Help! Bartop Art (SOLVED)

[Chris John Hunter]

Hi. Very new to all this. Although there is plenty of great info on here and I find it very informative,
I can't find anything about how to create art to the shape of the panels of my bartop.

Does anyone have a template or something ? I have the Tiny Arcades flatpack.

Thanks for any help

CJ

[lordnacho]

First, I'd ask if they have a template you could use.

Otherwise, you can measure it and make the template yourself.  It doesn't have to be exact since you'll cut your print to size after applying it.  But then again it shouldn't be too off if you are going to cut off something of interest.
In theory, you could take a picture of it, then size it up or down to measurements you took.  Since it's not a control panel where button layout is key, you should be able to get a pretty good template from that.

Others, paint the sides and have smaller artwork that doesn't fill the entire side.

[JDFan]

If using photoshop you can setup a grid by going to View - Show - Grid (this will place a grid setup in inches on the form) ( Toggle using  Ctrl + ' )  If you need more detail you can also place the Ruler on the sides and top of the form by using View - Ruler ( Ctrl + R ) to toggle the ruler display and then add guidelines where you need them for more detail in the grid (you can add a guideline using View - New Guide and entering the location (horizontal\vertical and position (ie. Horizontal at 2.75 inches will place a guideline accross the form at 2.75 inches in from the edge) these guides can also be toggled on\off using View - Show - guides ( Ctrl + ; )

Using these you can setup the paper to look like the old grid paper for drawing then by taking a photo of the side from directly overhead - measuring the back and bottom straight edges and opening in photoshop and sizing the image so that the two sides are the proper size on the grid you can get a good working template to the correct size

[Chris John Hunter]

Thanks guys. Your replies have only just popped up .

CJ

[Chris John Hunter]

If using photoshop you can setup a grid by going to View - Show - Grid (this will place a grid setup in inches on the form) ( Toggle using  Ctrl + ' )  If you need more detail you can also place the Ruler on the sides and top of the form by using View - Ruler ( Ctrl + R ) to toggle the ruler display and then add guidelines where you need them for more detail in the grid (you can add a guideline using View - New Guide and entering the location (horizontal\vertical and position (ie. Horizontal at 2.75 inches will place a guideline accross the form at 2.75 inches in from the edge) these guides can also be toggled on\off using View - Show - guides ( Ctrl + ; )

Using these you can setup the paper to look like the old grid paper for drawing then by taking a photo of the side from directly overhead - measuring the back and bottom straight edges and opening in photoshop and sizing the image so that the two sides are the proper size on the grid you can get a good working template to the correct size

Thanks JDFan> Thanks both of you. I've seen some bartop art that is exactly to size of each panel> Anyone know how they do that ?

[JDFan]

Thanks JDFan> Thanks both of you. I've seen some bartop art that is exactly to size of each panel> Anyone know how they do that ?

Do you have a pic of the side of the cabinet and a ruler or 2 ? -- If you do then it is fairly easy to make a template.

1.) Measure the widest and tallest part of the side of the system
2.) open Photoshop and load a new document and set it for about 2 inches larger and wider than the measurements you got (ie. my current build is a bartop that is 22.5 inches by 15.5 inches on the side so I created a 24.5 by 17.5 inch 300PPI document as shown HERE -


3.) Add 4 new grid lines 1 inch inside each border using View - new grid line (this creates the box the size of our measurements -- (ie. for mine the lines are horizontal at 1 inch and 16.5 inches (1 inch in from our 17.5 inch document opened and 15.5 inches wide matching our measurement) and at 1 inch and 23.5 inches vertical for same reason) as shown HERE :



4.) Now import the picture of the side and use transform to adjust the size to fit in the frame we just made -- (Ctrl - A to select the imported pic - then Ctrl T ( to open Transform ) - grab sides to adjust the size of the image as needed until it fits the 2 measured lines on the placed guide lines as shown HERE -



5.) Use quick mask (or other selection tool you are comfortable with ) to outline the side panel for creating the template (zoom in as needed and clean up the selection until satisfied  as shown here :

 

6.) turn mask into selection b toggling quick mask - hit Ctrl-Shift-I to invert the selection (so you now have everything except the side panel selected) and press delete (this leaves just your side panel template sized and ready for use as shown Here -



7.) GO to Select - Reselect and then Ctrl-Shift-I again to select the side panel and use the brush tool with a large brush and any color you want to fill in the side panel template to make selecting it easy ( I used Red) and you now have a side panel template to size ready for use in making your side art so save this as a template and reopen and start creating your side art.

Final Pic of ready made template of side panel made to size of the arcade -

[Chris John Hunter]

Thanks John, that's solid gold.

I never saw this before. Thanks mate

CJ