Wotto/Nino - many thanks guys for your support.  

In restoring spinner artwork, what is the basic process?  After scanning the images from a real spinner (which Nino has done), are these images then imported into a graphics application (in this case, photoshop?).  I take it the graphics are then "smoothed" and colour corrected if needed (aka Wotto weaving his magic)?  Then a final image, which is then printed to adhesive paper.  Is this the basics?

I've never used photoshop (or for that matter, any graphics applications), but do have access to it if needed in the future.  This would be good to learn.

Thanks again guys.

Hi Steve

The way I do it is tedious , but I think it is THE way ( not many other choices )

I open the original photo in Photoshop.

I then basically re-draw the whole image by tracing every part of it individually.
Each part becomes a ‘layer’ as you create your file.
Think of stacking bits of clear paper and ( in this case ) the bottom layer is the blue base of the spinner.
Then you draw the red surfboard on a new piece of clear paper ( a layer ) and it sits ‘on top of’ the blue base layer.
Then you draw one of the white parts of one of the waves, it stacks on top
Etc etc etc etc until you have drawn every shape as a separate item.

So in other words – this side of the Surfer spinner has approx 11 layers at the moment ( this is not many - the Haunted House playfield I did for Nick had around 200 layers ! )

Each image or layer has to be drawn by creating a ‘path’ which is made up of ‘points’ that you click into place to make the path and then once done , you add more points to the path and then drag the curves out to make the final shape – as an example the large white section of wave at the right hand side of this image has probably around 80 ‘points’ in the path.
Once you are happy with the shape you then fill the path ( shape ) in with colour.

What I will do is post a screen shot later tonight of the points path on this white wave so you can see what I mean.

Here is a path I found on the net to give you some idea until I upload the surfer path tonight.
Each black dot is created by a mouse click, at first straight lines will join them all, THEN you go and put another 'point' between the straight lines and drag it out to form the curve, THEN you shape the curve to get it where you need it.



It is a tedious process mate.
I am ALWAYS happy to help people learn it via PM or emails if you like.


More later