Cocktail overlay, file format for Kinko's?

[Nailz]

A couple of things:

1.  Just made this overlay for the cocktail cab I will be building, please tell me what you think and if there are any things that could be changed to make it look better.  Bear in my I am not a master with Paint Shop Pro, but if you would like to offer your services, I would be more than happy.  

2.  Once this is complete, what file format should I choose to have this printed with, and is Kinko's the best way to go or are there other recommended alternatives?

Thanks!

http://home.attbi.com/~martybauer31/cocktailoverlay.jpg

[Howard_Casto]

#1 If you can ditch paint shop pro.  It's a free program for a reason.  

Your format should probably be bitmap or png as those don't use compression.  Work in cymk at 300 dpi or higher.  

[Sasquatch!]

#1 If you can ditch paint shop pro.  It's a free program for a reason.  

Your format should probably be bitmap or png as those don't use compression.  Work in cymk at 300 dpi or higher.  

Erm, Paint Shop Pro ain't free, and it's actually a pretty good program.  For making stuff like this (overlays, marquees, etc.), it's more than adequate.

That said, I fully concur with the non-compressed, CYMK, >= 300 dpi.

[Magnet_Eye]

  freaks



>>>Paint Shop Pro is just fine<<<




300 dpi=good

[Nailz]

OK, thanks guys, I did save it as a .psp, .bmp, and a .psd to cover my bases.  I will go and try to figure out how to save as CYMK >= 300 dpi.

By the way, does the design look ok, need anything else in anyones opinions?

Thanks!

[Amra]

Saving the picture in CYMK @ >=300DPI wont do you any good... you must CREATE the picture using CYMK @ >=300DPI.  If you create it in old RGB and only use <300DPI images pasted into it, then your picture, regardless of how you save it, will still be less then adaquate.

[Nailz]

Ok, thanks....  Let's say I am an idiot    and I don't know how to create a document with CYMK...

I see in Paint Shop Pro that I can choose the dpi, and then I have the option of choosing colors between 2 and 16.7 million.  It doesn't mention CMYK nor do I know what that means.

By the way, this is all I have at the moment for a paint program, unless someone wants to donate or recommend something else?  

Thanks again for the help.

[Magnet_Eye]

you probably have an option to change from RGB to CMYK..once you do this you will most likely notice a change in colors. you may have to re-adjust your graphic once in CMYK.

try it.

another thing: can't kinkos just print from a .tiff or other format? i dunno if it actually HAS to be in CMYK. If it's just a laser print or whatever, it doesnt need be.

[SNAAAKE]

as far as I know kinkos accepts photoshop pro and .TIFF with no problem..

But no paintshop pro format..litte weird..

Anyone know why they are some anti paintshop pro(whatever)

Again,Kinkos is just way too funny so I wont be surprised if kinkos doesnt accept your file format or refuse to print your artwork(dumb copy right law about screenshots ).

[Nailz]

Well crap, I hadn't even thought about that.....  Are there online alternatives to Kinko's?  I keep seeing post about guys doing marquees, wonder if they have the facilities to do something 32" x 22"?

[Dartful Dodger]

What is that tank game in the lower right corner?

[SNAAAKE]

Well crap, I hadn't even thought about that.....  Are there online alternatives to Kinko's?  I keep seeing post about guys doing marquees, wonder if they have the facilities to do something 32" x 22"?

as far as i know..

there is "emdkay" and "Cyberpunk" would print it for you.

[Nailz]

Ok, I will look them up and see what kind of $$$ we are talking about, thanks!

And DD, the tank game in the corner is Armor Attack.

[Cue-Ball]

When i had my control panel drill guide printed the local Kinko's here would only accept a .pdf file.  Anything else and they could read it, but would charge a $10 "conversion fee".  You might want to check with your local shop and see what format they prefer.

[Nailz]

Ok, thanks for the heads up, if I try Kinko's I will just go in with some cd's that has my overlay saved in just about every format.  

[Howard_Casto]

you probably have an option to change from RGB to CMYK..once you do this you will most likely notice a change in colors. you may have to re-adjust your graphic once in CMYK.

try it.

another thing: can't kinkos just print from a .tiff or other format? i dunno if it actually HAS to be in CMYK. If it's just a laser print or whatever, it doesnt need be.

The reason I suggested switching to photoshop?  Because psp can't handle color adjustments nor, cymk pallettes as well. Since 90% of the images out there are rgb, you will undoubtedly have to do at least some color adjustment during the conversion.   When I say something like that, it's for a reason.

[Nailz]

I wish I could afford Photoshop, but at the moment, the Paint Shop Pro shareware is what I can afford.  

My question is, since I can only do this with a lesser program, are the end results going to really be that bad?  Are the color changes between what I see on the monitor and the CMYK going to be that noticable?  I am not looking for the perfect overlay....

Also, in PSP, they don't really tell you how to change from RGB to CMYK, the only change I have found is when you are trying to print, but nothing else.

Thanks!

[SNAAAKE]

I wish I could afford Photoshop, but at the moment, the Paint Shop Pro shareware is what I can afford.  

My question is, since I can only do this with a lesser program, are the end results going to really be that bad?  Are the color changes between what I see on the monitor and the CMYK going to be that noticable?  I am not looking for the perfect overlay....

Also, in PSP, they don't really tell you how to change from RGB to CMYK, the only change I have found is when you are trying to print, but nothing else.

Thanks!

MAN !..just go with paintshop pro..I did MANY VERY nice looking overlays,side art(still planing) and other stuff with it..works great.

RGB is fine for your overlay...when you print it out..it will look nice regardless..you know without in "CMYK".

Whatever...point is,paintshop works great.

[MrBond]

How do you get the MAME logo on top of the other images?  Erase the background before or something else?

OK really, does it make a whole lot of difference if I make a CMYK picture or RBG?  I doesn't really matter to me what I make it in, so I'll do it in the best format possible.  What resolution do you save at (I picked 'auto' 'best')?  I'm using Adobe Photoshop 7.0.  Looks like I'll burn to a CD because the images are a bit larger than a floppy can hold.

How much does Kinko's charge for a marquee (27" X 7.625") and a cp overlay (around 38" X 16")?
Thanks,
~Mrbond

[Cue-Ball]

How do you get the MAME logo on top of the other images?  Erase the background before or something else?

Use multiple layers in either PSP or Photoshop.  Layers can work wonders.  You can make things semi-transparent, add glow effects, etc.

OK really, does it make a whole lot of difference if I make a CMYK picture or RBG?  I doesn't really matter to me what I make it in, so I'll do it in the best format possible.  What resolution do you save at (I picked 'auto' 'best')?  I'm using Adobe Photoshop 7.0.  Looks like I'll burn to a CD because the images are a bit larger than a floppy can hold.

I personally don't think RGB vs. CYMK makes much of a difference, but that's just me.  If you want your print to look *exactly* like you designed it, you should really use CYMK since that's the colors of the ink the pic will be printed with.  

You want to save your picture in 300dpi format and make the picture "true sized".  That is, if your marquee is 27" x 8" then your image should be 27" x 8".

Keep in mind that a picture this big, at 300 dpi, in full color, will be several hundred megabytes uncompressed.  They files may save to disk as 5MB or less, but they'll easily be over 100MB uncompressed in RAM.  This means that you're going to want a LOT of RAM to edit these images.  Especially if you're cutting and pasting from one or more of these large images to another.  I'd recommend a fast proc and 512MB RAM minimum.  

How much does Kinko's charge for a marquee (27" X 7.625") and a cp overlay (around 38" X 16")?

I haven't had my actual color marquee done yet, but the local Kinkos quoted me $8 per square foot for full color printouts on 20lb white bond paper.  If you want to print on something other than "normal" white bond, the price will go up accordingly.

[Magnet_Eye]

The reason I suggested switching to photoshop?  Because psp can't handle color adjustments nor, cymk pallettes as well. Since 90% of the images out there are rgb, you will undoubtedly have to do at least some color adjustment during the conversion.   When I say something like that, it's for a reason.

HUH? I wasn't talking about PSP..i was talking in general. Personally, I use Photoshop. I have no idea what you are trying to say. I have printed at kinkos with all types of formats. I never had to make them CMYK. That's what I was saying...nothing to do with the program of choice...

 

Suggestion: talk to your Kinkos. Ask them what formats they accept. Then go from there. I do know that every Kinkos is different. They all have different setups and computers.

Best of luck to you.  

[TacoSmuggler]

How much does Kinko's charge for a marquee (27" X 7.625") and a cp overlay (around 38" X 16")?
Thanks,
~Mrbond

My Cp overlay cost $21 to print on Vinyl. It came with an adhesive backing. (27" x 15")

Kinko's gave me no copyright problem with printing a Spiderman and Venom image(Thanks Snaake ).
 They also got it the correct size on the 1st try.
(I must be lucky from what I read though!_

[SNAAAKE]

How much does Kinko's charge for a marquee (27" X 7.625") and a cp overlay (around 38" X 16")?
Thanks,
~Mrbond

My Cp overlay cost $21 to print on Vinyl. It came with an adhesive backing. (27" x 15")

Kinko's gave me no copyright problem with printing a Spiderman and Venom image(Thanks Snaake ).
 They also got it the correct size on the 1st try.
(I must be lucky from what I read though!_

OH YOU MEAN THEY GOT IT RIGHT FIRST TRY !  

anyway...post a picture of the panel whenever you are done with it.
Mine was $26 on vinyl 32"x16" no adhesive.
Fair deal.

[JamesMolloy]

Paintshop Pro isn't so bad really. Photoshop is horribly expensive and takes alot of skill to use properly so it shouldn't be recommended to everyone. At the end of the day it comes down to how artistic you are. Most of the "marquees" I see on MAME cabinets in general are just horrible. Cut and pasting a load of screenshots is never going to get you a professional look.

When I get the money together I'm going to either opt for generic stencil art or adapt an existing commercial one. The space theme of something like Atari Quantum could look good on any machine.

Pasting a load of sprites from different games together that don't match is going to give you a rubbish result. If you want to go down that route you need to pixel original artwork. The people at Pixelation Forums could teach you how to do it yourself or there are people who would create artwork for a reasonable fee. Check out Army of Trolls. That's how to do game graphics.

When I get my cabinet finished I wouldn't be completely against paying someone a few hundred pounds to do a side art. When the PC, cabinet and montor cost so much it isn't an unreasonable investment. I'm thinking a Space Harrier/Outrun/Hang-On theme on one side and a Golden Axe/Altered Beast/ShadowDancer one on the other. That would be a dream come true.