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Luna 1651, 2011


GregsonVaux

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Oh, go ahead - bum me out some more.......

A co-worker insists that the live show "Celtic Woman" is entirely lip-synced, and that it's obvious if you watch their videos closely.

I am now working on a new coin that will be part of a new series. This series of coins will feature fantasy maps of the moon (Luna), Mars, and Venus based on real photographs and satellite images. The first coin will be Luna 1651, 2011. The names on the map are not my own creation, but have been around for hundreds of years. I did, however, artistically embellish three of the names to make them a bit more interesting.

 

I am hoping that some of you readers will help me with how to treat the land and water names. They need to be large enough to read, but not so large as to make the coin too crowded. I have used one font for the bodies of water and another font for the land features. I want the fonts to be beautiful, but I am wondering if a should use a simpler font that would be easier to read (and more boring). Is there a better way to physically place the names? Will the fonts make the labels too difficult to read? Should I have fewer, but larger labels?

 

I had maybe thought about using transparent enamel for the water and having images at a lower level such as waves and sea creatures, but I was worried that it could also make the coin too busy. Does anyone have any input on this?

 

LunarMap2-22-2011colorsmall.jpg

 

For now, I will keep the other side of the coin to myself.

 

For those of you wondering about my other coins that have not yet been produced, I am still very actively working on them. Alas, getting all of the details right, especially when working with mints that do not speak English as a first language takes time. The Hebrew/science coin is probably a bit further along than the Rune/Dwarf coin. I was calling that series the "Alphabet Series", but that conjures up too many images of Barney the Dinosaur and Romper Room. I will probably start calling it the "Orthography Series".

Edited by Eartha
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...I am hoping that some of you readers will help me with how to treat the land and water names. They need to be large enough to read, but not so large as to make the coin too crowded. I have used one font for the bodies of water and another font for the land features. I want the fonts to be beautiful, but I am wondering if a should use a simpler font that would be easier to read (and more boring). Is there a better way to physically place the names? Will the fonts make the labels too difficult to read? Should I have fewer, but larger labels?

 

fewer but larger labels would be better. a simpler font also. which is more important to you, the fonts or the design of the coin. overly complex fonts, while quite beautiful in their own right are nice, on a coin they are secondary and hard to read, at least in my mind.

 

I had maybe thought about using transparent enamel for the water and having images at a lower level such as waves and sea creatures, but I was worried that it could also make the coin too busy. Does anyone have any input on this?

 

again it depends on how intrusive the fonts are. i don't think you need to label everything. a few details on the larger elements would allow you more flexibility on different levels. there is such a fine line between nice detail and too busy!

 

rsg

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As an amateur astronomer, I'd personally prefer the use of the formal latin names for the mere and such, but I can completely understand the translated names.

 

The Latin names have a definite appeal, but I want the maps to be fully understood by people who have not studied astronomy or Latin in depth. When people talk about the moon landings, they say that the first Apollo mission landed in the 'Sea of Tranquility' and not 'Mare Tranquillitatis'.

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I showed the coin draft to a number of people and legibility always came up so I made a few changes. I have removed the labels that could not be made larger even though it pains me to not include them and all of the other labels have been increased in size as much as possible. I am including two versions with different fonts. The original and more complex fonts as well as a version that uses the extremely legible Helvetica font. Both are included below. I want to ask peoples opinions about the following two drafts: are the more complex fonts better, or the simpler font? Is this a coin that you would be interested in buying?

 

LunarMap3-13-2011colorsmall.png

 

LunarMap3-13-2011HeliveticaColorsmall.png

Edited by GregsonVaux
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I would try curving the font... as if it were on a sphere. It's the straightness of the writing that bothers me I think.

Of the 2 fonts given, I'd chose the first but it seems like there might be a better alternative, something between the 2... but that's probably easier said than done.

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I would try curving the font... as if it were on a sphere. It's the straightness of the writing that bothers me I think.

Of the 2 fonts given, I'd chose the first but it seems like there might be a better alternative, something between the 2... but that's probably easier said than done.

 

Thanks for the opinion on the fonts. When I originally chose the water and land fonts, I attempted to use simple but decorative. There are a number of fonts that are much more decorative, so in a sense, this is already a compromise. Even Helvetica is not as simple as I could have gone, but it is still considered to be one of the easiest to read. So far, it looks like I will still go with the more complex fonts.

 

About curving the text, Jackalgirl also suggested that, but I think she was thinking more along the lines of making it fit better into curved regions as opposed to giving it more of a spherical projection. That is an excellent idea, but I don't really know how to do that. I have studied lots of math and science, so I know the concept, but I don't know the practical techniques, since I never formally studied art or cartography. I may give it a try, although I will add that I have a Renaissance map of the moon sitting next to me (written in Latin) and all of the labels are straight. The map was made by a Jesuit priest and uses a font that looks a bit like Times New Roman. The land and water features are in all caps.

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Well, it's just what I would try. I think it would be cool.

If you have a version of Photoshop to play with, there's a feature in mine that allows you to bend and/or distort text any which way by percentage. I played with it for a few minutes and think it's worth trying. Plus it's kinda fun. It would take a bit of practice/experimentation though.

Think of a globe and imagine (or draw) all the lines of latitude and longitude, in perspective. The idea is for your text to follow and distort along those lines. Closest larger, with less curve, and farthest smaller, with more curve.

If you're interested, try googling "wrap text around sphere" plus whatever graphics program you use - maybe you'll come up with something.

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Well, it's just what I would try. I think it would be cool.

If you have a version of Photoshop to play with, there's a feature in mine that allows you to bend and/or distort text any which way by percentage. I played with it for a few minutes and think it's worth trying. Plus it's kinda fun. It would take a bit of practice/experimentation though.

Think of a globe and imagine (or draw) all the lines of latitude and longitude, in perspective. The idea is for your text to follow and distort along those lines. Closest larger, with less curve, and farthest smaller, with more curve.

If you're interested, try googling "wrap text around sphere" plus whatever graphics program you use - maybe you'll come up with something.

 

You actually came up with the perfect idea when you mentioned latitude and longitude. Those are great circles projected onto a flat plane, so they are exactly what I need. My software will allow me to fit the text onto them. Thanks! I'll give it a try and see if it gives the desired result.

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I showed the coin draft to a number of people and legibility always came up so I made a few changes. I have removed the labels that could not be made larger even though it pains me to not include them and all of the other labels have been increased in size as much as possible. I am including two versions with different fonts. The original and more complex fonts as well as a version that uses the extremely legible Helvetica font. Both are included below. I want to ask peoples opinions about the following two drafts: are the more complex fonts better, or the simpler font? Is this a coin that you would be interested in buying?

 

LunarMap3-13-2011colorsmall.png

 

LunarMap3-13-2011HeliveticaColorsmall.png

 

perhaps a combination of the two fonts. the more elaborate for the larger elements, and the simpler helvetica for the smaller text. i do like the feel of the serif font in the large text. it suits the design quite nicely.

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I am now working on a new coin that will be part of a new series. This series of coins will feature fantasy maps of the moon (Luna), Mars, and Venus based on real photographs and satellite images. The first coin will be Luna 1651, 2011. The names on the map are not my own creation, but have been around for hundreds of years. I did, however, artistically embellish three of the names to make them a bit more interesting.

 

I am hoping that some of you readers will help me with how to treat the land and water names. They need to be large enough to read, but not so large as to make the coin too crowded. I have used one font for the bodies of water and another font for the land features. I want the fonts to be beautiful, but I am wondering if a should use a simpler font that would be easier to read (and more boring). Is there a better way to physically place the names? Will the fonts make the labels too difficult to read? Should I have fewer, but larger labels?

 

I had maybe thought about using transparent enamel for the water and having images at a lower level such as waves and sea creatures, but I was worried that it could also make the coin too busy. Does anyone have any input on this?

 

LunarMap2-22-2011colorsmall.jpg

 

For now, I will keep the other side of the coin to myself.

 

For those of you wondering about my other coins that have not yet been produced, I am still very actively working on them. Alas, getting all of the details right, especially when working with mints that do not speak English as a first language takes time. The Hebrew/science coin is probably a bit further along than the Rune/Dwarf coin. I was calling that series the "Alphabet Series", but that conjures up too many images of Barney the Dinosaur and Romper Room. I will probably start calling it the "Orthography Series".

 

Great looking coin! How about maybe using pearl #3 or #15 for the oceans? I think that would give it a nice look without worrying about making the coin to busy. Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.

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I am now working on a new coin that will be part of a new series. This series of coins will feature fantasy maps of the moon (Luna), Mars, and Venus based on real photographs and satellite images. The first coin will be Luna 1651, 2011. The names on the map are not my own creation, but have been around for hundreds of years. I did, however, artistically embellish three of the names to make them a bit more interesting.

 

I am hoping that some of you readers will help me with how to treat the land and water names. They need to be large enough to read, but not so large as to make the coin too crowded. I have used one font for the bodies of water and another font for the land features. I want the fonts to be beautiful, but I am wondering if a should use a simpler font that would be easier to read (and more boring). Is there a better way to physically place the names? Will the fonts make the labels too difficult to read? Should I have fewer, but larger labels?

 

I had maybe thought about using transparent enamel for the water and having images at a lower level such as waves and sea creatures, but I was worried that it could also make the coin too busy. Does anyone have any input on this?

 

LunarMap2-22-2011colorsmall.jpg

 

For now, I will keep the other side of the coin to myself.

 

For those of you wondering about my other coins that have not yet been produced, I am still very actively working on them. Alas, getting all of the details right, especially when working with mints that do not speak English as a first language takes time. The Hebrew/science coin is probably a bit further along than the Rune/Dwarf coin. I was calling that series the "Alphabet Series", but that conjures up too many images of Barney the Dinosaur and Romper Room. I will probably start calling it the "Orthography Series".

 

Great looking coin! How about maybe using pearl #3 or #15 for the oceans? I think that would give it a nice look without worrying about making the coin to busy. Looking forward to seeing how this one turns out.

 

The editions have not been decided on yet so I am definitely open to suggestions. I have always wanted to use pearl and this might be a good opportunity.

 

Some editions that come to mind are an eclipse version with black nickel and red enamel. If you have even seen a lunar eclipse, you will know why I chose those colors. Another edition might be the apocalypse version with glow enamel. Personally, I don't like glow, but a moon sort of begs it.

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As an amateur astronomer, I'd personally prefer the use of the formal latin names for the mere and such, but I can completely understand the translated names.

 

What about doing the translated names for the first set of coins and doing a special edition latin coin in the future?

 

That is not out of the question, but it would require a new die which costs some money. I would be gladly willing to put in the extra design time and pay the extra money, but I would need to know that there would be buyers.

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I like the coin with the first font, but there is something about it that seems a little odd. The different sizes for the names. Is there some reason the Sea of Rains and Ocean of Storms are larger?

 

The mint nixed the more complex fonts meaning that it will be one of the basic fonts. This does not surprise me too much given the size of the letters on the coin. I pushed this a bit, but decided that it wasn't worth the fight.

 

Why are some labels larger than others? It is because I tried to make them as large as possible and the size was determined by the area available. The Ocean of Storms is one of the largest features, so it has the largest label.

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I won't get the english names. Just doesn't seem right to me. but then again, that's just me.

 

You haven't seen the other side yet. Actually, neither have I. The other side will be something unusual and I am still not sure yet whether the mint is able to do it to my specifications. If it works, you might want the coin just for the other side.

 

In defense of the English translations, I'll say again that Apollo 11 landed in the "Sea of Tranquility" and not "Mare Tranquillitatis". Whether I make a Latin version really depends on interest. I don't want to put in a lot of effort and extra money to sell only two Latin copies. My strong feeling is that English is going to appeal to far more people for the same reason that Catholic masses are now held in English instead of Latin.

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I just got word today that dies are now being made for samples. I have decided that there will be five editions with at least one being a limited edition of fifty coins. I am excited about these editions because one will be solid copper for those who love that metal. My reason for using solid copper instead of copper plate is that all platings come off after a while. This way in hundreds of years, the coin will still have its full beauty.

 

Even more exciting is that two of the versions will use an ancient technique that, to my knowledge, has never before been used on geocoins. This method was first used in ancient Egypt for jewelry and the reason it appeals to me is that it is extremely long lasting and pieces employing this method have been known to keep their beauty for thousands of years. I have seen very old pieces in museums that look as good as the day they were first made.

 

The five editions will be:

 

Renaissance - opaque green and blue pearl enamel on antique gold

Golden Age - opaque green and blue transparent enamel on shiny gold - limited edition

Cataclysm - glow in the dark and black transparent enamel on black nickel

Eclipse - red transparent enamel on solid copper

Sidereal Sea - opaque green and blue enamel on antique nickel

 

Sidereal is simply the Latin adjective meaning "star". When I was in grade school, I incorrectly pronounced it like two English words "side real" it is actually pronounced as four syllables.

Edited by GregsonVaux
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The samples came in and I am happy with the one side, but not the other. I will be putting the description right under each picture.

 

IMG_0096small.jpg

Here is the front side of all five editions

 

IMG_0101small.jpg

Here is the front side of the "Eclipse" edition. If you have ever seen a lunar eclipse, the moon does not become dark, but turns blood red. This is because the earth is blocking the sun's light, but the atmosphere of the earth bends the light so only light that has passed through the earth's atmosphere hits the moon. Another way of thinking of this is that the entire moon is hit with the same light we see at sunset. This is a solid copper coin with a dark wash on it. The red enamel is not the epoxy that we are all used to, but is actually fused glass (cloisonne). I did not expect to like this edition all that much, but it has turned out to be my favorite.

 

IMG_0106small.jpg

This is the "Cataclysm" edition. I am not usually a fan of glow colors, but the moon really called for it. What you are seeing is glow color #1 and transparent enamel #10 (black). My thinking is that this is the closest to what the moon actually looks like in the sky. The implication of the name is that some disaster occurred on the moon to turn it from a lush green land that it used to be to the glowing wasteland that we see today in the night sky.

 

IMG_0108small.jpg

This is the "Sidereal Sea". It is opaque blue and green hard enamel on antique nickel. I will probably make the green a bit darker for the production run. The name just means star sea and I picked it just because I think it sounds pretty. The name could mean the stars reflecting off of the seas on the moon, or could be the ideas that the moon floats in a sea of stars.

 

IMG_0110small.jpg

"Renaissance" edition. This is antique gold, blue swirl enamel, and opaque green hard enamel. I also plan on tweaking the green to be a bit darker for full production. The name comes from the idea that the Renaissance astronomers who made early maps of the moon would have used luxurious materials to make their maps and models, thus the gold and the pearly swirl.

 

IMG_0111small.jpg

"Golden Age" edition. This is shiny gold, with transparent blue and opaque green fused glass. As with the other coins, the production run will have a darker green. The idea behind this name is that in the distant past there was a time when everything was better. The seas and the great ocean still teamed with life, the royal barges sailed through the Sea of Nectar along the Manna coasts, and the skies over the Southern continent were loud with bird song. This coin will be a limited edition.

 

IMG_0121small.jpg

A side view of the Eclipse Edition showing the lettering

 

IMG_0126small.jpg

The Cataclysm edition glowing in the dark. I wish I had a tripod so I would take sharper pictures in the dark.

 

IMG_0116small2.jpg

Here is the back side of the coin. What I wanted was a 3-d topographic map of the moon. I had a NASA map taken by the Clementine spacecraft that gave extremely detailed lunar features. I wanted the 3-d die to show every mountain, valley, plain, and crater, but this is what the mint sent me. I'm not sure what to do about this. I am looking at my options, but none of them look good at this time. However, it may still be possible to create the coin that I envisioned.

Edited by GregsonVaux
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I'll be honest- I really do like the back side, what about it do you not like?

 

P.S. the coins look incredible!

 

Thanks for saying so and maybe it is good. My wife didn't like it and what was in my mind was so much better. The front side is good enough, but the back side is just not living up to its potential.

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I'm really digging the eclipse version.... very original coloring! Is the reverse side the "backside of the moon" that we never get to see?

 

Both sides of the coin show the same side of the moon, but one side is a fantasy map based on what people thought the moon was hundreds of years ago. The other side if the coin shows the moon as science understands it today. There are differences between the two sides because what earlier people saw was based as much on color differences between different types of lunar soil and rock as elevation. So, one side is fantasy while the other is reality.

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Is possible print the topo map over the back?

 

...on the back as it is now.

 

When I say a topo map, what I mean is simply a map that shows elevation. Most topographic maps have contour lines, but what I am talking about is a little model so that craters on the coin are really depressions and mountains really stick up. The problem with the mint's version is that it is not detailed and accurate enough. I know that it can be done, because there was a coin that showed Ohio's canals and that coin showed Ohio exactly as I want the moon to be shown.

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I received photos today of the new backs for the Luna coin. It is not the 100% scientifically accurate model that I had hoped for, but that may be beyond the mint's current capabilities. On the other hand, based on the pictures, I am 100% satisfied with the mood that it evokes. I hope to have this coin ready for sale in the not too distant future.

 

LunaBack1small.jpg

 

LunaBack2small.jpg

 

I have held the samples many times in my hand, and I am pleased with this coin. I don't know if it will be popular, but it makes happy the boy in me who used to read science fiction novels late into the night. The copper "eclipse" edition turned out far better than I had expected.

 

If people like this coin, I may expand it to 5" to give far better detail. However, that would only happen if the 2" coin sold well.

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I am now taking reservations for the Luna 2011 geocoin. Production of the full run actually began almost two weeks ago, so it should not be too long before I have them in hand. This initial run will be for 30 of each of the five editions, or 150 coins total.

 

The following individual coins can be ordered:

 

Eclipse

Cataclysm

Sidereal Sea

Renaissance

 

A set of five can also be ordered. It will include the four coins listed above as well as the Golden Age edition, which will be limited to only 30 coins and no remints ever. This LE coin will be special not only due to its rarity, but since it will be colored completely with glass. You have seen me praising glass in other posts, but the recap is that it will not degrade over time the way epoxy colors will and it is far more scratch resistant.

 

Photographs of the front side and descriptions can be found in post #28. Photographs of the backs can be found in post #35. However, all of the green colors will be a bit darker for the full production run.

 

To make your reservation, send me the following information:

 

Real Name

Groundspeak Username (your name in this forum)

Shipping Address

Paypal E-mail

Number of each version you are reserving

 

As with the new Dawning Hope coins, i will be selling these at GCF, so they could run out.

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They only way to get a Golden Age is to buy a set?

That's my fave....love glass!!! Although I'd love the whole set, my wallet thinks otherwise.

Poo :(

 

Sadly, most of us can sympathize with a wallet that is not as full as it used to be. If you want glass, the eclipse edition is colored with glass. Also, the two new Dawning Hope editions are oozing glass.

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I want to thank everyone who bought a Luna coin at GCF this weekend.

 

Sadly, the wrong codes were put on the geocoins by accident, but everything was fixed so that the right name and icon shows up when activated. However, the correct activation codes have still not been entered, so until that time, the activation coded can be found at the Groundspeak website. I am hoping that the activation codes will be fixed by tomorrow. Sorry for the inconvenience!

 

I expect to be sending out invoices for reservations sometime today or tomorrow.

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