Things That Make Me Sad

 

In the 2015 Topps Museum Collection release there is a cool insert, the 50-card Canvas Collection Reprints set. The set contains modern and retired players recreated from previous Topps cards by some of the top artists. There is also a #1/1 Originals parallel which are sketch cards by various artists based on the Reprints set.

Ken Griffey Jr. has two cards included on the Canvas Collection Reprints (posted above), both illustrated by the amazing Brad Utterstrom, also known as Bradu. Brad did sketch versions too with the Reds version showing up the other day for a $1299 BIN price. Here is Brad's sketch card that is currently for auction.

Another one showed up last week, the artist name is difficult to read it kind of looks like Elmo Perez but I have not been able to find an artist list for the set so I am not certain. The card initially was set with a $175 BIN, when it ended the seller dropped it to a $75 BIN and yesterday the seller removed the card from auction.

 I call it "Derp Griffey", just let the card sink in…

I am a sketch artist and this makes me sad. I have been drawing since I was a kid, I spent 4 years at the Art Institute drawing and I have been doing sketch cards for the past 5-6 years and I personally don’t feel my work is worthy of appearing in a Topps set and then I see cards like this and wonder what the Topps rep thought when they got the cards back from the artist.

So far I have found three other cards from this artist and they are all disappointing. I am really surprised Topps greenlighted these cards they really are not the quality you would expect from a Topps commissioned artist.

Ferguson Jenkins

Clayton Kershaw

Mike Trout

I have done sketch cards on commission, I have included cards in outgoing trade packages and I am working on pieces to submit to Island Dreams and I am very critical of my own work so I try not to rip another artist’s work but I know that even my 9-year old nephew could do better work in his 3^rd Grade art class.

 

If I pulled this crayon sketch card, it does appear at least to be crayon, out of a box of Museum Collection after spending $175-200 I would be livid.