Sketch Card artist Bob Hepner accused of faking/printing/stealing art

[baytowntex]

Originally Posted by GFD18

Good summary. PLUS:
Photo evidence was provided that does not look good for Kevin. Tons of microscope pictures which appear to show printer dots.

Now a different artist has posted a 4800 dpi scan of a blank Walking Dead Topps sketch card which shows printer dots and doesn't even have a sketch on it. BUT the Walking Dead blanks have a background pre-printed on the card. So people asked for high dpi scans of SW blanks.

A different artist then provided the following:
" Scanned four different blanks at 2100dpi (the highest my scanner will go at fullsize). No pixels anywhere other than logos. Stock was:

1) ESB..single card 2) Masterwork 3) A New Hope pano 4) JTTFA

All stock is smooth except the JTTFA which has more of a classic chipboard texture."

I can dig up and post the scan pictures if need be, but I dont have time currently. I'm on my lunch break from work.

high resolution scans are going to show details that are not same as the detail you see through a microscope.

[baytowntex]

Originally Posted by Findingtime

What set/s of cards are the ones in question from?

Star Wars Rogue One and other sets, On his website he says 4 of his rogue one artist returns were done in oil paint and colored pencil

[Faulkenburg]

Originally Posted by Eissacs

Because it is no longer just the single buyer sending me evidence. I've had multiple other people do so as well. But when the original buyer reach out to me I was extremely skeptical. I was completely on Kevin's side until he showed me his evidence, which was sent to somebody to be looked at under a microscope as well.

So unless four different people, who seem to have nothing in common minus the fact that they collect Star Wars cards, all got together for a smear campaign I'm not sure how else to possibly explain it in Kevin's defense.

The only reason I posted in the first place on Friday night Was because the administrative team did not reach out to the buyer before or after banning him and ignored the messages he sent.

I also sent the photos he provided to multiple people before posting them on Facebook. Not a single person, artists included, had an explanation as to why they looked like that.

Then I found out last night that even though an announcement was made that the entire administrative team made these decisions it was revealed to me that the lead administrator had not seen a single thing about it yet.

Some other issue was brought to my attention as well, by multiple people yet again, but nobody is willing to provide hard evidence on it. That has nothing to do with Kevin now. That's an entirely separate issue that has to deal with that Facebook page. But without solid evidence or proof I'm not sharing that one around. Leaving both groups that are associated with one particular person there with power is all I need to say about my comfort level with both groups.

There is one admin there with serious Integrity questions. This issue further illustrates that point. I don't know what it's going to take for the other admins to decide to remove him, I doubt they will given his popularity, but he needs to go ASAP.

[Eissacs]

Originally Posted by Faulkenburg

There is one admin there with serious Integrity questions. This issue further illustrates that point. I don't know what it's going to take for the other admins to decide to remove him, I doubt they will given his popularity, but he needs to go ASAP.

100%

His fan club might have a hard time accepting that though.

[baytowntex]

Time to get your photorealistic portrait sketches and microscopes out.

[daxwills]

Has this hobby really degenerated to the point where I’ll need to carry a microscope to conventions to examine sketch cards before purchasing them? Seriously wth is going on anymore?

[Faulkenburg]

Originally Posted by daxwills

Has this hobby really degenerated to the point where I’ll need to carry a microscope to conventions to examine sketch cards before purchasing them? Seriously wth is going on anymore?

No, not at all. But an occasional check is warranted. There's nothing wrong with verification when something looks off. And if something is discovered, make it known. Every industry has auditors, what's wrong with applying it here?

[Jackg1980]

Originally Posted by Faulkenburg

No, not at all. But an occasional check is warranted. There's nothing wrong with verification when something looks off. And if something is discovered, make it known. Every industry has auditors, what's wrong with applying it here?

Exactly, there are fakes and scams in every aspect of life. As a whole this is nothing new.

[Brobocop]

So wait, we are now discovering that there are more artists than Bob out there who are doing the same thing? Say it ain't so!

[JRCrosby]

I was the artist who posted 4 scans of Star Wars blanks @ 2100dpi (as much as my scanner will go at full size) on the Facebook page.

First off....I'm not accusing anyone of anything. I don't know Kevin nor do I know anyone in the accusation thread on Facebook. I posted the scans after another artist mentioned print dots/pattern CAN appear on blank cards (like the Walking Dead example which has a subtle background coloration) and was asked if anyone had Star Wars blanks to show.

I hate that we've let HepC poison the field so that collectors are suspicious of all other artists. In a way, he's won since he's made collectors think he's not the only cheater and 70% of sketch card artists (his percentage correct?) are taking shortcuts. This will probably be my only (and last) remark on the topic and I'll keep my fingers crossed we can get back to enjoying creating and collecting art.

In full fairness, I was curious how my own cards would look so I scanned one I drew last night at full size 2100dpi for everyone to see. I'm sure someone here has access to an electron microscope to really show how the sausage is drawn...errmm...made. It's pencil, ink and markers.

[ninjacookies]

^^ You have some serious talent.

And yes, I'd have to imagine organic sketch art looks MUCH different under high res scans and magnification than any sort of printed art. Simply because of the way inks are layed down. You should definitely notice break up patterns on printed stuff.

[moistpaper]

Nice scans above. You can really see how the natural art media sort of just bleeds into the paper fibers. Good stuff.

[Faulkenburg]

I think one thing that keeps getting lost in all of this is that we have our own individual perspectives. For example, in my day job I'm the administrator for contracts totaling in the hundreds of millions of dollars, both state and federal. I manage a team of auditors that constantly dig and question every single performance metric that exists...and some that I think are made up. :-)

I'm also trying to wrap up my dissertation for my doctorate. My committee questions every single decision I make regarding my methodology and data selection.

My entire life revolves around questioning and verifying EVERYTHING. It's not out of mistrust. It's just the environment that I'm in. As such, I don't bat an eye at the thought of somebody scanning a sketch card. The idea of someone looking at a card under a microscope gives me zero preconceived notions that that card is fraudulent. I simply view it as verification.

What I'm trying to do though, is put myself in someone else's shoes. Somebody who doesn't live in a world where everything has to be validated. I can see where if you've never been questioned before why it may be insulting to be questioned now.

I'm trying really hard to fight back my knee jerk reaction that anyone who gets upset over these validations must have something to hide. I am very data-driven and one of my flaws is not taking emotion into consideration. I'm working on that.

Just know that those of us who want to verify aren't inherently doubtful. It's just a part of our DNA.

[ifish73]

Originally Posted by JRCrosby

I was the artist who posted 4 scans of Star Wars blanks @ 2100dpi (as much as my scanner will go at full size) on the Facebook page.

First off....I'm not accusing anyone of anything. I don't know Kevin nor do I know anyone in the accusation thread on Facebook. I posted the scans after another artist mentioned print dots/pattern CAN appear on blank cards (like the Walking Dead example which has a subtle background coloration) and was asked if anyone had Star Wars blanks to show.

I hate that we've let HepC poison the field so that collectors are suspicious of all other artists. In a way, he's won since he's made collectors think he's not the only cheater and 70% of sketch card artists (his percentage correct?) are taking shortcuts. This will probably be my only (and last) remark on the topic and I'll keep my fingers crossed we can get back to enjoying creating and collecting art.

In full fairness, I was curious how my own cards would look so I scanned one I drew last night at full size 2100dpi for everyone to see. I'm sure someone here has access to an electron microscope to really show how the sausage is drawn...errmm...made. It's pencil, ink and markers.

What is that sketch for and I hope it will be available at some point.

I think I am the only Grundy collector on here.

Awesome sketch!

[JRCrosby]

Originally Posted by ifish73

What is that sketch for and I hope it will be available at some point.

I think I am the only Grundy collector on here.

Awesome sketch!

This is for the Blowout draft. It's patterned after Topps' "Creature Feature" packs from 1980. I hope you get it!

[daxwills]

Here’s my perspective, I’m a freaking mechanic. My understanding of how sketches are done likely matches the average artists knowledge of how an automatic transmission works. But I do know this is a niche market. It’s a hobby for us. The artists it’s their living. But if this crap continues, this markets got big issues. Trimmed cards, grading screw ups by the professional grading companies, fake autos (shaq, fgl, dak, who knows who else), now we’ve gotta question the sketches? It won’t take much of this stuff before people say screw it and find a new hobby. Boxes/cases are expensive. It’d be nice to not have to go all csi on these things. But again, I’m just a mechanic. I build things. My day to day reality either it works or it doesn’t. So maybe it is perspective. But I don’t think my customers should have to be concerned their car will actually stop when they hit the brakes that I just fixed.

[daxwills]

Originally Posted by ifish73

What is that sketch for and I hope it will be available at some point.

I think I am the only Grundy collector on here.

Awesome sketch!

He was really hard to beat in the one Batman Arkham game on ps3.

[Ty Hope]

Guess its time to get out of sketch cards too. Seems everything I collect ends up in controversy. Sad times.

[JRCrosby]

Originally Posted by Ty Hope

Guess its time to get out of sketch cards too. Seems everything I collect ends up in controversy. Sad times.

Nah...just buy from artists who you trust....or ones that live close to you so you can punch them in the face if the art is fake.

[daxwills]

Originally Posted by JRCrosby

Nah...just buy from artists who you trust....or ones that live close to you so you can punch them in the face if the art is fake.

I approve of this strategy.

[ifish73]

Originally Posted by JRCrosby

This is for the Blowout draft. It's patterned after Topps' "Creature Feature" packs from 1980. I hope you get it!

Looks like I will have to move up the draft a few spots to make sure I get it.

[Jackg1980]

Originally Posted by Ty Hope

Guess its time to get out of sketch cards too. Seems everything I collect ends up in controversy. Sad times.

Because everything that is collectible or involves money will have bad people trying to take advantage of others. Just continue to learn.

[Ty Hope]

Either way, I absolutely hate the whole "what if" scenerio. Its always been about collecting art to me. I RARELY sell anything. My collection has a large number of photo realistic skecth cards. Now I have to get out a damn microscope and check each one? Screw this hobby.

[kerg]

[mf1971999]

So I'll share some of the close ups of Kevin's TWD card that I own and I'll also share my opinion why we all need to be careful on this whole bandwagon.

First, here is the card:



Next, let's look at the blank section of the card itself, and acknowledge the inherent issue with looking at this particular card:



That's the tan area of the card. The tan color of the stock, as you can very clearly see, is printed. So on any section of the card where there is only light work done, we run the risk of seeing the underlying dots that already exist. I searched the edges and the best example is the bottom right corner where the hair goes to the edge:



When you look at the more solid colors it's paint all the way down.





Are there light areas on the face where you can see dots underneath? Yes. But again, given that there is a baseline of dots on the stock itself, I have to say that after all of this my card is just not a good example. You really need someone to do this on a pure white stock with no underlying printing.

But based on my own review, I remain confident in Kevin and his product, and I will not hesitate to grab a card of his if it becomes available.

Edit long after the fact - sigh. I wanted to believe ....