HELP- Illustrator impaired needs cp help bad.

[miles2912]

CP is getting there and I have beer racking my brain over the last week trying to come up with a design - wish I had paid better attention to art class.

What I really need is just some basic artwork around the buttons and joystick.  I have taught myself a little Illustrator but I have zero artistic ability.  I have the AI file (670k) if someone could just put in some designs around the buttons and maybe some arrows or triangles around the joystick to show 8 or 4 way operation.  I have some light blue t-molding on order from t-mold.com and ideally the artwork would incoporate some of the same color.  If you think that the buttons would look better a different color feel free as I haven't ordered any buttons yet.


Buttons in the top left and right corner are black player 1 and 2 start.  The 2 white buttons on top are Mouse 1 and 2.  The 2 yellow buttons up top are Pause and Escape.  The white and yellow buttons will be on a toggle swith to turn them off and on.  Next to the 6 pack of red and blue buttons are a perfect 360 joystick.  Above the left (player 1) joystick/buttons is a 4 way J-stick and above the right (player2) joystick/buttons is the spinner - it is red but I just used glowing pink to show location.  The solo blue awkward button below the happs 3" trackball is Hyperspace for Asteroids.  I am planning on leaving the black mounting plate from the trackball exposed to break up some of the diamond pattern?

Any help appreciated

-Don



My progress page is here http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=47074.0

[hypernova]

I'm no critic on control panels...but is that single blue button REALLLLLLLLLY needed?  You've got 12 buttons to choose from on the right and left sides of the trackball to use as the hyperspace.

[miles2912]

I agree with you 100% that is the most awfull nasty looking mis placed button on my CP.  But I need my Hyperspace in its native position.

Don

[miles2912]

Here is a link to the AI file in case someone has a moment.

http://webpages.charter.net/miles2912/CP-Number2.ai

Don

[Crowquill]

So you're looking to keep the non-skid plate pattern and just add button labels, right?

Do you have a marquee that it should match?

I'm sure I could help you out, but I'm just trying to figure out what direction you want to take.

[miles2912]

So you're looking to keep the non-skid plate pattern and just add button labels, right?

Do you have a marquee that it should match?

I'm sure I could help you out, but I'm just trying to figure out what direction you want to take.

Well.. I was going with the plating because I really don't have another background to go with.  The only constants I have is that I am going to use is real diamond plating on the bottom of the cab, the t-molding is going to be a light blue (just got it in today) and the cab will be painted black.  No marquee yet and I don't really have a name for it.

My thoughts are some nice artwork surrounding the buttons and joysticks and I would like to label the buttons 1 thru 10 somehow for the MP3 juke software.  Might as well make this thing multi-task. 

I do not have a marquee design but I am hoping to have the CP and Marquee go together.  Maybe the same diamond pattern and fonts?

Don