Poker chip design how-to questions.

[X-Files]

I am new to this board and to the Texas Hold'em Forum and have a couple questions.

I have already ordered chips from Pokerchips.com but I really have loved some of the designs that have been created by people here. I wish I didn't already have my chips ordered and being produced soon or I would have tried to get in on these great designs.

My question is where did you get started on the design? What programs did you use to create the designs or did you just suggest what you wanted and the manufacturer's art department did all of the work?

I would like to try and see if I could come up with a design of my own.

Thanks for your help

[TabascoJRC]

I used photoshop and illustrator and designed everything myself. But I do it for a living so I am quite capable. I also contacted the companies and requested all the exact specifications. Dimensions, Colors etc.

[Damageinc333]

I also used Photoshop, I dont have any formal training on it, But I have used it enough that anything im trying to accomplish i can usually get done. For me I look at a lot of poker chips designed on here as well as poker chip pictures online and saw what I liked and didnt like and built from there. The hardest thing is coming up with a theme or concept.

[Fins]

Looks like many use a combination of their own ideas (or concept) and the chip supplier's graphic artist.

I'm using photoshop also though this is really my first time using the software other than touching up photos etc... a little steeper learning curve than I had imagined but there's a ton of info/tutorials on the web.

I would imagine photoshop's the standard software but I'd think there are others you could use... Adobe Photodeluxe came with my scanner & probably can suffice or even MS Paint as a last resort.

Anyone know of any acceptable freeware/shareware this kind of graphic design?

- Fins