following... very interested in learning more about this. i do graphics for a living and also have a side screen printing gig. always interested in learning more about Pinball graphics. it appears it is WAY trickier than many give it credit for.

I hired a local artist to paint my star trek discovery machine and it came out great. She is doing the playfield soon. She airbrushed and sealed cabinet. I provided her sketches and she killed it. Good luck on your project.

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You could go with the CPR custom shop. Plastics, playfield and backglass.

CPR is expensive but they do it right. Building a custom game is going to be expensive regardless of the route you take. For the body I’d definitely suggest vinyl. The application process really isn’t that difficult. You can get a trans light made for pretty cheap as well. The playfield is where the big money comes in. Not really any way around it.

If you have access to a large vacuum press (many larger picture frame shop will often have one to mount artwork) you can simply use a large format print from FedEx Office, Office Depot, Staples, etc. and have them glue it to your plywood. It's not as nice as a UV print or silkscreen directly on to the plywood, but it'll get the job done and you can clear coat it afterwards.

I used this process to do the playfield on Polynesia (image gallery here: https://pinside.com/pinball/forum/topic/new-tiki-themed-wooden-pop-bumper-caps?gallery#g). Technically it was a variation on the idea above since I glued the paper down first then hand painted the design, but the principle still holds. I also applied my own clear coat using a water based polyurethane that has held up to over 1500 plays and counting (on the floor at TPF in 2018 & 2019, Houston Arcade Expo in 2019, and the lobby of the Dallas Makerspace for months at a time between 2018 and now).

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If you can get someone to Photoshop the graphics (or do it yourself), then how about GameOnGrafix:

https://www.gameongrafix.com/product/pinball-side-and-front-combo/

@Hardsuit: is there a specific polyurethane you can recommend? Do you have a recipe for your clear coat method?

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Rust-Oleum-Parks-Pro-Finisher-1-gal-Crystal-Clear-Satin-Water-Based-Polyurethane-for-Floors-258690/202521739

Strain the poly through a standard paper cone paint filter (4 pack is $1 at Home Depot). 3-4 layered coats using a quality bristle brush following the directions on the container for the timing between coats. Then a light scuff sand with a block using 150 grit sandpaper to remove nibs. Repeat as desired for how thick of a clear you want (personally believe more than 8 coats is excessive for this method). Once build to desired depth, again scuff sand with 220 on a block, then use a foam brush with freshly strained poly 1-2 times for final top coat. Let dry well, then buff as desired. The satin finish as linked above will buff out to a very high polish. I've successfully accelerated the time between coating layers by pointing a fan at the poly after each layer, and can usually start the next layer in under an hour. You do want to wait for at least 6-8 hours before the scuff sand stages, and 24-48 hours before buffing.

A disadvantage to this method/material is that you do not want to drip poly into cupped inserts to level them out, it tends to get a little milky when applied too thickly. Advantages are it's water based with (IMO) minimal odor and no real hazards compared to using auto clear, and that you can easily lightly scuff sand and add another layer on top if needed with minimal issues of blending edges if you get scratches you want to repair.

One 1 gallon container should me enough for 3-4 playfields, so approximate cost per playfield is in the $10 range for the polyurethane, plus another $10 for brushes, filter cones, etc.

Awesome, thanks for the detailed write-up @Hardsuit!!