I’m Alive!.. 1 Year Later…
Hey everyone! Guess what…
I am in fact alive!
I don’t want to get into all the details and make up excuses about why I have been such a slacker on this Arcade Cabinet project but let me outline the two main reasons….
Reason #1
There was a wedding, a puppy, a child, another wedding, across country travel, house work, many MANY (too many) family gatherings, a stint in the hospital, and all those other great things life has to offer.
Reason #2
I have OCD… which basically means when I get side tracked by another project I am obsessed with, I get WAY side tracked!
Anyway, all my lame excuses aside the Arcade Cabinet is back on track. Me and my friend got together last week and started the project back up now that both out lives have settled down a little bit.
After re-assembling the Arcade Machine and getting out bearings for where we were with the project I took the cabinet home with me so I can work closer on some of the Artwork and finishing touches. (We had been keeping it at my friend’s house since he has a nice workshop space in his garage.)
So now I am back on track. My goals for the next few weeks are:
- Update the blog and website.
- Update pictures of the Arcade Cabinet on the site and on Flickr.
- Do the Plexi-Glass screen for the cabinet.
- Do the Artwork for the Arcade Cabinet.
- Do the Plexi-Glass Marquee.
- Solder and Install the controls for the Cabinet.
I figure if I make a list of things I need to do in the immediate future it will help me keep on track with the project.
For now please enjoy the site and check back for future updates on the project.
Thanks!
- Paul
Commercial Arcade Machine Artwork – Resources & Information
Get Printed Artwork from a Professional Arcade Art Company
So you have decided you will be getting Arcade Artwork professionally printed from a company for your Home Built Arcade Machine? Many people use this method when they build their own Arcade Machine because of the professional quality results this type of Arcade Artwork brings to a project.
Prefab Arcade Art
The first thing you need to decide is will you be creating your own Custom Arcade Artwork for your cabinet, or will you be using templates offered from a company.
A lot of people tend to use the prefab MAME Artwork templates offered through these sites because they are making a “general” Arcade Machine that is designed to play numerous games. Because of this they usually don’t want Artwork associated with one game or another on the system.
If this is the case for your project you may want to consider using some of the prefab Arcade Artwork templates these sites offer.
Custom Arcade Artwork
On the other hand some people have created some really nice custom Arcade Artwork for their projects. This can range from one set theme based on a particular game or series, or incorporating several titles into the Artwork and theme for their Arcade Machine.
In my case, I will be creating most of my Artwork from scratch to give my Arcade Machine a very custom look and feel. To do this I will first need to create the custom Artwork designs.
Software to Design Arcade Artwork
As I mentioned in my previous article the first consideration you need to make for designing custom Arcade Artwork is a digital editing program. There are many options out there but the preferred choice of most commercial artists seems to be:
- Adobe Photoshop
- Adobe Illustrator
The thing to keep in mind is Adobe software is expensive if you do not have access to it. I am fortunate enough to work with Adobe Photoshop at work so I will be using that when I create my artwork.
You can always download a demo version of the software which gives you a trial period to play around with the program. For some people this may be enough time to finish your project.
My other recommendations for good free digital editing software are as follows:
- GIMP
- Sumo Paint
GIMP is a freeware digital editing program based on Adobe Photoshop. It was originally designed for Linux but you can also download a Windows version. GIMP is free to download and use. There is a slight learning curve but if you are not familiar with digital artwork software this is a given.
Sumo Paint is another free option. To use the software you need to go to the Sumo Paint website. (http://www.sumopaint.com/web/) From here you can launch the Sumo Paint program and create Arcade Artwork right through your browser. Sumo Paint is very robust for a web based program and offers many similar features to those found in Photoshop and GIMP.
Online Resources for Arcade Machine Artwork
Once you have designed the Arcade Artwork for your system you need to decide what company you will use for your project. There are several sites our there to help people with Artwork for home built Arcade Machines.
Keep in mind that many of the companies that will print custom Arcade Artwork you have created, need to receive the project file in a certain format designed to various specifications.
Standard printing companies require Artwork files to be created at 300ppi (pixels per inch) and tend to prefer the project as a PDF or PSD file. This is not always the case though so check with the company you plan to use prior to creating your artwork to ensure you do not need to recreate your Arcade Artwork in order to get it printed.
Some good resources for companies that print commercial Artwork for Arcade Machines are listed below.
Professional Artwork Printing for Arcade Machines
http://www.mamemarquees.com/
http://arcadecontrols.com/artwork.shtml
http://www.quarterarcade.com/Browse.aspx?c=All.Parts.ReproArt
If you are looking for something other than what is offered in the Arcade Artwork templates from these companies you may want to checkout some websites that offer commercial Arcade Machine Artwork.
This can be useful if you have a specific theme in mind for your Arcade Machine or if you are restoring an old Arcade Cabinet. Some great resources for Commercial Arcade Machine Artwork are listed below.
Commercial Arcade Machine Artwork Downloads
http://www.localarcade.com/
CAGA - Classic Arcade Game Art
http://www.arcadecollecting.com/caga/
I will be adding to the list as I come across more good resources.
Arcade Machine Artwork Summary
This article covers some of the basic considerations that need to be made when going the commercial route in creating Artwork for your Arcade Machine. Whether you are working off a commercial design, a MAME template or creating your own Artwork, the resources and information listed here should get off to the right start.
For even more great information on Arcade Artwork Considerations and Information checkout this great article from Jeff Rothe over at Rotheblog.com:
Arcade Artwork: Researching Past Arcade Reproductions
Jeff has a ton of great articles on all things Arcade Related. If you are looking for more information or just want to browse through some interesting Arcade Machine Articles give his site a read.
As always, thanks for checking out my site. In my next article I will follow up with some more information on Arcade Artwork and how to create your own digital Artwork to use with a commercial printing company, or to print yourself.
Keep checking back for all the latest updates.
How-To Create Arcade Machine Artwork for your DIY Arcade Cabinet
Arcade Marquee, Controller and Side Panel Art Information
Hey all! I have been taking a brief break with the birth of my friend’s son. I have had a bunch of stuff to do around the house so I have been playing handy man for the past week or so.
Coming back to my DIY Arcade Machine project we are going to be taking a look at how to handle the Artwork for the Arcade Cabinet.
When working on Arcade Machine Artwork there are several paths you can take.
- Commercial Artwork
- Digital Artwork
- Hand Crafted Artwork
Each of these methods has its Pros and Cons so whichever method you decide on will be dependant on factors like time, budget, materials, patience, & talent. These are generalizations but they are good to keep in mind as you approach this side of your Home Built Arcade Machine project.
Let’s take a look at each one and discuss how they might apply to your project along with the Pros and Cons of each. I have not implemented any of these methods into my DIY Arcade Machine yet, so at the moment I am just discussing considerations I have made regarding each one.
Commercial Artwork for a Home Built MAME Arcade Machine
The first common option a lot of people use as an approach is Commercial Arcade Machine artwork.
There are many companies online that specialize in crafting and printing original and custom Marquee Artwork, Side Panel Artwork, Controller Artwork and more.
The benefit of using a company like this is because they specialize in what they do they understand the nature of your project and are able to work with you to get the exact artwork you want for your home built Arcade Machine.
Another benefit of going this route is the companies can save you time and energy since you do not need to produce the artwork yourself. For a general MAME Arcade Machine they usually have several sample templates to choose from and in many cases you can provide your own artwork.
The one drawback of using a service like this is the cost. If you are building an Arcade Machine on budget using a commercial service might not be the best option as it will add on additional costs to your Arcade Machine.
Overall this is a good method that yields professional quality results, but requires a larger budget for your project.
Digital Artwork for a DIY MAME Arcade Cabinet
Creating Digital Artwork for your MAME Arcade Machine is another option some people choose. It usually involves the use of a graphics or photo editing software.
This is a pretty common method people use at some point during the planning and design of the Artwork for their Arcade Machine. Even in cases where people are planning to purchase commercial Artwork for their Arcade Machine, they may custom design the Artwork in a digital editing program first.
The benefits of using this method are that you have a lot of control over the Artwork for the project itself. I am a control freak, and like to have a lot of control over the projects I do so it is hard to leave something in someone elses hands.
Another benefit is this method tends to be more cost effective than having Arcade Machine Artwork professionally printed by a company. If you are working on a budget this can be a good alternative that yields a good look for your Arcade Cabinet.
The draw backs to using this method are that you need good digital editing software to achieve high quality results. If you already have this software you are good to go, but if you do not the cost of the software itself may outweigh having the artwork printed by a company. (Unless you can get it at a discount or from a friend.)
Another factor to consider is the time involved. Custom designing your own artwork gives your Arcade Machine a more unique feel but at the same time takes a lot of time, especially if you are unfamiliar with digital editing software.
Overall this is a good method that generally saves you money, and yields quality results if you are patient and know how to work with digital editing software. This method also requires you to have access to some type of digital editing software.
Hand Crafted Artwork for a Build it Yourself Arcade Machine
The last common method for Arcade Artwork is what I would refer to as “hand crafted” meaning any type of artwork that is done primarily by hand. This can consist of spray painting, hand painting, drawing, and even digitizing hand drawn artwork.
This is probably the most time consuming method that has the highest level of skill associated with it. The reason I say this is because some people are really good at producing hand made artwork, and I would consider that a talent that not everyone has. A person’s level of skill will directly affect the quality of the Arcade Artwork and the amount of time involved with this method.
The benefit of Hand Crafted Arcade Machine Artwork is it can be one of the cheapest methods possible for decorating your Arcade System. It also offers a good sense of satisfaction when you have created something entirely from scratch.
At the same time this can be one of the most difficult methods of doing Artwork for an Arcade Machine. This is mainly because this method requires the highest amount of skill and usually requires more time then the other two methods we have already discussed.
Overall I feel that Hand Crafted Artwork can be a good alternative if you have the skills to do it and are working on a budget. The supplies needed for most hand drawn or hand painted artwork are relatively cheap so you can save money on the overall project. The thing to keep in mind is that it requires artistic talent to create the type of results most people are shooting for with their Arcade Machine. It also requires the most time of all the methods I have discussed.
Arcade Machine Artwork Considerations Summary
So now that we have covered all of the common methods people use to create Artwork for their Arcade Machine we need to evaluate our project, our budget and our skill-set to determine which method/s will work best for our individual projects.
Since I am interested in exploring many different angels for building an Arcade Machine I am planning to incorporate each of these methods into the Artwork for my DIY MAME Arcade Machine.
At the moment I am thinking I will be creating Digital Artwork for the Marquee and Side Panels of my Arcade Machine and approaching two different companies to get the Artwork produced.
For the Arcade Controls I am going to try and use a combination of Digital Artwork and Hand Crafted Artwork to create the look I am going for.
This will allow me to experiment with each method to see what I like the best, and it will also allow me to provide readers with information on things I learn about each method.
Thanks for checking out the site. In the next several articles I will focus on each of the individual Arcade Machine Artwork methods we have discussed here and go into greater detail on each one. Keep checking back for the latest news on my DIY MAME Arcade Machine Project. ^-^