tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,874
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
|
Post by tobben63 on Jul 19, 2019 18:47:46 GMT
I have started to design my own album pages (again) but I'm not satisfied with how I design it, so I need inspiration. I have searched on TSF and have seen a lot that is good and a lot that is not my liking I thought if we make a tread where we show and discuss design, it would be easier next time I start to design my own pages On the pages I have designed now I have put to much info inside the box, and do I really need the catalogue number? I also need to add boxes specially for my collection, postmarks, colour shades not described in catalogues and so on. What I have made is a Michel stamp album, not what I wanted. Show your DIY pages and tell why you want it that way
|
|
renden
Member
Posts: 9,148
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
|
Post by renden on Jul 19, 2019 18:53:46 GMT
This should be a fun thread and I see many contributors coming, tobben63 - thanks for starting this.... An old example of one of my CANADA custom pages which will have the text outside the box and not inside for future reference.....as text in a box gets covered when you mount your stamp, unless it is a special "no mounts needed" album and I have those from my father (late) but they are $$$$...from Germany - "Lindner" and my father had bought at the time the years 1851 to 1970, which I have but sold #1 many years ago to Gary Lyon, including the Seaway inverted so I started to rebuild #1 slowly (costs a furtune to buy some of those classics). Text at the top would be the numerical value and color Text at the bottom would incorporate the Scott # and any additional info as another Catalog reference (Maury for France, for example) and the year of issue or date if I wish.....if one puts too much info.....it will get too heavy, I think. All stamps are in my computer and in Inventory so I just type the number and all the details pop up as Mint NH VF, F etc or Used VF etc. or Mint Hinged (H) etc. This is the simplest one can get but if you need to complicate a little more and do 2 catalogs it might look like the one(s) I already posted from custom FRANCE album..... a New Brunswick, Canada page, with more text to explain the history of this Pence issue Now let's put more text with 2 catalogs (Scott and Maury on a FRANCE type Blanc 1900-29/Liberty+Equality Fraternity) Pardon my "guillotine" work - it is getting better on the Sower pages..... and I did not crop the page but clicking on any will bring out better resolution René
|
|
stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,884
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
|
Post by stainlessb on Jul 19, 2019 20:00:25 GMT
Here is a work in progress- I have not started loading yet as I'm not certain nif I will stay with this... or if I should add Scott# (Maury and Yvert appear to use same number), but as Maury is my main reference ( I have Scott classic specialized... but I find it lacking in details ) the boxes are the exact size of the mount, so assuming I get the mount on correctly, there would be no border/frame Printed only on one side, but placed into sheet protectors with a "back page " which is also only printed on one side. I like the 2 page open book appearance I use Scribus 1.5.4
|
|
renden
Member
Posts: 9,148
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
|
Post by renden on Jul 19, 2019 20:15:49 GMT
Here is a work in progress- I have not started loading yet as I'm not certain nif I will stay with this... or if I should add Scott# (Maury and Yvert appear to use same number), but as Maury is my main reference ( I have Scott classic specialized... but I find it lacking in details ) the boxes are the exact size of the mount, so assuming I get the mount on correctly, there would be no border/frame Printed only on one side, but placed into sheet protectors with a "back page " which is also only printed on one side. I like the 2 page open book appearance I use Scribus 1.5.4 Nice beginning Stan - the text placement is a little confusing for the non FRANCE collector - I would put it closer to each box - but it certainly is a good start and I do not need the Type details.......I include them in the lower text instead (I have the book....repetition) Cheers - René
|
|
brightonpete
Departed
Rest in Peace
On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
|
Post by brightonpete on Jul 19, 2019 20:26:01 GMT
Just as a comparison ro René's ( renden ) 1947-1949 page, here is mine... I was hemming and hawing about whether or not to include the higher value stamps (definitives) ,with the commemoratives. At this point, Canada altered the way the definitives were issued. They used to all have a similar appearance, but no more. So, on re-mounting what I had, I decided to mix up the higher, mis-matched values with the commemoratives. For the designs of the stamps, I like this format better. And of course, I like the coloured paper.
|
|
angore
Member
Posts: 5,663
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
|
Post by angore on Jul 19, 2019 20:29:32 GMT
This was my style based upon Mystic's US stamp album (left side). The right was an experiment. This example was comparing border styles double vs single line. As noted in the other thread, I like a grid pattern with all stamps on the row aligned at bottom. I prefer the catalog number UNDER (not seen after stamp mounted) the stamp but Mystic style was different. When several stamps in a row look similar, I like to put the difference below the stamp in 6pt. I had two different spacings in a row. When stamps had common subject, the space between the stamp was smaller. I do not add much if any call outs for stamp variations.
|
|
renden
Member
Posts: 9,148
What I collect: Canada-USA-France-Lithuania-Austria--Germany-Mauritius-French Colonies in Africa
|
Post by renden on Jul 19, 2019 20:43:17 GMT
Just as a comparison ro René's ( renden ) 1947-1949 page, here is mine... I was hemming and hawing about whether or not to include the higher value stamps (definitives) ,with the commemoratives. At this point, Canada altered the way the definitives were issued. They used to all have a similar appearance, but no more. So, on re-mounting what I had, I decided to mix up the higher, mis-matched values with the commemoratives. For the designs of the stamps, I like this format better. And of course, I like the coloured paper. Very nice Pete and you use background colored paper (carton or else) - A little too much info for me as I have Unitrade 2019 catalog and you probably have it too and the "time" factor is important to me.....I do not want to spend the rest of my "stamping" life making pages like a real Editor does (my dad was an Editor of a newspaper)........neat.....brief.......for me - but this thread is a discussion and I certainly respect your work !! René
|
|
kgvistamps
Member
Posts: 201
What I collect: British Colonies - King George VI from all countries and King Edward VII & King George V from the West Indies.
|
Post by kgvistamps on Jul 19, 2019 22:24:20 GMT
I have been using Excel to help me create custom pages for my stamps. I format whatever information about the stamps into paper rectangles and then cut them out and put them into Vario pages which will hold the stamps. It is easy to create the pages and allows me to include a lot of information. For these, I included the Gibbons and Scott numbers, a description of the overprint, the catalog numbers of the unoverprinted stamps, the date and perforation. Check my website for links to all 600 pages that are displayed on my site.
See the example below of one page for South Africa Official stamps.
|
|
clivel
Member
Posts: 382
What I collect: Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Rhodesias, South Africa, Swaziland, Israel to 1980, Ireland predecimal, Palestine Mandate
|
Post by clivel on Jul 19, 2019 22:54:28 GMT
A page from a Palestine Mandate album I recently started working on. I prefer the denomination and colour inside the box as they are no longer necessary once the stamp is in place, the catalogue number underneath for easy reference to stamp details. My pages are 8 1/2 x 11 or A4 depending on when I started the album, I would really like to find an easy source of larger paper and binders.
Clive
|
|
tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,874
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
|
Post by tobben63 on Jul 20, 2019 7:41:15 GMT
Thanks for all response. I'm still in a learning process. Have upgraded Scribus to version 1.5.4, some better features there. Just for the learning process I have reworked the first page I posted. - Made double frame
- Moved all info of stamp under the stamp box. Only denomination inside.
- Grouped stamps with same perforation together
- Fixed text (Small caps where I wanted it)
What I might also do is to remove Mi (= Michel) in front of all catalogue numbers. If I put Reference Michel in bottom of all pages there is no need for MI15Ac only 15Ac.
Click on image to see full size. But as I said in first post, this is more like a advanced Michel album page, not mine special collection page. To make that I need to fin sort all my stamps and decide what I want on my pages. Problem is that next month or year I might get a new colour variation, and the page must be redesigned. That's is a easy task, but if I use "stamp mounts" I need to make all those new!!! They can be reused to some point but...
|
|
Jerry B
Departed
Rest in Peace
Marietta, Georgia USA
Posts: 1,485
|
Post by Jerry B on Jul 20, 2019 7:41:52 GMT
Hi Clivel
I assume you are in the US. Try a small local print shop, at least for the paper. The small print shops are very accommodating. You may find that they can supply binders also.
JerryB
|
|
tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,874
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
|
Post by tobben63 on Jul 20, 2019 7:57:22 GMT
I prefer the denomination and colour inside the box as they are no longer necessary once the stamp is in place, the catalogue number underneath for easy reference to stamp details. Clive clivel I agree about the denomination and colour inside the box, if you are not making a special album. But if you are making a special album it is nice to have the colour underneath the box for reference. Good to know winch kind of green the stamp have without lifting the stamp or checking catalogue number/catalogue. And some colours are not listed in catalogues. But for plain stamp album I would put colour inside the box, or maybe not have it at all?
|
|
Beryllium Guy
Moderator
Posts: 5,889
What I collect: Worldwide Stamps 1840-1930
|
Post by Beryllium Guy on Jul 20, 2019 8:46:37 GMT
First of all, many thanks to tobben63 for starting this thread, and to everyone else for the great contributions and the excellent work you have done. I am impressed, and we haven’t even had the comments yet from Jon ( blaamand) and his amazing DIY album pages. As I mentioned in the thread about how to organize WW collections, I am trying out the idea of using stock pages instead of album pages mostly because I find mounting stamps to be tedious and not enjoyable. The challenge for me with using stock pages will be figuring out what information I want alongside the stamps and where to put it or how to do it. It seems to me that this is a similar challenge for the DIY page designer. I think that I will want to have info for the stamps that conveys aspects that are not obvious just by looking at them. In that respect, a catalogue number seems quite good, as by going to the reference, you can find out the details. But that means that you are constantly using the catalogue, too. That’s not necessarily bad, but just another thing that you have to do. That’s one of the reasons why I like Jon’s custom pages so much: he puts a lot of the key info to identifying the stamps right on the album page. From my point of view, I will try to find a way to include info about the stamps that distinguishes one variety from another, such as watermark, perforations, color shades, etc. But I probably won’t bother with obvious information like denominations, unless they appear as symbols that I could not otherwise read, such as on some of my Hejaz stamps. Anyway, great thread and discussion.... really enjoying it!
|
|
angore
Member
Posts: 5,663
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
|
Post by angore on Jul 20, 2019 10:07:46 GMT
I have always looked at custom pages and here is a link to stamphacks.com. This is the website that got me into making custom album pages using Scribus for my Mystic US album. He posts his hacks so you can use for reference. He also creates pages for (the) Ukraine.
Here is a Ukraine example using left side using Steiner page style.
|
|
blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
|
Post by blaamand on Jul 20, 2019 10:17:36 GMT
Another excellent thread, thanks tobben63 for starting it as well as to all useful posts. Thanks a lot for your nice words on my pages Beryllium Guy. You pretty much nailed my approach. I include only info when needed to identify one variety/shade/perf etc from another. As already mentioned by clivel and tobben63, I keep such info below the frame to keep it visible also when the stamp is mounted, so it's easy later to see which variety is which. If there's no variety at all and the stamp cannot be mistaken, I simply have only the denomination inside the box, and nothing below at all. As mentioned by renden this is to save time not writing unnecessary info. It also helps to keep the pages as clean as possible, so only key information is visible. I also like to use two different kind of frames. Normal fully drawn frames for major numbers, and 'partial' frames for varieties. This makes it more apparent that the often empty variety-boxes are just that, for varieties and hence less likely to be filled. Having those boxes 'partial' reduce the impression of 'missing' stamps/empty boxes... Sometimes I keep the full-drawn boxes for major numbers separate and the partial boxes for varieties in a 'specialized' section below. This gives a bit more tidy appearance than mixing in the varieties with the major numbers. But, as with everything else, I am not always consistent.... so sometimes the varieties are mixed in with the major numbers. For the headlines above each series, I prefer a small and neutral looking text, preferably using only one single line. I think the 'Grand' appearance of for example Steiner, using 3 lines above some series, with large and bold text, is over-kill and steals from the stamps themselves. And it also requires unecessary much space, as I prefer the pages compact when possible.
|
|
angore
Member
Posts: 5,663
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
|
Post by angore on Jul 20, 2019 10:47:11 GMT
I had been tempted to do 100% customized pages for almost 25 years ago back when it was called DTP (desktop publishing). There was never enough time and never decided a final page style. It actually stalled my collecting as the process of identification and mounting (!) is part of the fun. This is why I chose commercial solutions (all based upon 8 1/2 x 11 US letter size) as a base as a compromise.
I will note that even if you do not like the Steiner style they can jump start your work. The effort in creating boxes can be time consuming when you get into commemoratives (not all same size). The PDF's are not locked so you can easily edit to remove extra lines of text, change fonts, and rearrange anything (same page or move to another page).
|
|
blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
|
Post by blaamand on Jul 20, 2019 10:48:07 GMT
Here's 1 of 5 Medallion pages to illustrate the two different kind of boxes/frames mentioned above, as well as the last Leopold I issue. These are not relevant pages to show frames/boxes without any key info below the boxes, as all of these have varieties (hence they all have key data below their boxes). The page for last Leopold I issue below shows one of the advantages of having boxes for varieties only 'partially drawn'. For the first printings perf 14.5x14 I have hardly any of the shades, so there's a lot of empty boxes. However these empty boxes for varieties doesn't 'scream out' as badly as being empty as the empty full-drawn boxes for the missing major numbers above them.
|
|
blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
|
Post by blaamand on Jul 20, 2019 11:07:31 GMT
Certainly agree with angore. I often use Steiner converted to Powerpoint as a starting point. Normally the sizes for Steiner boxes are ok, however not always. Quite annoying tough when one find out some boxes are a misfit only after a page is more or less completely mounted.... Previously I made my pages from scratch, and it is quite time consuming. It is also time consuming to edit Steiner, but still a great time-saver. I still find that for pages that needs a complete make-over - e.g. when following much more specialized catalogs like the Belgium pages above, it is actually easier to start from scratch with pre-made boxes with fields for required info rather than adding such fields for info to the basic Steiner boxes, which is very time consuming.
|
|
angore
Member
Posts: 5,663
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
|
Post by angore on Jul 20, 2019 11:18:38 GMT
Here is another example that I experimented with to mount US modern issues that I have in full sheet. booklet. or coil strips. I really dislike modern self-adhesives as difficult to mount Mint singles.
Key features 1. No binding (extra wide margin on one side) for hole punching so used full page and inserted in protective sleeves to allow left and right display
2. Description for issues using USPS postal bulletin announcements 3. Put year outside the frame.
4. Numbered pages.
|
|
blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
|
Post by blaamand on Jul 20, 2019 11:20:09 GMT
tobben63That's a great start with your pages, very nice! I would prefer the re-worked pages. I like the personal font you've chosen for the area name. One thing to consider - which obviously is up to personal preference - is if it is really required to include the country name at top of each page? These pages will be in your Belgium album anyway, so maybe not really needed? At least I ended at the conclusion that the country name simply took up too much space and also cluttered the pages. Still I liked the idea that when showing a single page that the country name would still be visible. I ended on a compromise to have a small tab with country name included in the border itself, not stealing up unecessary 'working space' and also more easily visible when shuffling trough an album with several different areas, the names are more visible at top left corner when partially opening the albums so only parts of the sheets are visible. (if that makes sense?)
|
|
mikeclevenger
Member
Inactive
Posts: 887
What I collect: Ohio Tax Stamps, Ohio & Georgia Revenues, US Revenues, US FDC's, & Germany Classics
|
Post by mikeclevenger on Jul 20, 2019 11:21:18 GMT
Here is a work in progress- Hey, from an outsider, looking in, it looks like the number & Description go to the stamp below them. I think it would make more sense to put the number & description directly below the stamp and put the value below that, or put the value above the row the stamps. Just a thought. I like how your pages look though, the numbering just looks confusing to me. Great job.
|
|
blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
|
Post by blaamand on Jul 20, 2019 11:32:20 GMT
angore - that's some awesome personal pages, well done!!! I also like using both sides, so the albums looks more like an open book. I do like Al, keeping the pages in sheet protectors, so the stamps are not in risk of getting damaged when flipping the pages, which would otherwise be the case when having stamps on both sides. Using both pages also allows for having more stamps related to each other visible at the same time, which I find quite useful. Sample below - last meddalion imperforated issues (unwatermarked) at left and medallion perforated at right.
|
|
blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
|
Post by blaamand on Jul 20, 2019 11:49:36 GMT
tobben63 - I agree, suggest not having colour included at all if not required to identify different shades. In such cases I will suggest to include the denomination only inside the box (to know which box is for which denomination), beside that I would add no information at all if not required. Keeping it simple when possible will save a lot of time in the long run, quite an important aspect for a crazy world wide collector like yourself
|
|
stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,884
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
|
Post by stainlessb on Jul 20, 2019 13:37:59 GMT
@mikeclevanger I think renden was referring to the same issue- and now that I have 'stepped away" from this page for a bit it is slightly confusing so, still a work in progress
|
|
brightonpete
Departed
Rest in Peace
On a hike at Goodrich-Loomis
Posts: 5,110
|
Post by brightonpete on Jul 20, 2019 15:17:27 GMT
I think that I will want to have info for the stamps that conveys aspects that are not obvious just by looking at them. In that respect, a catalogue number seems quite good, as by going to the reference, you can find out the details. But that means that you are constantly using the catalogue, too. That’s not necessarily bad, but just another thing that you have to do. That's why I put all the info I add, so I am not having to go to the catalogue all the time. It is cleaner looking to add minimal info, but then the catalogue has to be available. When I transit to the next phase of life, heirs will be able to see just what is there, as none of them collect stamps.
|
|
angore
Member
Posts: 5,663
What I collect: WW, focus on British Empire
|
Post by angore on Jul 20, 2019 15:32:14 GMT
I have seen some very nice custom albums that qualify as literature to me that deserve to be preserved like any reference book. They are no different than many exhibits which are also not saved in any form for history.
|
|
tobben63
Member
Stamp eat sleep repeat
Posts: 1,874
What I collect: I collect to much, world wide!
|
Post by tobben63 on Jul 20, 2019 16:45:48 GMT
I have got a lot of ideas from this tread. Here is my last design.
|
|
stainlessb
Member
qaStaHvIS yIn 'ej chep
Posts: 4,884
What I collect: currently focused on most of western Europe, much of which is spent on France, Belgium, Germany and Great Britain Queen Victoria
|
Post by stainlessb on Jul 20, 2019 17:19:11 GMT
Revision 2.0 I had toyed with trying to include graphics showing the difference between IIA and IIB, but it seems to vary from denomination to denomination and I might have ended up with very sparse pages... So I'll sit with this for a day or too and either revise again or continue on
|
|
clivel
Member
Posts: 382
What I collect: Basutoland, Bechuanaland, Rhodesias, South Africa, Swaziland, Israel to 1980, Ireland predecimal, Palestine Mandate
|
Post by clivel on Jul 20, 2019 17:32:00 GMT
Like angore and blaamand I also like using sheet protectors so that I can display pages back to back. This is from one of my first albums in a LIghthouse Vario four ring binder: For my early albums, when I was only collecting one or two relatively small countries, I used Lighthouse blank pages and Lighthouse page protectors. I really like them, the weight of the paper, slightly textured finish, and off-white colour, although i would prefer something a little larger. The page protectors, in particular, are very nice, and unlike regular office products they have a transparent mounting edge for the holes. I don't like the white edge boldly displaying the manufactures name found on the regular office items - to my eye they "cheapen" the album.
Unfortunately, the Lighthouse pages thave a major flaw which has caused me to stop using them - they are horrendously expensive.
So right now I am looking for alternatives. As already mentioned, my preference would be for larger pages (thanks for the tip JerryB), but even if I continue with regular paper sizes I would like to find some page protectors that don't look as if they belong in an office. Clive
|
|
blaamand
Member
Currently creating custom pages until 1940.
Posts: 1,459
What I collect: Worldwide - Stamps and Postmarks - not enough time...
|
Post by blaamand on Jul 20, 2019 18:00:15 GMT
Beautiful album pages. Those sheet protectors really gives an exclusive feel to them as well, clivel. Are they open at top, side or both top and side? Like said by brightonpete I also recommend to add any information required so one would not necessarily need to refer to the catalogue while at it. tobben63 - very nice Indeed!! stainlessb - sound revision, looking even smarter 😊
|
|