketch is pathetic. I'd go on, but it'd just be beating a dead horse. Log in the photobucket, click on that picture, and there's a size option button where you can make it smaller.
Anthony
Anthony
- Thread starter
- #11
Yes real sad that I waited almost 4 months for such a great piece of art...you go to the artist web site and look at his sketches...wonder why he would sign this one.The Topps company has to have some type of quality control because you can see the results when they have none...
Rudzud
New member
that card looks fake.
WoundedDuck
Active member
- Aug 23, 2008
- 2,904
- 2
From what I've heard, they actually pay their artists very very little per sketch that they do... something like a couple bucks each. The way the artists make their money is that they are allowed to keep a few sketches that they do to sell themselves. The sketches that the artists sell themselves are usually amazing, but there is little incentive to make the others, that get turned into Topps, any good.
starwarsfan2003
New member
- Dec 4, 2008
- 457
- 0
WoundedDuck said:
That is exactly right. And the next time you wonder why your favorite player just scribbles his name on a sticker/card, just remember how much these artists are being paid. Players aren't paid that much more. If they were,we would get nicer autos, but we would be paying $100 a box on base Topps because they would have to mark up prices to make the difference. Just sad.
Phalm, nice card, just too bad the artist just didn't care about the sketch. I do hope you pack pulled the redemption.
EDIT: After seeing who the artist was, its just REALLY sad that he put out that piece of crap. He was a featured artist in Beckett wasnt he, with the hand painted balls and everything. Sorry man, you should of received a stunner. Just sad
- Thread starter
- #15
The artist are paid very little but get business from people seeing the sketch on ebay or some other site. So why do such a sketch and sign it as yours.....Most artist take pride in the work of art they produce. I know I would never hire this guy to produce a sketch for me......Might be one sample but it was produced for me...
Well I figured I would show up personally to this flogging. My name is Paul Lempa and I am the artist who made the above sketch. Sorry to hear so many of you do not think too highly of the sketch card. I thought it might be good to show myself here, rather than run and hide from the criticism.
This particular card was done when Topps needed help fulfilling many sketch card redemptions from Series 1. Overall I did more than 250 sketches for Series 1, in a pretty short time frame. Not an excuse mind you, but just some information. In those 250, I have many different styles, from full color to the line sketch you see above. I have seen several of mine sold on ebay, the highest going for nearly $200. Of course not all will be that successful, but as with any card set, there are going to be ranges in price.
I think my biggest concern, one which comes through in the comments above, is how will people react to the quick sketches. I am a collector, and a box breaker myself, so I know how this hobby can be a frustration at times, and I sure didn't want to add to it. I tried to do a variety of cards, that might make some collectors happy. For the most part, I have heard that my cards have done that.
Art is very subjective, go into any museum and I am sure you will find something in there that makes you say, "I can do that" or "That's Art?". It is for this reason that I can totally understand people's comments, and I appreciate those who take the time to make them heard. Tell the artists, tell Topps. Demand higher quality. I can tell you that I have definitely taken this kind of criticism to heart, and have decided to lower the number of cards I do for a product, in order to ensure the highest quality, regardless of what I get paid.
For instance I have only done 10 cards for series 2. All fully painted. Each card took me about 10 hours, and I received no extra money. The cards can be seen here, and pulled out of series 2. http://blogbeckett.wordpress.com/20...as-2009-topps-baseball-series-2-sketch-cards/ Hopefully someone from the board can pull one of them.
Truthfully, I am not doing this for the money, no sane person would. I am doing this because I love sports, and I love art. Hopefully as collectors see more of my work they can begin to appreciate it as a whole. Thanks for your time.
Any questions or comments can be made to [email protected]
This particular card was done when Topps needed help fulfilling many sketch card redemptions from Series 1. Overall I did more than 250 sketches for Series 1, in a pretty short time frame. Not an excuse mind you, but just some information. In those 250, I have many different styles, from full color to the line sketch you see above. I have seen several of mine sold on ebay, the highest going for nearly $200. Of course not all will be that successful, but as with any card set, there are going to be ranges in price.
I think my biggest concern, one which comes through in the comments above, is how will people react to the quick sketches. I am a collector, and a box breaker myself, so I know how this hobby can be a frustration at times, and I sure didn't want to add to it. I tried to do a variety of cards, that might make some collectors happy. For the most part, I have heard that my cards have done that.
Art is very subjective, go into any museum and I am sure you will find something in there that makes you say, "I can do that" or "That's Art?". It is for this reason that I can totally understand people's comments, and I appreciate those who take the time to make them heard. Tell the artists, tell Topps. Demand higher quality. I can tell you that I have definitely taken this kind of criticism to heart, and have decided to lower the number of cards I do for a product, in order to ensure the highest quality, regardless of what I get paid.
For instance I have only done 10 cards for series 2. All fully painted. Each card took me about 10 hours, and I received no extra money. The cards can be seen here, and pulled out of series 2. http://blogbeckett.wordpress.com/20...as-2009-topps-baseball-series-2-sketch-cards/ Hopefully someone from the board can pull one of them.
Truthfully, I am not doing this for the money, no sane person would. I am doing this because I love sports, and I love art. Hopefully as collectors see more of my work they can begin to appreciate it as a whole. Thanks for your time.
Any questions or comments can be made to [email protected]
Zambrano38
New member
- Aug 11, 2008
- 1,866
- 0
Nice to see you here. I might need another card one of these days 
excel_B
Active member
Morning Paul. First of all, I admire your 'balls' to come out to this site and explain your issues to everyone. Not everyone do that nowadays. I am not one of those critics who thought the Ryan Howard card was terribly drawn. It's very difficult to draw a person, much alone a baseball player. I know - I took drawing class in college!
Again, I am wondering if you have done a Cal Ripken Jr before?
Thanks, and keep doing what you love, man...
Again, I am wondering if you have done a Cal Ripken Jr before?
Thanks, and keep doing what you love, man...
