Build Your Own Arcade Controls Forum

Main => Artwork => Topic started by: Deefish on March 06, 2007, 04:00:16 pm

Title: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: Deefish on March 06, 2007, 04:00:16 pm
I made the mistake of drilling the holes and routing the controls out on my control panel. I then put a generic CPO on. I am not happy with the look and it has imperfections that wont come out. My question is, If I scan the actual size and hole place onto my computer, can someone design artwork that will be dead on accurate to match the holes and size of my CPO? Would that work? Scanning the cpo cutout? Could this scan be put into PS or Cad to be accurate?

Any help is greatly appreciated, as I really want an awesome CPO like  he ones created here on BYOAC.  I will gladly pay extra for the extra work involved since I took the hard route.

Thanks,
deefish

email deefishATcoxDOTnet
Title: Re: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: Dmod on March 06, 2007, 06:39:19 pm
This doesn't really answer your question but may help on the next spin of your artwork.

If you have the art file you can save it to a JPEG and open it with Paint.  Paint will print it onto multiple sheets of paper that you can tape together and check against your CP for button location.

I just went through this and found problems with my own CP artwork that I didn't catch on the computer.

Title: Re: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: motorfish on March 06, 2007, 07:41:11 pm
I made the mistake of drilling the holes and routing the controls out on my control panel. I then put a generic CPO on. I am not happy with the look and it has imperfections that wont come out. My question is, If I scan the actual size and hole place onto my computer, can someone design artwork that will be dead on accurate to match the holes and size of my CPO? Would that work? Scanning the cpo cutout? Could this scan be put into PS or Cad to be accurate?

Any help is greatly appreciated, as I really want an awesome CPO like  he ones created here on BYOAC.  I will gladly pay extra for the extra work involved since I took the hard route.

Thanks,
deefish

Yes, this is the best way to do it. If you were to scan it, and then give me the dimensions of the CP, it would be very easy to do some CP graphics for you.

email deefishATcoxDOTnet
Title: Re: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: Deefish on March 07, 2007, 12:20:04 pm
Thanks Dmod for the advice!

motorfish, what would be the best way to scan this? With a hand scanner I am assuming. I don't have one now, but I will purchase one for this and want to get a good quality one. Or when I remove the CPO thats precut I can send it to you if that is easier.

 Any settings that I should be sure of? DPI? Or file type that would be more user friendly for you to manipulate? Any other things I didn't think of?


Thanks,
deefish
Title: Re: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: motorfish on March 07, 2007, 12:38:07 pm
best way to scan something that big is to remove all of the buttons and controls from it. Then put it on top of a large piece of paper and trace the outline of it, as well as all of the holes with a pencil or pen.

From there you can take the paper to Kinko's and have them scan it on their blueprint scanner.

All of my files I do at 300dpi. If you can't scan it in this high, as long as I have the exact height x width dimensions, it will be fine, as I can adjust the overlay to whatever dpi I need it to be.
Title: Re: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: Deefish on March 07, 2007, 07:24:48 pm

Ok, I will work on getting it scanned. As for the artwork, I do have a fair start on what I want. I did start on a Marquee in PS and I mostly like it. I think it will dictate the CPO and sideart. I have all the files that I used and the Marquee is a PS file. How would we go about transfering these files plus the scanned cpo once its ready? Oh btw, your hired! Do you do sideart also, or just CPO's?

deefish
Title: Re: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: Crowquill on March 08, 2007, 11:44:22 pm
The other option would be if you could get acurate measurements of the panel and button placement.

For example:

Player 1 joystick hole is 5" over from the left, and 8" up from the bottom. If we know how everything relates it can all be mapped out that way. Maybe even just do a simple rough Paint drawing with the measurements marked in.

Title: Re: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: Deefish on March 09, 2007, 09:07:31 pm

Crowquill,
Hmmm, wouldnt I have to be very very accurate? Would I measure from edge to center button hole?

 If I scan it wouldnt it be dead on? or would the measuring way work best?

I am for which ever way makes it most accurate, also easy is good.

thanks,
deefish
Title: Re: CPO Artwork question for all the Pro's
Post by: Deefish on March 17, 2007, 09:58:22 pm
Motorfish, have you gotten my emails? I have scanned the CPO and am ready to send it to you. I just need to know what size file you can recieve? Also, should I just send all the other files in a stream of emails?

I dont know how this works when hiring an artists for artwork. Do I pay first?

Thanks,
Deefish