Arcade Game Keychains Update

The classic arcade keychains are ready to roll. Brian Jones finished up a couple of his first samples, Dig Dug and Zookeeper and the detail is phenomenal. I was really amazed at how well the keychains represent the actual cabinets and the fine detail Brian was able to achieve.

Here is the original announcement post for this arcade cabinet artwork themed project and here are couple of photos of the cabinet artwork for your viewing pleasure.

A blank keychain in the jig, ready to be etched with the laser.

First, Brian sprays the aluminum blank with a laser reactive chemical that turns the blank a tan color (as you can see above). The laser then burns the sprayed on coating, which in turn has a permanent reaction and marking effect on the metal that leaves a dark grey etch behind.

Laser etching a Zookeeper keychain.

The Zookeeper in particular will be a sight to see. The laser can etch down to 1 micron, which is the width of the beam itself, meaning the detail is so fine that you will be able to see the whisker’s on the lion’s nose. The one thing you won’t have to worry about is the day to day abuse this little buddy will take. Brian said when he made one mistake, it took a 220 grit sandpaper and elbow grease to return it to a blank aluminum.

And the laser etching a Dig Dug keychain

A photo of Brian washing the reactive chemical off the keychain after being etched. This photo really gives you an idea of how big these arcade cabinet keychains actually are.

The final keychain product.

When I first saw the photos, I was really blown away by the solid colors for the artwork. I was essentially picturing a fine line outline of the artwork that would emulate the artwork but not so closely portray the original cabinet. I did not think there would be such great contrast, but that is what can be achieved when combining the laser with the chemical. But you do notice, that the artwork is represented using negative and positive space resolved by the artist – something Brian had to do in each of the vector files. As an example, here is what the artwork looks like for the Centipede keychain;

So, instead of the mushrooms having yellow around them, there could have been a white outline, or it could be a black outline, and that is a artistic decision the editor has to make to make sure the imagry is preserved and iconic, but also a combination of the two spaces that translates and contrasts best onto the blank keychain. That may mean making some fills a little larger, some strokes thinner or thicker, or maybe even dropping some piece of the artwork altogether.

Arcade Keychain Pricing

He’s ready to sell the Dig Dug and Zookeeper keychain designs, and more are to come. The price hasn’t been fixed yet, but it won’t be more than $12.99 per piece, and will probably range anywhere from $9.99 to $12.99. If the $10 price is offered, is will probably be given as an incentive for advanced orders.

Email Brian directly through Gamestencils.com to let him know you want one. You might be able to make requests if the artwork you are interested in is for an Atari, Taito, or Williams cabinet. I am sure this is also limited to what vector artwork is already available for input into the laser, but it is worth checking out with Brian himself to be sure.

Check back soon, I should have a link soon to a page for ordering in Brian’s website.

Here are some similar arcade posts

• Artwork Engraved Arcade Keychains
• New Arcade Keychains Designs
• Where to buy artwork to restore a Zookeeper
• Zookeeper Sideart Stencils
• Interesting Arcade Links – 2008-05-06

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