The NEW Build Your Own Arcade Controls

Main => Artwork => Topic started by: lostinarcade on September 22, 2011, 12:01:32 am

Title: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: lostinarcade on September 22, 2011, 12:01:32 am
hi guys. i recently did a mame cabinet and want it to look better and obviously artwork is the next step.

problem i have with most artwork i see and hope this does not offend anyone , but it looks like something somebody made alot of times. i want something that looks like it came out of a shop.

these are examples of what i think looks amazing but havent seen anything like it. anyone has some ideas that wont cost me spending tons of money?

here is what i like.
pacman 30th anniversary cabinet.
http://www.bmigaming.com/Games/Pictures/video-arcade-games/pacman-arcade-party-classic-video-arcade%20game-coin-upright-namco.jpg (http://www.bmigaming.com/Games/Pictures/video-arcade-games/pacman-arcade-party-classic-video-arcade%20game-coin-upright-namco.jpg)

i also like the ultracade artwork, but no luck in finding it to print... :(

Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: gbeef on September 22, 2011, 04:15:52 pm
I dont think you be able to find that exact print. One thing that does make or break a cabinet is the logo. The other is the treatment of that logos with supporting imagery.

Its weird to see so many drop $$$ inside the cabinet but on the outside they cut corners.  But understanding people are on a budget.

I would start looking for pacman imagery and go from there. Or pick a theme or name for your cabinet and base it off that.
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: lostinarcade on September 22, 2011, 09:46:07 pm
I dont think you be able to find that exact print. One thing that does make or break a cabinet is the logo. The other is the treatment of that logos with supporting imagery.

Its weird to see so many drop $$$ inside the cabinet but on the outside they cut corners.  But understanding people are on a budget.

I would start looking for pacman imagery and go from there. Or pick a theme or name for your cabinet and base it off that.
problem for me is im already on a budget so spending tons of artwork is hard todo. this one place i wanted to have me print the stuff would have cost me the same amount as i paid for the whole cabinet with a gameboard, that to me is just out the question... hell im sure i could even buy myself a printer and print the stuff and it would cost me possibly the same as what they asking, pretty crazy if u ask me.
wish i could find that pacman artwork darn.
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: Well Fed Games on September 22, 2011, 11:33:47 pm
Well, if you want Pac Man 30th anniversary imagery... http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112832.msg1197773#msg1197773 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112832.msg1197773#msg1197773).  ;D Honestly, the Pac Man arcade party art wouldn't be that hard to re-create if you want to mess around with photoshop or Gimp, sprites are all over the internet and fun/easy to enlarge and place in a composition. Unfortunately, the cost to print is the cost to print, if you want good material. For the cabinet you linked to, you're dealing with full side art and full front art as well... that is a lot of $$$.

I always love to see modern takes on Namco art, so be sure to share whatever you come up with!
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: lostinarcade on September 22, 2011, 11:54:51 pm
Well, if you want Pac Man 30th anniversary imagery... http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112832.msg1197773#msg1197773 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112832.msg1197773#msg1197773).  ;D Honestly, the Pac Man arcade party art wouldn't be that hard to re-create if you want to mess around with photoshop or Gimp, sprites are all over the internet and fun/easy to enlarge and place in a composition. Unfortunately, the cost to print is the cost to print, if you want good material. For the cabinet you linked to, you're dealing with full side art and full front art as well... that is a lot of $$$.

I always love to see modern takes on Namco art, so be sure to share whatever you come up with!

thanks for reply

i did mess around with photoshop for abit and asked a guy online to show me a few things, its not hard to use its just i have so many things to focus on right now for instance like music so its hard to go about learning something like photoshop when time is limited. good job on the artwork u did.
how much would u ask me todo that arcade party artwork?

i was shocked they asked me so much man lol and this was via someone that "knows someone" think it was for vinyl printing or something... so its normal for this stuff to cost so much ? darn.... ill have to print it on toilet paper maybe that will lower costs haha.
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: gbeef on September 23, 2011, 12:37:07 pm
Yeah to keep costs down i would totally understand. Also really nice work on the pac-man cabinet. As for printing vinyl yeah its not cheap to print your looking at 150.00 just for the printing. If you wanted to keep those costs down you could try smaller logos or decals. Instead of a full arcade side.

Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: Well Fed Games on September 23, 2011, 12:45:11 pm


i did mess around with photoshop for abit and asked a guy online to show me a few things, its not hard to use its just i have so many things to focus on right now for instance like music so its hard to go about learning something like photoshop when time is limited. good job on the artwork u did.
how much would u ask me todo that arcade party artwork?



Yeah, not trying to imply that designing artwork is easy- it does take a ton of time. Just that a design that uses a lot of existing pixel art could be a good "first" project for someone who wants to take a stab at it.

Personally, I am swamped with my own designs for now, I don't really take commissions (yet, at least).

I agree with Gbeef- maybe go with a smaller sideart design to save costs. Then you have to paint, which is an added cost, but my side art was 18" x 30" (x2) and it was still expensive. I understand the frustration about cost- creating a cab really adds up!
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: opt2not on September 23, 2011, 03:09:39 pm
Yup, artwork ain't cheap. In both creating and printing.  People need to understand that it takes the same amount of thought-process and skill to create custom artwork from scratch than it does an entire build!

BUT there are a few photoshop "artists" on this site that can probably help you out for cheap (or should. If they're charging an arm & a leg for simple cut & paste arrangement and some photoshop filters, then that's just ridiculous). There isn't much effort needed to just use pre-existing artwork and arranging it cleverly.
It seems that anyone who does a few online tutorials and is handy with google image searching can become a "commissioned artist" these days

 PBJ was looking at side-art printing from China for his recent bartop build (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=113417.0), which could be a cheaper alternative than the North American printers. He's still waiting for it to arrive, so the verdict is still out on whether the quality is any good.
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: lostinarcade on September 23, 2011, 05:44:21 pm
anyone can recommend someone who wont ask a arm and a leg todo something like this for me?
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: wol-nz on September 23, 2011, 10:30:21 pm
You can take my art and do what you will - it maybe a good starting point to get something done. Or send it straight to the printers as is

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=112536.0;attach=168409;image)

The thread is here - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112536.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112536.0)

May not quite be 'shop' worthy but pretty close  ;D

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=173208;image)
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: SNAAKE on September 23, 2011, 10:36:37 pm
anyone can recommend someone who wont ask a arm and a leg todo something like this for me?

did you check my thread? you just want the sideart like that pacman anniversary cabinet?
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: lostinarcade on September 23, 2011, 11:44:34 pm
You can take my art and do what you will - it maybe a good starting point to get something done. Or send it straight to the printers as is

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=112536.0;attach=168409;image)

The thread is here - http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112536.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=112536.0)

May not quite be 'shop' worthy but pretty close  ;D

(http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?action=dlattach;topic=103207.0;attach=173208;image)

wow on that cabinet that looks hot, im not someone who is easy to please at times ill admit that looks real good. what did u use for sideart on those cabinets?
this is a sure option for me right now. do u have more pictures of those cabinets if u dont mind me asking?
Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: lostinarcade on September 23, 2011, 11:58:15 pm
anyone can recommend someone who wont ask a arm and a leg todo something like this for me?

did you check my thread? you just want the sideart like that pacman anniversary cabinet?

no sorry did not check ur thread ill do that right now.
well the sideart would be most hardest for me to create, the marque i could possibly do since the logos and stuff i could just get and its just yellow with some black lines haha atleast i think it wont be too hard todo it. the coinbox area also wont be too hard since its just a pacman thats grey on a black background with gamelogos that i could easily get. the control panel well there id have to modify something since i have 2 joysticks with 6 buttons each and 1 and 2 player start.

pacman arcade party and here is the best pic i could find of it sofar, looks pretty awesome...
http://www.joystixamusements.com/photos/PAC%20MAN%20ARCADE%20PARTY%20HOUSTON.JPG (http://www.joystixamusements.com/photos/PAC%20MAN%20ARCADE%20PARTY%20HOUSTON.JPG)  

Title: Re: need artwork or some ideas.
Post by: wol-nz on September 24, 2011, 05:02:55 am
Sorry i never did side art for these:

I did with my street fighter art tho.
http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=110850.0 (http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php?topic=110850.0)
If you want this and don't know Photoshop well - i can upload a set that doesn't have the frames (that way it gives you more room to make mistakes and can be placed on different shape cabs)
You can take a look at the pics (art work) on my hobby site.
http://www.arcadeoverload.co.nz/graphics.shtml (http://www.arcadeoverload.co.nz/graphics.shtml)