Fun with Flexichrome-1952 Topps Baseball

[hcv123]

That Williams is INSANE! Love the Garvey and Palmer as well!

[Phil68]

Thank you so much! The regular issue Williams sold on eBay last week. I've never sold the flexichrome version to date. I'm experimenting with glosses.
Nothing I can find to match the original. Wax looks pretty good but there's an aquos coating that may be the trick.

Someone asked for Musial...I've updated both Banty Red Musials in our '52 set to Flexichrome...

[samosa4u]

Interesting thread. What's the difference between Kodachrome, Flexichrome and monochrome?

[Phil68]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

Interesting thread. What's the difference between Kodachrome, Flexichrome and monochrome?

Hello!
Kodachrome is a type of color film that was in use from 1936-2009 and, recently, the final destination that processed it closed down for good. The '53 Bowmans were Kodachrome. The warm browns and reddish tones made Kodachrome a favorite for a long time. It was expensive to work with and process but the results were satisfying. You can mimic Kodachrome in photoshop--among other programs--by creating or plugging in filters. I have done this in making many of my Banty Red source files. Basically, digital killed Kodachrome. It is still my personal favorite.

Monochrome refers to "one color" or black & white. To make my cards, I typically turn ANY image into monochrome and then use filters in photoshop RGB (Red, Green, Blue) to lighten or darken the exposure in various spots.

Flexichrome Is quite involved. Basically, it is a colorization method used by Topps in the 1950's and early 60's (used quite a bit on Hockey & Football). You can still purchase kits on eBay and you can Google the kits and find sellers. You basically paint onto an image of the negative that you would have transferred to Kodak paper. 1952 Topps was the first set to utilize the method. Many times, the colors look a bit cartoonish. The glossing they used muted them quite a bit as did the stock which was more cream than white. Still, the beauty of '52 Topps is all about Flexichrome.
I haven't gotten really good with it yet. Each image takes me a couple of hours--just for the art-- and with my set at nearly 500 cards, I don't see me offering the whole set in Flexichrome. Still, I have done 80 of them since Christmas...time sure adds up!

[Phil68]

Here is an example of the difference between photo colorization with regular brushes and flexichrome process on my 1952 Satchel Paige and HI # Ted Williams. It's a pretty dramatic difference...

[Phil68]

Here's Satchel. I like 'em both. The one I painted in photoshop was haunting in the eyes. The Flexichrome looks like it was pulled from a pack in the summer of 1952! A halftone filter is added before these are printed so the actual cards present startlingly authentic. Of course Banty Reds are always dated or have a markedly different reverse than original vintage cards, and the gloss I apply is fresh. There's no way to "age" gloss, Lol.

[Chicosbailbonds]

Those are outstanding.

[samosa4u]

Originally Posted by Phil68

Hello!
Kodachrome is a type of color film that was in use from 1936-2009 and, recently, the final destination that processed it closed down for good. The '53 Bowmans were Kodachrome. The warm browns and reddish tones made Kodachrome a favorite for a long time. It was expensive to work with and process but the results were satisfying. You can mimic Kodachrome in photoshop--among other programs--by creating or plugging in filters. I have done this in making many of my Banty Red source files. Basically, digital killed Kodachrome. It is still my personal favorite.

Monochrome refers to "one color" or black & white. To make my cards, I typically turn ANY image into monochrome and then use filters in photoshop RGB (Red, Green, Blue) to lighten or darken the exposure in various spots.

Flexichrome Is quite involved. Basically, it is a colorization method used by Topps in the 1950's and early 60's (used quite a bit on Hockey & Football). You can still purchase kits on eBay and you can Google the kits and find sellers. You basically paint onto an image of the negative that you would have transferred to Kodak paper. 1952 Topps was the first set to utilize the method. Many times, the colors look a bit cartoonish. The glossing they used muted them quite a bit as did the stock which was more cream than white. Still, the beauty of '52 Topps is all about Flexichrome.
I haven't gotten really good with it yet. Each image takes me a couple of hours--just for the art-- and with my set at nearly 500 cards, I don't see me offering the whole set in Flexichrome. Still, I have done 80 of them since Christmas...time sure adds up!

Thanks for taking the time to explain these things to me.

When you look at the whole card-making process, there are a lot of things that you can learn about very quickly. However, the one area which is very difficult to understand is the artwork, and of course, how it was transferred to stone or zinc or whatever.

Now according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Leaf Gum Co. used Chromolithography to make their cards in the 1940s. I find that a little bit odd because the baseball cards from the 1800s were made using this technique. I would've thought that by the late 1940s, Leaf Gum Co. would've used a different type of technology. What are your thoughts on this?

So, the 53' Bowmans (football and baseball) are the only cards that feature Kodachrome photographs? No other set has ever done this? What about the sets Bowman put out in 1950, 1951 and 1952? Are these Flexichrome? They obviously don't look like the cards from 1953, and I don't think they look as nice as the 52' Topps cards either. It's all very confusing!

[KCRfan1]

Those are really cool Phil. Nice work!

[e6phillips]

Great stuff!!

I hope you make it to the 1956 set. Turning some of the posed shots to action shots would be a cool upgrade.

Aaron needs a version where it is him, not Mays . . .

[Phil68]

Originally Posted by samosa4u

Thanks for taking the time to explain these things to me.

When you look at the whole card-making process, there are a lot of things that you can learn about very quickly. However, the one area which is very difficult to understand is the artwork, and of course, how it was transferred to stone or zinc or whatever.

Now according to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Leaf Gum Co. used Chromolithography to make their cards in the 1940s. I find that a little bit odd because the baseball cards from the 1800s were made using this technique. I would've thought that by the late 1940s, Leaf Gum Co. would've used a different type of technology. What are your thoughts on this?

So, the 53' Bowmans (football and baseball) are the only cards that feature Kodachrome photographs? No other set has ever done this? What about the sets Bowman put out in 1950, 1951 and 1952? Are these Flexichrome? They obviously don't look like the cards from 1953, and I don't think they look as nice as the 52' Topps cards either. It's all very confusing!

Sadly, I onlty research what pertains to my card production. However, the early bowmans were drawings/paintings. In '53 they went to photos. They ran out of money halfway through and did the rest of the set in black and white. They went back to flexichrome in '54 but did it poorly, in my opinion. They were obviously on a tight budget. They tried touching up photos lightly in '55 and then Topps bought 'em out. The pre-1900 cards were actual photographs! They are some of the earliest compilations of original snapshots. Very cool. Chromatography/lithography pre-dated Flexichrome by a bit but basically it was a flatter colorization technique. It didn't involve creating acidic relief (not sure on that term) but it produces shading in my work. Looking at a leaf card, you can see how the color is like...dropped in. No gradient or toning.
I have always wondered what Mr. Bowman would have done with more money and had he continued his "Play Ball" series as a premium product.

That led me to create my favorite set to date. The "never released" 1952 Play Ball set. Like Topps, mine is oversized and exploding with color and a huge departure from the company norm...
I'll post a few here that you may enjoy!