Seeking Tips: Baseball Card Collages

[todeen]

I've decided to start a back burner project I've thought about for 2-3 years. I'm an artistic guy, I can draw better than many, I do wood furniture restoration, etc., so I've decided to try a baseball card collage. For others on this site who have tried one, what are some tips and pointers you would share? What type of glue did you use? What's the best scissors? Did you use an Xacto knife? How many layers of cards? Did you put some sort of finish over the top? How many hours did it take?

All suggestions and anecdotal evidence would be appreciated.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Got some tips and pointers off of Twitter. Talked to Ben Caraher. Going to see how it all comes together.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Day 1 of arranging pieces.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[mrreality68]

Very cool
Good luck with it

Love to see the progress pictures

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by mrreality68

Very cool
Good luck with it

Love to see the progress pictures

+1 best of luck getting the style of look you want and please keep us updated with pics as you go.

[todeen]

end of weekend update

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[bnorth]

Coming along very nicely. What size is it?

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Coming along very nicely. What size is it?

Size is 16x20 inches

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Day 4 update. The yellow roof section took 2 hours. I didn't have any of the pieces cut, and that took roughly an hour... it would have been less but I cut up the whole card rather than just cut out the YANKEES. Total hours involved so far equals 14.

My wife suggested I use the Yankees team name for the roof section, and I thought that was a solid idea. I think it turned out well.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Veterans Day update. I'm at 20 hours between drawing, cutting, and adhering.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[bnorth]

Nice progress. Are you only using 1990 Topps to do this?

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Nice progress. Are you only using 1990 Topps to do this?

yes. I don't think I'll need to use anything else. 90 Topps is such a colorful pallette; it lacks yellow, so I bought 100+ checklists from a member here. I'm thinking of doing the orange Wheaties next. I will have plenty of cards leftover from this. maybe not blue though.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by todeen

yes. I don't think I'll need to use anything else. 90 Topps is such a colorful pallette; it lacks yellow, so I bought 100+ checklists from a member here. I'm thinking of doing the orange Wheaties next. I will have plenty of cards leftover from this. maybe not blue though.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

Cool, are you putting any special to you cards in it? I have never made one but have gladly paid to have several made. On my T206 Red Cobb I had the artist use a lot of 1990 Donruss Wade Boggs cards for the red background. I am a huge Boggs fan. I also had a few 89 Fleer Bill Ripken cards put in my 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken F Face piece.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Cool, are you putting any special to you cards in it? I have never made one but have gladly paid to have several made. On my T206 Red Cobb I had the artist use a lot of 1990 Donruss Wade Boggs cards for the red background. I am a huge Boggs fan. I also had a few 89 Fleer Bill Ripken cards put in my 1989 Fleer Bill Ripken F Face piece.

no, I'm not that sentimental about it. There is a quote I'm using as inspiration: "Make it new," from poet Ezra Pound. I thought about making this an exact replica, but then I'd be disappointed when I couldn't accomplish that. So this way, each day I'm pleasantly surprised and proud of myself!

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

25 hour update. Not sure I'll be gluing anymore this weekend. I am cutting out brown, bats, navy, and black.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

38 hr update. I did a lot of cutting this week. The pants did not take 13 hours to complete.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[bnorth]

It is coming along very nicely. I don't think I have seen one done with card strips like that before.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bnorth

It is coming along very nicely. I don't think I have seen one done with card strips like that before.

Thank you. I looked at a few examples, and some I didn't like because the pieces were too big and clunky. So I decided smaller and thinner would be the way to go.

41.5 hour update.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[timzcardz]

Very nice!

Wish I had the time to do something like this, right after the time for the countless number of other things that I can't to find the time to do.

3 to 4 more year until retirement when I hope to start shortening that list.

[todeen]

The Devil's in the details. This bottom section with his name is taking forever! I think that took me 6 hours.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Originally Posted by timzcardz

Very nice!



Wish I had the time to do something like this, right after the time for the countless number of other things that I can't to find the time to do.



3 to 4 more year until retirement when I hope to start shortening that list.

thank you. my job description changed this year: more pay and less requirements. This is only a one year trial though at work, so next year might be a different story. I'm a teacher, and my new position doesn't include homework - that's how come I've now got free time when I come home.

Retirement is still three decades away for me!

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[bnorth]

Originally Posted by todeen

The Devil's in the details. This bottom section with his name is taking forever! I think that took me 6 hours.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

Looks great.

Are you trying to make it smooth with only one single layer of cards? For example the ones I have would have a solid layer of yellow cards with the Gehrig and Yankees on top of it. Making it two layers thick there.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Looks great.



Are you trying to make it smooth with only one single layer of cards? For example the ones I have would have a solid layer of yellow cards with the Gehrig and Yankees on top of it. Making it two layers thick there.

yes, it's all flat in a single layer. the grass and sky went pretty quickly using the long strips. but the name portion is small strips that still take the same time to cut and place.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

56 hour update! The name box had so many small pieces!

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[bnorth]

Looking very nice. Do you plan on framing it?

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bnorth

Looking very nice. Do you plan on framing it?

Yes, I will frame it. The couple people I got help from said they modpodge it at the end. I can't imagine keeping it clean without a frame. Dust would stick to it.

62 hour update. I found it hard to get free time over Xmas holiday to work on it. So now that I'm back to work I'll have more disposable time.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[Gorditadogg]

Wow, you are getting close! It looks good!

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Eclipsed 70 hours

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[bnorth]

That is coming along great. It is amazing for your first time doing one.

[todeen]

Originally Posted by bnorth

That is coming along great. It is amazing for your first time doing one.

thank you. I think I was fortunate that he had no facial details I need to replicate. otherwise I'm certain I would be a tortured soul.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

79 hours and 90% complete.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[todeen]

Here is the final product. I'm currently at 84 hours. I need to seal it with mod podge, so that will likely add an hour of work time. It'll get framed around the beginning of March.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[BobC]

Originally Posted by todeen

Here is the final product. I'm currently at 84 hours. I need to seal it with mod podge, so that will likely add an hour of work time. It'll get framed around the beginning of March.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

Tim,

That is fantastic, great job! Loved following along with your progress on this project from the start. You should be darn proud!

[todeen]

Originally Posted by BobC

Tim,



That is fantastic, great job! Loved following along with your progress on this project from the start. You should be darn proud!

thank you. I figured posting about it here would help me have a stick-to-it attitude.

Sent from my SM-G9900 using Tapatalk

[Rad_Hazard]

Incredible work of art!

I really love the detail, especially the 1990 Topps background.

[bnorth]

That is amazing. I really like how you made it flat instead of having it vary greatly in thickness.

My wife said it looked professional instead of the ones I have that look like a 3rd grade art project.

Have any plans for another and if so of what/who?

[Cmount76]

You really "made it new"!

Looks amazing! Huge congrats!!!

[Gorditadogg]

That really looks great. Well done!

Sent from my SM-S906U using Tapatalk