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What sets us apart from our competitors is the printing process. Before we discuss the silkscreen process we use and how it compares to our competitors inkjet (digital) process, let's point out a few important characteristics that are different between us and the majority of our competitors:
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Phoenix Arcade - |
Our Competitors - |
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Most of our art is scanned from an nos (new old stock) sample and recreated in a Vector file format by a professionally experienced graphic artist.
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Generally our competition buys one of our pieces AFTER we release it and scans it in a Photoshop file for touch up.
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All of our reproductions are silkscreened (unless noted) by a commercial printer using state of the art equipment.
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Our competition uses inkjet printers that can be purchased from Best Buy, Staples etc... Don't be fooled when our competition says "not a cheap inkjet". If it's a more expensive inkjet, its still an inkjet no matter what they tell you.
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We print on the same materials as the original used. For example if the cpo was printed on Lexan we use Lexan. If the marquee was printed on plexiglass we use plexiglass. This ensures the texture and strength of the product to be equal to the original.
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The competition generally uses vinyl regardless of the application. Sometimes they will use catchy terms such as "Rexan" which is vinyl anyhow. Not only will it feel different and be less durable, but in the case of a marquee or bezel you will need to purchase 1 or 2 pieces of plexiglass to install it.
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We use 3M adhesives for greater performance and longer life.
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Our competition uses a generic adhesive and describes it as double adhesive to make it sound better! And you wonder why so many of their cpos bubble when
installed.
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Our pieces are die, laser, kiss or plotter cut (depending on the application) so that you will not need to trim the art before installation. The only exceptions are a few full sized side arts where cutting is not warranted.
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Our competition does not cut any of their pieces. You will need to trim the necessary holes by hand using an exacto knife with precision so as not to ruin the piece.
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We use UV cured inks that are protected against sunlight and indoor ultraviolet lighting for longer life.
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Our competition skips the UV inks in favor of lamination which adds some but not full protection.
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Our competition used to beat us on price using these methods described above. However in many cases they are now priced the same or higher on the same pieces we compete against. Even if you could save a few dollars in price, is it worth it in the long run?
Doesn't your machine (and you!) deserve the best?
Digital Vs. Screen Printed Graphics... What's the Difference?
When it comes to reproduction Arcade graphics - there's little debate that Screen Printed Graphics are the only way to accurately represent yesterday's coin-op classics. Why? - well, let's examine the differences.
To begin, 99% of all Classic Arcade graphics originally employed Screen Printing technology. Although it's true technology has come a long way since the late 70's and early 80's, screen printing remains fundamentally
the same, and the most accurate means of recreating these graphics. Yes, Screen Printing has changed over the years, but these changes manifest in product rather than process improvements.
The most important of these processes is the ability to mix "spot" colors "off press" (or in the ink bucket) to match an NOS, or "New Old Stock" graphic. Although the digital market and the technology it employs continues to evolve on an almost daily basis, fundamentally, digital
technology does not print continuous tone spot colors - rather approximates colors using three or four primary colors. You are probably familiar with this concept - as whether inkjet or sublimation (or most any digital process
in between), digital technology uses percentage dot combinations of magenta, yellow, cyan, and usually black. To contrast, spot color matching involves ink matching similar to the pigmentation process commonly used to tint
paints. Just go to Lowes and ask for a gallon of paint to match the color of your favorite t-shirt (or in this case NOS art), and you'll get a first-hand demonstration of the process. You start with a base color, and
add pigments, test, re-pigment, and repeat until the proper color is achieved. This will allow the painter (or screen printer) to paint (or print) a continuous tone of that color without approximating with a bunch of dots.
Screen Printed inks also provide longevity and resistance to abrasion that digital process only try to imitate by applying protective laminates. Depending upon the application and digital technology employed, these laminates at times may help to protect and extend the life of digital work -
but in the end still fall short of the durability and longevity provided with screen printing inks. Most digital products significantly fade over time - ESPECIALLY when exposed to direct UV light (or sunlight).
Finally, because the digital process prints ink in tiny dots that soak into the substrate to varying degrees - and continuous tone spot screen print inks are laid on the material surface, the luster and color intensity of
these inks by nature far out perform that of digital work. Again, you can coat digital work with laminates to protect, and increase color brilliance, but this technique still does not provide the luster of screen inks. ...and
in the end, if it fades - who cares how "close" the approximation is or how shiny that faded red is?
Digital processes do have their application (short runs, prototypes, photographic original work) - but make no mistake, because of these factors - digital simply does not compare to the real thing.
As a footnote, it must be said that it is NOT necessary to recreate Vector art to employ digital technology - and this process IS necessary for Screen Printing. Theoretically, this empowers anyone to scan their buddy's NOS
"xxx" CPO, digitally print it, and offer it to the market as a "reproduction". More accurately, this should be called what it is: "a re-print of a scan". Maybe it's touched up (or digitally "fixed") - maybe
it's not. Maybe the colors on the original NOS have aged well, maybe not. Maybe it's a quality scan, maybe not. Maybe the guy that did it knows what he's doing, maybe not. In today's world, everyone's a self-professed
digital guru ...or maybe we just know enough to get by - AND if you were the latter and trying to sell reprints, would YOU openly admit it? In both the Screen Print, and Digital worlds - BOTH the quality of art recreation (if
done at all digitally) and the quality of the print production is of paramount importance. At the very least, know who you're buying from - and know how they're "printing" it - as truly, not all "re"productions are created equal.
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