Photoshop challenge
Everyone is upset about Topps’ decision to include manipulated photos of Albert Pujols and Jose Reyes as short prints in 2012 series one. I couldn’t care less. I’m not going to collect the set anyway, I don’t like the Angels or Marlins, and I don’t collect Pujols or Reyes. So it doesn’t really matter to me at all.
But it did start the wheels spinning in my feeble brain…what if Topps took that concept and applied it to older issues?
We all know that the Montreal Expos were unethically magically transformed into the Washington Senators Nationals a few years ago by the grand poobah commissioner of baseball, Palpatine Bud Selig. So what if Topps went back in time and Photoshopped some of the old Expos cards into Nationals cards? How awesome would it be to have a 1984 Topps Gary Carter as a Washington backstop? Or a 1987 Topps Andres Galarraga rookie card sporting the Nats’ duds?
I know, I’m terrible. I’m probably the worst Photoshopper on the planet, and there are many out there who are better than I could ever dream of being. So prove it. Take an old Expos card and make it Washingtonian. Or put a 1980s-style Atlanta Braves uniform on Warren Spahn. Or let’s see Frank Howard wearing a Rangers jersey.
If enough people are into it, maybe I’ll throw a prize your way.
Now get to it!
Like this:
Posted on January 26, 2012, in baseball, baseball cards and tagged Andres Galarraga, fun cards, Photoshop. Bookmark the permalink. 2 Comments.
I agree – the gimmicks don’t bother me. And I do collect the base set. I don’t understand the problems so many people have. How do the Pujols/Reyes VARIATIONS “diminish” the base set any more than parallels do? If you are trying to put together the “puzzle” of the base set – this isn’t part of the puzzle. Cards 331 and 332 will come out in series 2; those are the cards for a full set. Parallels, which have now been around for 20 years, “diminish” the base set more than 2 variations. If they made these cards SP’s as part of the set – then I would see the griping. But if someone says they will stop collecting Topps because of this, I think it’s really many other reasons.
If anything, these cards probably drive sales for non-set collectors. To blame Topps seems silly – Panini came out with the first “Los Angeles” card of Pujols a little while back – so clearly card companies think this kind of thing does sell. I don’t know why that fact bothers certain collectors.
MY PhotoShop skills suck. I still use PaintShop. Still, as an avid reader, I am hoping for some great creations from your other readers.