Custom made cards with autograph cuts

[Duluth Eskimo]

Maybe something along the lines of this.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Duluth Eskimo

Maybe something along the lines of this.

Do you want to use the actual photo or resize it to card size with a copy? Also do you need the fancy cut out or would a plain rectangle work?

If it is just a resized copy and a rectangle cutout with a blank back I can easily walk you through doing it yourself.

[Duluth Eskimo]

I haven’t given it that much thought. The glossy front isn’t really what I had in mind, but it does look pretty nice on the Broda card. Didn’t give much thought to the back, but a small stats back would be pretty cool. That Broda style card is about exactly what I was thinking. I assume I would have to custom cut around the shape of the autograph cut with a knife. Do you just use some spray adhesive to mold the two pieces together then trim to size?

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Duluth Eskimo

I haven’t given it that much thought. The glossy front isn’t really what I had in mind, but it does look pretty nice on the Broda card. Didn’t give much thought to the back, but a small stats back would be pretty cool. That Broda style card is about exactly what I was thinking. I assume I would have to custom cut around the shape of the autograph cut with a knife. Do you just use some spray adhesive to mold the two pieces together then trim to size?

Usually I use a high quality shipping label for the front layer. Then use greeting card stock for the center layer. Then use a shipping label for the back layer for a plain card like you described.

The shipping labels already have adhesive on them and you can get them in matte or glossy so you can have the finish you want.

Spray adhesive sucks in my experience. If I need adhesive I use 3M optical clear double sided adhesive.

[Duluth Eskimo]

Ok. Thanks much. I assume you buy them on eBay and set your printer preferences for the size of the label? PM me if you have a style or seller you normally go through.

Cooper,
Those are nice and I like the backs on them. I would probably use a different front to utilize a photo of the player if I can find one.

Ben,
Thanks for all the suggestions. Can you post some of the ones you made? I am interested to see some different styling ideas.

Thanks guys.

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by Duluth Eskimo

Ok. Thanks much. I assume you buy them on eBay and set your printer preferences for the size of the label? PM me if you have a style or seller you normally go through.

Cooper,
Those are nice and I like the backs on them. I would probably use a different front to utilize a photo of the player if I can find one.

Ben,
Thanks for all the suggestions. Can you post some of the ones you made? I am interested to see some different styling ideas.

Thanks guys.

Here are a few pics I found on my computer. At the time I did not have the Clemens sweet spot auto pasted down. I was trying to decide if I liked the gold or silver version better. About half the Jay North cards are mine. I also like the Randy Johnson clear Marlboro sign superfractor I made.

I will PM you my email if you have any more questions.

[MCyganik]

It really depends on the quality you want to do. You can pay $$$ for someone with all the expensive materials to make one close to that the professional companies make. Or if you're like me, I use Gimp to design my template, an inkjet printer set at the highest print quality settings, high gloss photo paper and put together each piece with cardboard backing (like you'd use for a magazine/program/comic book sleeve) in the middle to thicken it up like card stock. I tried spray adhesive for awhile but it comes out better for me personally when I use a very thin layer of Gorilla Glue type stuff. I use a little 1x1 square lever punch to cut the signature frame.

The Cecil Cooper card photo was taken before I glued it together, just showing it as an example of the front/back design for the 1975 Red Sox set I've been working on.

It really just depends on what makes you happy and it's all trial and error. I've been doing these for the last 6 months and still working on improving my photoshop skills and process.

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