Small homebrew art criticism.

[Nesbroslash]

I'm sorry if I offend any of the actual artists or programmers who do their own boxart, but it doesn't seem to be very 80's/70's to me. I know a lot of you are trying to differentiate the fact that these aren't old games, but some of the art is a little unfitting for a game on a 20-30 year old console. Keep in mind I only mean this for the 2600, 5200, and 7800. The Jaguar artists need not worry.

[+save2600]

Interesting thought. I wasn't aware that anyone was trying to capture that 70's or 80's look per se. Besides the Atari border and usage of some fonts.

[AtariLeaf]

I love the label art on the homebrews but I gotta say I was a little disappointed when my entry wasn't chosen for the "Incoming!" label contest:

[+Nathan Strum]

I'm sorry if I offend any of the actual artists or programmers who do their own boxart, but it doesn't seem to be very 80's/70's to me. I know a lot of you are trying to differentiate the fact that these aren't old games, but some of the art is a little unfitting for a game on a 20-30 year old console.

Yep, that's a small criticism.

[Devin]

Perhaps this will be acceptable.....

[e1will]

Perhaps this will be acceptable.....

 

Ha!

 

Fuzz up the resolution a little bit and Travolta could pass for the Tron sprite in the I/O Tower.

 

On-topic: If I had to choose between "retro" and "good" in the art department, I think I'd stick with "good."

 

--Will

[Thomas Jentzsch]

I'm sorry if I offend any of the actual artists or programmers who do their own boxart, but it doesn't seem to be very 80's/70's to me. I know a lot of you are trying to differentiate the fact that these aren't old games, but some of the art is a little unfitting for a game on a 20-30 year old console. Keep in mind I only mean this for the 2600, 5200, and 7800. The Jaguar artists need not worry.

Examples and why they are on your list, please.

[+SpiceWare]

I'm sorry if I offend any of the actual artists or programmers who do their own boxart, but it doesn't seem to be very 80's/70's to me.

Are you really 13 years old as it lists in your profile? If so, then you could hardly be called an expert on the 70s or 80s

[neotokeo2001]

I'm sorry if I offend any of the actual artists or programmers who do their own boxart, but it doesn't seem to be very 80's/70's to me. I know a lot of you are trying to differentiate the fact that these aren't old games, but some of the art is a little unfitting for a game on a 20-30 year old console. Keep in mind I only mean this for the 2600, 5200, and 7800. The Jaguar artists need not worry.

Examples and why they are on your list, please.

 

Yes. Please add some examples and why you feel the art isn't appropriate for that game. As long as you don't get sarcastic I doubt anyone would be upset over it.

[Chuck D. Head]

I love the label art on the homebrews but I gotta say I was a little disappointed when my entry wasn't chosen for the "Incoming!" label contest:

Bwwaaahaaahahaa! That face is precious and badass all at the same time......Morgan

[jetset]

I'm sorry if I offend any of the actual artists or programmers who do their own boxart, but it doesn't seem to be very 80's/70's to me.

Are you really 13 years old as it lists in your profile? If so, then you could hardly be called an expert on the 70s or 80s

 

I don't think he said he was an expert, just that he seems to prefer the type of art they used on original games made back then.

[Mayhem]

Yeah, that's the vibe I get, that the artwork isn't in the same vein or style as that used by Atari originally on its cartridges.

[Jess Ragan]

I think the 70s flashback artwork is fine, but not a necessity. When I made the Solar Plexus manual I gave the cover its own look, somewhat akin to the 20th Century Fox boxes yet not exactly the same. I also took heavy inspiration from Red Dwarf and Futurama, two science-fiction comedy series that didn't exist back in the 1970s when the 2600 was first released. I stand by that decision, and wouldn't have changed a thing... I certainly wouldn't have asked anyone other than Nathan Strum to color the line art.

 

You're going to have to face facts here... the 2600 hasn't changed, but the world around it has.

[+SpiceWare]

Yeah, that's the vibe I get, that the artwork isn't in the same vein or style as that used by Atari originally on its cartridges.

Well none of us are Atari. Artwork used for the games produced by the third party companies were all different as well.

[jetset]

Personally I don't give a crap about the box art. I've yet to have a lot of fun with an empty box. The games are what count.

[+Nathan Strum]

Well none of us are Atari.

Exactly. Most of the games being produced now are better. I actually think it does the homebrew authors a disservice by mimicking artwork from a particular company.

 

Why, for example, do people want to make Lady Bug look like a Coleco game? Sure, Coleco was supposed to produce a version of it, but it never would have been as good as the version John did. It would almost be like giving Coleco credit for a game they never made.

 

I think the artwork should reflect the newness and uniqueness of a homebrew. I understand that some authors prefer the classic Atari label style (and I've worked with it when asked to), but if given my choice, I steer away from it. It just makes it blend in too much with other, older games. With all the effort it takes to make a game, I think the artwork should help the game to stand out from the crowd.

 

That said, I love the vintage Atari game art. It's fantastic. There may even be an appropriate occasion to create something in that vein for a modern homebrew. But it's very, very difficult to faithfully copy someone else's style. It's hard enough drawing in your own.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Nathan Strum

[KevinMos3]

My first impression of most homebrew artwork was not good. It wasn't that the art itself wasn't great, it was that I craved carts that looked like they were from Atari in the 80's. However, I soon got over it and really started appreciating the new artwork. In fact, a large part of why I bought Dungeon was the great label and poster.

 

Part of what helped me get over my initial mindset was a post Nathan Strum made in his blog. He basically said what he just said in the above post. After looking at it from that viewpoint, I was able to finish putting aside any remaining bias against non-conventional adherent labels, (for the 2600 at least).

 

Although, I still greatly prefer silver (or gray) Atari looking labels for 7800 homebrews. It's the reason I never bought Pac-Man Collection. Shallow? Sure, but I'm beginning to overcome this as well with the FailSafe release.

[Devin]

In all seriousness, I understand the poster's point of view. The original picture label style is unique, beautiful, and certainly ingrained with everything "Atari".

 

However, there were quite a few label styles back in the day - and each company had their own. Imagic often used photographs (of models) as their label art and M Network lacked artwork altogether!

 

Every homebrewer can be seen as their own "company". So the artwork really has no bounds.

Edited August 12, 2010 by Devin

[mäsäxi]

Hello!

 

I actually think it does the homebrew authors a disservice by mimicking artwork from a particular company.

 

I am thinking same way about homebrew box art as topic starter, generally, about every OLD videogame and computer system, not just atari.

 

I think this is not just mimicking artwork from particular company but mimicking artwork STYLE from certain era (1970s and early 1980s).

 

I understand that not everybody has learned the way to draw the way certain artist drew forty or more years ago, that is understandable. And not everybody wants to draw/learn to draw such way.

 

Of course everyone can make box art of their own taste, but still, I hope to see more OLD style game box art for every old system which still gets new games.

 

I am just that OLD. And I like OLD things. And OLD music.

 

Old things were part of my childhood, that´s why I like them. And there´s no need to say that this modern world and modern art styles are not for me, but I said it.

 

That´s why I like OLD.

 

Like many others.

 

 

 

 

( Hopefully my words were helpful! )

[Emehr]

As much as I love the old text/picture label/silver label artwork from the old era, I prefer homebrews to have their own style. As mentioned above, each company had their own artwork style back in the day. I think it's fitting for homebrews to have their own as well. I actually prefer it if homebrews *do not* use the "picture label" or "silver label" styles. It's not like the homebrews were created by Atari.

[VectorGamer]

It's not like the homebrews were created by Atari.

 

It's OK by me if a home brewer wants their cart to look BITD. But, it's also OK if they don't. I can't say that there is any home brew art that I don't like, actually.

 

Now, just to clarify: is the title of thread to "criticize small home brew art" or is it a "small criticism of home brew art"?

[NE146]

I think it's easier said than done. It's one thing to really mimic the artwork style of the early games (a tall order), let alone have the mindset to put together such a scene I mean would someone today really draw checkers players like below? Oh, and nice king..

 

Edited August 12, 2010 by NE146

[Emehr]

I think it's easier said than done. It's one thing to really mimic the artwork style of the early games (a tall order), let alone have the mindset to put together such a scene I mean would someone today really draw checkers players like below? Oh, and nice king..

And it looks like they used the same model for the two people at the bottom. Is that supposed to be a brother and sister? They both look like they have a mouth full of milk and they're about to spew it because someone made them laugh.

 

That said, the artwork for Warlords is fantastic!

[LS_Dracon]

Back in the day they paint using airbrush, pastel or other techniques, besides Imagic labels, I think computers was not used until the final result.

 

I love the silver labels, tried to mimic this label for Bee-Ball but this game wasn't made by Atari, not make sense. The original artwork looks better to me. For comparission, here's the test in silver labels I did in 2007.

Edited August 12, 2010 by LS_Dracon

[+Nathan Strum]

I mean would someone today really draw checkers players like below? Oh, and nice king..

I'm trying to figure out if the king is based on Patrick McGoohan or Lee Majors.

 

The guy playing chess looks like Mark Hamill.