Graphics For Byzantium Flanger

B

BQFS

Member
When it comes to graphics I do not have any art talent whatsoever. I am planning to have Amplifyfun do the graphics and drill the enclosures for me (I am making two, one for me, one for my friend), but first I need graphics. They don't have to be incredible or mind boggling (although that would be okay), I just need something that looks cool and provides labels for each control.

Thanks in advance to whatever kind soul(s) can help me out with this.

Bud
 
Aleph Null said:
Have you considered a hydro dip finish? Almost no graphic design talent is required—the chaos is the point.
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I think probably somebody once called me a dip. But seriously, I have NO art talent and have no idea what a hydro dip might be, so no I haven't considered it, or anything else either.

UPDATE: I did a search and found that a kit and supplies would cost way more than having someone else apply a graphics template onto a standard enclosure. I appreciate your suggestion, but I have no desire to learn how to do this, not just for a single project.

I would still appreciate someone offering up their graphics design for the Byzantium Flanger.
 
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It doesn't have to be as complicated as some people want to make it. Here's my process:
  1. Get an old 5gl bucket or pot. Fill the bucket most of the way up with water.
  2. Get spray paint in various colors. Lightly spray paint on top of the water so that it makes swirls and other patterns.
  3. Put on gloves.
  4. Dip the enclosure into the paint. It works best if you go in at an angle, corner first.
  5. Use a gloved hand to clear the extra paint off the surface of the water, then pull out the enclosure
  6. Use a hair dryer to blow away the excess water.
  7. After the hydro dip drys, clearcoat.
Here's my most recent result with this approach.

https://flic.kr/p/2ribPoa
 
Aleph Null said:
It doesn't have to be as complicated as some people want to make it. Here's my process:
  1. Get an old 5gl bucket or pot. Fill the bucket most of the way up with water.
  2. Get spray paint in various colors. Lightly spray paint on top of the water so that it makes swirls and other patterns.
  3. Put on gloves.
  4. Dip the enclosure into the paint. It works best if you go in at an angle, corner first.
  5. Use a gloved hand to clear the extra paint off the surface of the water, then pull out the enclosure
  6. Use a hair dryer to blow away the excess water.
  7. After the hydro dip drys, clearcoat.
Here's my most recent result with this approach.

https://flic.kr/p/2ribPoa
Click to expand...
No question that looks great, and seems so simple even I could do it. But what do I do for the controls' text labels?
 
Aleph Null said:
Uh...you don't. Everyone will be so dazzled by the paint job that they won't notice none of the controls are labeled. You could also go the route of Posca markers or letters stamps.
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I talked to my friend who is going to be the recipient of the second build (I'm keeping the first). He is okay with no labels, so long as I put a sticker or something on the bottom of the pedal indicating which control does what.
 
Aleph Null said:
It doesn't have to be as complicated as some people want to make it. Here's my process:
  1. Get an old 5gl bucket or pot. Fill the bucket most of the way up with water.
  2. Get spray paint in various colors. Lightly spray paint on top of the water so that it makes swirls and other patterns.
  3. Put on gloves.
  4. Dip the enclosure into the paint. It works best if you go in at an angle, corner first.
  5. Use a gloved hand to clear the extra paint off the surface of the water, then pull out the enclosure
  6. Use a hair dryer to blow away the excess water.
  7. After the hydro dip drys, clearcoat.
Here's my most recent result with this approach.

https://flic.kr/p/2ribPoa
Click to expand...
When you stated "various colors" I was wondering how many different colors you used for the one pictured. Unless I was going to do this for a lot more than just two enclosures, it still comes out pretty expensive. If I only used, say 6 colors, that's still at least $7 per color so $42 or $21 per enclosure PLUS the cost of the enclosure. I can buy my typical purple sparkle enclosures for $12 and put labels on the bottom. You know how it goes - art for art's sake but money for God's sake.... Seems too expensive for a two-off project. Great idea though. All in all, I still hope someone out there who's built one of these and created their own graphics could share their design with me.
 
I would recommend 2–4 colors. I'd also recommend doing it over a powder coated enclosure. The nice thing is, different color combinations can have very different effects, so you can get many different results with just a handful of colors. There is some up-front investment in paint, I guess.

If money is really tight, there's always the time-honored tradition of sharpie on bare aluminum.
 
Aleph Null said:
I would recommend 2–4 colors. I'd also recommend doing it over a powder coated enclosure. The nice thing is, different color combinations can have very different effects, so you can get many different results with just a handful of colors. There is some up-front investment in paint, I guess.

If money is really tight, there's always the time-honored tradition of sharpie on bare aluminum.
Click to expand...
Money isn't tight, per se. I just can't justify buying more than two more colors. I already have black, brown, and purple. My pre-done powder coated enclosures are all purple sparkle ones. Can you suggest two more colors to go with what I already have? Should I not use any of the colors I already have? Do you think this approach will work if applied on top of my purple sparkle enclosure? I appreciate all your suggestions.
 
@BQFS I recently did a couple of mock Boss designs, could quite easily change it for BF-2 if that's what you want

As an aside, I've never been artistic and can't draw my way out of a paper bag, so the idea of doing pedal graphics seemed completely out of reach at first. Eventually I gave it a go and I found I really enjoyed it even though I was crap. That was about 3-4 years ago. I'm not the best designer in the world but I can get quite good results now with some effort. I'd encourage you to give it a go

PXL_20250828_221705425.jpg
 
ftumch said:
@BQFS I recently did a couple of mock Boss designs, could quite easily change it for BF-2 if that's what you want

As an aside, I've never been artistic and can't draw my way out of a paper bag, so the idea of doing pedal graphics seemed completely out of reach at first. Eventually I gave it a go and I found I really enjoyed it even though I was crap. That was about 3-4 years ago. I'm not the best designer in the world but I can get quite good results now with some effort. I'd encourage you to give it a go

View attachment 102067
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That would be WONDERFUL! I would be eternally grateful to you if you could modify it to just say Flanger (instead of Phaser). The model number can be left off entirely, and the lettering on the black changed to BQFS. I hope that's not too much trouble, and I would absolutely offer to pay you for your time (and I still would be eternally grateful too!).

I too cannot draw my way out of a paper bag, and at 76 am very unlikely to do any better ever.
 
BQFS said:
That would be WONDERFUL! I would be eternally grateful to you if you could modify it to just say Flanger (instead of Phaser). The model number can be left off entirely, and the lettering on the black changed to BQFS. I hope that's not too much trouble, and I would absolutely offer to pay you for your time (and I still would be eternally grateful too!).

I too cannot draw my way out of a paper bag, and at 76 am very unlikely to do any better ever.
Click to expand...

Okay no probs, it's midnight here in the UK but let me have a look tomorrow. I'll need to check Amplifyfun's artwork requirements cos I've not used them before, just Tayda
 
ftumch said:
Okay no probs, it's midnight here in the UK but let me have a look tomorrow. I'll need to check Amplifyfun's artwork requirements cos I've not used them before, just Tayda
Click to expand...
Absolutely no hurry! Spencer is great to work with, and I think, although I easily could be mistaken, what works for Tayda should work for him.
 
It's funny - I have a degree in design but can't be bothered to do graphics for my pedals. I have no graphic software for one thing. Almost all of my builds are dirt pedals so I put the knobs in the same places every time so I don't have to remember what they are.

I have one pedal with graphics. I had a friend who is still in graphic design draw it up on the computer for me so that I could order it from Tayda. I mocked it up in photoshop and he copied it into Indesign or something.

ftumch you are a good fella!
 
@HamishR you're not the first designer to tell me they're not bothered about doing pedal graphics. You are the second :)

It makes sense, I once lived with a chef who'd come home from a shift and cook frozen chips every night. The last thing he felt like doing was chopping onions
 
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