Help Needed with Photoshop CPO Artwork

[RoboG2]

How is it that you insure that your holes, etc. on your artwork (in photoshop) will line up correctly with your actual holes?  Is there a grid system or something you can use to map your measurements correctly?  Thanks.

[mahuti]

You get your art printed, then use it as a template to cut your board. Don't actually leave it on the board while cutting, but lay it over the board, make a mark on the board through the centerpoints in the button / joystick holes that you designed, then cut. Don't actually make big black circles on your CPO art for the holes.. just use tiny white dots for position. Once the holes have been cut on the board, you can apply the art and then cut the holes out.

[RoboG2]

But how do you know how far apart/how big each of the holes are in the actual artwork without printing it out?

[quarterback]

There's a ruler in Photoshop

Go to View > Rulers

[mahuti]

You can also turn on a grid in Photoshops preferences if you need one. Additionally, you can click on the ruler and drag guides down if you need to line something up.

[RoboG2]

Thanks.

[Taborious]

I just started my first project about 2 months ago and I am still working on the artwork. I got input from several people and there were some very goo information to keep in mind.

Decide how big you CP is going to be and then make your photoshop image the same size; since you can select inches instead of pixels. Make sure when you create the new image that you do so at 150dpi or 300dpi. using the default 72 will be grainy when printed. Making a CP 36inches by 16in @ 300dpi will make a large file and if your mcahine your working on isn't very fast it is going to take awhile for effects to run so be patient it is expected.

google for tutorials they are VERY helpful how-tos and ideas.

You can get measurements for buttons from happscontrols.com if you go to the button you want you can also view the size and measurements for all there products not just pushbuttons.

and above all else purchase "Project Arcade" I got mine at Barnes and Nobles. this will answer 80% of your questions...

[Sasquatch!]

There's a ruler in Photoshop

Go to View > Rulers

I also find it useful to make Guides.  In Photoshop 6 (kind of an older version, so I hope it's similar in newer versions) go to View > New Guide, choose whether it's horizontal or vertical, and where you want it.  You can make a bunch of these to "crosshair" where you holes will go, and you can always go to View > Show > Guides to turn them on or off.

[RoboG2]

Thanks.  I didn't know you could do that.

[mahuti]

See my post above. In newer versions, you just drag guides off of the ruler.

[Taborious]

I use photoshop a lot but off the top of my head I can't remember for sure but I think guide lines won't/can't be printed. Meaning if you are lining up holes based on the guide lines go back and draw crosshairs over the guides so those will print. Most regular drill hole cutters start at a center point...