Who makes Topps card designs?

jetpro

The last few years it seems Topps card designs are just terrible. All we want is a clear picture and easy to read player name team and position. How hard can this be?

RipublicaninMass

I think the 07 set is pretty darn attractive

jetpro

Not for me. The black borders with the small colored squares don't do it for me.

Jdurg

I think the '07 design is beautiful, as do a lot of people. 2006 was indeed pretty horrendous, but this year's design really makes you focus in on the photograph and the facsimile autographs are a nice touch. I think they did a great job and this is the first year in a while that I've actually gone out and attempted to complete a set by buying packs instead of by getting a factory set. (As it seems kind of fun to open up the packs and look through all the cards).

helionaut

Card companies have design departments that do all that stuff. Or they might outsource it, which I think UD does. I agree the last couple years have been hit and miss, and this year was a miss. A cross between '64 and '71, it just doesn't work for me. But keep in mind they are more likely designing for the chrome version. The 2005 and 2006 sets especially were kind of blah in base version, but popped nicely in chrome.

BobaFett72

I figured they outsourced their design staff to some howler monkeys, then gave them some crack....joila! fantastic new designs!

(they did this in 1973, 1981, 1988, 1989,) or any other year that you might find HIDEOUS

Jdurg

Again though, beauty really is in the eye of the beholder. There are those who enjoy the 1988 Topps design because of how simple it is, then there are those who abhore it because of how simple it is. I like the 1992 Topps Design as I think it works out well with the photography they had, but some people find it to be one of the ugliest designs they ever came up with. I found most of their 1994+ designs to be atrocious looking. It seemed as if they tried to get way too complex and put as much gold foil stamping/embossing on every card they could. It made the cards look way too busy and frankly, I hated them. (I have all of my sets from 1980-2006 in binders except for many of the later years due to my thinking the designs are horrific and my lack of Ultra-Pro pages and room at the moment. The recent Inaugural Edition parallels I picked up are also sealed in their factory boxes as I don't know if I really want to unseal them to view the little "stamps" on each card. ARRRGGGGGHHHHH!).

I guess I'm a fan of this year's design since it looks simple and the black color really makes the pictures stand out. Last year, it was difficult to see the pictures thanks to the Carnival style lettering and bordering they used. This year, my eyes are drawn right to the photography on the front which is how it should be. (BTW, 1985 was a good design, but 1989 takes the cake as one of the worst designs from the '80s).