Jump to content

Cache Addict: Year of the Tiger Geocoin

Jackalgirl

By Jackalgirl
in Trackables

Followers 4

Recommended Posts

Jackalgirl

+Jackalgirl

Posted
Posted

Howdy!

 

I'm finally semi-back-online here in lovely Yokosuka, Japan, going through base Indoctrination and trying to figure out where we're going to live. Ouch!

 

In the meantime, though, I'm still working on some stuff. But I need your help!

 

I'm working on a Year of the Tiger geocoin and can't decide which version I like best. I have a coin that shows off a modern version of a classical Chinese statue of a tiger (from Kowloon Walled City Park in Hong Kong) and another version that uses a photo of a roaring tiger.

 

Note: the actual images are reversed -- that is, I intend for them to be 3D sculpted /into/ the coin rather than poking out in the normal 3D manner, and to be bare metal: it's a yang metal tiger year, you see, so I figured that this is appropriate.

 

So here's the cointest: post your comments here. Which one do you like best? What creative comments do you have? You may edit your post as much as you like, but please get your comments in by 12:00am on Sunday morning (the 20th). I know that this is short-notice and I apologize, but I've got to get the artwork in in order for the coins to be ready in time.

 

Next week, I will randomly pick one responder to win a full set of the coins, if enough reservations are made to justify producing them (they'll be produced by Cache Addict). This set will be one of each RE produced and an Artist's Edition. If the coins are not made, you'll receive a gift bag which will include at least one unactivated geocoin from my bag o' traders.

 

Here's the art:

 

Kowloon Walled City Tiger & Cache

Year-of-the-Tiger_Kowloon(S-Blue).gif

 

Roaring Tiger

Year-of-the-Tiger_Roar(S-Blue).gif

 

(The back of the coin will remain hidden for now. Muh hah hah ha--I mean, sorry!)

Link to comment
Mar-elendili

+Mar-elendili

Posted
Posted

Wow! This is going to be some coin!

 

Personally, I like the first one better, it conveys the feeling of Chinese Astrology better to my mind. The second one is too... well, ordinary! In addition, the numerous stripes will maybe make the 3D rendering a little more difficult to see.

What a great idea to make a reverse 3D. It's kinda hard to make a mental image of how it will turn out, but this is likely to be very very cool.

 

And the backside is... so mysterious! I'm impatient to see the whole thing!

Link to comment
Turlutortue

+Turlutortue

Posted
Posted (edited)

I prefer the traditional tiger. Being a tiger myself, I am eager to see and own one or more of this geocoin.

Reverse 3D is an option I didn't know was possible. This should be very interesting. :)

 

oh! and buy the way, I am going to Japan next march for my son's ''children's wish'' dream vacation.

Edited by Turlutortue
Link to comment
Jackalgirl

+Jackalgirl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Thanks very much for the comments so far! I myself lean towards the traditional tiger, but wanted to get people's take. Keep 'em coming, please, and once again, thanks!

 

Turlutortue, I think you and your son will have a fabulous time! With any luck, the Cherry Blossom front will be hitting where you are in March (if you come in mid-to-late March and towards the southern/central part of the country, e.g., Tokyo). That is a big deal here and is a lot of fun. Make sure you check out a 100 Yen store - they /might/ still have Year of the Tiger stuff (display statues, ceramic tiger bells, etc).

 

Hmmm...now I've got more ideas for the alternative if-not-produced prize...

 

<...goes to bed plotting>

Link to comment
Droo

+Droo

Posted
Posted (edited)

I really like your inclusion of the type of tiger that is being venerated this year. Yanging out the metal is a cool stroke of creativity.

 

About the design choice.... I always favour traditional but in this case I can't really tell what it is easily. I can tell it's a fearsome large cat but it could be a panther or even a lioness but I wouldn't have guessed from this view that the image is that of a tiger. Sorry, I must be dense or something.

Edited by Droo
Link to comment
GATOULIS

+GATOULIS

Posted
Posted

Hmmm..... I will not say I like but I will say I love... the first tiger!!!

 

Except it is more asiatic... meaning that it is closer to Chinese and Japanese art (the second one reminds me of Bengal tiger in India and Mogli!!! :)), The tiger there fits so good with the ammo can!!! see the lines of the tiger....especially at the tiger's chin.... :lol:

 

Now.... I like the design behind the statue.... they look like old chinese or Japanese coins... the ones they were used for good luck.... I love this!!!

 

An other thing is.....

 

see closer the way the tiger is and the look she has!!!! That's a geocacher's look!!!! No kiding!!!!

 

The tiger looks like it is ready to attack She saw the victim (in our case.. the cache...) and she is about to go for it! In an other way of look, the tiger looks like she is climbing somewhere (seeing it in an other angle)

Sometimes in difficult areas we are like that when we use feet and hands to go and find the cache....

 

If you see her eyes.... you can see how we are when we are about to have an FTF!!!! :) Can you see the brightness of her eyes??? They are on fire!!!! :)

 

So... I love the first design!!!!

 

The other is beautiful but as I said it reminds me India!!!! It is more common.... he first is more artistic! I know that the real thing is good but the artistic view of things makes them look better sometimes!!!! :lol:

 

I am wondering if in these 100 yen stores they sell cheap old japanese banknotes.... or... if Japan has hell money like China! :D

Link to comment
scificollector

+scificollector

Posted
Posted

I think most people are in agreement that the first tiger is a better looking one for the idea of the coin. I also like that you have the background similar to an old chinese coin. With the reverse 3D of the coin, does that mean the coin will be thicker than normal to allow for detail in depth?

 

I think this is a great idea for a coin. Please let us know when pre-orders/reservations are going to be accepted.

Link to comment
sterni2009

+sterni2009

Posted
Posted

I like the first one better, because of three reasons:

 

1. There is an ammo can, so it is more related to geocaching

 

2. It is a "year of the tiger coin" and the first picture is more related to japanese/chinese arts than the second one, so the first one fits better to the astrology topic

 

3. The second one is an "ordinary" picture of a tiger everybody has seen many times. The first one is more special and outstanding.

 

That will be a very nice coin :)

Link to comment
SgtMikal

+SgtMikal

Posted
Posted

My vote goes to the first one as well (Kowloon Walled City Tiger & Cache). I think that the font (if you'll pardon the expression) of the image goes a bit better witht he font of the words around the edge. Also, I think that one will be more visible on the 3-D creation.

 

I like the idea of cutting it INTO the coin, instead of building it ONTO the coin! Nice job.

 

Thanx for the cointest!

Link to comment
sunsetmeadowlark

+sunsetmeadowlark

Posted
Posted

I really like them both but I think I like #2 the best because it looks more like a tiger. The first one is gorgeous but looks more like a panther and actually reminds me of AG's avatar which wouldn't be a bad thing if it was AG having the coin done. :) Anyway, that's my input for what it's worth! Either way though, it's a great looking coin and I hope you can get it produced!

Link to comment
Carbon Hunter

+Carbon Hunter

Posted
Posted

The first is certainly the one that grabbed me initially.

 

I certainly like the traditional tiger - especially the ear the stands out on to the outer ring.

 

However that said, I love the ammo can being gaurded by the tiger styatue - I like the straight lines and likeness of the statue. Certainly gives it a more cultural authenticity. I also liek the fact that it comes from the walled City (so there is a link to reality too).

 

So my vote goes for number 1.

Link to comment
fuzziebear3

+fuzziebear3

Posted
Posted

First time I looked, I couldn't decide, I didn't really see #1 as a tiger, so I preferred #2.

 

Second time I looked, I decided I like the clean lines in #1 better, and I also could see the tiger better. Maybe I needed more coffee earlier.

 

Now I have determined that I definitely like #1 better, and I like the cultural reference in it as well as the ammo can, so that is my vote.

Link to comment
LadyBee4T

+LadyBee4T

Posted
Posted

I like the second one because it looks a LOT like my avatar for my fantasy football leagues that all have tiger in their name. LOL However something along the lines of the first does fit into your theme better as it ties in with the culture more. That being said I don't like the particular one that you have chosen. If that is how the actual statue looks then it works but I have to agree with sunsetmeadowlark that it looks more like another type of cat to me. Panther or maybe even a female lion....

 

There that's my definitive opinion :):lol::lol:

Link to comment
mud4x4

mud4x4

Posted
Posted (edited)

They are both gorgeous but I'd go with the 1st coin (Kowloon Walled City Tiger & Cache). It is more dramatic and shows more of the Japanese artistic value. Japanese art is beautiful and fluid. And it having a physical monument is a great attraction for the coin and the collector.

 

3D back...can't wait to see that!!! Sounds awesome already.

 

 

The years: Feb 07 1978–Jan 27 1979 Yang Earth Horse

The Months (and the solar terms): Dec 07–Dec 21 Rat/ Water/ 251° / dàxuě

Birth Hours: 07:00–09:00: dragon

Guess I'm not a Tiger by any means.

Looks like I am a Earth Horse.

Edited by mud4x4
Link to comment
Jackalgirl

+Jackalgirl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Once again, many thanks for the comments! A few of my own:

 

I went through a LOT of Chinese art reference. My initial thought was to do a version of a painting, since I think most people are familiar with that. But since it's a metal tiger year, the Kowloon tiger jumped out at me -- the circular pattern on its shoulder reminds me of a classic s-f robot rotating arm joint.

 

Please bear with me regarding the weirdness of the tiger/tiger art, though -- I traced it using Illustrator's trace function and am still not really good at recoloring art, so the images might not be as clear as someone competent might make them. ; )

 

Gatoulis -- I thought that the roaring tiger might harken to the fierceness of cachers going for the FTF; you're completely right on that. ; ) I haven't seen hell money in the local shrines or temples, btw, but I don't often go there -- the Y100 stores don't sell actual antique money (that's worth something), but there is paper-and-plastic play money.

 

Mud4x4 (and those who've pinged on the idea of the coin featuring an actual example of Chinese sculpture), there's a cache in the park. Sigh...one day!

 

BTW, if you don't like the coin or wouldn't buy it, don't hold back. I like all kinds of feedback. : )

Link to comment
GATOULIS

+GATOULIS

Posted
Posted

Once again, many thanks for the comments! A few of my own:

 

I went through a LOT of Chinese art reference. My initial thought was to do a version of a painting, since I think most people are familiar with that. But since it's a metal tiger year, the Kowloon tiger jumped out at me -- the circular pattern on its shoulder reminds me of a classic s-f robot rotating arm joint.

 

Please bear with me regarding the weirdness of the tiger/tiger art, though -- I traced it using Illustrator's trace function and am still not really good at recoloring art, so the images might not be as clear as someone competent might make them. ; )

 

Gatoulis -- I thought that the roaring tiger might harken to the fierceness of cachers going for the FTF; you're completely right on that. ; ) I haven't seen hell money in the local shrines or temples, btw, but I don't often go there -- the Y100 stores don't sell actual antique money (that's worth something), but there is paper-and-plastic play money.

 

Mud4x4 (and those who've pinged on the idea of the coin featuring an actual example of Chinese sculpture), there's a cache in the park. Sigh...one day!

 

BTW, if you don't like the coin or wouldn't buy it, don't hold back. I like all kinds of feedback. : )

 

Play money? what is that? Money for a game? Like monopoly???

I have some plastic coin, euro coins that were used only for one day here in Rhodes, 1 or 2 months before euro started being used as legal tender, so the merchands and the stores learn about this new currency!

There was a kiosk where the store owner was going with his special tax number for the store he had, and he was given a coupon of some euros! he could spend it in the kiosk by buying some things and if he had some change, they were giving him plastic tokens that were like the euros!

They are not easy to find... To tell you the truth... I haven't seen them in any other hands here!!!

I managed to find one of the coupons too! :)

Link to comment
WRITE SHOP ROBERT

+WRITE SHOP ROBERT

Posted
Posted (edited)

Once again, many thanks for the comments! A few of my own:

 

I went through a LOT of Chinese art reference. My initial thought was to do a version of a painting, since I think most people are familiar with that. But since it's a metal tiger year, the Kowloon tiger jumped out at me -- the circular pattern on its shoulder reminds me of a classic s-f robot rotating arm joint.

 

Please bear with me regarding the weirdness of the tiger/tiger art, though -- I traced it using Illustrator's trace function and am still not really good at recoloring art, so the images might not be as clear as someone competent might make them. ; )

 

Gatoulis -- I thought that the roaring tiger might harken to the fierceness of cachers going for the FTF; you're completely right on that. ; ) I haven't seen hell money in the local shrines or temples, btw, but I don't often go there -- the Y100 stores don't sell actual antique money (that's worth something), but there is paper-and-plastic play money.

 

Mud4x4 (and those who've pinged on the idea of the coin featuring an actual example of Chinese sculpture), there's a cache in the park. Sigh...one day!

 

BTW, if you don't like the coin or wouldn't buy it, don't hold back. I like all kinds of feedback. : )

 

Play money? what is that? Money for a game? Like monopoly???

I have some plastic coin, euro coins that were used only for one day here in Rhodes, 1 or 2 months before euro started being used as legal tender, so the merchands and the stores learn about this new currency!

There was a kiosk where the store owner was going with his special tax number for the store he had, and he was given a coupon of some euros! he could spend it in the kiosk by buying some things and if he had some change, they were giving him plastic tokens that were like the euros!

They are not easy to find... To tell you the truth... I haven't seen them in any other hands here!!!

I managed to find one of the coupons too! :)

The play money looks like the real money, but is often muck smaller, and sometimes only prointed on one side. The one's she sent me are on cardstock. It's just for kist that want to play Bank and Store like they play house. It doesn't usually belong to any specific game.

 

As for the choice between the two tigers(I wonder why I already knew it was a Yang Metal Tiger year??) I like the Roaring Tiger. Off the top of my memory, it seems more in line with most traditional images of the tiger that I have seen.

Edited by WRITE SHOP ROBERT
Link to comment
Odyssey Voyager

Odyssey Voyager

Posted
Posted

both images are appealing, everyone will have their different opinions as to what they like or don't like. the bigger question is, which image will be more easily seen in a NEGATIVE 3D geocoin? the answer would be, the image with the MOST DETAIL. with any 3D relief image, the more detail you have, the more the shadows and light will easily reveal the image. so, of the two images, the more traditional "real life" tiger (second) image, has much more detail than the sculture image. this is an important thing to consider when picking your final design. however, either image can be enhanced or tweaked by simply adding or removing detail to it.

 

one other thing i noticed. the second tiger image overlaps the written font with the tiger's left ear. this was probably done for 3D effect and is cool, but with a slight adjustment (of either the graphic or the font), the overlap can still be done and not block any letters of the font around the outside of the design.

 

just my two cents worth. great idea! good luck. i may purchase one of these geocoins since i myself am a Water Tiger. :)

Link to comment
Minimike2

+Minimike2

Posted
Posted

One thing about the modern tiger - due to the inversion, it just might come out as one of those scenes that the eyes (and whole face for that matter) follow you as you move from side to side/up and down.

 

Don't forget to study! I got out as AT1 in '73 and would have made Chief in the following year if I had stayed in. Good luck.

Link to comment
Toojin

+Toojin

Posted
Posted
I prefer the first one much simplier. The second made me look hard to see the face of the tiger. Sorry but it looks like it has a badger on its head. I vote #1.

Bless you for saying this! I thought it was my eye sight! And I couldn't come up with a description of what it looked like either. It does look like a Badger! :)

Link to comment
cache_in_hand

+cache_in_hand

Posted
Posted

Jackalgirl,

 

I think that the reason some people are having difficulty 'seeing' the face of the tiger is because the eyes are grayed out, not black like you would think they should be. With them being gray its hard to make them out in the face or even figure out where the face really is.

 

At first I wanted to vote for the first picture because I couldn't really see the tiger's face in the second picture. I have to tell you, when I buy a coin it is for the sheer beauty of the coin, I don't want to have to 'search' the coin to figure out what it is. I just want to see the beauty of it. So I think that if the eyes were dark you could see them better as well as the face of the tiger and you might have more people voting for this tiger instead of the first one which I think is just too simple for this coin.

 

One last thing, if you choose picture two, will the black lines be the raised or recessed areas on the coin?

Link to comment
ST13PILOT

+ST13PILOT

Posted
Posted

My choice will be the Roaring Tiger. I'm having a little trouble sorting the definition of the face in the picture but that's more my lack of experience with coin drawings than anything. The tiger in the first image looks almost mechanical to me, like something out of a animated transformers movie. I can't wait to see what Cache Addict does with these coins, his Chinese Lanterns earlier this year were really nice.

Link to comment
Jackalgirl

+Jackalgirl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So far, the count is 24 for the Kowloon tiger and 9 for the roaring tiger; it looks like the Kowloon is going to be the one.

 

As for your questions re: the way this will look, I'm afraid I can't tell you exactly how it'll turn out, or whether what I'm showing here will be faithful at all. I've never done the reverse 3D. What I'll be doing, though, is providing the original reference* to the mint. I've seen this mint's 3D work before and I'm pretty sure it'll be very, very good -- the rough idea, though, is that the darker parts will be deeper. If you push this into hot wax, also, you'll get the positive image of the tiger.

 

Also, note that I'll ask for antiquing in the center. I think it'll be best to try to bring out the detail.

 

Hope this helps somewhat!

 

*in the Kowloon tiger's part, it's a general-use image from Wikipedia by someone whose nick is "HKCpedia" (since it's GNU-licensed, the final artwork will similarly be GNU-licensed).

Link to comment
Jackalgirl

+Jackalgirl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Howdy, everyone --

 

Okay, the cointest-input portion of this thread is closed, and it looks like the Kowloon tiger will be the final design! Please keep an eye on this thread for the winning post number, and I'll also be putting further announcements as to the actual production of the coin here as well.

 

Thanks for your comments, everyone -- and if you have anything to add, please don't hesitate to do so!

Link to comment
coman123

+coman123

Posted
Posted

I love the Roaring Tiger,

It's strong ,it's bold and in your face. Like a geocacher, were strong and in your face, you just don't know it because we also can be cool ,calm and sneaky like a tiger on the hunt

 

To design such a great coin, you must be a very out going ,strong, leader type person.

 

Both are beautiful, Bravo

 

But I still like #2 better

 

Coman

Link to comment
Jackalgirl

+Jackalgirl

Posted
  • Author
Posted

...and the winner, randomly chosen by Apple's "Pages" program, is

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

Turlutortue!

 

<sound of wild crowd cheering>

 

Congratulations, and many thanks to everyone for your comments! Turlutortue, I'll get in touch with you a bit further in the process (once we know for sure whether the coin will be produced). Also, depending on how things go, I might have some runners-up prizes, too, so for the rest of you, please don't give up hope! There is, as you can imaging, a LOT of Year of the Tiger stuff going on here in Japan, so I may very well make up several prize packages (depending on how the reservations go).

 

Again, keep an eye on the thread, 'cause as soon as I have more info (such as accepted mint art, or photos of samples), I'll post it here.

 

Thank you!

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
Followers 4
Go to topic listing
×
×
  • Create New...