DK Purist Artwork Question (original v. repro)

JamBurglar

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I've got an early DK marquee (no copyright info) and the painting process creates a two-tone effect on the stripes and on also DK himself. For example, where the red and orange overlap, you get a darker red, so the red stripes get a two-tone effect (a thin dark red line and a thicker lighter red line). There is a similar thing going on with the browns in DK. I don't have a later version of an original DK marquee to compare mine to so I don't know if this two-tone effect is unique to the early marqees only, or if all of the orginal DK Marquess had this effect.

On the repros I've seen, this effect is lost in the painting process. All the colors look solid.

So, my question is . . . does anyone have a late model DK where they know for sure that the marqee is orignal? If so, does your orignial marqee have the two-tone effect or not?

I'm basically trying to find out if there's a way to tell original marqees from the repros.
 
Oh yeah, you can only tell if you light up the marquee. All the colors look solid when unlit.
 
Are the reproduction marquees you have seen screen printed or inkjet printed?

What you are describing is the effect of "traps & bleeds" in the original artwork. Overlaps at the borders between colors were intentionally placed in the artwork prior to printing, so that the screen printer would have a slight margin for error with regard to registration. Without traps & bleeds, the slightest registration errors would show up as little gaps of blank unprinted areas at the color borders.

So if you are not seeing this effect in reproductions, then you are either:

1. Looking at an inkjet print (for which the concept of traps & bleeds does not apply).
2. A screen print that had its artwork built in a different manner than the original artwork was built.
3. Or a screen print made from artwork that had no traps and bleeds, and the screen printer accomplished perfect registration.

Regarding number 2, there are various ways to build artwork for screen printing that will result in the same fundamental image being printed; but they can have minor differences in areas such as the effect you are talking about. For example, say you have a square that is half red and half blue. Here are three ways to build that for screen printing:

1. Create a solid red square and then place a solid blue half-square on top of it (or vice versa):

attachment.php


2. Create a solid red half-square and a solid blue half-square, and place them side-by-side:

attachment.php


3. Create a solid red half-square and a solid blue half-square, and place them side-by-side, with a slight overlap at the border:

attachment.php


Number 1 will not create the effect that you are talking about, neither will it require perfect registration to print properly. However, it uses more ink than is necessary.

Number 2 will not create the effect that you are talking about, and wastes no ink whatsoever; but require perfect registration to print properly.

Number 3 will create the effect you are talking about, does not require perfect registration to print properly, and only wastes a slight amount of ink.
 

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This would be interesting to get further info on. Does anyone have the C Nintendo 1981 original marquee. I don't think these have been reproduced. The next step would be the C 1981 Nintendo of America Inc revision. I'm sure there have to be originals out there of this one. (lots of repro too) Have I forgotten any other versions of the originals?

Murph
 
Are the reproduction marquees you have seen screen printed or inkjet printed?

What you are describing is the effect of "traps & bleeds" in the original artwork. Overlaps at the borders between colors were intentionally placed in the artwork prior to printing, so that the screen printer would have a slight margin for error with regard to registration. Without traps & bleeds, the slightest registration errors would show up as little gaps of blank unprinted areas at the color borders.

So if you are not seeing this effect in reproductions, then you are either:

1. Looking at an inkjet print (for which the concept of traps & bleeds does not apply).
2. A screen print that had its artwork built in a different manner than the original artwork was built.
3. Or a screen print made from artwork that had no traps and bleeds, and the screen printer accomplished perfect registration.

Regarding number 2, there are various ways to build artwork for screen printing that will result in the same fundamental image being printed; but they can have minor differences in areas such as the effect you are talking about. For example, say you have a square that is half red and half blue. Here are three ways to build that for screen printing:

1. Create a solid red square and then place a solid blue half-square on top of it (or vice versa).
2. Create a solid red half-square and a solid blue half-square, and place them side-by-side.
3. Create a solid red half-square and a solid blue half-square, and place them side-by-side, with a slight overlap at the border.

Number 1 will not create the effect that you are talking about, neither will it require perfect registration to print properly. However, it uses more ink than is necessary.

Number 2 will not create the effect that you are talking about, and wastes no ink whatsoever; but require perfect registration to print properly.

Number 3 will create the effect you are talking about, does not require perfect registration to print properly, and only wastes a slight amount of ink.

Monumental Post. I'm not sure about the process used to make the repros I've seen. I've only got one original so everything else is from memory.

But, you're bascially saying that the repros I've seen might not be screen prints.

Anybody know who makes nice screenprint DK marquees?
 
But, you're bascially saying that the repros I've seen might not be screen prints.

They might not be screen prints, or they might be screen prints whose artwork was built differently than the original artwork was built.

Anybody know who makes nice screenprint DK marquees?

Places that generally have screen printed arcade artwork include ArcadeShop, QuarterArcade, Phoenix Arcade, This Old Game, and Mike's Arcade. You'll have to check to see what they have. Keep in mind that just being screen printed doesn't guarantee the effect you are talking about. Only screen printed with traps & bleeds in the same locations as the original will guarantee that effect. Fortunately, that method is common, because it doesn't waste much ink and it gives a margin of error for registration.
 
I don't think it applies to all Popeyes... but many Popeyes came in a slightly greener blue than DK blue...
 
This would be interesting to get further info on. Does anyone have the C Nintendo 1981 original marquee. I don't think these have been reproduced. The next step would be the C 1981 Nintendo of America Inc revision. I'm sure there have to be originals out there of this one. (lots of repro too) Have I forgotten any other versions of the originals?

Murph

I have a cracked (broken in shipping :( ) © Nintendo 1981 marquee.
 
mine looks like this....

C 1981 NINTENDO is this the original or shoud it be ... C NINTENDO 1981?
 
mine looks like this....

C 1981 NINTENDO is this the original or shoud it be ... C NINTENDO 1981?

Could be? Do you have a picture? Preferably back lit. That will answer a couple of questions at once. Is it C 1981 Nintendo of America INC.?

I don't think I have your cabinet tag info for the database. Would you be willing to share it?

Murph
 
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I have a couple early marquees.
One has no copyright at all and the other says C Nintendo 1981.
Neither one has the little R above the Nintendo in the oval like the C 1981 Nintendo Of America.
I had a later Nintendo Of America but sold it to DJW90.
Here are a couple pics.
NOT LIT.
attachment.php

LIT UP.
attachment.php
 

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Alright. I can't tell from your pic's. Do you see the transitions between the red and orange on both marquee's? What about the brown to tan? Perhaps the camera didn't capture it well. I was going to take some pictures of mine tonight but the Jameson got in the way.

Murph
 
Both look the same to me.
The red and orange both stop at any figures on the marquee.
There is a very slight overlap from red to orange when I look at it from behind.
Looking from the front I can't see it when it is not lit but I see a slight overlap when lit,but I really have to look for it.
 
Could be? Do you have a picture? Preferably back lit. That will answer a couple of questions at once. Is it C 1981 Nintendo of America INC.?

I don't think I have your cabinet tag info for the database. Would you be willing to share it?

Murph

what kinda tag info are you looking for?
 
Whoah, it sounds like there's a lot of variation.

Also, its not like you'll see a ton of bleeding through all the colors. The only places it shows up are in the stripes and in DK. It doesn't look sloppy or anthing. At first I thought they intentionally did it to add more detail to the artwork.

My stupid camera battery is dead and I can't find the charger to save my life. If I find I'll post pictures of what I'm talking about.
 
Okay, here's what I'm talm 'bout.
 

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