Harley Davidson Theme

[Rusty]

To start, let me thank everybody for all of the wonderful information found in this community.  While searching for resources to build a thin wall-mount jukebox, I came across BYOAC and decided it would be more fun to go all out and build an arcade/jukebox combo unit instead.  As space is slightly limited, I'll be building a thinner cabinet with a 19" LCD monitor a la some of Knievel's beautiful machines.

I'm far from an artist, and have limited experience with Photoshop (and even less with Illustrator).  However, after a fair amount of research, I've found very little Harley Davidson themed artwork, so it looks like I'll have to do it myself.  I have no real plans to name the machine, so that won't have to be worked into the art.

So far, my terrible skills have led me to create a simple marquee.  Any tips or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.  Also, if anybody has made or seen a Harley themed cabinet (besides the Sega Riders one), a link would be great.  Thanks in advance!

Rusty

[FunWithFire]

How about every time you select a song, the cabinet leaks oil on your shoes.

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How about this?

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Obviously thats only a small low res version. If you like it I can create it at 300dpi and upload it somewhere for you....if you provide me with the marquees full print dimensions.

As another suggestion perhaps do a Diamond Plated Brushed Metal background.

See below....just another example....

[Rusty]

Ad,

That's really great!  Thanks!  I especially like the diamond plate background.  That really sets it off!  How exactly would I go about creating the diamond plate like that?
The only change I'd make to the marquee (I think) is changing the red outline to orange since I'm going to try to do an orange and black theme for the entire cabinet.

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That's really great!  Thanks!  I especially like the diamond plate background.  That really sets it off!  How exactly would I go about creating the diamond plate like that?
The only change I'd make to the marquee (I think) is changing the red outline to orange since I'm going to try to do an orange and black theme for the entire cabinet.

Changing red to orange is very simple as you know, as to the diamond plate background read this http://www.photoshopsupport.com/tutorials/cb/brushed-metal.html tutorial.

[Rusty]

A few of the options I have created so far...  Comments?  Suggestions?  Insults?!

1) Standard
2) Light glow
3) Raised text with dark glow
4) Orange raised text
5) Thin raised text (also includes picture of a bike)
6) Raised text with inner glow

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First critisism, use as much of the space available to you.

You have large areas being wasted.

Anything with a glow looks awful. Its just not the right colour either.

I used drop shadow, but thats just what I used...

[Rusty]

Its just not the right colour either.

I used drop shadow

The first thing I noticed when I posted them together was that the color was wrong.  I tried to figure out how to duplicate the orange outline, but the orange glow was as close as I could come.  <<Edit>> I think I figured it out.  It that effect from "Stroke"?

First critisism, use as much of the space available to you.

You have large areas being wasted.

Part of the wasted space is that I'll be losing 3/4" along all the edges from the holder when it is actually in place.  Other than that, I can't figure out what to put in it.  I had another one made up with "rivets" spaced along the exterior border, but I wasn't sure if that looked quite right with the rest of the diamond plate.

I also thought the bike (picture 5) looked out of place, just kind of thrown in at the last minute.

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I still think everything is too small and your wasting space.

At the moment I dont like any of the designs. One major reason is your changing the design of the official logos. Why do that? Its supposed to look like an official Harley Davidson design, changing it makes it look un-authentic. If you take a look at my quick mock up you will see what I did.

I'd also make the diamond brushed metal design much smaller, at the moment I think the diamonds are too big. This also makes the text and logo look smaller due to scale.

Again as I've said, the space around the logo and name is being wasted therefore the marquee doesnt have any design presence. It looks far too weedy....

Just a thought, how about adding a copyright at the bottom to make it more official authentic looking.

eg "© Harley Davidson Motocycles.  All Rights Reserved."

These are what I'd do, but its your design from now on.....

Try not to use old "cliche" effects as they have been done to death....I used a lens flare effect.....drop shadow is still OK to use to give depth.

[somunny]

Why does everything have to be horizontally oriented?  Maybe rotate the bar & shield 45 degrees and enlarge it so it goes off the edges of the marquee.

btw: I think this is a great idea for a theme though I don't really understand what diamond plate has to do with Harleys.   

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btw: I think this is a great idea for a theme though I don't really understand what diamond plate has to do with Harleys.

I took the idea of the diamond plate being fitted to a Harley as a foot plate or some customised bits in chrome diiamond plate.

Of course, that was just an idea of mine. Using a plain background would be simply boring. Any others reading this with suggestions please post.

[Rusty]

One major reason is your changing the design of the official logos. Why do that? Its supposed to look like an official Harley Davidson design, changing it makes it look un-authentic. If you take a look at my quick mock up you will see what I did.

The ones where I didn't use the logo were my attempt to recreate the logo before I actually received it from you.  I just figured I'd throw them in there.  The actual logo is much better, for sure.  Speaking of logos, have you ever seen an image of the 2-line script Harley logo?  I looked all over for it, but haven't found any files.  Its often found on tank emblems and such.

I'd also make the diamond brushed metal design much smaller, at the moment I think the diamonds are too big. This also makes the text and logo look smaller due to scale.

Thanks for pointing this out.  When I made the background, I actually went out and measured a piece of diamond plate that I had to get the size.  Have I gone small enough with the diamonds on the new one, or should I take them even smaller?

Why does everything have to be horizontally oriented?  Maybe rotate the bar & shield 45 degrees and enlarge it so it goes off the edges of the marquee.

btw: I think this is a great idea for a theme though I don't really understand what diamond plate has to do with Harleys.   

I really like this idea!  It fills up much more of the marquee, and kills some of the dead space.

True, diamond plate really has nothing to do with Harleys, but all the Photoshop "chrome looks" I found either looked bad or way too plain, more of a silver.  Then again, this is my first real experience with Photoshop (as if you couldn't tell!  ), so maybe I just don't know how/what to look for.  I also plan on using diamond plate to cover the kickplate, and possible for other trim, so it should fit the theme.  Also, Harley does actually sell some faux-diamond plate pieces for footpegs and handlegrips.  The diamonds are actually black rubber, though.

Again, thanks for all the help and suggestions!


Finally, this is what I came up after blowing up the logo and rotating it (again, which I really like).  What do you think of the brushed metal logo?  I don't really care for the version that I did with the bike.  I also can't really enlarge the text anymore without running over the borders.

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What about these?

[somunny]

btw: I think this is a great idea for a theme though I don't really understand what diamond plate has to do with Harleys.

I took the idea of the diamond plate being fitted to a Harley as a foot plate or some customised bits in chrome diiamond plate.

Of course, that was just an idea of mine. Using a plain background would be simply boring. Any others reading this with suggestions please post.

Didn't mean any offense with my comment.  In fact, I wracked my brain trying to come up with a better background and came up with nada, so there you go. 

The other thing that I thought of was taking a picture of your bike or you on you bike, stylizing it in some way (or simply making it a silhouette) and using that somewhere in the background.  Might add a more personal touch.

I did a cutom logo in PS for my bike when I installed a stretched tank.  I look at it now and it's a little crude, but what the hell, I made it!

[Rusty]

The other thing that I thought of was taking a picture of your bike or you on you bike, stylizing it in some way (or simply making it a silhouette) and using that somewhere in the background.  Might add a more personal touch.

I thought about trying something using a picture of my own bike, but I couldn't come up with anything I liked... and its already been put away for the winter, so I can't take any new pictures without a whole lot of effort.

While I was working with the marquees, I started putting some stuff together for a 30" x 14" control panel as well.