Author Topic: [IC]GMK Baltic (GB is up)  (Read 28814 times)

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Offline kingnestea

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[IC]GMK Baltic (GB is up)
« on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:22:18 »
Update 09/10/2020,

More renders.













---------------------------------------

Update 05/10/2020,

Updated renders rev01 with more accurate color.

---------------------------------------

Dear Geekhackers:

It's been a while, I hope you are all doing well during this difficult time.
Hereby I would like to present to you my latest work GMK Baltic. The name of the set comes from the modifier color RAL 190 60 30 Baltic green.
No fancy inspiration...I wanted to do a low alphas-modifier contrast set with an energetic colorway.
However, the novelty keys are inspired by one of my favorite design style: The Memphis style.
For those who is not familiar with Memphis style, here is some fine words about it.

Quote
The Memphis Style is one of the most instantly recognisable design styles. It's known for its use of bright neon, primary and pastel colors, geometric shapes, and bold, repetitive patterns.

The style is experiencing a resurgence in graphic design and illustration, as the trend for reviving all things eighties and maximalist continues to feel fresh and relevant. 

As the Memphis Style is a mish-mash of various design styles that were popular during the 1980s, it can look a little confused at best, and downright bonkers at worst! It's a real Marmite design style—individuals tend to either completely love it or loathe it.

Whether you think the outlandish designs of the Memphis Style are awesome or simply bad taste, you can’t deny the influence of the Memphis Group on graphic design and interior design today.

Memphis group on Wikipedia

Quote
The Memphis Group was an Italian design and architecture group (active 1981-1987) founded by Ettore Sottsass in 1981 that designed Postmodern furniture, fabrics, ceramics, glass, and metal objects.

The Memphis group's work often incorporated plastic laminate and terrazzo materials and was characterized by ephemeral design featuring colorful and abstract decoration as well as asymmetrical shapes, sometimes arbitrarily alluding to exotic or earlier styles.

The Memphis Group countered the 1970s minimalistic and structured status quo by creating an unusual aesthetic centered around unpredictability and humor.

Now back to keycaps...The colors will all be RAL custom colors.

Base kit:



Memphis Elements:



Spacebars:



Renders:

GMK Baltic on Kira 60 and LXV rendered by Thesiscamper













GMK Baltic on M60-A rendered by MiTo







GMK Baltic on Canoe gen2 rendered by Percent







Color chart:

Modifier: RAL 190 60 30



Alphas: RAL 180 70 40



Legends and accents: RAL 090 80 90



To do:
- Fine tune the base kit
- Salvun artisan
- More renders
- GMK price inquiry
- Define vendors
- GB launching date
« Last Edit: Fri, 08 January 2021, 10:39:27 by kingnestea »

Offline IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES

  • Posts: 1794
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #1 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:24:44 »
This is fantastic.


Offline FaKe_VirTual

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #2 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:27:48 »
I think the read-ability of those yellow legends isn't that great as of right now. It's really hard to read to be honest.
 
Maybe a yellow with more contrast to the turquoise would make it easier.

Offline fropsie

  • Posts: 151
  • Location: Boston, MA
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #3 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:30:15 »
To be completely blunt here. I like what you are trying to go for, but the colors are just a bit harsh on the eye, mostly due to the yellow legends you are using.

Offline Mc Eggroll

  • Posts: 13
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #4 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:32:15 »
I think this looks great! I love how bright it is and the slight change of color for the mods! The novelties are also fun.
Is one of the shifts in the base kit a 2u?
GL with IC!

Offline kingnestea

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #5 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:35:24 »
I think the read-ability of those yellow legends isn't that great as of right now. It's really hard to read to be honest.
 
Maybe a yellow with more contrast to the turquoise would make it easier.

The yellow legends might be hard to read if you look at the thumbnail image, but it definitely has enough contrast if you look at it on the full size image.
I put the RAL color chart of the yellow color on both the alpha color and the modifier color and it looks definitely fine to me.
And I think renders are not 100% accurate, so I always pick my colors from a RAL chart.
That being said, colors are definitely discussable. 
« Last Edit: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:37:23 by kingnestea »

Offline Zeelobby

  • Posts: 926
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #6 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:39:40 »
Sea Green has finally made it to a set. I'm in!

Offline nasp

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #7 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:40:57 »
+1 for ortho or 40's/ortho support :pray:


I can help with kitting if you need it


Offline bubbletea

  • Posts: 13
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #8 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 14:48:28 »
Wow this looks so niiiice. I love the summer-y vibe and surprised it works so well with an e-white case.

Offline DrHigsby

  • Posts: 243
  • The doctor is in.
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #9 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 15:29:05 »
Please add 40s/ortho support. These colors are fantastic!

Offline cijanzen

  • Posts: 604
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #10 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 16:37:23 »
I think the read-ability of those yellow legends isn't that great as of right now. It's really hard to read to be honest.
 
Maybe a yellow with more contrast to the turquoise would make it easier.

The yellow legends might be hard to read if you look at the thumbnail image, but it definitely has enough contrast if you look at it on the full size image.
I put the RAL color chart of the yellow color on both the alpha color and the modifier color and it looks definitely fine to me.
And I think renders are not 100% accurate, so I always pick my colors from a RAL chart.
That being said, colors are definitely discussable.
I agree this is hard to read. My eyes have a hard time with the legend and alpha colours clashing. It doesn’t get better when zooming in either. I think it’s an issue of contrast but I can’t pinpoint the exact problem at this moment. My eyes have a very hard time focusing though. It’s like when you use red text on a green background.

Offline equalunique

  • Posts: 539
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #11 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 16:59:52 »
Please add 40s/ortho support. These colors are fantastic!
+1

Stand-alone 40s/ortho set would be amazeballs.

Offline Rumblehotep

  • Posts: 470
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #12 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 18:00:45 »
Will go well on a red keyboard!

Offline Hanabi

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  • Falling into a black hole.
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #13 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 21:13:18 »
Love this set! Very refreshing and bright!

Offline westb8m

  • Posts: 1
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #14 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 21:46:21 »
Love the greens! Maybe a different yellow would be less harsh on the eyes.

Offline lenznel

  • Posts: 8
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #15 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 22:13:58 »
This is niccccceeee

Offline ReignofLo

  • Posts: 5
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #16 on: Tue, 26 May 2020, 22:40:15 »
I think the read-ability of those yellow legends isn't that great as of right now. It's really hard to read to be honest.
 
Maybe a yellow with more contrast to the turquoise would make it easier.

The yellow legends might be hard to read if you look at the thumbnail image, but it definitely has enough contrast if you look at it on the full size image.
I put the RAL color chart of the yellow color on both the alpha color and the modifier color and it looks definitely fine to me.
And I think renders are not 100% accurate, so I always pick my colors from a RAL chart.
That being said, colors are definitely discussable.
I agree this is hard to read. My eyes have a hard time with the legend and alpha colours clashing. It doesn’t get better when zooming in either. I think it’s an issue of contrast but I can’t pinpoint the exact problem at this moment. My eyes have a very hard time focusing though. It’s like when you use red text on a green background.

I agree as well. There's almost no contrast between the alpha color and the yellow legends.  You have a very vibrant color on top of another vibrant color. I think if you used the darker modifier color as the legend color on the alphas it would be more legible. Or you might find a darker yellow to give more contrast between the two.

Offline Hokabuki

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #17 on: Thu, 28 May 2020, 13:00:26 »
Looks similar to GMK Aero

Offline SMOKEY

  • Posts: 239
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #18 on: Thu, 28 May 2020, 13:57:13 »
Looks similar to GMK Aero

Which should get a new round if you ask me!

But I like this set, too.

Offline Lenux

  • Posts: 102
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #19 on: Thu, 28 May 2020, 14:01:57 »
Hey there !

The keycap set looks lovely, but i think as everyone said before the yellow+cyan is kinda unreadable maybe you should change the tone of the yellow and cyan ??


Anyways it looks nice ! Keep up the work ;)

Offline Vlie

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #20 on: Fri, 29 May 2020, 13:26:19 »
This is niccccceeee

Offline Rob27shred

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #21 on: Fri, 29 May 2020, 13:36:22 »
WOW! I am not usually a fan of the more esoteric themed sets, but this really catches my attention! Not sure what it is about the colors together, but they flow so well, when by all rights they shouldn't! Awesome job Kingnestea!

Offline kingnestea

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #22 on: Sun, 31 May 2020, 03:51:27 »
I'm reconsidering the legends on the alphas although I don't think there is any contrast issue...
It's just like Lime..ppl questioned the contrast too, but I was pretty sure it is fine..
Any suggestion of alphas legend color..?

Offline Hokabuki

  • Posts: 169
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #23 on: Sun, 31 May 2020, 15:02:08 »
I'm reconsidering the legends on the alphas although I don't think there is any contrast issue...
It's just like Lime..ppl questioned the contrast too, but I was pretty sure it is fine..
Any suggestion of alphas legend color..?
SA Lime is a good example. So is GMK Aero. I don’t think the contrast on the legends will be an issue.

Offline IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES

  • Posts: 1794
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #24 on: Sun, 31 May 2020, 16:54:20 »
Like KAM Ghost, GMK Dark, KAT iron (the rust kits) or other sets with non-standard contrast, it's sorta part of the appeal to me.

Offline cijanzen

  • Posts: 604
[IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #25 on: Mon, 01 June 2020, 22:48:27 »
I'm reconsidering the legends on the alphas although I don't think there is any contrast issue...
It's just like Lime..ppl questioned the contrast too, but I was pretty sure it is fine..
Any suggestion of alphas legend color..?
It’s not a contrast issue, it’s a vibrating colours issue.

Offline pixelpusher

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #26 on: Mon, 01 June 2020, 23:06:25 »
I'm reconsidering the legends on the alphas although I don't think there is any contrast issue...
It's just like Lime..ppl questioned the contrast too, but I was pretty sure it is fine..
Any suggestion of alphas legend color..?
It’s not a contrast issue, it’s a vibrating colours issue.

but is that only in additive light models?  So, is it possible that plastic IRL won't have this issue?

gmk aero has yellow on teal and it doesn't have this problem IRL.  Dunno.  I love the sea green color though. 
« Last Edit: Mon, 01 June 2020, 23:21:47 by pixelpusher »

Offline IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES

  • Posts: 1794
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #27 on: Tue, 02 June 2020, 01:06:03 »
I'm reconsidering the legends on the alphas although I don't think there is any contrast issue...
It's just like Lime..ppl questioned the contrast too, but I was pretty sure it is fine..
Any suggestion of alphas legend color..?
It’s not a contrast issue, it’s a vibrating colours issue.

Now that would be a keyset. Handarvibe?

Offline konstantin

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #28 on: Tue, 02 June 2020, 06:57:03 »
Looks like a mod-colored `~ key is missing.

I would also suggest using R4 <> instead of R4 \| for the ISO key in order to avoid a duplicate legend. More on that here.

Feel free to drop the second 1u Ctrl and Alt keys. The second 1u Ctrl is all but useless outside of 40s nowadays, and the second 1u Alt is only needed if you have two 1.5u Super keys (for Mac, HHKB), which you don't.

Offline equalunique

  • Posts: 539
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #29 on: Tue, 02 June 2020, 08:58:21 »
This would look good on the yellow Conundrum 40% but I can't quite tell if it's got all the keys necessary for a Planck.

Offline kingnestea

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #30 on: Tue, 02 June 2020, 11:32:57 »
Looks like a mod-colored `~ key is missing.

I would also suggest using R4 <> instead of R4 \| for the ISO key in order to avoid a duplicate legend. More on that here.

Feel free to drop the second 1u Ctrl and Alt keys. The second 1u Ctrl is all but useless outside of 40s nowadays, and the second 1u Alt is only needed if you have two 1.5u Super keys (for Mac, HHKB), which you don't.

Thanks for the advice, gotta fix the base kit design in the coming future

Offline equalunique

  • Posts: 539
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #31 on: Tue, 02 June 2020, 12:44:15 »
Looks like a mod-colored `~ key is missing.

I would also suggest using R4 <> instead of R4 \| for the ISO key in order to avoid a duplicate legend. More on that here.

Feel free to drop the second 1u Ctrl and Alt keys. The second 1u Ctrl is all but useless outside of 40s nowadays, and the second 1u Alt is only needed if you have two 1.5u Super keys (for Mac, HHKB), which you don't.

Thanks for the advice, gotta fix the base kit design in the coming future
If ortho support is going to happen, then I'll appreciate dual 1u Ctrl and 1u Alt keys (& 1u Shift). The Planck's traditional keymap has only utilized one of those, but with the recent addition of 2x2u space option, the bottom row now has nore possibilities depending on how many R4 1u keys are included.

Offline scoopbb

  • Posts: 271
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #32 on: Tue, 02 June 2020, 13:14:46 »
Looks like a mod-colored `~ key is missing.

I would also suggest using R4 <> instead of R4 \| for the ISO key in order to avoid a duplicate legend. More on that here.

Feel free to drop the second 1u Ctrl and Alt keys. The second 1u Ctrl is all but useless outside of 40s nowadays, and the second 1u Alt is only needed if you have two 1.5u Super keys (for Mac, HHKB), which you don't.

Thanks for the advice, gotta fix the base kit design in the coming future
If ortho support is going to happen, then I'll appreciate dual 1u Ctrl and 1u Alt keys (& 1u Shift). The Planck's traditional keymap has only utilized one of those, but with the recent addition of 2x2u space option, the bottom row now has nore possibilities depending on how many R4 1u keys are included.

the base kit has dual ctrl,alt, super...

Offline kingnestea

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  • Posts: 436
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #33 on: Tue, 02 June 2020, 14:42:42 »
Looks like a mod-colored `~ key is missing.

I would also suggest using R4 <> instead of R4 \| for the ISO key in order to avoid a duplicate legend. More on that here.

Feel free to drop the second 1u Ctrl and Alt keys. The second 1u Ctrl is all but useless outside of 40s nowadays, and the second 1u Alt is only needed if you have two 1.5u Super keys (for Mac, HHKB), which you don't.

Thanks for the advice, gotta fix the base kit design in the coming future
If ortho support is going to happen, then I'll appreciate dual 1u Ctrl and 1u Alt keys (& 1u Shift). The Planck's traditional keymap has only utilized one of those, but with the recent addition of 2x2u space option, the bottom row now has nore possibilities depending on how many R4 1u keys are included.

I do want to provide ortho/40s kit, but the thing is MOQ, I'm not quite sure about the 40s community now, and it only makes sense if this set receive enough interest.
« Last Edit: Tue, 02 June 2020, 14:46:52 by kingnestea »

Offline konstantin

  • Formerly constexpr
  • Posts: 1756
  • Location: Serbia
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic
« Reply #34 on: Tue, 02 June 2020, 15:22:39 »
Looks like a mod-colored `~ key is missing.

I would also suggest using R4 <> instead of R4 \| for the ISO key in order to avoid a duplicate legend. More on that here.

Feel free to drop the second 1u Ctrl and Alt keys. The second 1u Ctrl is all but useless outside of 40s nowadays, and the second 1u Alt is only needed if you have two 1.5u Super keys (for Mac, HHKB), which you don't.

Thanks for the advice, gotta fix the base kit design in the coming future
If ortho support is going to happen, then I'll appreciate dual 1u Ctrl and 1u Alt keys (& 1u Shift). The Planck's traditional keymap has only utilized one of those, but with the recent addition of 2x2u space option, the bottom row now has nore possibilities depending on how many R4 1u keys are included.
Yep, in case of ortho support the second 1u Ctrl and Alt should certainly be included, probably in the 40s/ortho kit, but the runner could also choose to put them in the base kit in order to offset the price of the 40s/ortho kit.
Without ortho support and without 1.5u Supers, those keys are almost useless.

the base kit has dual ctrl,alt, super...
See my quoted post, I suggested removing the duplicate 1u's from the base kit.

Offline kingnestea

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 436
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 05/10/2020: render rev01 with more accurate color)
« Reply #35 on: Mon, 05 October 2020, 10:40:45 »
Update 05/10/2020,

Updated renders rev01 with more accurate colors.

Offline kingnestea

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  • Posts: 436
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 05/10/2020: render rev01 with more accurate color)
« Reply #36 on: Fri, 09 October 2020, 14:01:01 »
Update 09/10/2020,

More renders.













Offline IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES

  • Posts: 1794
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #37 on: Fri, 09 October 2020, 16:37:20 »
Can we get that render background as a deskmat? Or some other deskmat? Love this set.

Offline kingnestea

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 436
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #38 on: Sat, 10 October 2020, 02:28:16 »
Can we get that render background as a deskmat?

Probably yes

Offline Yehuo.

  • Posts: 16
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #39 on: Mon, 19 October 2020, 13:52:25 »
This looks nice, awesome job Kingnestea.I'm in!

Offline Simen

  • Posts: 284
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #40 on: Mon, 19 October 2020, 14:30:33 »
Awesome :thumb: :thumb:

Offline kingnestea

  • Thread Starter
  • Posts: 436
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #41 on: Fri, 23 October 2020, 07:05:16 »

Offline Hyphen

  • Posts: 46
  • Location: Canada
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #42 on: Tue, 27 October 2020, 12:33:35 »
I think the odd contrast is kind of making the set appeal to me more than it normally would. I'm digging it. I do hope there's a Canadian vendor for the GB.

Edit: I also think, though, that my enthusiasm is down to having missed GMK Bellafonte. It was on Drop and I really wasn't feeling paying import/shipping/currency conversion. But I'm still excited for this.
« Last Edit: Tue, 27 October 2020, 12:41:56 by Hyphen »

Offline deepmail

  • Posts: 11
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #43 on: Thu, 29 October 2020, 01:04:29 »
This set looks pristine, I hope this gets the attention it deserves.

Need that extra B tho
« Last Edit: Fri, 30 October 2020, 10:53:50 by deepmail »

Offline Blamby

  • Posts: 119
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #44 on: Mon, 02 November 2020, 06:46:28 »
Very good set, I like it very much

Offline paulgali

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #45 on: Mon, 02 November 2020, 14:51:14 »
I don't know about y'all, but I'm getting NN flashbacks. The yellow alphas differentiate it, but im scared those colors are not going to be what was imagined

Offline worldtour

  • Posts: 13
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #46 on: Thu, 05 November 2020, 13:43:28 »
This does look nice. I'm a fan.

Offline IOVERCALLHISTIOCYTES

  • Posts: 1794
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #47 on: Thu, 05 November 2020, 14:44:22 »
I don't know about y'all, but I'm getting NN flashbacks. The yellow alphas differentiate it, but im scared those colors are not going to be what was imagined

NN never had RAL colors posted. We only had renders to go on. Posting RAL colors isn't foolproof, as previous sets have listed RAL colors, GMK has matched them, and then the designer decided that wasn't the color they wanted. Prior KingNestea sets have looked a lot like the renders, though.

Offline productkun

  • Posts: 135
Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #48 on: Thu, 05 November 2020, 15:24:00 »
I love the colours!

also no 2nd B for alice support?

Offline peachie

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Re: [IC]GMK Baltic (update 09/10/2020: more renders)
« Reply #49 on: Sat, 28 November 2020, 05:33:25 »
tbh as a Lithuanian I blindly clicked a link for GMK "Baltic" expecting the theme to have something to do with Latvia, Lithuania, or Estonia (the Baltic nations) somehow lmao

but I was beyond thrilled with what I actually found on the other side of the url. I have a pension for 80s-90s themes most find "tacky" like bright colorblocking, vintage windreakers (I collect vintage colorblock windbreakers, to that end), and of COURSE memphis prints everywhere.
Now to have it on my keyboard, too (my Key65 is the perfect teal to match this, too, like you made this for me aaaaaaaa)... this is truly the stuff of dreams.
   
the novelties are just so rad, too. cannot wait for this GB :0c
 
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