# Dirty Pool Podcast – Ep24 – Christopher Franchi (Spooky Pinball Art)

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/dirty-pool-podcast-ep24-christopher-franchi-spooky-pinball-art
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/dirty-pool-podcast-ep24-christopher-franchi-spooky-pinball-art.md
Podcast: [Dirtypool Pinball - PODCAST - An Exploration Of The Pinball Industry](https://stenobird.com/podcast/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087)
Published: 2026-02-05T03:45:52+00:00
Episode link: https://Dirtypoolpinball.podbean.com/e/dirty-pool-podcast-%e2%80%93-ep24-%e2%80%93-christopher-franchi-spooky-pinball-art/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/oab0be62udi3147d/yt_video_3yPvvL4yUYs_v8zjdk.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/dirtypool-pinball-podcast-an-exploration-of-the-pinball-industry-7329087/episodes/dirty-pool-podcast-ep24-christopher-franchi-spooky-pinball-art
Duration seconds: 3802

## Resource

Pinball artist Christopher Franchi joins the show to talk about designing art for fast-moving, physical games where nothing stays still and everything has to read instantly. We get into how pinball’s mechanical constraints shape composition, how Spooky Pinball’s visual identity comes together, and why horror themes only work when restraint is part of the design. Franchi breaks down collaboration with designers and programmers, what gets lost between concept and production, and the small visual decisions most players never consciously notice—but always feel.@ZombieYetiStudios if you watch this you're so obviously not a pussy and I just really want you on my podcast!!!!!!🔺 Praise the Great Pyramid:📡 Twitch twitch.tv/dirtypoolpinball📺 YouTube youtube.com/@DirtyPoolPinball📷 Instagram instagram.com/dirtypoolpinball📘 Facebook facebook.com/dirtypoolpinball🔊 Discord discord.gg/ySs5Wjb3Je00:00:00 - Cold open chaos, wrong screen, and welcoming Franchi to the podcast00:01:10 - Running down Franchi’s pinball art history starting with Batman 6600:02:20 - Working with Lyman Sheets and understanding his legacy in pinball00:03:20 - Losing Lyman and what that meant to the pinball ecosystem00:03:55 - Jumping into newer games and starting the conversation with Beetlejuice00:04:35 - Color theory, restraint, and why Evil Dead’s palette actually works00:05:45 - Trial and error in Photoshop and knowing when colors fail00:06:40 - Widebody playfields and why they don’t feel bigger while designing00:07:55 - Designing around lower playfields and broken-up real estate00:08:45 - Viewer question about formal art training versus being self-taught00:09:20 - High school awards, scholarships, and getting kicked out at seventeen00:11:00 - Being forced to grow up fast and losing access to formal art educ…

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## Transcript

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