Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum
Main => Artwork => Topic started by: NickG on August 20, 2006, 07:26:25 pm
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Hi. It kind of rambles on, so questions first, details later.
I am looking for the any of the following:
1. Dirt cheap lenticular printing
2. A pre-fab vortex type lenticular image on any material that can pass light. -marquee size or larger ( this would be placed behind a simple word-art transparency)
3. Some Lenticular lens material to try a DIY 3-D marquee
4. Other Marquee area Ideas. Share it please
I am only halfway through with construction on my cab, but I haven't decided on my marquee yet. I want something generic, and I might just use a marquee that reads "MAME" or "ARCADE", but I plan on using the cab for a jukebox, web browser, and occasional TV as well. My cabinet finishing plan is to match the black/grey/white speckle laminate of my control panels by using the same laminate on it... No other colors are involved except the controls.
So far I have a few different marquee ideas:
1. First I think of not having a marquee at all, but a flip-up panel that reveals a stereo, console, vcr, or parts shelf
2. Second maybe I can add my small 7-inch LCD to the marquee ala Neo-Geo mini marquees. This could be used for the jukebox, also The rest of the marquee could read "Fun Time" or something, I guess... Have any of you ever been dissatisfied with a generic marquee slogan choice like "Fun TIme"? It just seems kind of stale and uncreative
3. Then, I got to thinking that I have to create something kind of unique looking that won't clash with the neutral-furniture-lookof the cab. I guess in my case the marquee has to be one of the main features of the cab, because the rest of the cab is kind of art-free. So now I am dreaming of having a 3-dimensional lenticular print done with my marquee slogan. You know, like the holographic imagery on movie posters and other fancy advertisements. I looked this up online, and found it seems the printing companies charge a lot of money for a one-off lenticular print.
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Ok, I had to look up lenticular. Yep, that could be expensive. It might be cheaper to print what you want in layers and sandwich the prints between clear lexan/plexi to get a 3D effect. Back image-lexan-middle image-lexan-front image. As long as the rest of the print is clear to the background it could work. Not sure how well it would light though.
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Yeah that's a fun idea. I may try that with different colored led per layer on a PC mod I am contemplating.
I've been brainstorming some more and researching more options. I've come up with a new plan. I am a "use what you got if you can" kinda guy. Let's see I have a small lcd I will probably never use for any other projects, some acrylic, some old broken projector parts and a hardly ever used secondary video port. Cab space permitting, all I need is a mirror or three, and probably a lower power light source, and I can probably build a rear projection marquee setup. {drool.} I am really excited about this. This way I can change the whole marquee per game, and run simple video such as music visualizations. I need to hurry up and fix my carpentry error so I can start on this...