Artwork?

[gec5741]

So as you may have seen from some of my other posts I'm in the "figuring things out" stage . I'm narrowing my cab design and I think I'm getting a handle on how to go about building it out.  But as I've read I want to start thinking graphics as this will I'm sure be a long and tedious task.  I know I can pay for custom art and I'm sure it would be killer but I'm trying to keep costs down where ever I can!  I'm no stranger to photoshop and Illustrator and I'm pretty confident I can come up with something.  However I don't have the skills to draw things and produce them digitally from scratch.  So I'm confused as where one would get quality free graphics to begin working with a design?  I'm guessing I would need to find high quality vector images?  Just looking at google images may not cut it other then giving me ideas.   I know enough about graphics and printing to know I can't just use a small jpg file and expect to have that printed out for quality side art. I would however plan on putting money into having the artwork professionally printed and would look at using the link that is stickied in this forum.   Again as always I really appreciate all the advice I get from these boards and getting great ideas from others and their builds!

 

Thanks in advance!

[drewjbx1]

I just used high res images from Internet and it turned out pretty good. Use 300dpi for your images in Photoshop. Lucian / bowman printed for me, highly recommended

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[gec5741]

Thanks I'll keep looking for high res art.  I started looking for high res windows wallpaper that I may be able to cut up with photoshop.  I'll keep searching.  I think I'm leaning toward a cool fighter theme.  But I'd like to use more adult images.  Not to say not kid friendly but you know not super cartoony.  More "cool" if that makes sense. 

 

Yours looks awesome btw!

[gec5741]

Silly question.  How do you upload pictures here?  Do I have to link them from an outside source?

[thatman84]

Silly question.  How do you upload pictures here?  Do I have to link them from an outside source?

I normally link to it by url and I think that is preferred. I guess if you use the full editor you can upload the image then it attach to post button on the right

[haimbilia]

first decide on the layout, what games/characters you want displayed on your cab. then we can help you find the artwork.

what you want is vector graphic, there are a lot of redraws made by members of the forum for theme designs. just scroll through the themes and find a redraw you like, then try to ask the designer for the psd file.

you can tell if it's a redraw when you see really clean lines like this:

 

if it's a vector you can resize it indefinitely.

 

if you can't find what you want let us know.

[gec5741]

I can't for the life of me seem to be able to link a picture.  I click the little "image" button above and I get a little window where I can past the url.  But I cannot get that window to go away.  If I close I get some message about "some options have changed".  It's obviously working because you guys' can add images. 

[gec5741]

OK I think I figured it out.  I'm a bone head.  Anyway this is just a rough idea I was playing around with.  I'm using PDX's template and trying to create some button graphics wich I'm still working on as you can see.  It's been a while since I've used Illustrator and that's not my strong point!  Hopeing the image is high enough quality where it would print out ok. This is just a small png copy and not the original of course  Anyway this is just a rough draft attempt. 

 

Thanks.

[haimbilia]

the image looks a bit low res for a large print, is it 300 dpi? what is the dimensions of that panel?

crop an a4 piece and print on your printer see how it looks, pixel wise.

[gec5741]

the image I put up here is lower res.  I just saved png file from the actual illustrator file.  but good idea about trying  to print out a portion of it.

[gec5741]

I'm kind of liking the idea of doing a Spawn cabinet. Thinking of calling it "The Cave Arcade Spawn cab"  Something like that.  "cave" since it's going to live In basement man cave.  I'll design a cool "Cave Arcade" logo for the Marquee.  Problem is i'm not finding much art that would be useable for the side art.  Finding a ton of good stuff but not large enough to blow up big enough for the sides.  If anyone knows any good stuff let me know! 

 

Thanks!

[madhatter3339]

Have you looked at Deviantart.com you never know what you'll find there???

[gec5741]

Thank you so much for the suggestion.  I created an account and did In fact find a lot of good stuff on there.  However i'm not finding anything that would print out large enough. 

[Snakerake]

If you find something you like on Deviant art you like contact the artist, compliment their work and tell them what you are doing. If they think its cool they might provide you with a higher res copy of their art.

 

Perhaps look for a poster you could scan and piece back together in PS (or shoot if you have a good camera).  

 

Or a trick I use sometimes  when I have small images and need to print them large is give it a lichtenstienish pop art look.  Make the image your final size then run a half tone effect on the image, You could play with the dot size so they are evident when close but not from a few feet away.

[gec5741]

Interesting ideas!  I will try reaching out on deviant to the artists themselves.  I have time before I'm going to get going on this build so I will keep plugging away and finding/creating art.  I'll post back when I have something I can show and get some opinions on.  And of course if anyone else has any suggestions or finds something they thing would be usable feel free to hit me up or post here in this thread!

 

Thanks gain guys!

[THK]

I can't for the life of me seem to be able to link a picture.  I click the little "image" button above and I get a little window where I can past the url.  But I cannot get that window to go away.  If I close I get some message about "some options have changed".  It's obviously working because you guys' can add images. 

 

I personally prefer to use the free Imgur, upload my large pictures uncompressed there and use the BB forum link in posts (or use the picture icon and paste the direct image link there)