Atari's 1982 Screen Printing Process for Arcade Cabinet Art Revealed
Footage from 1982 showcases Atari's intricate screen printing method for arcade cabinet side art, notably used for the Quantum game. This technique involved applying each color separately using distinct screens, building the final design layer by layer. This process was employed during a period when Atari produced approximately 500 cabinets for the Quantum title.
Key points
- Footage from 1982 documents Atari's screen printing technique for applying artwork to arcade cabinets.
- The process involved creating separate screens for each color in the design.
- Artwork was applied one color at a time, layer upon layer, to build the final image.
- This method was used for Atari's Quantum arcade cabinet, of which only around 500 were produced.
- The technique differs significantly from modern large-format digital printing methods.
Newly surfaced footage from 1982 offers a detailed look into Atari's classic method of applying artwork to its arcade cabinets. The film specifically captures the screen printing process used for the sides of the Quantum arcade cabinet. This technique, a precursor to today's digital printing, involved a meticulous, multi-step application of colors.
Atari's artists would first deconstruct the cabinet art into individual color layers. For each distinct color required in the design, a unique printing screen was meticulously prepared. The artwork was then applied directly onto the cabinet side panels, with each color laid down sequentially. These individual color layers built upon each other, ultimately forming the complete, vibrant graphic designs that characterized Atari's games during the golden age of arcade entertainment. This specific production run for Quantum is noted to have been relatively small, with approximately 500 cabinets produced.
Sources
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