My New Toy - Full Sized Arcade Machine!

Today I realised a life-long ambition - I got my very own arcade machine!

Here it is in all of it's hideous Euro-cab glory:


I wasn't *looking* to buy a machine at the moment specifically, I was idley looking at Gumtree the other night when I just kind of stumbled on the advert.

The guy wanted rid of it sharpish for some reason or otherso it was only £80! Having done some research, I now know that the game included, "Image Fight" is part of the R-Type series from Irem (same shp as in R-Type Final), and I've seen it for sale for £50 - £60 for the board alone, so I think I got an awesome deal.





Above: "Image Fight" - Irem 1988

The whole thing could do with a bloody good clean, a lick of paint, and the world's most ARSE control panel completely replacing, but I'm still ecstatic!

Behold: The worst control panel of all time! Nasty cheap iluminated buttons (whcich aren't illuminated!) that look like they should be on a fruit machine. This ntire panel will be replaced with Seimetsu L32 or Sanwa JLF sticks, and a nice set of Sanwa buttons... :)



I'll be able to play Puzzle Bobble the way it was meant to be played! I can get Hyper Street Fighter 2! I can play vertical shooters every day without having to be near the scallies in the Trocadero!



ABove: Comedy Spaghetti wiring and dodgy freeplay button hack!

Hope wifey knows what she's let herself in for and doesn't go mental when she gets home!

I'll post more pictures up over the comings weeks as improvments are made. I'm just going to live with it for now until payday, then the cab is being stripped apart, scrubbed and rebuilt.

Eyes of Doom - Painting

Eyes of Doom

All done this evening, 5 hours so far.

For those not overly familiar with comics, this is an eye shot of Doctor Doom.

Filling out the colour now, but gotta head to bed soon.

I'm gonna try silver paint and see if it looks ok, else I'll mix some greys.

12" x 32" - Acrylic on Canvas - 29th July 2008

Cannelini Canneloni - Recipe

Being a smart-arse, I thought Cannelini Canneloni sounded good. Clearly I'd been on some serious drugs at the time as written on the page it is neither big, clever, nor funny. Ah well, tastes good!

Ingredients

250g pack of dried Canneloni tubes
Your favourite tomato based pasta sauce (homemade or shop bought - doesn't matter)
1 can of Cannelini beans
1 Mozarrella Ball - finely diced
50g Cheddar - grated
Olive Oil
Half red Onion - finely chopped
Half bell pepper - finely chopped
3 cloves garlic - chopped
1 veg stock cube - crumbled (Oxo)
Salt & Pepper

Also

Extra grated Cheddar

Method

1. Fry onion, garlic, pepper in Olive oil for 2 mins until softened
   
2. Pour fried mixture into mixing bowl, add both cheeses, veg stock cube, salt and pepper, and can of Cannelini beans - mix
3. Pour a thin layer of tomato pasta sauce across the bottom of ovenproof dish (approx. one third of sauce)
   
4. Using hands, stuff each Canneloni tube with the bean/cheese mixture, then lay into sauced dish, until bottom of dish is full.
5. Cover Canneloni tubes with remainder of tomato pasta sauce
6. Sprinkle with extra grated cheddar
7. Oven for 20 mins @ 200 degrees

Done!

Damsel in Distress - Tryptich - Paintings

Damsel in Distress 1/3

This is a tryptich of close ups, heavily based on the work of Roy Lichtenstein.

This one isn't finished yet, still have to do the edges and complete the hair, but you get the idea.

24" x 24" - Acrylic on Canvas - June 2008

Damsel in Distress 2/3

This is a tryptich of close ups, heavily based on the work of Roy Lichtenstein.

This is the first painting I ever painted as an adult.

I saw something similar online (someone elses ripoff of Lichtenstein), and thought they'd be cool on my wall. Couldn't afford them though, so I thought I'd have a stab at this painting lark myself (I can do anything me).

I think it turned out well for a first attempt, but I need to do some work on the right eye as it looks a bit freaky.

24" x 24" - Acrylic on Canvas - May 2008

Damsel in Distress 3/3

This is a tryptich of close ups, heavily based on the work of Roy Lichtenstein.

I'm really not happy with this one yet. The eyebrow is all wrong, and the eye is far too big. I just can't be arsed to fix it at the mo...

24" x 24" - Acrylic on Canvas - June 2008

3 Bean Chilli - Recipe

Ingredients

1 large potato - cut into chunks
1 carrot - diced
3 cans of beans (red kidney/haricot/pinto etc) - drained
3 cloves garlic - chopped
1 bell pepper - chopped
1 carton pasata
3 Vegetable Stock cubes (Oxo)
Salt & Pepper
1 tablespoon sugar
Teaspoon each of Basil, Oregano, Coriander, Cayenne, Cumin Seeds
Fresh chopped coriander

Method

1. Fry potato, carrot, garlic, bell pepper and onion for two mins
2. Add stock cubes, pasata, herbs and spices, sugar and glass of water
3. Simmer for 5 mins
4. Stir in all Beans and simmer for 5 mins
   
5. Season with salt & pepper, and stir in fresh coriander

Done!

My Spidey Senses are Tingling...

This one is finished. Painting webs when you have no idea what the heck you are doing isn't easy...

12" x 10" - Acrylic on Canvas - July 2008

Lassoo of Truth - Painting

Lassoo of Truth

I still need to do a little work on her left eye - I think it's a bit too big at the mo.

12" x 10" - Acrylic on Canvas - July 2008