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Author Topic:   how to make a great playmat
rockondon
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posted March 07, 2013 09:04 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for rockondon Click Here to Email rockondon Send a private message to rockondon Click to send rockondon an Instant MessageVisit rockondon's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View rockondon's Have/Want ListView rockondon's Have/Want List
So I want to make a great playmat based on my arcum dagsson deck. I've seen a painted one on these boards recently and I want to make my own. My goal is to make a design that uses elements from the deck, and then have a company print the finished product onto a playmat.

I've never combined pics or used adobe before but I just gave it a try yesterday and this is what I came up with. I'm not satisfied with it. I made it by taking a pic of my darksteel forge (it was a higher resolution pic than any I could find on the internet), pasted it into an adobe document as a background, then added other layers of card pics and erased away all the parts I didn't want.

Key cards in the deck include arcum dagsson, darksteel forge, solemn simulacrum, master transmuter, tezzeret, the seeker, mishra's workshop, clock of omens, mana vault, various myr creatures, grim monolith, rings of brighthearth, planar portal, etc. I don't mind using art from cards that aren't in the deck too.

I'm open for any tips/suggestions on what pics I could use, how to improve picture quality and/or resolution, using adobe or other programs, etc.


 
MasterWolf
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posted March 07, 2013 11:06 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for MasterWolf Click Here to Email MasterWolf Send a private message to MasterWolf Click to send MasterWolf an Instant MessageVisit MasterWolf's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View MasterWolf's Have/Want ListView MasterWolf's Have/Want List
Why don't you get an artist to just draw them? Looks way better and non-photo-shopped.
 
rockondon
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posted March 07, 2013 12:03 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for rockondon Click Here to Email rockondon Send a private message to rockondon Click to send rockondon an Instant MessageVisit rockondon's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View rockondon's Have/Want ListView rockondon's Have/Want List
I've read about an inability to do fine detail with hand-painting related to the ink bleeding into the material. Plus it'd be nice to have something that can be thrown in the wash if I spill something on it and not have to worry about it.

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WeedIan
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posted March 07, 2013 12:15 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for WeedIan Click Here to Email WeedIan Send a private message to WeedIan Click to send WeedIan an Instant MessageVisit WeedIan's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View WeedIan's Have/Want ListView WeedIan's Have/Want List
Look for somewhere that does custom mouse pads and ask if they can do the dimensions you want for a playmat

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flophaus
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posted March 07, 2013 12:46 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for flophaus Click Here to Email flophaus Send a private message to flophaus Click to send flophaus an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by WeedIan:
Look for somewhere that does custom mouse pads and ask if they can do the dimensions you want for a playmat


DAMN good idea!

 
rockondon
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posted March 07, 2013 01:21 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for rockondon Click Here to Email rockondon Send a private message to rockondon Click to send rockondon an Instant MessageVisit rockondon's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View rockondon's Have/Want ListView rockondon's Have/Want List
or.... I could simply go somewhere that does custom playmats.

And I can't be certain but I suspect that these guys do. Its hard to say - their website is so vague on the matter .

 
caquaa
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posted March 07, 2013 03:00 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for caquaa Click Here to Email caquaa Send a private message to caquaa Click to send caquaa an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
The "photoshoped" look is simply from the harsh edges on the top layer characters. If you use photoshop and feather the outside of the characters they will blend much nicer into the background. You likely also need to adjust the brightness/contract of each as the tezz is way too dark and arcum himself looks like he might look a little better if he was darker. Just those basic changes should make the image blend together a lot better.

edit: also you might want to add a bit of depth to the scene and have some stuff in the background. The rings of brighthearth seem slightly out of place as well, maybe thats just me. Maybe the ABU art from icy manipulator would fit better there? Also, that master transmuter looks terrible ;p

[Edited 2 times, lastly by caquaa on March 07, 2013]

 
Timmyhill
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posted March 07, 2013 03:03 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Timmyhill Click Here to Email Timmyhill Send a private message to Timmyhill Click to send Timmyhill an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Timmyhill's Have/Want ListView Timmyhill's Have/Want List
What do you guys think of a custom table for playing magic on? I'm thinking it would be kind of along the lines of a poker table.

I'm not sure if it would have a felt top or some kind of sweet inlaid leather.

 
caquaa
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posted March 07, 2013 03:12 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for caquaa Click Here to Email caquaa Send a private message to caquaa Click to send caquaa an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Timmyhill:
What do you guys think of a custom table for playing magic on? I'm thinking it would be kind of along the lines of a poker table.

our shop found a 4 player play mat for yugioh that covers a whole table. Kinda neat, too bad I'm not into yugioh. Something similar for magic would be nice.

 
Pail42
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posted March 07, 2013 03:18 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Pail42 Send a private message to Pail42 Click to send Pail42 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Pail42's Have/Want ListView Pail42's Have/Want List
quote:
Originally posted by Timmyhill:
What do you guys think of a custom table for playing magic on? I'm thinking it would be kind of along the lines of a poker table.

I'm not sure if it would have a felt top or some kind of sweet inlaid leather.


I think it's a great idea, but it would likely be very similar to a typical poker table or mahjong table depending on how many players you want to accommodate.

What would make a Magic table different than a typical poker table?

[Edited 1 times, lastly by Pail42 on March 07, 2013]

 
harbingerofthevoid
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posted March 07, 2013 04:43 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for harbingerofthevoid Click Here to Email harbingerofthevoid Send a private message to harbingerofthevoid Click to send harbingerofthevoid an Instant MessageVisit harbingerofthevoid's Homepage  Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View harbingerofthevoid's Have/Want ListView harbingerofthevoid's Have/Want List
quote:
Originally posted by inkedplaymats.com:
Indemnification

You agree to defend, indemnify and hold harmless InkedPlaymats.com and its affiliates from and against any and all claims, damages, costs and expenses, including attorneys’ fees, arising from or related to your use of InkedPlaymats.com. You also certify that you own rights to or have a license to use the image(s) being reproduced as part of your order.


Looking at their shop, it looks like all the M:tG art they have on the mats is R.K. Post art. I haven't asked Randy but, could be he retained the rights on his work.Other than that, might be hard to get them to print the playmat with all the art you wanted on it.

 
Timmyhill
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posted March 07, 2013 05:00 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Timmyhill Click Here to Email Timmyhill Send a private message to Timmyhill Click to send Timmyhill an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Timmyhill's Have/Want ListView Timmyhill's Have/Want List
Well there prolly isn't any difference really. But I would think it would have outlines on the top for libaries, graveyards, maybe even a battlefield.

I'm not saying its a practical idea its just something I've been thinking about while I'm waiting for glue to dry at work.

 
dputz
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posted March 07, 2013 06:44 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for dputz Click Here to Email dputz Send a private message to dputz Click to send dputz an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
quote:
Originally posted by Timmyhill:
What do you guys think of a custom table for playing magic on? I'm thinking it would be kind of along the lines of a poker table.

I'm not sure if it would have a felt top or some kind of sweet inlaid leather.


Here's a magic table : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bh_qn62zny0

 
Pail42
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posted March 07, 2013 09:15 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for Pail42 Send a private message to Pail42 Click to send Pail42 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View Pail42's Have/Want ListView Pail42's Have/Want List
That table is awesome
 
ryan2754
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posted March 07, 2013 11:50 PM   Click Here to See the Profile for ryan2754 Click Here to Email ryan2754 Send a private message to ryan2754 Click to send ryan2754 an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote View ryan2754's Have/Want ListView ryan2754's Have/Want List
I used inkedplaymats.com. Made my own with the Butler University Bulldog Logo on one side (undergrad) and Toledo Rockets (med school) on the other. I get commented on it all the time.

had to use photoshop, but they print it on there and it looks darn nice (once I graded the colors properly).

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Volcanon
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posted March 08, 2013 12:18 AM   Click Here to See the Profile for Volcanon Click Here to Email Volcanon Send a private message to Volcanon Click to send Volcanon an Instant Message Edit/Delete Message Reply With Quote 
Take some cardboard and cover it with bacon grease. It will toughen up to the perfect firmness for your playmat needs.
 

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