Why Sketch Covers?

[DennisRodmanofSS]

Just wondering.....whenever I go over to the OA section or even reading things on CAF or chatting with people at shows.....some collectors scratch their heads as to why people get their art on blank covers....I get asked all the time....

 

My question, what makes us collect all this great art on blanks? Many collectors think its silly as some of us pay 11 X 17 prices for a sketch that gets put on something almost half the size. Is it the allure of the golden label? The fact that with the CGC label, we can verify its real? Seeing what other people have collected?

 

What is it for you people in CGC SS land?

 

Sometimes I give different responses to these people....just curious what the rest of you guys might say.....

[Pirate]

I used to collect sketch covers and then moved onto OA. I prefer my art on comic board/bristol. Nowadays artists are getting smart and charging the big prices for sketch covers that they didn't in the past and many times it's a better value to get the bigger board piece. just my opinion.

[jonjesper]

I just say it is the first step into collecting OA and some people prefer to stay there.

I have a friend on the boards who laughs (won't mention his name) every time he sees someone pay $200 or $250 from an unestablished artist or breaking in artist and tells me about how he just bought a page from so and so or a cover from so and so for the same price and it is a published piece. I have to admit I agree often.

It all comes down to a personal preference, if you like it, do it. If you prefer to have a mix do that. But I personally think that the sketch cover lovers (that rhymes) are die-hards and personally that is pretty cool to see also!

[Par2ch]

Why not?

[s-man]

I've personally never seen anybody sketch covers...a sheet, comforter, something like that, but no covers. So that is a good question!

[A-DONIS]

My first ever sketch was an OA Batman Piece by Freddie Williams, back in 2007. This was before I even new about REMARKS on comics.

 

What basically turned me on to sketch covers was the mere fact that it can be graded, and certified. You can't do that with OA.

 

However, those that collect OA will argue, as stated above, that you get more for what you pay. I would argue that one can bargain with creators.

 

At first, everyone thought that sketch covers was going to be fad..several years later, it's still here.

[Mr Mylar]

Sketch covers rock

 

Some die hards will cut throats though. Sad but true, I learned this the hard way

 

I've been saying I was going to shift to OA but I found a home

 

The yellow label, the elusive blank/artist, the ideas to stay original...gotta love it!

[rtecbot]

extra question to ask why not sheets, there are some CGC SS that is not on sketch covers floating out there that were sketches on paper

[.Troy]

I have both. No reason to limit yourself. I get what I like, rather OA or SS.

 

 

[spideyfan88]

I still stand by the fact that its cheaper. I've been able to get top end pieces from big artists that have the same detail as there 11 by 17 or 11 by 14 con sketches or commissions and sometimes at half the cost. I won't give out prices because some people here find its bad practice but its been the case for most of my collection including most of the pieces in my sig line.

 

but the main reason i collect them is because I find them easier to display without having to be the main attraction in a room, they are small and I dont need to frame them, I put them facing out on bookshelves and things like that and it looks very nice. I also like that the art is protected by being encapsulated.

 

But yea I gotta agree with JJ too, Im sure with the money that some of us including myself have dropped on sketchcovers that we could have some nice covers or DPS or pin ups and maybe those would be better investments because they are published and have resale value but for me, I like that most of the sketches in my collection were drawn for me personally. It wasn't drawn for Marvel or DC or Image but for lowly old me, either right in front of me or at their studio.

 

There's also the fact that sketchcovers produce some wicked OA in their own right. I don't see many Joe Simon or John Romita commissions these days but I see plenty of new sketchcovers.

 

And yes some artists are wising up with whats happening on ebay and charging alot more but alot of them still think sketchcovers are a joke and don't take them seriously and will draw on them for less or whats happened to me is some might say if their commissions are 300$ "oh I'm not gonna charge 300 for something on that small, 150$" and thats happened to me a number of times.

 

But I think sketchcovers are really for collecting the resale market is murky and in most cases its hard to make your money back or a profit if you're reselling one, OA is much safer in that regard.

[littlebill]

the reason i collect sketches on blank covers is simply the certification by cgc that it is authentic. in days where nearly everything on ebay is fake it is worth twice as much to me to have it certified.

 

 

the same reason i will pay 400.00 for a steiner sports signed basebal when you can buy one that is not certified by someone like steiner for 200.00. i just like to know the sig i am paying for or the art is real. peace of mind is worth more then money.

 

 

the only thing that really does turn me off about sketch covers is some of the ops here on the boards. we have people posting ops for 250.00 per sketch when you can email the artist and he will do the same book and drop it at a con for 120.00 add on another figure and its 80.00 more when the artist charges 40.00 more if you get him direct.

 

 

people wonder why no one wants to get in on their ops when they look to break it off in you with their over the top fees.

 

 

in my opinion at some point sketch covers with their certification will kill the oa market.

 

 

 

 

[DrWatson]

Why Sketch Covers?

 

I can think of 24 reasons.

 

[devilsrain]

 

 

in my opinion at some point sketch covers with their certification will kill the oa market.

 

 

 

 

I was going to post this earlier then I started thinking about the statement. I actually believe that to be true, if the sketch cover craze expands. It will continue because of maniacs like us sure but its still a small market. That coupled with the fact that more fakes arise in the future, I think we will eventually see an even greater premium tacked on for the authenticated art.

 

I always use the example of some bizarre documentary called "who the F@#K is Jackson Pollock" which is about a woman who purchased a Pollock painting but even the worlds foremost experts on Pollock are divided on its authenticity.

 

You can read about it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_the_*$%26%25_Is_Jackson_Pollock%3F

 

 

[FrankJP]

I haven't picked up many sketch covers lately, mainly as I've switched to bigger OA, along similar reasoning that Pirate and Jon mentioned. Sketch covers are unique, and being encapsulated is a special feature.

 

One downside I've found on sketch covers is the grading and how that affects the value. I don't have a large amount, maybe 35 or so, and only sold a few(which, incidentally were to buy published OA covers), so it's not as if I am going to a convention to get covers with the intent to sell(which is fine, since not all of us can go to shows and it's great to get a chance to buy some). However, to see something valued lower, based solely on the grade, is not something I really agree with, but each to their own.

 

Other than that, the extra cost adds up. I've recently picked up some nice larger pieces of OA that, in the end, were equal to, or even cheaper, than smaller books due to the extra costs you add on for a sketch cover(cost of the book, shipping, CGC fees).

 

I've also started in on published OA with covers and pages, as I think it's neat in its own right to own an original published work. The other advantages, in terms of value, etc are well known.

 

While I still think sketch covers are pretty cool and likely will acquire a few from time to time to continue expanding on the characters/themes I enjoy, I will be focusing more and more on traditional and published OA.

 

 

[Chespirito]

I have no idea why I like them...the worse part is that I sometimes have sketches done on non-blanks...just for uniqueness I guess...

[whisp]

I like sketch covers but personally I don't have any sketched on yet.

 

Have a pile of blank cover books I have yet to use but collected up.

[GoldenGuardian]

Good question Cos (thumbs u One that I often wonder these days with the increasing cost of sketch cover opps.

 

Like several people in this thread have already expressed, I have also transitioned to mostly OA and art board media versus the good old sketch cover. I found that I get more bang for me buck going this route and my allure of the sketch cover has faded with the over saturation of them on the market.

 

I'm after the art and not the authentication aspect of getting a sketch/commission done. When it comes to getting something SS, I stick to signatures. In my mind it's a lot easier for someone to knock off an Adam Hughes or Jim Lee signature than it is for them to knock off a believable piece of art (*paging Rob Granito*)

 

My whole stance is that when I get a sketch done I know that it is authenticate and has been drawn by the creator I claim it has been drawn by. Frankly if an artist out their is talented enough to make a believable Micheal Turner, Jim Lee or David Finch knockoff sketch than why are they wasting time ripping off art and not getting published themselves?

 

Just my with the core being, I'm after the art and not the yellow label.

[jonjesper]

 

 

in my opinion at some point sketch covers with their certification will kill the oa market.

 

 

 

 

I was going to post this earlier then I started thinking about the statement. I actually believe that to be true, if the sketch cover craze expands. It will continue because of maniacs like us sure but its still a small market. That coupled with the fact that more fakes arise in the future, I think we will eventually see an even greater premium tacked on for the authenticated art.

 

I always use the example of some bizarre documentary called "who the F@#K is Jackson Pollock" which is about a woman who purchased a Pollock painting but even the worlds foremost experts on Pollock are divided on its authenticity.

 

You can read about it here http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Who_the_*$%26%25_Is_Jackson_Pollock%3F

 

 

You will never see a day where sketch covers kill the OA market. Never. Period. It constitutes less than 1% of the market right now and if it can ever get to even 5% of the OA market it would be the height of the sketch program. Anyone who thinks this will happen needs to examine OA more clearly.

As far as authentication I would agree that possibly down the road you will see that, but you are talking the highest end items such as Kirby, Ditko etc and pretty tough to forge actual page art with the aging process, many pages already in collections that people know where a particular page is, etc.

You do see forged sketches and that is why CGC SS works great, and in the way of sketches, you already see a premium attached to many books based on the authentication from CGC.

[jonjesper]

Also, I want to add...

Love your sketch covers everyone. You decided what to do and for many of you had a say in the creative process with the artist. That is something cool and makes it even cooler for you and your collection.

Again, buy what you like, like what you buy.

[seanfingh]

Also, I want to add...

Love your sketch covers everyone. You decided what to do and for many of you had a say in the creative process with the artist. That is something cool and makes it even cooler for you and your collection.

Again, buy what you like, like what you buy.

 

I like both sketch covers and OA. But the reason I enjoy sketch cvoers a lot more is the interaction with the creators, working with them to come to terms with what they are going to do, and receiving something that is completely unique in the process.