So if you don't have a version of photoshop or similar editing software, your options are to use the original pictures EXACTLY as the creator created them, or to hire someone to create brand new from scratch art for you? But if you have photoshop, you can now alter anyone's work (like your NHL Open Ice cab) as long as it's for personal use?
Seems to be an arbitrary delineation. Can't I pay someone to use photoshop under my direction? I'm not paying for the artwork, necessarily, I'm paying for the hours it takes to manipulate it, as opposed to doing it myself. To make this clear, the Elancer was 100% clear that she was just photoshopping images for me (I actually sent her several images that I liked for her to use as a guide) and was not the creator of any of the art. So, I can do it myself, but if I lack the software I'm out of luck?
As for my 0% comment, I'm glad to hear that some people do own the software licences for all the games they play. I'd have thought that sending a letter to Capcom for their explicit permission would have been a giant pain in the butt (for those using ROMs instead of original PCBs).
Q. Is it legal to download ROMs for a game when I own the PCB?
A. This is unclear and depends on where you live. In most cases you would need to obtain permission from the original manufacturer to do so.
OK, allow me to retort

You dont need photoshop, there are a ton of free image editors out there (stressing free incase you say you cant afford them) like Gimp, hell even MSPaint can resize and crop images. The fact you think I altered the Open Ice marquee, and that I didnt recreate it, makes me think you just glossed over my reply. I recreated the art work for restoration purposes.Makes it totally legit. If someone wants to alter it for their personal cab, I believe they are within their rights to use it, so long as they dont attempt to sell the art to others. Is the artist you hired even using a legit legal paid version of Photoshop? Yes, I have photoshop (actually the entire Creative Cloud Suite) and it aint cheap. Im sure Tom Wood is probably still selling that are you stole, Midway not only doesnt exist, but they sure aint selling NHL Open Ice marquees anymore.
Vigo already hit the nail on the head about paying for shipping not the cocaine, and he explained it much better than I could have. You circled back to the software, which was already addressed.
Contacting Capcom literally has NOTHING to do with the software example I cited. Bonnie's cab uses a paid version PopCaps Windows games on a touch screen PC and steam games with controller support, on a cab with scratch made and GPL art that wasnt made for profit and wont ever be sold for profit. My MAME cab isnt done, so no games are playable......
Or do you mean I should contact WB/Neather Realm Studios to see if its OK I play my actual MKII arcade game with an actual MKII PCB in my garage? Theres tons of grey area when it comes to what you can and cant play (in MAME), I look at it in more of a moral sense than a legal one. If I bought Final Fight for SNES, I dont feel bad about playing it in MAME (I also have it for Sega CD and on XBOX Live) same goes for Mortal Kombat II, if I have the actual arcade machine right next to my MAME cab and I feel like trying it out in MAME, I think its perfectly acceptable.