Making a label...

[zektor800]

I purchased a few game carts on ebay, two of which were Jr.Pacman and Super Pacman. Obviously reproductions, and the looks of the labels appear to be the B&C repros. I would REALLY like to create professional labels for these. I am looking into making a standard brown label with yellow text. I know, not very colorful, but I want to try to make them look as close to what they would have actually looked like if they were run into production. Where to start? What kind of paper/adhesive? Can anybody point me to a real-size template scan of an Atari 8-bit cartridge label? I am off for a week and thought that this may be a fun little project for me. Any help is appreciated!

 

Also, does anybody know what font is used on the original label's game title text?

Edited October 27, 2006 by zektor800

[tjlazer]

If they are the gray cased ones, use these labels. That is what I put on mine.

Edited October 27, 2006 by tjlazer

[zektor800]

No, they are old brown case ones. I can probably still use the labels tho. Thanks!

 

EDIT: Before I do this, there is no possible way that these are real prototypes correct? I do not know a whole lot about the prototype scene on the 8-bit. I opened the Super Pacman cart for example, and the socketed roms are labeled "SPL" (left) and "SPR" (right). The carts both have what appears to be a smaller square cheaply printed label with a laminate cover.

Edited October 27, 2006 by zektor800

[tjlazer]

What you could do is find some common gray cased carts and gut out the board and use the case with my labels! (Bug Hunt, Flight Sim, etc)

[zektor800]

What you could do is find some common gray cased carts and gut out the board and use the case with my labels! (Bug Hunt, Flight Sim, etc)

 

 

Yep, this is exactly what I am going to do. What did you print them on? I was looking at inkjet sticker paper on a few websites.

[tjlazer]

Printed on matte photo paper, then applied a plastic film on top and cut out, used glue stick to apply to carts.

[zektor800]

Thanks for the labels! I printed today on semi-glossy/matte post-it note photo paper and the result is jaw-dropping. I just have to laminate and I will post before and after shots when done. You don;t happen to have high quality shots of MASH and The Last Starfighter now, do you?

[zektor800]

I think I have the art down Check out these pics. "Theirs" is B&C's from the cart I received today. "Mine" is the new one I created after stripping their cheezy label

[zektor800]

I have been practicing some more tonight with this, and I can make the result even better. I am using this matte/semi gloss post-it photo paper I spoke of earlier. Picture do not do it justice...looks WAY better in person. I am using the wife's inkjet printer at max DPI, so it takes some time to dry. Afterward, I am using a Krylon clear acrylic spray. I am going to do a few coats on these, but it'll have to wait until a warmer day (hopefully tomorrow) as I need to apply a coat, wait some, do it again, and so on. In my previous tests, these labels are coming out REALLY good. I already created a M*A*S*H label, and should hopefully get them all in place this coming week. Neat little project.

[jdh]

I think I have the art down Check out these pics. "Theirs" is B&C's from the cart I received today. "Mine" is the new one I created after stripping their cheezy label

 

nice

 

I have a few of these repros, I would like to get round to doing some labels too.

[zektor800]

And M*A*S*H

 

As for the Jr and Super Pacman carts, I ended up using the labels posted earlier, but on classic cart cases. I do not have any common grey carts to destroy, so this was the only option. I figured anything was better than the old labels B&C made, and they actually look pretty cool on the classic carts. One of a kind for sure Thanks again for the labels and advice!

Edited October 30, 2006 by zektor800

[tjlazer]

Here are some that I made, I actually made some XE style carts from older XL carts just for the hell of it!

[tjlazer]

Here you go!

Edited October 30, 2006 by tjlazer

[zektor800]

Very cool! Bruce Lee on cart??

[BonesCollector]

Cool, you can post the rom

[zektor800]

And here are Super and Jr Pacman in old cases with XE labels. I dunno, I think they actually look pretty cool this way.

[zektor800]

And I re-did MASH since you posted such a nice label Can't think of it coming out any better! Thanks!

[zektor800]

Please post more labels in this thread! I was having a conversation with a few people in another thread regarding the whole "Popeye" Actiplaque situation, and am really looking for a Popeye label at the moment. Normally I would not destroy any original label, but my cart has the label completely ripped off on top anyway, so what the heck.

[tjlazer]

Sure I will upload some more. I make my own. I use a template and just copy labels from Atari Age cart scans or for conversion I copy 2600 or 5200 carts and convert them for 800. That is how I made some of the brown to XE labels.

 

For your popeye label download a good quality label from Atari Age Atari 800 cart library and clean it up if need be, then reprint it. That is what i did with my above Super Cobra. My label was destroyed.

Edited November 4, 2006 by tjlazer

[tjlazer]

Here are some more!

Edited December 1, 2006 by tjlazer

[jdh]

Here are some more!

 

Awesome

[+pboland]

Here are some more!

 

I didn't realize how many people make their own game labels. Now that I know, I thought I would share my method for making them. I know some of you are saying, "we already know how!" and I'm sure you do, but I think you will find my method quite interesting.

 

Here is the link (post #6 & #10)

Coleco Telstar Combat! Help me Fix!

[Bryan]

Kinko's sells something called Lamilabel. It's a laminate with a peel-off backing, and it makes great glossy labels.

 

-Bry

[tjlazer]

Here are some final products...

Edited December 8, 2006 by tjlazer