blaamand
Member 
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459 
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Jun 18, 2018 20:25:03 GMT
Albania has been the focus the last few days, making my own pages. My sources have been a mixture of Michel and Scott, no specialized catalogs involved this time around. As many of you will recognise, my pages are based on the work of Steiner - but I've re-formated, expanded on, added write-ups, spaces for varieties and illustrations, compacted and arranged in a chronological order - as I find it fit. For a country like Albania, which during it's history experienced a series of changes in administration, occupations etc, I like to include a header to recognise that historic event on the pages. Additionally, I prefer the description of each emissions to say what they were issued for, when and if issued for any particular reason, rather than what their design look like. Nothing reveloutionary in any way or the other - but I am happy to have pages to suit my personal preference. Here we go! Page 1  Page 2  Page 3  Page 4  Page 5  Page 6  Page 7  Page 8  Page 9  Page 10  Page 11  Page 12  Page 13  Page 14  Page 17  Page 19  Page 20  Page 21  Page 24  Page 28  I omitted some of the pages, but you'll get an idea. Thanks for looking Any others having made custom pages for Albania? Please feel free to show them to us  Jon |
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brightonpete
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Jun 18, 2018 22:51:38 GMT
That is a lot of work! They look great. I've been thinking about a plain border vice perf-style of mine.
I just have issues with stamp sizes. Without the stamp, am I getting the proper size? So I hold off printing until I get what's needed for the page.
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,696
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 18, 2018 22:58:13 GMT
It is always interesting to see how others tackle similar tasks.
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Beryllium Guy
Moderator 
Posts: 5,908
What I collect: Worldwide Stamps 1840-1930
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Post by Beryllium Guy on Jun 19, 2018 3:33:24 GMT
That is a lot of work! They look great. I've been thinking about a plain border vice perf-style of mine. I just have issues with stamp sizes. Without the stamp, am I getting the proper size? So I hold off printing until I get what's needed for the page. Jon ( blaamand), I agree with Peter--great job on this latest installment of your DIY pages! They are once again, both beautiful and excellent in terms of completeness. I congratulate you on your willingness to put in the time that you are taking to do this. As you apparently discovered (thanks for your "likes" on my old posts on the Albania: Stamps thread, by the way), I am certainly interested in the stamps of early Albania, but as I discovered, there are certainly forgeries circulating of some of the more interesting ones. Your recent work on Albania has prompted me to look at that old thread again, and I realized that I never fully documented the conclusion of that story, so I will do that now. Jon, thanks again for your excellent work and contributions to TSF since joining. At some point, I may be asking you how I can get copies of your pages for my own collection!!  |
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Jun 19, 2018 15:04:55 GMT
Thank you everybody for the kind feedback on my pages, much appreciated  brightonpete - I know the dilemma, particularily for stamps one do not yet have. Previously I made all my pages from scratch, and found an easy way to come around the stamp-sizes challenge. Scott and many other catalogs are using the same size-ratio for all their stamp images - so I found the ratio required to adjust the size of a 'screen-clip' of a stampimage (from pdf) so it would be replicated in true size on Powerpoint. Example given - For my Scott Specialized on (Scott) DVD, I found that when the pdf is zoomed to 'True size/100%) the screen-clip from that pdf in Powerpoint would need to be enlarged to 125% - and when printed it equaled the true stamp size. Then it was just a matter of making a box to suite the stamp-image. Sounds complicated, but it's easy to do. Obviously the ratio may vary for different catalogs/versions/etc - just do a test and try, it took me 4 tests/prints to get the ratio I considered close enough. Another option is to measure the physical stamp size (if you have it) - and the boxes/objects in Powerpoint can be adjusted by manually typing in the size in millimeters, however this obviously takes more time - and you need the stamp! Last resort is to measure the image in a physical stamp catalog, and find out the ratio how much that particular catalog are reproducing the stamp sizes - some catalogs even have the stamp sizes printed in true/actual size. Then again, you might be using another software than powerpint, but I presume something similar can be achieved in any program? Anyway, I used this method for a lot of my own pages for several years - but after a while I got a bit bored of the stamp size issue.....so I opted to allow myself being a 'copycat': Steiner has already done a marvelous job in getting all the boxes right (99% anyway). So, I've now recently purchased Steiners CD - and convert from pdf to Powerpoint. My main reason for doing so was exactly due to the size of the boxes, not needing to make them all myself. Beyond that, the Steiner pages do not really meet my preferences, so most of the contents on the Steiner is re-done anyway - so at the end of the day I'm only a semi-copycat  . I can recommend to go the Steiner-modification route, however some of the time saved by not needing to do the boxes is lost as time is spent needing to redo the pages to your own preference, rather than getting the pages 'right' from start. Hope this can be to some use for getting your boxes right! Jon |
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Jun 19, 2018 15:12:34 GMT
angore - I absolutely agree. Even if someone elses pages are very or completely oppositie to own personal preference, it is always some ideas to pick up - or some ideas of what not to do  I've got a lot of inspiration by looking on others DIY pages, even if I would do them very differently myself. As you've seen, I am adding in BOB stuff in with the regular issues in a chronological/historical order - that is probably something that most other collectors would not do or do not like at all - but someone out there might fancy the idea.
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brightonpete
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Jun 19, 2018 15:19:00 GMT
Steiner has already done a marvelous job in getting all the boxes right (99% anyway). So, I've now recently purchased Steiners CD There is that Steiner again. I've never heard of this. That looks like something to look for! Thanks Jon! ( blaamand ) |
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Jun 19, 2018 15:20:57 GMT
Beryllium Guy - thank you so much for your enthusiastic feedback, it means a lot to me  I will read your new Albania posts with interest. I've already bookmarked Rod's Albania thread in my 'Albania library' - very useful info from yourself, @nl1947 and classicalstamps concerning forgeries. I would be honored if you fancy using my pages. Check your PM 
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,696
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 19, 2018 15:22:42 GMT
For worldwide, I just use Steiner and will recreate pages if I ever need to do it. I have created many pages for my US Mystic album using Scribus.
Steiner boxes are often hidden if you use a black mount. I mostly use clear mounts and like the visible frame so I would need to enlarge the Steiner boxes for black mounts in ideal case but too much work.
The one aspect I keep jumping back and forth on is the catalogue number. At times, I like the page with cat numbers inside the box so hidden when stamp is added but seen by lift stamp slightly. Other times I want it visible. The inside box approach makes for a cleaner page and really does not add much info if you include variety info above or below box which I do like.
I would like to edit Steiner pages to add the cat number prior to printing but I only Acrobat 8 so limited to compared to Acrobat DC.
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brightonpete
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Jun 19, 2018 15:38:55 GMT
I would like to edit Steiner pages to add the cat number prior to printing but I only Acrobat 8 so limited to compared to Acrobat DC. You should be able to open them in any graphics program to edit them, no? |
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,696
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 19, 2018 15:47:34 GMT
Yes you can convert to power point or open them in LibreDraw but would prefer to save them as PDF's with minimal effort - never any conversion issues.
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brightonpete
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Jun 19, 2018 15:49:44 GMT
I just took a look at the layer. Good grief, what a mess! They certainly make it difficult! But not impossible...
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2018 16:23:29 GMT
I would like to edit Steiner pages to add the cat number prior to printing but I only Acrobat 8 so limited to compared to Acrobat DC. There are several "Free" pdf editors but they are trials that generally have severe limitations or watermarks that require the PAID version to fix.
A few are online versions that are less than friendly.
I use Acrobat DC Pro but I also like to test a variety of apps to see how they perform.
There is one pdf editor that is simple, works and quite good.
Here is a screen of a Steiner page I downloaded and edited Above I chose the text font and size, made a box and typed it. You can go with any color, bold etc.
You can go basic or advanced in all the tabs depending what suits you best
With a little practice you can easily edit or add text and images
You can get the app from the Xodo company but it is an online version and not very easy to use or fix errors and it tends to have its own mind Get it through the Microsoft store - much easier stand-alone version  |
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,696
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 19, 2018 22:30:13 GMT
I did a test page using Xodo web version. It is easier than the clunky Acrobat method for adding comments. I use Win 7 so cannot use the one from Microsoft webstore. The default text color is red and for some reason when I said to print in B&W the printer driver or printer ignored the command using Chrome's print tool. The red is actually a nice touch. I will just need to adjust my centering ability.  |
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2018 22:56:28 GMT
I did a test page using Xodo web version. It is easier than the clunky Acrobat method for adding comments. I use Win 7 so cannot use the one from Microsoft webstore. The default text color is red and for some reason when I said to print in B&W the printer driver or printer ignored the command using Chrome's print tool. The red is actually a nice touch. I will just need to adjust my centering ability. The red is the part where I mentioned the web app has a mind of its own. Too bad you can't use the MS version, it is much more flexible with more options. But overall a good alternative and the red stands out. I did not try it but maybe printing through your printer driver might work?
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,696
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 19, 2018 23:54:17 GMT
Well I discovered Acrobat Reader can save similar comments and provides both text alone and text in box. In the plain reader you cannot edit it but if you select Open function in tools page it opens in edit mode. This seems strange but guess to protect easy editing. I figured it meant open ANOTHER file. Acrobat had no issues with editing prior changes I made using Xodo.
I had saved the file in the browser on my computer was looking at printing it in B&W from Acrobat but starting noticing how Acrobat handled the existing added text boxes.
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blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
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Post by blaamand on Jun 20, 2018 2:24:44 GMT
Interesting discussion ongoing! It's obviously lots of different ways to modify PDF's. Personally I've tried a few different pdf converters, and some of them seem to only 'unlock' part of the elements or change them slightly. I was considering to purchase the Adobe Pro - however that's quite expensive. Luckily I found this Free PDF to powerpoint converter. So, now I am only using that free converter, works like a charm, all free. The converted Steiner pages are then fully editable in PowerPoint, without any issues at all. I am not familiar with other design programs, however I am extremely satisfied with Powerpoint. I am not a computer geek, so Powerpoint is perfect for me as it is very self-explanatory and very easy and powerful tool to use, with seemingly endless opportunities for adding graphics and formatting images etc. Dead easy to change fonts, to resize, align, copy and distribute boxes evenly horizontally or vertically. Also very easy to assign your own frame on all the pages in one go on a masterslide - which I've done (because the Steiner frame is smaller and off-center to allow for hole). Very easy to insert snip-outs from catalogs or other sources as reference on your pages, if so desired. angore - I share your view regarding catalog numbers. Previously I included catalog numbers below every single box. Then I changed my strategy to only use catalog numbers for those stamps/varieties that really 'needs it', example given face-similar stamps with different perfs, wmks, shades etc. For any stamp that cannot be mixed up with any other stamp below the same series-header, then I really see now purpose in adding the catalog number, as no further ID is really needed anyway (?). This have 3 advantages: 1) It makes the page cleaner 2) It takes much less time 3) When only catalog ID is shown for the varietites and not the others, it makes the varieties stand out and thus gives more focus to the ones that actually needs more careful ID'ing. That's just my philosophy, for now anyway - always subject to change  Concerning editing Steiner pages, I suggest you try the link above and edit in powerpoint. (given you have powerpoint software available, that is, I believe it is included in most standard Microsoft software packages (?) cheers, Jon |
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brightonpete
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On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
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Post by brightonpete on Jun 20, 2018 12:36:05 GMT
I have included a rather large, 50% dimmed stamp value & colour inside the box. But after looking at these Steiner pages, including the stamp number in the box makes sense. So does using a much smaller font than what I used.
This is like when I was writing software. I was constantly tweaking the app until I thought it was prefect, same with these album pages!
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angore
Member
Posts: 5,696
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
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Post by angore on Jun 21, 2018 11:20:29 GMT
I have already been printing more Steiner pages as I mount stamps (now in Barbados). Acrobat Reader is perfect for just adding cat numbers inside the box now that I know how to do it. I can do a page very quickly and save in original PDF.
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. I can recommend to go the Steiner-modification route, however some of the time saved by not needing to do the boxes is lost as time is spent needing to redo the pages to your own preference, rather than getting the pages 'right' from start.
I've got a lot of inspiration by looking on others DIY pages, even if I would do them very differently myself. As you've seen, I am adding in BOB stuff in with the regular issues in a chronological/historical order - that is probably something that most other collectors would not do or do not like at all - but someone out there might fancy the idea.
