This is Billy from Versicolor. I was wanting to start a poll per se and ask everyone if they prefer autographed cards to have the signature on the back or the front of an art card? Should there be a special "box" for the signature, or should the artist simply sign over their art? Let me know?

Thanks,
Billy

I like the autographs on the front, with a specifically designed area, or box for the signature.

I agree with Batman -- Card front in a designated box or autograph area

I like the current format used by Topps. A big bold block in the back for the artist's signature. The front should be used solely for the artwork.

Yeah...Inkworks did it right by having the backs of cards printed specially for each artist...they also numbered all the cards which was also great. I know it's more expensive to do that and that some sketch card sets have more than 100 artists, but I still like the way Inkworks did it.

Unfortunately when the signatures are on the back many people don't even realize that it is an autograph card. The tendency will always be to look on the front of the card first.

I'm in favor of leaving a space on the front of the card for the autograph, but Kennywood is absolutely right in that you can't read half the signatures.

If its too expensive to have the artist's name printed on the card back (like with Shreck sketches for one product), there should be a spot for them too print the names themselves. I have quite a few sketches that at this point will go unidentified.

quote:

Originally posted by Chuck Bartowski:
Yeah...Inkworks did it right by having the backs of cards printed specially for each artist...they also numbered all the cards which was also great. I know it's more expensive to do that and that some sketch card sets have more than 100 artists, but I still like the way Inkworks did it.

Breygent used to do this as well. I think the problem is some artists don't come through in the end, leaving the manufacturer with a bunch of unusable blanks with the artist's name printed on the back.

Billy...I thought that the Versicolor sketch blanks already had the artist name specially printed on the backs...and that AP's/Returns were also pre marked.

The front of the card should be for the sketch and the usual sig of the artist, nothing else.

The back can be used for info on the artist and a full signature.

Billy, for display purposes, I like the autograph on the front. I try to get cards, usually Promos, signed by the artists. Some do not come out well due to the dark/light/busy nature of the artwork. If the reproduced artwork were to fade in a set area of the card or have a rougher tecture, then an auto would take better. In short I like an area on the front for signing but not so obvious as a predefined box.

Artists are funny. Breygent had an autograph box on the back of their Cartoon Sketches. Some artists didn't sign. Some used their "artist signature" (e.g. Tina Fo) opposed to a signature one might find on a legal document. Some used their "artist signature' and printed their name.

I'm not wild about original art signed on the front except for the "artist signature" (e.g. SP, Tina Fo, MAZ) but I understand why some might like it if signed by the celebrity depicted in the work, opposed to the artist.

Just for clarification -- this is for autograph cards, not sketch cards -- at least that is how I am reading it.

If it's important it should be on the front of the card, and the autograph certainly is important.

It should also have an area designated for the signature, and should be differentiated from the non-autograph cards in the set (meaning not a signed 'common' card).

Jon

No Jon this is for sketch cards.

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:
No Jon this is for sketch cards.

That's the way i read it also Wolfie...

quote:

Originally posted by wolfie:
No Jon this is for sketch cards.

My comments were made under the assumption that they were autographs on a variation of a common art card opposed to an original sketch.

Billy, any chance that you can clarify this then set up a thread as an ongoing poll to complement this discussion?

There seems to be some confusion as to what type of card I was talking about. These have NOTHING to do with original sketch cards. I am talking about printed art chase cards that are autographed. Like the Jim Lee Autograph cards from the Impel X-Men series, for example.

quote:

Originally posted by Versicolor:
There seems to be some confusion as to what type of card I was talking about. These have NOTHING to do with original sketch cards. I am talking about printed art chase cards that are autographed. Like the Jim Lee Autograph cards from the Impel X-Men series, for example.

Anything with Art - on back of card

quote:

Originally posted by Versicolor:

These have NOTHING to do with original sketch cards.

It's nice to see that i am up to my usual standard,

I prefer when they sign on the back for art cards but I don't think a 'box' for it is necessary - sometimes it looks neater but depending on the 'backing' material where the artist signs I think it can look cheap.

I don't mind a small signature on the side or corner if it's on the front but everyones autograph is different so some just ruin it scrawling on the front.

-TC00

In the end it doesnt matter to me I will still put the card in a holder auto facing out, so i can read the name...

I'm surprised at the number of responses indicating the back of the card. . . There have been very few autograph cards released with signatures on the back of the card (Bill Ward (not intended), Boris I, Rob Liefeld (forget the release), and the Jim Lee are the only ones I recall.

For me -- autos on front. . . after all they are called autograph cards!