LOTR Evolution

[Guest]

[ztaylork]

Its definetly a great looking card!!!  As are all of Cats.  I am torn as to which one that I would want to have colored, I think they would all look great with a splash of color.

[grecopa]

That's a beautiful card, Cat.  Your work always has such emotion in it. 

I just checked Cynthia's color one ring auction and at the moment it's at a bargain price.  It won't stay that way.  All you ebay snipers, start watching it.  

[Tom Bombadil]

Here's some of my recent pulls.










Unfortunately, I can't keep all of my LOTR sketches so these are up that site. I'll post my collection soon.

[grecopa]

Nice cards, Tom.  I like the Ray Dillon-Aragorn the best.  Very interesting.   
Here is my completed Gollum collection.  9 cards, just enough for a pocket page.  They aren't the most expensive or sought after of the set, but I think with them all together like this, it makes for a pretty interesting Gollum study. 

[savage727]

Very nice Kelly.  It just goes to show that you do not have to be a big spender to enjoy these sketch cards!   

[ocdlotr]

Hey Kelly...GREAT GOLLUM group...you've got the idea...get what you can afford and follow your bliss! 

[grecopa]

 
BTW, I like your Picasso quote.

[Eve]

OK, I'm half  and half  .  I did get two sketch cards in my box. One of them I'm very fond of, one of them I'm considering ripping it up and sending it back to Topps. I have no idea what it is. Perhaps someone could shed some light on the first card.  I've left the photo large so everyone can see this card in its neverending glory...

Well, I've taken a chance and sent this back to Topps.  I told them that art is subjective, and I don't expect a masterpiece, but I really felt that this card was lacking. Yes, I realize it's a 'sketch', but I should at least be able to identify the picture. 

 I really don't know what I expected, but there's no way around it that this sketch(and others like it STINK!!!) I wrote to Topps that I didn't think this was up to their usual standards and I'd like a replacement(I know). Keep in mind, I didn't expect a Kayanan, but I told them when one pays $50.00 for a box of cards that one at least expects to receive a card that can be identified.  Topps responded(and I'm paraphrasing here):

THANK YOU FOR YOUR INTEREST IN OUR PRODUCTS. WE ARE SORRY, BUT WE DO NOT SELL OR TRADE SPECIFIC CARDS OR SUBETS TO COLLECTORS

Topps went on to suggest that I CONSULT MY LOCAL CLASSIFIED ADS OR TELEPHONE DIRECTORY for dealers.
They even went so far as to inform me that I might be able to find OFFICIAL FACTORY SETS AT JC PENNEY OR SEARS.!!!!

All I can say about that is it really makes you appreciate INKWORKS and RITTENHOUSE, whom I know actually READ what you write to them.

It was a shot in the dark, I know. I don't like to be critical of art or sketch cards, because I can't even put two lines together, but everyone I showed this card to was in awe, and not in a good way.

Anyway, my next question is, what on earth do I do with this card? I'm open to suggestions.

[neko]

ask Paul for a color job... they card is exactly what we are expected to do.. he did 1006 cards...it looks exactly like what is is depicting. And before you say i already spent $50 on it...actually no you didn't because you got a box FULL of cards including stain glass inserts as well as a full base set I would imagine...So you may want to talk to the artist and see about getting that sketch turned into something more to your liking.

[GrantGoBoom]

Seriously, head over to Paul's site and contact him about getting an aftermarket card.  I can almost guarantee he'll do it for cheap and he'll draw an amazing aftermarket for you.  Trust me, the guy's bigtime talented -- don't let one card make or break your opinion of his stuff.

[kbmum]

ask Paul for a color job... they card is exactly what we are expected to do.. he did 1006 cards...it looks exactly like what is is depicting. And before you say i already spent $50 on it...actually no you didn't because you got a box FULL of cards including stain glass inserts as well as a full base set I would imagine...So you may want to talk to the artist and see about getting that sketch turned into something more to your liking.

This isn't going to be popular with the artists here, but...

If a box of base and chase cards was worth anywhere close to $50, there would be no need to add sketch or memorabilia cards to entice collectors to buy the box.  It's the sketches that sell this set.  I can understand the artist's point of view that being paid only $1.50 per sketch can result in minimal sketches.  The collector's point of view is that there has to be some value to the inserts in the box.  I'm not saying that the sketch should be worth $50 or $1,000 on eBay, just that it should show more than one or two minutes of effort.

The artist in question here is a good artist.  I was lucky to pull one of his really nice Gollum sketches.  It's just too bad he didn't put a little more effort into the one that Eve and others received.  After spending $50 for a box, why should a collector have to spend more money to make the sketch worth keeping (as opposed to mailing it back to Topps)?

[GrantGoBoom]

This isn't going to be popular with the artists here, but...

....After spending $50 for a box, why should a collector have to spend more money to make the sketch worth keeping (as opposed to mailing it back to Topps)?

I see what you're saying..  I'm not suggesting you should have to get an aftermarket to make "it worth your money," so to speak.  I was just throwing an option out there. 

It really is all in the eye of the beholder.  If Alan Lee were to do sketch cards and scribble down those exact same lines that Paul did, you'd be framing it on your wall (even if you weren't sure what it was a picture of).  I've seen big name talented artists at comic conventions do quick sketches for people, and they're like 2 or 3 fast lines, and people love 'em.  I'm just pointing out that it isn't always about the number of lines in a sketch.

But this is a debate that could go on and on, and we all love each other, so there's no point in diving too deep.  Bottom line is: one collector's trash is another collector's treasure.
 

[beckham1]

Only if it was a two or three line sketch from the Amazing Grant Gould  

[GrantGoBoom]

Haaahahh      

Hey, speaking of aftermarkets, since I don't get around to posting a lot these days, if you guys are ever interested in seeing my latest stuff, check out my art blog.  I've got a big ol' pile of aftermarkets I'll be working on over the next couple months, and I'll actually be posting the first couple probably sometime tomorrow, so just a heads-up for anyone who's interested.

That said, I need to sleeeeepp   :'(
(Those are my there's never enough hours in the day tears.)

[Roz]

It really is all in the eye of the beholder. If Alan Lee were to do sketch cards and scribble down those exact same lines that Paul did, you'd be framing it on your wall (even if you weren't sure what it was a picture of).

Perhaps... but there's a difference here, Alan Lee is a perfectionist and wouldn't do a sketch along those lines... it's not his bag If you ask him for a sketch when he's rushing for a train he'll just ask his assistant if there's a later one to catch and sit down and do you a nice sketch

I agree Gutz is definitely a talented artist and I'm looking forward to seeing some more aftermarket stuff, but this isn't his best card

[savage727]

Cool site Grant!!       You can see Dave's commission King of the Dead and my 2 commission Aragorn sketch cards when you go to Grant's link!      Hey I forgot to mention that when you scroll down you see that Grant is a LOST fan and drew a couple of Sawyer sketch cards!!      Imagine a LOST card set with sketch cards!!      How cool is the Aragorn & Lurtz and Eowyn & Witch King sketches!   

[ferdinand_the_yak]

I love the Eowyn/WK and Aragorn/Lurtz ones!

What size paper/card did you use for those Grant?

[grecopa]

Wow, you drew Sawyer with his shirt off.  You go Grant!    Just kidding, I really like your LOST sketches.  Sawyer's hot.  Thanks for drawing him with no shirt insted of Hurley. 

[Roz]

Harsh!! I'm a big Hurley fan - so watch it!

[ferdinand_the_yak]

I would like to request more sketches of 'no-shirt' Sawyer as well. Variations of 'open shirt' Sawyer and 'chopping wood' Sawyer would be great as well - thanks Grant