The Official Customs Playmat/dice/sleeves thread.

[secretsof2113]

We've been getting entirely too many of the same topics like this over the months. And it's usually the same thing. Folks asking about mats, sleeves, dice, and other things.

This topic is to show off custom mats, ask questions, and otherwise discuss them. I am gonna close any other custom topics, and sticky this one.

[Davitz]

Guess i'll be the first to pop a question in then.

I've been looking at getting a new set of solid color sleeves as the pair I got last month are already seeing some very unpleasant looking wear.

I've been looking around and my desicon has come down to 3 companys KMC, Player's Choice and Ultra Pro.

I play a lot and need a good durable sleeve brand that will hold up to the abuse of medium to heavy play and will still look good with next to no wear on the back.


Also, dice need to be translucent would smoked dice, be legal? I mean if you hold the die up to the light you can see straight through it, its just like looking through the lens of a pair of sunglasses.

[Yoshi-]

Get Dragon Shields. They never break, no matter what you do and feel and shuffle awesome.

[AyameHikaru]

Originally Posted by Davitz

Also, dice need to be translucent would smoked dice, be legal? I mean if you hold the die up to the light you can see straight through it, its just like looking through the lens of a pair of sunglasses.

It says translucent, not transparent. ^^; Those should be fine.

Anyone have any recommendations on the best place to get a custom mat?

[Davitz]

Alright, so Dragon Shield it is, now anyone know a good place to buy them online? Troll and Toad is sold out and my local store only stocks Ultra Pro now >.<.

[tarheel_bivens]

ebay usual has dragon shield :) and they are the absolute best imo

[ultimatedra]

If you are going to get custom playmats, i recommend EROLJ
The product and customer service it absolute top notch. With the custom playmats i have ordered from them - not a single one had any bleeding or errors whatsoever. Grade A quality for sure.

For a Full Custom Playmat, it will run you $49.99 + Shipping, but it is well worth it. Discounts if you buy in bulk also.

The image size you will have to send is 1746 x 1026 (24.25 inches by 14.25 inches @ 72 pixels per inch)
You will have to draw out the play zones, background, and everything else you want on it - but that just adds to the uniqueness of your very own custom playmat.

The playmat is standard size - so it is larger that the ones that you get from Pokemon events.

Here are some dimensions for you:
Total playmat size is 1746 x 1026 (24.25 by 14.25 inches @ 72 Pixel per inch)
Average sleeve size is 189 x 261 (2.63 by 3.63 inches @ 72 Pixels per inch)
Actual Pokemon card size is 176 x 248 (2.44 by 3.44 inches @ 72 pixels per inch)

Here is a template for the playmat in actual size. All the zones are there (Including Lost zone and Stadium) with exact placement, exact spacing, and proper card size. Just put in your artwork, save, and send to the company.
https://sites.google.com/site/ultima...me/Playmat.png

[Deoxys Cool Form]

I'm looking to make my own custom playmat.

Can anyone help me?

I was going to have a fire background covering the whole mat, and then some of my own pictures.

Is it possible to get pictures & a background from my computer, onto the playmat?

And if so how?

Thanks.

[AyameHikaru]

You'll need to send it to a shop like the one posted above in order to get it printed. As far as the images go, use PhotoShop or something similar to make a template the right size. Then, put your photos on the template in any way you want, and save the image. Then send it to whatever company you've chosen to print the mat, and they'll take care of the rest.

[Deoxys Cool Form]

Ok, thanks for helping.

[charcharchar]

I can show off my mat, right?
Because it's cool, and I'm happy with how it turned out.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_0502.jpg

Close-ups
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_0509.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_0508.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_0507.jpg

[ultimatedra]

Originally Posted by charcharchar

I can show off my mat, right?
Because it's cool, and I'm happy with how it turned out.

http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_0502.jpg

Close-ups
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_0509.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_0508.jpg
http://i666.photobucket.com/albums/v...s/IMG_0507.jpg

Nice!
Drawing straight onto the mat can be tough, and with that much ink it is hard to keep it from bleeding into the other images.

Very well done.

[charcharchar]

It didn't bleed because I chose to go with fabric paint rather than markers, for precisely that reason.

[Lambda13]

I make custom mats, sadly I don't quite have much time since I work so much. These are the ones I've done so far:

http://s128.photobucket.com/albums/p...otos/Playmats/

[toxicroak 96]

I've always been interested in having one made for me, does anyone know a good place to order one from?

[ultimatedra]

Originally Posted by toxicroak 96

I've always been interested in having one made for me, does anyone know a good place to order one from?

Dude. Post #7. Read up there^
http://pokegym.net/forums/showpost.p...87&postcount=7

[wiem0014]

What are the rules regarding using Pokemon Pictures printed off websites? If we aren't selling the mat is it ok?

[Kurama]

Nice to see a sticky now. Are there any Bandit Keith playmats? Im trying to get a hold of one

[ultimatedra]

Originally Posted by wiem0014

What are the rules regarding using Pokemon Pictures printed off websites? If we aren't selling the mat is it ok?

This is the best i can find on the subject:

The legal status of fan made art in America may be tricky due to the vagaries of the United States Copyright Act. Generally, the right to reproduce and display pieces of artwork is controlled by the original author or artist under 17 U.S.C. § 106. However, fan art using settings and characters from a previously created work could be considered a derivative work, which would place control of the copyright with the owner of that original work. Display and distribution of fan art that would be considered a derivative work would be unlawful.

However, American copyright law allows for the production, display and distribution of derivative works if they fall under a fair use exemption, 17 U.S.C. § 107. A court would look at all relevant facts and circumstances to determine whether a particular use qualifies as fair use; a multi-pronged rubric for this decision involves evaluating the amount and substantiality of the original appropriated, the transformative nature of the derivative work, whether the derivative work was done for educational or noncommercial use, and the economic effect that the derivative work imposes on the copyright holder's ability to make and exploit her own derivative works. None of these factors is alone dispositive.

American courts also typically grant broad protection to parody, and some fan art may fall into this category. This has not explicitly been adjudicated with respect to fan art, however. Moreover, while parody is typically afforded protection under § 107, a court must engage in a fact-intensive, case-specific inquiry for each work.

BTW - i made this template for the custom playmat, with all zones (Including Lost and stadium). Just copy, add your artwork, save, and send to the company.
https://sites.google.com/site/ultima...me/Playmat.png

[MattPL]

Originally Posted by ultimatedra

This is the best i can find on the subject:


BTW - i made this template for the custom playmat, with all zones (Including Lost and stadium). Just copy, add your artwork, save, and send to the company.
https://sites.google.com/site/ultima...me/Playmat.png

So if I'm understanding this correctly, we can use our own fan made artwork of pokemon, but we can't use official pokemon artwork, or any other artwork we haven't created ourselves?

[ultimatedra]

Originally Posted by MattPL

So if I'm understanding this correctly, we can use our own fan made artwork of pokemon, but we can't use official pokemon artwork, or any other artwork we haven't created ourselves?

I am no lawyer, but from what i understand - as long you don't sell the art in question (Since you do not own the rights to the pokemon image) and you design the image in question (Derivative art) there SHOULD not be a problem. If it were to go to court (Highly unlikely) they would examine the original and the derivative art in question, pick out the differences, and if the differences are sufficient to show that you did not blatantly steal the image - you would pass for derivative art. So, basically - Don't steal images, just use them as inspiration for your own work.

But do not take my word for truth - this is just how i am reading the statement above.

[poinko]

Oh sweet, I'm good at these sorts of things.

Here's one I made for a friend:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...luxray_mat.jpg

[gallade]

can you make me a gallade mat :DDD

[jeffrey123]

Originally Posted by poinko

Oh sweet, I'm good at these sorts of things.

Here's one I made for a friend:
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v1...luxray_mat.jpg

That's SICK!

How did you make that? I want one!!!! Seriously, can you give me step by step instructions and roughly how much itll cost?

:)

[poinko]

Well, I did the art myself, and there are several places you can get them printed. Ultimatedra already posted a whole lot of good info about that, so check out his post.

As for me personally, the printer I used is one I found on another forum, Millhouse Graphics ( http://millhousegraphics.com/ ). They ran me roughly $50 a pop, shipping included. When you first get them, they look really, really good, but their mats crack pretty easily, if you're folding and rolling it up continually. I haven't tried any other printers though, so I really can't recommend any others on personal experience.

EDIT: I'd like to piggyback onto Ultimatedra's post again and point out something that he mentioned in regards to mat size:

Originally Posted by ultimatedra

The image size you will have to send is 1746 x 1026 (24.25 inches by 14.25 inches @ 72 pixels per inch)

If you're making a playmat, I would recommend a minimum of 300 pixels per inch. That makes the total size 7275 x 4275. The reason for this is so your mat picture doesn't get all blown out and fuzzy when it gets printed. You know when you open a picture file and zoom in close and it gets all pixellated? It's the same with printing an image that's too small.