I guess this idea has been going around -- to gather up the stamp
images which will be submitted for the Dartmoor walk, and put them
on virtual review here on the web page. Can you tell me what you
think about it? It would be interesting to hear from some of you
who don't even have stamps yet. Would it be fun to see what some
of the stamps that are submitted look like - perhaps for ideas on
what to do for a stamp?
Also, are you aware that stamps can be made by machine, which
is how the stamps for the Dartmoor walk are being reproduced? I
think they can turn out rather nice. My first stamp was done that
way from a drawing which I traced from some clip art I got from
the web. I mailed it off to this lady who makes rubber stamps
by machine. I think it cost 12.00, but I've heard you can have it
done much more cheaply than that, esp. if you order several at a
time. I suppose we could provide a service whereby if the clip-
art is sent in, or if a link to it is provided (along with the
dimensions desired), then when there is a full sheet of stamps I
could send them in to one of these stamp makers and save quite a
bit of money. Instead of 12.00/stamp I think it would be around
3.00/stamp. Add that to .50 for an air-tight jar and a small price
for a small Rite in the Rain (water-proof) notebook and maybe you'd
be looking at around $6.00-7.00 for a complete letterbox, and you
wouldn't have to be particularly artistic to create one.
I do not mean to fly in the face of art or pure hand-carved stamp
making. I really appreciate the artistic element. I even consider
it when putting up maps and clues on the web page. But I also
realize some of us are not artists and I wonder how many people
may benefit by some of the alrternative methods available for
making a stamp. Stamps can still be original and look nice and
even be disired as collectables if done this way.
Just thinking out loud...
Please let me know if I am stepping on toes here, esp.the "stamp-
carving purists". I don't know. I certainly don't mean to do that.
I'm carving my own right now actually. I'm just wondering if there
are ways to preserve the artistic element other than hand-carving.
If the emphasis goes to art, why not explore the different mediums
available, not just the different material mediums but different
processes?
Also, why not have a clip art page to just select from for a
stamp to be made? Then again, you could just send in a picture.
And there's always the option of finding a kind soul who would be
willing to carve a stamp for you based on a drawing or clip art.
This would have to be premised by approval from the carver as some
things are too difficult or too impractical to carve by hand.
Another thing that was previously mentioned is to hand carve your
own very basic image. I think Bonita McLaughlin's stamp images at
http://www.pclink.com/elf/wendell.htm
and Rachel's stamp image at
http://www.pclink.com/elf/evanston.htm
are fine examples of this.
I like to mention again (and reemphasize) that publicizing
a stamp image is strictly voluntary. I think its neat how Steven
Starry puts his stamp AND a photo of the letterbox location up, see:
http://www.pclink.com/elf/sturgeon.htm
http://www.pclink.com/elf/minkrivr.htm
I think that's really cool. But I also like Randy Hall's clues page:
http://www.mapsurfer.com/boxes/box2.html
Here the map is quite vague, but artistic and the stamp image...
well, if you want to see this stamp you'd better put on your boots
and grab your compass.
Just thinking out loud... As always, comments are welcome.
Dan'l
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Stamps (in review?)
5 messages in this thread |
Started on 1999-03-04
[L-USA] Stamps (in review?)
From: Daniel Servatius (elf@pclink.com) |
Date: 1999-03-04 00:51:41 UTC-06:00
[L-USA] Re: Stamps (in review?)
From: Graham Howard (ghh2@tutor.open.ac.uk) |
Date: 1999-03-04 13:56:03 UTC
Just a brief note to say that the Stamps (in Review) posting
was the most succint and info packed email about
"how to do a letterbox" complete with examples and prices
I could ever have hoped to see, Thanks !.
** It was a little gem, Danl'.
I only wish the emails I read for a living
were as well written, complete, to the point..and as much fun as these on
L-USA.
Graham
(..and I dont even get to play !)
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was the most succint and info packed email about
"how to do a letterbox" complete with examples and prices
I could ever have hoped to see, Thanks !.
** It was a little gem, Danl'.
I only wish the emails I read for a living
were as well written, complete, to the point..and as much fun as these on
L-USA.
Graham
(..and I dont even get to play !)
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[L-USA] Re: Stamps (in review?)
From: (Letterboxr@aol.com) |
Date: 1999-03-04 09:46:40 UTC-05:00
elf@pclink.com writes:
> Also, are you aware that stamps can be made by machine, which
> is how the stamps for the Dartmoor walk are being reproduced?
>
> I do not mean to fly in the face of art or pure hand-carved stamp
> making. I really appreciate the artistic element....
>
> Please let me know if I am stepping on toes here, esp.the "stamp-
> carving purists".
I don't want to speak for everyone, but as a self-professed Purist, let me
just say that I have no objections or prejudices where machine-made stamps are
concerned.
Most of the die-hard stamp-carvers are first and foremost rubber stamp people,
in general. I am a bit of a rubber stamp lunatic, myself... and by far, most
of my collection of stamps is of the manufactured variety. For Americans,
Letterboxing is a melding of traits from the hikers/orienteers/scouts on one
hand, and the mail/paper/dada Artists, on the other. The artists in the group
are likely to be hip on all aspects of rubber stamp graphics.
> I suppose we could provide a service whereby if the clip-
> art is sent in, or if a link to it is provided (along with the
> dimensions desired), then when there is a full sheet of stamps I
> could send them in to one of these stamp makers and save quite a
> bit of money.
A custom-lettered manufactured stamp with clip-art graphics is much nicer than
a stock stamp design off the shelf. If we can make custom stamps less
expensive, I think we should do so. It is my understanding that some
companies drop their prices even more if you reorder a previous design.
I would love to participate in a 'Stamp-Pool' of this sort.
Madly yours,
Der Mad Stamper
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> Also, are you aware that stamps can be made by machine, which
> is how the stamps for the Dartmoor walk are being reproduced?
>
> I do not mean to fly in the face of art or pure hand-carved stamp
> making. I really appreciate the artistic element....
>
> Please let me know if I am stepping on toes here, esp.the "stamp-
> carving purists".
I don't want to speak for everyone, but as a self-professed Purist, let me
just say that I have no objections or prejudices where machine-made stamps are
concerned.
Most of the die-hard stamp-carvers are first and foremost rubber stamp people,
in general. I am a bit of a rubber stamp lunatic, myself... and by far, most
of my collection of stamps is of the manufactured variety. For Americans,
Letterboxing is a melding of traits from the hikers/orienteers/scouts on one
hand, and the mail/paper/dada Artists, on the other. The artists in the group
are likely to be hip on all aspects of rubber stamp graphics.
> I suppose we could provide a service whereby if the clip-
> art is sent in, or if a link to it is provided (along with the
> dimensions desired), then when there is a full sheet of stamps I
> could send them in to one of these stamp makers and save quite a
> bit of money.
A custom-lettered manufactured stamp with clip-art graphics is much nicer than
a stock stamp design off the shelf. If we can make custom stamps less
expensive, I think we should do so. It is my understanding that some
companies drop their prices even more if you reorder a previous design.
I would love to participate in a 'Stamp-Pool' of this sort.
Madly yours,
Der Mad Stamper
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[L-USA] Re: Stamps (in review?)
From: Steven Stary (kurrwic@yahoo.com) |
Date: 1999-03-04 10:58:23 UTC-08:00
As my first two stamps (personal and letterbox) were machine made, I
am hardly one to object to any process that makes their creation
cheaper and easier. However, now that I have carved a few tiny pink
erasers into something pretty stamp-like and cool looking, I can see
how one can derive great satisfaction from the artistic process
involved. (Except for that time I stuck the tip of the exacto knife
in my thumb, that wasn't so cool...) As before though, the great
thing we have going here is everyone participates in their own
particular way. Hand-carved or machine-made makes no difference so
long as we're having fun.
Steven
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am hardly one to object to any process that makes their creation
cheaper and easier. However, now that I have carved a few tiny pink
erasers into something pretty stamp-like and cool looking, I can see
how one can derive great satisfaction from the artistic process
involved. (Except for that time I stuck the tip of the exacto knife
in my thumb, that wasn't so cool...) As before though, the great
thing we have going here is everyone participates in their own
particular way. Hand-carved or machine-made makes no difference so
long as we're having fun.
Steven
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[L-USA] Re: Stamps (in review?)
From: erik/susan davis (davisarc@wcvt.com) |
Date: 1999-03-04 11:05:17 UTC-08:00
I pretty muck agree with Mitch on this one - stamps don't HAVE to be
hand-carved to be beautiful or artistic.
What is far more important, IMHO, is that the stamp somehow be unique to
the letterbox and its location. This can be accomplished by getting a
clip art image, and adding some "postmark" text, as Adrian has done to
the Prayer Rock Stamp. This avoids the need to feel "artistic" in terms
of carving skills, etc., yet, the art really is in the image selection
and text combination.
Also, I seem to remember somebody finding a low-cost source for stamps
of the "postmark" design? Well,why not have one of these made, and
include the clip art stamp as a second stamp in the box - the finder
could then combine the two as a single image in their book, could use
different color ink pads, etc. The "artistic process" thus becomes a
collaboration the finder and the original "artist."
Erik
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hand-carved to be beautiful or artistic.
What is far more important, IMHO, is that the stamp somehow be unique to
the letterbox and its location. This can be accomplished by getting a
clip art image, and adding some "postmark" text, as Adrian has done to
the Prayer Rock Stamp. This avoids the need to feel "artistic" in terms
of carving skills, etc., yet, the art really is in the image selection
and text combination.
Also, I seem to remember somebody finding a low-cost source for stamps
of the "postmark" design? Well,why not have one of these made, and
include the clip art stamp as a second stamp in the box - the finder
could then combine the two as a single image in their book, could use
different color ink pads, etc. The "artistic process" thus becomes a
collaboration the finder and the original "artist."
Erik
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