Post by: retrochick on Sat, 18 July 2015, 16:41:14
Curiosity got the better of me and I've decided to try my hand at keycap making. I've seen a lot of great work crop up recently and felt really inspired by some of the artisans on here (namely Bro, Binge, Booper, and Whizzard) and plus, I wanted to learn a few things about sculpting, mold-making, and resin casting. Additionally, there is a wealth of information on here about how to best go about making keycaps, so I figured I'd give it a shot.
I have a lifetime love of drawing and sketching, so I figured I would also enjoy sculpting. It's a medium I've never really explored, however there is always a first for everything!
I drew up a few keycap inspirations and ordered some Super Sculpey and some tools. As I await some thick blank pbts from Singapore (thanks Gutz!), I decided to prototype out one of my keycap designs. I've found that I tend to prefer harder clays - Super Sculpey gives a nice range of flexibility when it comes to malleability: it warms up and softens nicely, however it can also harden up a bit and still allow you to sculpt the finer details. It's extremely versatile and I like that I can go back and refine the design with no 'hard-stop.' This is especially important in the first design/prototype phase.
Here is my initial design of a keycap:
[attach=1]
I've always loved the idea of a fantasy figure keycap and am a sucker for all things weird/strange. I have a few other ideas along similar veins that I'm looking to explore as well. :eek:
I also enjoy sculpting more lifelike/humanoid forms because they are easily relatable. I'd like introduce Goyle, my goblin to everyone:
[attach=5]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
I am about 70% satisfied with how he came out (I decided to forgo the conehead) - there are still lots of adjustments to be made (ears, nose, etc), however I wanted to share and document my progress. Once the keycaps arrive I'll proceed to adapt Goyle to his keycap base and I'm sure there will need to be adjustments to accomodate the form of the keycap. I just wanted to get an overall undestanding of sculpting something and how to treat a 3d object as opposed to a 2d object. You have to consider each and every angle and make sure it looks acceptable. I think that's the hardest part - adapting my designs to multiple perspectives.
Overall this has been a pretty fun experience so far. I know this is just the beginning - there's still TONs to learn about mold-making and resin casting. If any of you have any advice or tips, I'll gladly take it!
TLDR;
I like drawing and decided to make some keycaps.
[UPDATE 9-13-15]
New Keycap design! I'm proud to present to you:
SHARPEI BÉRET! :)
[attach=6]
[attach=7]
[UPDATE 10-12-15]
Casted some caps! Crappy potato pics below:
Sharpei Béret
[attach=8]
Frank N Cap
[attach=9]
Cold Yeti
[attach=10]
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 18 July 2015, 16:43:01
Post by: ImpendingxDoom on Sat, 18 July 2015, 16:47:42
Looking forward to seeing the end result
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sat, 18 July 2015, 16:49:03
Post by: ironpup on Sat, 18 July 2015, 17:31:23
Post by: Booper on Sat, 18 July 2015, 17:36:30
I'm not a pro, but I know a few things about the process! Feel free to ask if you have any questions about casting, and keep up the good work! I'm eager to see this thread develop. :thumb:
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 18 July 2015, 19:56:38
Looks like a great start, unfortunate clay colour though - it looks more chubby baby face than goblin at first glance :))
Haha I know. The beige clay was the only one on sale so I bought it. Once I start casting I'll be aiming for a trans or neon green color for the goblin :).
Post by: rm-rf on Sat, 18 July 2015, 19:59:45
Post by: CPTBadAss on Sat, 18 July 2015, 22:05:41
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sun, 19 July 2015, 05:14:33
Thanks you guys for your kind words! And thanks to Doom and Booper for your generosity! I'm sure I'll be asking a lot of questions once I get to the molding/casting phase!Looks like a great start, unfortunate clay colour though - it looks more chubby baby face than goblin at first glance :))
Haha I know. The beige clay was the only one on sale so I bought it. Once I start casting I'll be aiming for a trans or neon green color for the goblin :).
Excellent, I like caps in appropriate colours :thumb:
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 21 July 2015, 23:22:46
[attach=1][attach=2][attach=3][attach=4][attach=5][attach=6][attach=7]
Still need to test fitment (whether or not the ears will interfere with the other neighboring keycaps), and needs some more refinement.
Progress it's getting there. :))
In other news I'll probably drive down to Harbor Freight this weekend and get some pressure pot/vacuum supplies. :eek:
Post by: v0idtek on Tue, 21 July 2015, 23:44:26
Post by: zazie_rx on Wed, 22 July 2015, 09:47:06
Post by: whizzard on Thu, 23 July 2015, 06:47:46
If you have any questions, feel free to message me. This hobby is about trial and error to start with, so don't ever be upset if casts don't come out right at first. I have a jar on my desk FULL of duds, at least 100 probably more... luckily since our parts are so small, it doesn't break the bank on resin to keep trying new methods and ideas. Be ready to make a mess as well, I am clean as possible and my hands are still always get stained some different color. You have the right idea working on a craft mat... be prepared to get tons of stuff stuck to it!
You have the right idea about starting with some kind of idea of what you want to sculpt (the sketching)... I do that and it helps so much. I know you like the sculpey... but if you want to try something a bit different, look into epoxy putty. A lot of designers find it too hard to work with, but since I practiced with it a lot I love it and I can't go back to clay. It is used by sculptors to create miniatures (like tiny figures) so it has its advantages in making keycaps. My favorite brand is called "Procreate" and you can find it on Amazon. It is like 20 bucks for a packet of it, but it lasts forever. I have made tons of little sclupts and I am not even 1/3 of the way thru the material. Once you learn to work with it you can do some really fun stuff.
Once you make some clean casts of your design there I want one!! I know he is a goblin, but since you used that color he looks like an angry old man to me :) (with some crazy teeth) I love it.
Post by: whizzard on Thu, 23 July 2015, 06:59:29
In other news I'll probably drive down to Harbor Freight this weekend and get some pressure pot/vacuum supplies. :eek:
Just a note on the pressure pot... if you are working indoors, you might want to invest in an air compressor that is designed to be quiet. I ended up ordering one made by California Air Tools. The compressors at Harbor Freight are unspeakably loud. Again shoot me a message with any questions... if there is a mistake to be made when doing this hobby, I have made it ;)
edit: the level of detail you achieved on this key using sculpey is amazing! You must have small and steady hands :thumb:
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 23 July 2015, 22:22:02
I will for sure try and get a quiet air compressor - I'll likely be doing this in my garage, however it's still nice to not disturb your neighbors.
As for sculpey, I'm not bonded to it by any means - and actually having worked with it for a bit now I would say it's still a tad too soft for my tastes. I want to be able to carve finer details and am struggling with executing that with clay. I may have to give epoxy putty a try! I will still prototype with sculpey, as it has no set time so I can always go back and refine my designs indefinitely. Thank you for the recommendation - you're awesome. And I was totally going to surprise you with the goblin keycap once I had a good one, but you beat me to the surprise :D.
In other news, I ran into some fitment issues with my latest sculpt, so I went back to the drawing board on how to best translate my goblin onto a keycap. The latest prototype was too big, as his ears and neck fat were interfering with neighboring keycaps. So, I've gone with this design which does not interfere with the other neighboring keycaps:
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
[attach=4] some details of the forehead
[attach=5] here you can see it next to the last prototype
The sizing is much better, and I feel pretty good about where the keycap is finally headed.
I think I've reached (from a design standpoint) a happy compromise between staying true to the original concept while making adjustments to make it fit properly on a keycap. I have to work with the keycap, not against it.
I did have one question that I'm hoping some fellow makers can answer:
What's the purpose of partially filling in the bottom of the keycap where the stem is? Is it for structural purposes to make the keycap more stable?
Also, yes, I do have small hands and they totally come in handy when it comes to sculpting tiny things! (Bad joke, sorry folks) ^-^
Post by: KatzenKinder on Fri, 24 July 2015, 00:50:19
I think it blends well with the shape of the cap; I think it's easy sometimes to just pile stuff on top and not really integrate the form into the cap, but I think you've done a good job with this sculpt.
Post by: whizzard on Fri, 24 July 2015, 01:22:24
I did have one question that I'm hoping some fellow makers can answer:
What's the purpose of partially filling in the bottom of the keycap where the stem is? Is it for structural purposes to make the keycap more stable?
Yes you have it, helps with stability. It also gives the key a little more weight and feels more well made and less flimsy. You also don't want the stem too long or it might break or warp. That's why I make sure to have a nice little fill anyhow.
And I see you ran into the old clearance problem. Looks like you dealt with it pretty well. Not easy when you are molding on top of a cap... is that what your doing? Because you cant really use the little bit of space that is vacant on the inside part of the cap. If you look at my angry cap, you can see how I tried using the clearance problem to my advantage by working inwards instead of outwards. You don't really notice it much with the naked eye, but you can get away with a lot more stuff on the top of the key than you can on the bottom. Unless you work in like I said earlier, the bottom 1/4 or so can't be built on barely at all or it will rub with it's neighbor and have clearance issues.
Here is a pic of my second sculpt.. it was "Biggie Smalls". I snapped a pic next to a standard keycap for scale so u see what I mean. I loved it, but had to scrap it immediately as I was so far off on clearance (being new) that it was basically un-recoverable. Yep so keep clearance in mind and try to use it to your advantage .... keep it up :thumb:
Fail:
More
(http://www.adamfalwell.com/projects/lootkeys/biggie.jpg)
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 24 July 2015, 20:31:41
Hint 2: Painting the inside of the stem prior to making your mold helps significantly with fitment.
Word of advice: If you do buy a pressure pot, avoid Harbor Freight and get something legit.
Post by: ImpendingxDoom on Fri, 24 July 2015, 21:07:20
Word of advice: If you do buy a pressure pot, avoid Harbor Freight and get something legit.
No joke.
Highly recommend a rated pot. Its basically a bomb that you keep in your house.
Post by: retrochick on Fri, 24 July 2015, 22:59:05
To answer your question, yes I'm sculpting on top of the cap. It's given me a pretty limited canvas to work on as is, so instead of working in, I decided to work up and out ever so slightly. In the future I may sand down the sides as Nubs suggested, and use epoxy or clay to bulk up the sides from the inside. A belt sander would take care of that pretty well in a jiffy.
p.s. love the biggie smalls. You should cast it in resin anyway and use it as a desk charm hehe.
I am looking into a used Binks from CL or a pot from Grizzly (http://www.amazon.com/Grizzly-H6329-Paint-Gauges-37288-Gallon/dp/B0007D2D7I) (not ASME rated, however) or one from CA Technologies. The Grizzly has way better clamps on the lid than the Harbor Freight one. So far that's the last piece of the puzzle I'm still trying to figure out.
I will make sure to fill in the bottom of the cap before I make my mold. I'm probably going to do so with clay, however I just thought it would be cool to 3D print that part and just 'slide' it in once you're done with your sculpt. Of course, there would be several models to use, depending ono the keycap base profile and manufacturer, e.g. GMK Cherry, SP DSA, etc. Does that make any sense? I'm a bit weird when it comes to explaining things sometimes.
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 24 July 2015, 23:04:36
I will make sure to fill in the bottom of the cap before I make my mold. I'm probably going to do so with clay, however I just thought it would be cool to 3D print that part and just 'slide' it in once you're done with your sculpt. Of course, there would be several models to use, depending ono the keycap base profile and manufacturer, e.g. GMK Cherry, SP DSA, etc. Does that make any sense? I'm a bit weird when it comes to explaining things sometimes.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69433.0
It's on haitus, but I plan on refining the Topre and BS part.
Post by: whizzard on Sat, 25 July 2015, 11:34:04
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69433.0
It's on haitus, but I plan on refining the Topre and BS part.
That is pretty ingenious!
Nubb and Doom are right on the pressure pot. Harbor Freight only has one that is used for painting houses I think. It is not cheap and not really right for what your trying to do. One issue is the size of it, so it takes longer to pressurize than one made for doing this (among others). And always be careful working with air pressure and pressure pots, it is no joke and really does become a bomb. :eek:
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 25 July 2015, 21:27:09
Post by: retrochick on Sun, 26 July 2015, 12:11:56
Also Nubs, that's pretty great! The Topre and BS swappable would be amazing. At the very least, Topre :thumb:I will make sure to fill in the bottom of the cap before I make my mold. I'm probably going to do so with clay, however I just thought it would be cool to 3D print that part and just 'slide' it in once you're done with your sculpt. Of course, there would be several models to use, depending ono the keycap base profile and manufacturer, e.g. GMK Cherry, SP DSA, etc. Does that make any sense? I'm a bit weird when it comes to explaining things sometimes.
https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=69433.0
It's on haitus, but I plan on refining the Topre and BS part.
Post by: retrochick on Mon, 03 August 2015, 10:46:39
Post by: suicidal_orange on Tue, 04 August 2015, 03:00:04
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 04 August 2015, 10:44:26
So how did it go, if it did? Do I need to add you to my (purely mental for now) list of cap makers yet? :)
Soon! Trying to find a color appropriate resin and trying to devise a method of delivering the resin in the tiny pour holes I made :blank: :blank:
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 06 August 2015, 12:07:01
Also, I molded uncured sculpey because I didn't feel like sacrificing my imsto thick pbt esc. key just yet. The mold turned out fine :thumb:.
Also, I got a paint pressure pot that I will attempt to convert into a pressure pot this weekend! It's a used brand (binks I think?) and not from Harbor Freight. Yay! I'll have a better update this weekend hopefully.
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 06 August 2015, 12:36:44
The water caused the resin to foam and froth violently and now there are chunks of weird gunky resin stuck to both sides of my mold.
Anything water based tends to react aggressively with most resins out there. Alcohol based pigments can work, but some make for a softer cure (also depending on the resin).
Post by: suicidal_orange on Thu, 06 August 2015, 12:42:15
Post by: retrochick on Fri, 07 August 2015, 11:38:13
The water caused the resin to foam and froth violently and now there are chunks of weird gunky resin stuck to both sides of my mold.
Anything water based tends to react aggressively with most resins out there. Alcohol based pigments can work, but some make for a softer cure (also depending on the resin).
Thanks for the info Nubs. I'm using just the regular Alumnite Casting Resin (white). I think I might head over to my local art store this weekend and pick up some alcohol based dye. Do you know if this resin will cure soft with alcohol dye?
Got the first half of my mold made last night - I made some minor adjustments to the sculpt (no one will know the difference anyway :blank:) and made the clay base smoother by rolling it out with a rolling pin. I will cast the stem part of the mold tonight. Hopefully that'll give me the whole weekend to cast resin. :eek:
Post by: nubbinator on Fri, 07 August 2015, 11:40:49
Post by: Meika on Fri, 07 August 2015, 12:29:06
I have been using sculpeys for my minis and it does get pretty mushy when you overknead it. Airing it out hardens it a little (or literally putting it inside the freezer lol). I'm learning a lot from you guys! And resin is very tricky too! if you put anything in it, that'll create bubbles. I've tried using resin before with my mini bottles and you have no idea how crazy the bubble gets.
Anyway looking forward to your work! It looks pretty good so far, mainly because good design and skill :thumb:
Post by: retrochick on Sun, 09 August 2015, 13:50:06
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
As you can see, lots of air bubbles. I don't think I'll be able to cast these perfectly without a pressure pot. I'll need to get that set up asap. If anyone is feeling bored, feel free to send me your set up technical notes. I'm converting a used pressure paint pot.
Post by: Meika on Sun, 09 August 2015, 15:10:17
I was able to cast some keycaps last night. To keep everyone updated, I made some topre fn & esc molds. The casts from these molds came out better than the goblin mold - I'm still getting big bubbles and the stem part of the mold is still really fragile. Anywho, here are some pics of a set that I deem 'acceptable b-stock' from a hand-cast/pour:
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
As you can see, lots of air bubbles. I don't think I'll be able to cast these perfectly without a pressure pot. I'll need to get that set up asap. If anyone is feeling bored, feel free to send me your set up technical notes. I'm converting a used pressure paint pot.
I'm envious.
The top part looks pretty solid. There may be some air bubbles at the bottom but you pretty much got the base worked out. Have you tried using heat with your resins to lift the bubbles?
Sorry for the noob question since i really am one in this area :(
Post by: retrochick on Sun, 09 August 2015, 21:10:25
Bad news: ruined my bottom mold, again. Because the pesky stem part stuck to the resin when trying to extract it. Okay, who has tips for this? Should I do some sort of modification? It's so annoying having to recast that stem part of the mold... :mad:
Here's some pics:
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
[attach=5]
I see a lot of bubbles - but not too bad for something done sans pressure. I'll probably start focusing on getting the proper set up before doing more casts. Also, stay tuned for goblin v2! :eek:
I'm envious.
The top part looks pretty solid. There may be some air bubbles at the bottom but you pretty much got the base worked out. Have you tried using heat with your resins to lift the bubbles?
Sorry for the noob question since i really am one in this area :(
Thanks! No I haven't tried using heat - what method would you suggest to get rid of the bubbles? Something like an oven?
Post by: Meika on Sun, 09 August 2015, 21:48:07
Good news: got a decent cast of goblin Goyle.
Bad news: ruined my bottom mold, again. Because the pesky stem part stuck to the resin when trying to extract it. Okay, who has tips for this? Should I do some sort of modification? It's so annoying having to recast that stem part of the mold... :mad:
Here's some pics:
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I see a lot of bubbles - but not too bad for something done sans pressure. I'll probably start focusing on getting the proper set up before doing more casts. Also, stay tuned for goblin v2! :eek:I'm envious.
The top part looks pretty solid. There may be some air bubbles at the bottom but you pretty much got the base worked out. Have you tried using heat with your resins to lift the bubbles?
Sorry for the noob question since i really am one in this area :(
Thanks! No I haven't tried using heat - what method would you suggest to get rid of the bubbles? Something like an oven?
For the stem, it would help a lot I think if you use a releasing agent on the stems so it won't stick to the resin since that part is small and tricky. Might want to give it a try. (you can apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly just on the stem)
For the heat, when I watched the tutorials in youtube of resin charms, using a lighter near the resin actually raises the bubbles upward and pops them (or you can pop it using a toothpick). As far as I know resin isn't really flammable so holding it close should be okay. Just make sure not to burn your mold though.
I hope it helps!
Post by: whizzard on Mon, 10 August 2015, 16:40:44
On another note, you really should give epoxy putty (ProCreate) a shot as a sculpting material. Even if you don't like it and stop using it you owe it to yourself to try it out. It is designed for people who sculpt miniatures, which is close to what we are doing. Your clay sculpts look so amazing I can only imagine if you used putty. If you are just starting out you can get experience using putty as a medium and just perfect it. You can also do your sculpts in layers or bit by bit. It does harden after a few hours, but I find that to be a great asset, because you can sand it down or do whatever with it after you sculpt it. If you use a little water on your tool, you can work with it for a long time. Once it hardens you don't have to be as delicate with the prototype to avoid fingerprints, dents, mistakes and stuff when working with it. I am beating a dead horse a bit, but I love the stuff for cap sculpting and modding, and never really use clay at all anymore. One packet lasts forever as well, I have used it so much and still have only used about 20% of the little package of it. Of all the tips I would give to someone starting this, using putty would be my first suggestion. Not saying clay is a bad medium, it does the job for sure, but it is more useful in larger sculptures in my opinion. OK I will shut up about putty now ;)
Think about it for your next sculpt, this one looks amazing! No idea how you got that as nicely as you did with no pressure or vacuum... pretty incredible. Keep it up ;D
Post by: retrochick on Mon, 10 August 2015, 20:33:18
Here's some pics of the topre keycaps on my HHKB:
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
Post by: nubbinator on Mon, 10 August 2015, 20:36:00
Post by: whizzard on Mon, 10 August 2015, 20:58:01
Mold release only does so much. Another huge thing is timing. Leave a cast in too long and it can cause issues even with mold release. Don't leave it in long enough and you can throw your stem out of whack.
Yea completely agree. With the two part resins timing the pot life and de-mold time is very important as far as getting a clean cast.
Post by: Zorberema on Tue, 11 August 2015, 14:14:47
Mold release only does so much. Another huge thing is timing. Leave a cast in too long and it can cause issues even with mold release. Don't leave it in long enough and you can throw your stem out of whack.
Yea completely agree. With the two part resins timing the pot life and de-mold time is very important as far as getting a clean cast.
Oh, I haven't encountered this yet; what happens if you leave the caps in too long?
Post by: KatzenKinder on Thu, 13 August 2015, 18:08:03
Mold release only does so much. Another huge thing is timing. Leave a cast in too long and it can cause issues even with mold release. Don't leave it in long enough and you can throw your stem out of whack.
Yea completely agree. With the two part resins timing the pot life and de-mold time is very important as far as getting a clean cast.
Oh, I haven't encountered this yet; what happens if you leave the caps in too long?
Sometimes the resin is a little too brittle to cleanly remove the excess resin without damaging the cap. Haven't had any other problems that I can think of from leaving it in too long.
Post by: nubbinator on Thu, 13 August 2015, 18:10:13
Mold release only does so much. Another huge thing is timing. Leave a cast in too long and it can cause issues even with mold release. Don't leave it in long enough and you can throw your stem out of whack.
Yea completely agree. With the two part resins timing the pot life and de-mold time is very important as far as getting a clean cast.
Oh, I haven't encountered this yet; what happens if you leave the caps in too long?
Sometimes the resin is a little too brittle to cleanly remove the excess resin without damaging the cap. Haven't had any other problems that I can think of from leaving it in too long.
The resin can start to grip the mold even with mold release.
Post by: KatzenKinder on Thu, 13 August 2015, 18:12:02
Mold release only does so much. Another huge thing is timing. Leave a cast in too long and it can cause issues even with mold release. Don't leave it in long enough and you can throw your stem out of whack.
Yea completely agree. With the two part resins timing the pot life and de-mold time is very important as far as getting a clean cast.
Oh, I haven't encountered this yet; what happens if you leave the caps in too long?
Sometimes the resin is a little too brittle to cleanly remove the excess resin without damaging the cap. Haven't had any other problems that I can think of from leaving it in too long.
The resin can start to grip the mold even with mold release.
Ooo. How long into the cure are we talking about? I don't think I've left a batch in for more than like 12 hours, while I usually demold at about 2.5 hours with the resin I'm currently using.
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 13 August 2015, 19:34:27
Post by: Zorberema on Fri, 14 August 2015, 05:55:30
Mold release only does so much. Another huge thing is timing. Leave a cast in too long and it can cause issues even with mold release. Don't leave it in long enough and you can throw your stem out of whack.
Yea completely agree. With the two part resins timing the pot life and de-mold time is very important as far as getting a clean cast.
Oh, I haven't encountered this yet; what happens if you leave the caps in too long?
Sometimes the resin is a little too brittle to cleanly remove the excess resin without damaging the cap. Haven't had any other problems that I can think of from leaving it in too long.
The resin can start to grip the mold even with mold release.
Ooo. How long into the cure are we talking about? I don't think I've left a batch in for more than like 12 hours, while I usually demold at about 2.5 hours with the resin I'm currently using.
I accidentaly left a very small amount of resin from a failed stem while molding my latest cap. The cap itself stuck to the underside so hard that I accidentaly removed it from the upper part just by pulling (something that normally takes a lot of wiggling and pulling). After I finally managed to remove it, the leftover resin had stuck to the mold, and while removing it i accidentaly destroyed half of my mold in the process... The other half is still fine, but I'll have to remake the destroyed mold tonight. 0/10, would not do again.
Post by: Zorberema on Fri, 14 August 2015, 06:43:57
We should compile all the demold times plus the type of resin people are using into a google spreadsheet so others can use it as a reference/guideline for demold times of different resins.
That's actually a really good idea!
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 29 August 2015, 14:12:17
So far I'm just exploring different techniques. I'm quickly going through my bottles of aluminite resin and will probably look to get some smooth on 300 for my next batch to see if the resin dries harder.
Also got some apoxie sculpt and really enjoying what that has to offer! Will update soon with new designs and such :thumb:
Post by: RoastPotatoes on Sat, 29 August 2015, 14:47:01
Post by: CPTBadAss on Sat, 29 August 2015, 15:03:11
Post by: retrochick on Sun, 30 August 2015, 13:43:57
Post by: tinymakesthings on Sun, 30 August 2015, 18:32:56
One day I'll find the time and resources to do this...
Do you think one has to have some relative artistic ability to be able to sculpt something? I don't have drawing or sketching or any artistic (though I have dabbled in graphic design but that is kinda different) skills that I can draw upon (pun not intended haha).
Post by: Binge on Sun, 30 August 2015, 21:41:44
Please do not take this advice. Resin is not combustible but it gasses at relatively low temperature. The fumes will do irreparable damage to lung tissue...Good news: got a decent cast of goblin Goyle.
Bad news: ruined my bottom mold, again. Because the pesky stem part stuck to the resin when trying to extract it. Okay, who has tips for this? Should I do some sort of modification? It's so annoying having to recast that stem part of the mold... :mad:
Here's some pics:
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I see a lot of bubbles - but not too bad for something done sans pressure. I'll probably start focusing on getting the proper set up before doing more casts. Also, stay tuned for goblin v2! :eek:I'm envious.
The top part looks pretty solid. There may be some air bubbles at the bottom but you pretty much got the base worked out. Have you tried using heat with your resins to lift the bubbles?
Sorry for the noob question since i really am one in this area :(
Thanks! No I haven't tried using heat - what method would you suggest to get rid of the bubbles? Something like an oven?
For the stem, it would help a lot I think if you use a releasing agent on the stems so it won't stick to the resin since that part is small and tricky. Might want to give it a try. (you can apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly just on the stem)
For the heat, when I watched the tutorials in youtube of resin charms, using a lighter near the resin actually raises the bubbles upward and pops them (or you can pop it using a toothpick). As far as I know resin isn't really flammable so holding it close should be okay. Just make sure not to burn your mold though.
I hope it helps!
Post by: ImpendingxDoom on Mon, 31 August 2015, 10:39:25
Please do not take this advice. Resin is not combustible but it gasses at relatively low temperature. The fumes will do irreparable damage to lung tissue...Good news: got a decent cast of goblin Goyle.
Bad news: ruined my bottom mold, again. Because the pesky stem part stuck to the resin when trying to extract it. Okay, who has tips for this? Should I do some sort of modification? It's so annoying having to recast that stem part of the mold... :mad:
Here's some pics:
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I see a lot of bubbles - but not too bad for something done sans pressure. I'll probably start focusing on getting the proper set up before doing more casts. Also, stay tuned for goblin v2! :eek:I'm envious.
The top part looks pretty solid. There may be some air bubbles at the bottom but you pretty much got the base worked out. Have you tried using heat with your resins to lift the bubbles?
Sorry for the noob question since i really am one in this area :(
Thanks! No I haven't tried using heat - what method would you suggest to get rid of the bubbles? Something like an oven?
For the stem, it would help a lot I think if you use a releasing agent on the stems so it won't stick to the resin since that part is small and tricky. Might want to give it a try. (you can apply a thin layer of petroleum jelly just on the stem)
For the heat, when I watched the tutorials in youtube of resin charms, using a lighter near the resin actually raises the bubbles upward and pops them (or you can pop it using a toothpick). As far as I know resin isn't really flammable so holding it close should be okay. Just make sure not to burn your mold though.
I hope it helps!
QFT
Respirator is never a bad idea
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 10 September 2015, 23:40:37
Thanks Anson and RP for your support. And thanks tinymakesthings for your kind words. To answer your question, I think artistic ability certainly helps, however it's not a prerequisite for making keycaps. I just say if you want to give it a shot to go for it! There's a lot of other techniques to master besides keycap sculpting, and that's half the battle. Just know that it's pretty fun and you can always hone/develop your artistic abilities as you go along.
And big thanks to Binge and Doom for the advice on respirators and not heating resin haphazardly! I was so excited to see you commenting in my thread Binge - your keycaps and designs are a HUGE inspriation.
I got some apoxie sculpt and am really excited with how well it retains tiny details. I'm going to updating my goblin design as well as working on another bonus design.
I've also been building my pressure pot system. So far I have a used Binks pain pressure pot that I'll be cleaning up and converting. I replaced the safety valve and gasket, now I'm just waiting on the lid gasket replacement part to come in before I can start hooking things up.
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sun, 13 September 2015, 04:45:20
Looking forward to seeing some bubble free Goblin Goyle's soon :)
Post by: trenzafeeds on Sun, 13 September 2015, 08:46:11
Post by: retrochick on Sun, 13 September 2015, 16:20:40
I jammed on a keycap idea I had, didn't turn out quite as I expected, however I turned my lemons into lemonade and am really excited to present to you...
SHARPEI BÉRET!
[attach=1]
Having a lot of fun with apoxie sculpt. Its now curing and then I can test fitment. *crosses fingers*. I'll go ahead and update the OP as well. :cool:
Post by: joey on Sun, 13 September 2015, 16:25:29
Post by: retrochick on Sun, 13 September 2015, 16:29:13
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sat, 19 September 2015, 11:45:04
Edit: thanks suicidal orange and trenza for your kind words! I'm glad you like them. Definitely going for the hand-sculpted feel as opposed to the clear cut 'robot' look.
I jammed on a keycap idea I had, didn't turn out quite as I expected, however I turned my lemons into lemonade and am really excited to present to you...
SHARPEI BÉRET!
(Attachment Link)
Having a lot of fun with apoxie sculpt. Its now curing and then I can test fitment. *crosses fingers*. I'll go ahead and update the OP as well. :cool:
Wow, that's really taking it to another level!
Would you care to share the inspiration behind such a random design? :)
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 22 September 2015, 23:32:38
Edit: thanks suicidal orange and trenza for your kind words! I'm glad you like them. Definitely going for the hand-sculpted feel as opposed to the clear cut 'robot' look.
I jammed on a keycap idea I had, didn't turn out quite as I expected, however I turned my lemons into lemonade and am really excited to present to you...
SHARPEI BÉRET!
(Attachment Link)
Having a lot of fun with apoxie sculpt. Its now curing and then I can test fitment. *crosses fingers*. I'll go ahead and update the OP as well. :cool:
Wow, that's really taking it to another level!
Would you care to share the inspiration behind such a random design? :)
I started out with the intention of sculpting a rat (part of my zodiac keycap series). Alas I couldn't quite get the perspective right (but I will soon revisit this) so I decided to go with what I already had (the apoxie was drying fast) and to me it looked like a sharpei/chow mix of some sort. I thought it would be cute if he had a beret, so I put a hat on him. I think I really like incorporating anthropomorphism in my keycaps and will continue to do so in my future work and designs :thumb:.
Also, the right gasket for my binks pot *finally* arrived. Time to start incorporating pressure into my casts! :cool:
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 26 September 2015, 12:19:16
1. Cold Yeti
He has a scarf because he gets cold all the time.
[attach=1][attach=2][attach=3]
2. Frankencap
Work in progress. In celebration of Haloween, I decided to do a fun sculpt of the classic.
[attach=4][attach=5][attach=6]
Post by: suicidal_orange on Wed, 30 September 2015, 03:12:47
Post by: thaddeus on Wed, 30 September 2015, 10:31:52
Post by: retrochick on Wed, 30 September 2015, 12:30:03
You've definitely got the sculpting part sorted, I just hope your casting is as good. My board needs more oversize teeth :)
Really enjoy seeing your progress here, retro. The Frankencap is sick :p What color are you thinking for the cast? I want a toxic green!
Thanks guys! I'm slowly working on casting. There were some major hiccups with my homemade solution so I'm going to have to spend the big $$$ and get a proper and safe setup.
Not sure which colors I'll use for Frank N. Cap, but it'll be Halloween inspired for sure!
Speaking of Frank, here's a few potato pics of the final design.
[attach=1][attach=2]
Post by: thaddeus on Thu, 01 October 2015, 00:15:03
You've definitely got the sculpting part sorted, I just hope your casting is as good. My board needs more oversize teeth :)Really enjoy seeing your progress here, retro. The Frankencap is sick :p What color are you thinking for the cast? I want a toxic green!
Thanks guys! I'm slowly working on casting. There were some major hiccups with my homemade solution so I'm going to have to spend the big $$$ and get a proper and safe setup.
Not sure which colors I'll use for Frank N. Cap, but it'll be Halloween inspired for sure!
Speaking of Frank, here's a few potato pics of the final design.
[attach=1][attach=2]
Lovely. They eyes and hair look more detailed. Though, it could just be the better quality pic.
What about Frank N's electrode/bolt things? He's still badass without them, but they seem like staple identifiers :p
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 01 October 2015, 21:29:48
You've definitely got the sculpting part sorted, I just hope your casting is as good. My board needs more oversize teeth :)Really enjoy seeing your progress here, retro. The Frankencap is sick :p What color are you thinking for the cast? I want a toxic green!
Thanks guys! I'm slowly working on casting. There were some major hiccups with my homemade solution so I'm going to have to spend the big $$$ and get a proper and safe setup.
Not sure which colors I'll use for Frank N. Cap, but it'll be Halloween inspired for sure!
Speaking of Frank, here's a few potato pics of the final design.
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
Lovely. They eyes and hair look more detailed. Though, it could just be the better quality pic.
What about Frank N's electrode/bolt things? He's still badass without them, but they seem like staple identifiers :p
You have a good point! BRB going to see if I can add them in. Thanks for your input, it really means a lot and I love hearing from folks! :thumb:
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 01 October 2015, 22:40:01
[attach=1]
Post by: Zorberema on Fri, 02 October 2015, 12:12:57
Huehuehue
(Attachment Link)
Looking good! Really love that you put the screws in there; gave a really great touch to the overall design! :)
Post by: thaddeus on Sat, 10 October 2015, 20:08:48
Huehuehue
(Attachment Link)
Oh ma gawd :-*
The screws are are perfect. This cap looks incredible.
Post by: RoastPotatoes on Sat, 10 October 2015, 20:16:43
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 10 October 2015, 20:23:27
Huehuehue
(Attachment Link)
Oh ma gawd :-*
The screws are are perfect. This cap looks incredible.
:-* :-* :-*
Frank's in the pressure chamber now along with his friends for a mold treatment.
I really am in awe of your sculpting ability.
Thanks! I'm in awe of your resin casting ability and that homemade doubleshot mold....wow. so good. :thumb:
Post by: thaddeus on Sun, 11 October 2015, 12:44:48
Huehuehue
(Attachment Link)
Oh ma gawd :-*
The screws are are perfect. This cap looks incredible.
:-* :-* :-*
Frank's in the pressure chamber now along with his friends for a mold treatment.
Do your thing, Frank. And count me in if Frank will be publicly available :cool:
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sun, 11 October 2015, 17:44:23
:-* :-* :-*
Frank's in the pressure chamber now along with his friends for a mold treatment.
Ooh you have pressure! Can't wait to see what comes out :D
Post by: retrochick on Mon, 12 October 2015, 21:59:16
:-* :-* :-*
Frank's in the pressure chamber now along with his friends for a mold treatment.
Ooh you have pressure! Can't wait to see what comes out :D
Thank you for your patience. You've waited long enough. Here are the products of my very first casts with a pressure pot. Detailed notes below:
Casting silicone under pressure is one of the best ways to prevent air bubbles in your mold that will come out as 'pimples' in your cast. I'm slowly learning that if your mold isn't perfect, your casts won't be either. So, as it goes, the going is slow. There are some major adjustments to be made, but I feel like I've made some good progress.
Sharpei Béret
[attach=1]
Major air bubbles underneath the keycap (thankfully the stem turned out fine, just where the sprues are located). I have an idea about how to modify my mold to allow for the air bubbles to release. It involves recasting the bottom portion of the mold. Ah well.
Cold Yeti
[attach=2]
Major air bubbles got trapped where his brows, eyes, and fangs are. Not sure what happened here so I'll have to try again and hope it was a fluke.
Frank N Cap
[attach=3]
Same as Sharpei, I got major air bubbles on the underside of the cap. I will apply the same modifications to Frank's mold and report my findings.
The resin is dyed purple and looks bubble-free, so that's encouraging.
Overall I'm hopeful that if I can make the appropriate modifications to my molds to produce bubble-free casts, I can start experimenting more with pigments and fillers. :thumb:
Post by: Badwrench on Tue, 13 October 2015, 00:19:54
Post by: BaconEggandCheeseBagel on Tue, 13 October 2015, 21:20:13
Post by: Binge on Wed, 14 October 2015, 01:06:21
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 15 October 2015, 13:35:49
I am loving what I see! Thank you for the shout out. Great progress and nice log of your work.
Thank you Binge for your kind words! They really do keep me going :).
I recasted the bottom portion of my mold and am finally happy to report my first successful bubble-free casts~~! Pics below. Notes later.
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
[attach=3]
[attach=4]
Post by: linkshine on Thu, 15 October 2015, 13:43:47
I am loving what I see! Thank you for the shout out. Great progress and nice log of your work.
Thank you Binge for your kind words! They really do keep me going :).
I recasted the bottom portion of my mold and am finally happy to report my first successful bubble-free casts~~! Pics below. Notes later.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
Atta girl! Nice work! These could totally be characters from a childens book or animated film. <3 <3 Maybe you should be a character designer for Dreamworks
Post by: suicidal_orange on Thu, 15 October 2015, 18:51:10
Post by: DrCr4nK on Fri, 16 October 2015, 00:12:21
Post by: thaddeus on Fri, 16 October 2015, 02:29:32
Post by: retrochick on Wed, 28 October 2015, 00:03:47
[attach=1][attach=2][attach=3][attach=4][attach=5][attach=6]
Post by: thaddeus on Wed, 28 October 2015, 00:42:41
(Attachment Link)
Mmhmm, that's a good pair right there. Sure is.
Post by: retrochick on Wed, 28 October 2015, 00:56:25
I'll probably have a tiny sale in the near future. There are some slight imperfections to the keys that are unacceptable in my eyes, so I'll be making some adjustments to my masters and recasting the mold before I begin the sale. :thumb:
Post by: Dongulator on Wed, 28 October 2015, 07:20:00
Post by: linkshine on Wed, 28 October 2015, 10:44:48
Thanks everyone for your kind words! I'm just going to leave these here...
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
I just love them all so much! Welcome back from Hawaii!!
Post by: nubbinator on Wed, 28 October 2015, 11:14:34
Post by: thaddeus on Wed, 28 October 2015, 12:52:33
Thanks Thaddeus! Without your suggestion Frank wouldn't be as awesome as he turned out. I really appreciate your input! PM me your address - I may be able to send something out to you :cool:.
I'll probably have a tiny sale in the near future. There are some slight imperfections to the keys that are unacceptable in my eyes, so I'll be making some adjustments to my masters and recasting the mold before I begin the sale. :thumb:
^-^ you're the best! just PM'd you. <3
Post by: romevi on Wed, 28 October 2015, 13:55:53
Looking good. I'm only really a fan of the frankencap, but looking better than 90% of the new "artisans" out there right now.
This. I really like that Frank N Cap.
Also, whatever happened to the beecaps? These caps reminded me of those.
Post by: linkshine on Wed, 28 October 2015, 14:07:00
Looking good. I'm only really a fan of the frankencap, but looking better than 90% of the new "artisans" out there right now.
Shots fired!
Post by: DrCr4nK on Wed, 28 October 2015, 14:42:45
Post by: Jema on Wed, 28 October 2015, 15:48:29
Thank you for helping me learn a few things! Can't wait to see what you come up with next :D
Post by: Butter on Fri, 30 October 2015, 06:52:56
Post by: Dongulator on Fri, 30 October 2015, 11:24:33
Post by: MajorMajor on Fri, 30 October 2015, 13:27:15
I'd love to play around with making some molds, what has the most helpful guide to get you started? Also, do you have a preferred silicon for the mold and resin for the keys?
Thanks!
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 31 October 2015, 18:36:41
Just read through the entire thread, awesome stuff! I really like the idea of fantasy creatures, I don't think anyone is really doing that currently.
I'd love to play around with making some molds, what has the most helpful guide to get you started? Also, do you have a preferred silicon for the mold and resin for the keys?
Thanks!
Thank you! It's been a learning experience for sure. For guides, I used Booper's guide, which was super informative. You can find it in her MST thread. For silicone I use Smooth On OOMOO 30, and for resin it varies. I used Alumilite and now I'm using Smooth On resins. Both are great but I think my favorite is Smooth On. I hope this is somewhat helpful!
< Newbie here. Just read up on the thread and it's so inspiring to see how you've progressed in the short amount of time! I looove Sharpei Beret and the Frankencap, but all of them are awesome and unique. I had no clue about the sheer amount of time it takes to create individual caps, makes me appreciate the few I have that much more.
Thank you for helping me learn a few things! Can't wait to see what you come up with next :D
Thanks Jema for your kind words! I'm glad that you like Sharpei Beret; he was my first sculpt with apoxie and I have a soft spot for cute creatures. :))
These look really nice. I just started sculpting myself, and am scared of getting to the casting stage. I have no idea how to do the underside of the cap. The stem n whatnot. Good luck, man! Keep us updated.
Keep it up! You're sculpt looks good and casting isn't so scary. It may feel overwhelming, but a lot of it is trial and error. Air bubbles are a big challenge and I was never able to really get rid of them properly without pressure.
Thanks everyone for your kind words! I'm just going to leave these here...
(Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link) (Attachment Link)
I just love them all so much! Welcome back from Hawaii!!
Linkshine you're like the proud father who loves all his children haha!
And nubbs, thank you for the shout out :). I love your dollies :thumb: :thumb:
Also.
HAPPY HALLOWEEN Y'ALL
[attach=1]
[attach=2]
Post by: Dongulator on Sat, 31 October 2015, 18:56:51
HAPPY HALLOWEEN Y'ALL
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
Multi-shot these.... so yummy.
Post by: SploogeFactory on Sat, 31 October 2015, 18:58:51
Post by: MajorMajor on Sun, 01 November 2015, 00:23:36
Post by: ripwallet on Sun, 01 November 2015, 00:26:06
Post by: thaddeus on Sun, 01 November 2015, 15:32:40
Post by: Hexterdude on Sun, 01 November 2015, 16:15:08
Post by: GenKaan on Sun, 01 November 2015, 16:35:47
Post by: MajorMajor on Sun, 01 November 2015, 20:42:52
Nice work man, love the designs and looks really detailed! The middle one is my favorite. Smug as hella! :D
I believe "retrochick" is a she ;)
Post by: romevi on Sun, 01 November 2015, 20:48:15
Nice work man, love the designs and looks really detailed! The middle one is my favorite. Smug as hella! :D
I believe "retrochick" is a she ;)
It gets really confusing with usernames so I just use "they" to be safe.
I mean, I just found out GirlDC is a dude. :confused:
Post by: retrochick on Mon, 02 November 2015, 11:23:55
- Adjust masters
- Make more molds
- Experiment with multi-shot keycaps
Colorway will most likely be halloween-themed.
There may be a new keycap design that I'll unveil at the time of the sale.
I'll probably produce around ~30 keycaps for this upcoming sale.
Nice work man, love the designs and looks really detailed! The middle one is my favorite. Smug as hella! :D
I believe "retrochick" is a she ;)
It gets really confusing with usernames so I just use "they" to be safe.
I mean, I just found out GirlDC is a dude. :confused:
romevi, I really appreciate that you try to be considerate of how other people identify/view themselves. Although I am a cis-female who identifies as female, I have plenty of friends who are trans or who identify as other. "They" is always a good way to leave it up to the person. :thumb:
Post by: theteam on Mon, 02 November 2015, 11:29:35
Post by: Jema on Mon, 02 November 2015, 14:31:28
Post by: bcredbottle on Mon, 02 November 2015, 14:46:29
Thanks everyone! Here's on my list of todos before I have my super tiny late halloween sale:
- Adjust masters
- Make more molds
- Experiment with multi-shot keycaps
Colorway will most likely be halloween-themed.
There may be a new keycap design that I'll unveil at the time of the sale.
I'll probably produce around ~30 keycaps for this upcoming sale.Nice work man, love the designs and looks really detailed! The middle one is my favorite. Smug as hella! :D
I believe "retrochick" is a she ;)
It gets really confusing with usernames so I just use "they" to be safe.
I mean, I just found out GirlDC is a dude. :confused:
romevi, I really appreciate that you try to be considerate of how other people identify/view themselves. Although I am a cis-female who identifies as female, I have plenty of friends who are trans or who identify as other. "They" is always a good way to leave it up to the person. :thumb:
Meh. "They" is ambiguous as to number. Using "he" as a gender-neutral pronoun is kinda sexist. The best thing would be to adopt a new gender-neutral pronoun (like the proposed "ze" and "zir") but until that gets established I'll keep using "she" as my go-to in writing. "They" as a singular gender-neutral pronoun is a bad solution b/c it creates unnecessary ambiguity and often miscommunication.
Sorry to quibble. Your caps are dope btw.
Post by: SploogeFactory on Tue, 03 November 2015, 02:07:13
Thanks everyone! Here's on my list of todos before I have my super tiny late halloween sale:
- Adjust masters
- Make more molds
- Experiment with multi-shot keycaps
Colorway will most likely be halloween-themed.
There may be a new keycap design that I'll unveil at the time of the sale.
I'll probably produce around ~30 keycaps for this upcoming sale.Nice work man, love the designs and looks really detailed! The middle one is my favorite. Smug as hella! :D
I believe "retrochick" is a she ;)
It gets really confusing with usernames so I just use "they" to be safe.
I mean, I just found out GirlDC is a dude. :confused:
romevi, I really appreciate that you try to be considerate of how other people identify/view themselves. Although I am a cis-female who identifies as female, I have plenty of friends who are trans or who identify as other. "They" is always a good way to leave it up to the person. :thumb:
Oh sweet, I'll keep an eye out for the sale, there seems to be a lot going on recently.
Post by: QuickDelat on Tue, 03 November 2015, 06:22:47
Love the ghostly green color btw
Threads like this always make me want to try casting my own keys. Just a few things stopping me: 1) I wouldn't know where to get the supplies in Belgium 2) I have no talent for sculpting. So I'll just leave to people like you.
Post by: Badwrench on Fri, 06 November 2015, 14:46:16
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i243/aaron_maurice/20151106_111731_zpspkrffncr.jpg) (http://s74.photobucket.com/user/aaron_maurice/media/20151106_111731_zpspkrffncr.jpg.html)
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i243/aaron_maurice/20151106_111743_zpsv5fq6byw.jpg) (http://s74.photobucket.com/user/aaron_maurice/media/20151106_111743_zpsv5fq6byw.jpg.html)
(http://i74.photobucket.com/albums/i243/aaron_maurice/20151106_112343_HDR_zpsivqrwqfi.jpg) (http://s74.photobucket.com/user/aaron_maurice/media/20151106_112343_HDR_zpsivqrwqfi.jpg.html)
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 10 November 2015, 00:04:12
Did some experimenting today. Wasn't aiming for doubleshot, just some fun with mixture techniques. Please ignore flashing, I haven't cleaned up the keycaps yet.
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
I like the unintended 'weathered' look. Going for 'marbled' next time :)) :)) :))
Post by: romevi on Tue, 10 November 2015, 00:08:10
Badwrench, great to see you adapting it for your alps board!!!! I'm glad it's getting used :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:Those are amazing.
Did some experimenting today. Wasn't aiming for doubleshot, just some fun with mixture techniques. Please ignore flashing, I haven't cleaned up the keycaps yet.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I like the unintended 'weathered' look. Going for 'marbled' next time :)) :)) :))
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 10 November 2015, 00:12:42
Badwrench, great to see you adapting it for your alps board!!!! I'm glad it's getting used :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:Those are amazing.
Did some experimenting today. Wasn't aiming for doubleshot, just some fun with mixture techniques. Please ignore flashing, I haven't cleaned up the keycaps yet.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I like the unintended 'weathered' look. Going for 'marbled' next time :)) :)) :))
Thank you! It was a nice result from a silly idea I had in my head :)
Post by: Badwrench on Tue, 10 November 2015, 00:27:22
Badwrench, great to see you adapting it for your alps board!!!! I'm glad it's getting used :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Did some experimenting today. Wasn't aiming for doubleshot, just some fun with mixture techniques. Please ignore flashing, I haven't cleaned up the keycaps yet.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I like the unintended 'weathered' look. Going for 'marbled' next time :)) :)) :))
Heck yeah! I love the way it looks with my SP Infinity set. :thumb:
The mixed colors look awesome by the way. The colors you are using are great.
Post by: QuickDelat on Tue, 10 November 2015, 02:08:45
Post by: Jema on Tue, 10 November 2015, 09:32:19
(http://i.imgur.com/f0ueCXn.jpg)
I love the minty colors :)
Post by: thaddeus on Tue, 10 November 2015, 10:04:31
http://imgur.com/wDx5JPk&sTpnKnn (http://imgur.com/wDx5JPk&sTpnKnn)
Impressions: This cap is awesome. Frank has quickly become one of the most endearing characters in the artisan keycap world (to me). He's ugly and creepy, but feels like he's belonged on my board since the beginning of my mech journey. The cap I received from retrochick is technically a b-stock, since there are some rough edges and an air-bubble. But I'm still impressed with the quality. Once the cap is on my board, the air-bubble is not seen, just Frank's beautiful face. He has a low profile, but doesn't bump/grind with other caps or my KUL ES-87 top case. Pretty confident that I'll be picking up more of retro's caps when she makes them available to the public.
A big thanks to retrochick for sending this cap my way. You're doing awesome work -- can't wait to see more!
Post by: romevi on Tue, 10 November 2015, 10:21:27
Just checking in to show off my "b-stock" FrankenCap. I received this last Friday but have been too busy with work to upload any pictures. Not anymore:
http://imgur.com/wDx5JPk&sTpnKnn (http://imgur.com/wDx5JPk&sTpnKnn)
Impressions: This cap is awesome. Frank has quickly become one of the most endearing characters in the artisan keycap world (to me). He's ugly and creepy, but feels like he's belonged on my board since the beginning of my mech journey. The cap I received from retrochick is technically a b-stock, since there are some rough edges and an air-bubble. But I'm still impressed with the quality. Once the cap is on my board, the air-bubble is not seen, just Frank's beautiful face. He has a low profile, but doesn't bump/grind with other caps or my KUL ES-87 top case. Pretty confident that I'll be picking up more of retro's caps when she makes them available to the public.
A big thanks to retrochick for sending this cap my way. You're doing awesome work -- can't wait to see more!
:eek:
I need a retrochick cap.
Post by: xondat on Tue, 10 November 2015, 18:43:22
Badwrench, great to see you adapting it for your alps board!!!! I'm glad it's getting used :thumb: :thumb: :thumb:
Did some experimenting today. Wasn't aiming for doubleshot, just some fun with mixture techniques. Please ignore flashing, I haven't cleaned up the keycaps yet.
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
I like the unintended 'weathered' look. Going for 'marbled' next time :)) :)) :))
These are dope. Love the style you're going for and the detail is amazing. Keep it up.
Post by: suicidal_orange on Tue, 10 November 2015, 19:02:11
Post by: retrochick on Wed, 18 November 2015, 21:25:26
[attachimg=1]
[attachimg=2]
[attachimg=3]
[attachimg=4]
Almost ready for the sale...!! Just need to test a few other hair-brained crazy ideas I have :)
Post by: Hexterdude on Wed, 18 November 2015, 21:27:37
I kinda like these as pairs...
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
(Attachment Link)
Almost ready for the sale...!! Just need to test a few other hair-brained crazy ideas I have :)
The ones on the bottom left are so adorable
Post by: linkshine on Wed, 18 November 2015, 21:27:59
Post by: retrochick on Wed, 18 November 2015, 21:39:57
Post by: mobbo on Wed, 18 November 2015, 21:41:13
The orange Sharpei is super hot.
Post by: romevi on Wed, 18 November 2015, 21:44:48
Post by: retrochick on Wed, 18 November 2015, 21:52:56
Also thaddeus oh crap, I missed your thoughtful write up of my cap! I'm really happy that you like Frank - it does mean a lot to me:). Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! :thumb: :thumb:
And thanks Badwrench for starting a retro cap media thread, I was super happy to see it pop up the other day hehe. Linky (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=76985.0) for those who haven't checked it out.
Post by: jaffers on Thu, 19 November 2015, 04:56:49
Post by: Joey Quinn on Thu, 19 November 2015, 12:15:50
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sun, 22 November 2015, 13:43:39
Post by: bcredbottle on Sun, 22 November 2015, 13:51:32
I'll probably do a sale thread in the artisan forum for the actual sale, but details will be posted here first in this thread.
Also thaddeus oh crap, I missed your thoughtful write up of my cap! I'm really happy that you like Frank - it does mean a lot to me:). Thank you so much for your support and encouragement! :thumb: :thumb:
And thanks Badwrench for starting a retro cap media thread, I was super happy to see it pop up the other day hehe. Linky (https://geekhack.org/index.php?topic=76985.0) for those who haven't checked it out.
Camping this thread like Clay Puppington.
Post by: dohbot on Sun, 22 November 2015, 14:36:59
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 24 November 2015, 01:06:51
[attachimg=1]
Post by: Hexterdude on Tue, 24 November 2015, 01:07:49
It's happening
(Attachment Link)
sooo.......... it begins
Post by: romevi on Tue, 24 November 2015, 01:13:37
It's happening
(Attachment Link)
Wow.
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 24 November 2015, 11:44:17
is your body ready? :pIt's happening
(Attachment Link)
sooo.......... it begins
Post by: romevi on Tue, 24 November 2015, 11:48:11
is your body ready?It's happening
(Attachment Link)
sooo.......... it begins
Mine's been.
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 24 November 2015, 11:51:07
is your body ready?It's happening
(Attachment Link)
sooo.......... it begins
Mine's been.
Not long now. Just need to figure out some logistics like getting bags, shipping, etc. The color way will be slightly different, but I think you'll like it :)
Post by: tigersharkdude on Tue, 24 November 2015, 11:56:22
Post by: romevi on Tue, 24 November 2015, 12:01:06
is your body ready?It's happening
(Attachment Link)
sooo.......... it begins
Mine's been.
Not long now. Just need to figure out some logistics like getting bags, shipping, etc. The color way will be slightly different, but I think you'll like it :)
Will it be an open raffle? Or first come, first served?
Post by: mobbo on Tue, 24 November 2015, 12:04:04
It's happening
(Attachment Link)
Hold the freaking phone.
Those colours are delicious.... like little cotton candy gummies.
That red speckling (idk what its called...) also look amazing. Is that somehow done in the mold, or done afterwards?
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 24 November 2015, 12:08:01
It's happening
(Attachment Link)
Hold the freaking phone.
Those colours are delicious.... like little cotton candy gummies.
That red speckling (idk what its called...) also look amazing. Is that somehow done in the mold, or done afterwards?
Thanks! The colors turned out pretty nice. The red specking is done in the mold.
romevi, the sale will be an open raffle!
Post by: bcredbottle on Tue, 24 November 2015, 12:27:29
It's happening
(Attachment Link)
Hold the freaking phone.
Those colours are delicious.... like little cotton candy gummies.
That red speckling (idk what its called...) also look amazing. Is that somehow done in the mold, or done afterwards?
Thanks! The colors turned out pretty nice. The red specking is done in the mold.
romevi, the sale will be an open raffle!
**** yes raaaaafuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhlll
though i prefer raffles where you have to pay to get in (like the binge's sticket raffle) b/c it feels more like gambling
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 24 November 2015, 12:30:22
It's happening
(Attachment Link)
Hold the freaking phone.
Those colours are delicious.... like little cotton candy gummies.
That red speckling (idk what its called...) also look amazing. Is that somehow done in the mold, or done afterwards?
Thanks! The colors turned out pretty nice. The red specking is done in the mold.
romevi, the sale will be an open raffle!
**** yes raaaaafuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhlll
though i prefer raffles where you have to pay to get in (like the binge's sticket raffle) b/c it feels more like gambling
That sticket raffle was such a good idea. I don't have the production means to make 100 keycaps, but maybe something on a smaller scale? I'm thinking of running the sale and donating the profits to my dog's surgery fund :( :(
Post by: Jema on Mon, 30 November 2015, 17:09:18
It's happening
(Attachment Link)
These are awesome!!!
I hope your pup will be okay, never fun dealing with vet bills especially since pet insurance doesn't do anything. Will there be an option to donate extra for those that win the raffle?
Post by: Binge on Tue, 01 December 2015, 00:25:18
It's happening
(Attachment Link)
Hold the freaking phone.
Those colours are delicious.... like little cotton candy gummies.
That red speckling (idk what its called...) also look amazing. Is that somehow done in the mold, or done afterwards?
Thanks! The colors turned out pretty nice. The red specking is done in the mold.
romevi, the sale will be an open raffle!
**** yes raaaaafuuuuuuuuuuuuuuhhhlll
though i prefer raffles where you have to pay to get in (like the binge's sticket raffle) b/c it feels more like gambling
That sticket raffle was such a good idea. I don't have the production means to make 100 keycaps, but maybe something on a smaller scale? I'm thinking of running the sale and donating the profits to my dog's surgery fund :( :(
**** Retro- as a new puppy's daddy I'm sorry to hear that your dogey needs medical help. That being said let me know if you need anything in setting up your sale.
Post by: whmeltonjr on Tue, 01 December 2015, 00:46:36
Post by: KatzenKinder on Tue, 01 December 2015, 02:14:40
Post by: SploogeFactory on Tue, 01 December 2015, 06:11:14
Post by: retrochick on Fri, 04 December 2015, 11:58:50
[attach=5]
[attach=6]
[attach=7]
[attach=8]
Some of these are going out to their new owners on Monday after a weekend cure. :thumb:
EDIT: shoopiiiddd cell phone pics rotated all weird now fixed :3
Post by: FLFisherman on Fri, 04 December 2015, 12:10:24
Post by: romevi on Fri, 04 December 2015, 12:10:44
Post by: trenzafeeds on Fri, 04 December 2015, 12:12:36
Post by: Jema on Fri, 04 December 2015, 12:15:23
Do you have a pic of your doge to show us!?
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sat, 05 December 2015, 14:03:49
That said I'm loving the doubleshot eyes, your progress is really impressive!
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 05 December 2015, 14:33:11
I'm confused how you know your dog needs surgery in advance - shouldn't you be selling tickets already to get her fixed asap, then make some caps? :confused:
That said I'm loving the doubleshot eyes, your progress is really impressive!
She has elbow dysplasia, which is a congenital disease that is diagnosed with a CT or X-Ray. It's not life-threatening, however it does lead to lameness over time. The doctor suggested we do the surgery, to help with her quality of life. Does that clear up your confusion?
Post by: FLFisherman on Sat, 05 December 2015, 14:39:43
She has elbow dysplasia, which is a congenital disease that is diagnosed with a CT or X-Ray. It's not life-threatening, however it does lead to lameness over time. The doctor suggested we do the surgery, to help with her quality of life. Does that clear up your confusion?
Is she a big dog? They tend to suffer from that quite a bit. Luckily it's not a very invasive surgery so your pup will be up and about in no time!
Also, dogs are very resilient. As they age you'll find quite a bit that are arthritic, develop cataracts, or have some other handicap. Yet they're still the same great pets that they were when they were young. Nothing ever brings them down. :)
Post by: Cindori on Sat, 05 December 2015, 15:51:39
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sun, 06 December 2015, 05:45:40
I'm confused how you know your dog needs surgery in advance - shouldn't you be selling tickets already to get her fixed asap, then make some caps? :confused:
That said I'm loving the doubleshot eyes, your progress is really impressive!
She has elbow dysplasia, which is a congenital disease that is diagnosed with a CT or X-Ray. It's not life-threatening, however it does lead to lameness over time. The doctor suggested we do the surgery, to help with her quality of life. Does that clear up your confusion?
Fair enough, if she's still happy and active then no rush but it does need doing sometime :)
Post by: MiTo on Tue, 08 December 2015, 20:31:14
(https://i.imgur.com/eD95SdO.jpg)
This is truly fantastic.
I'm super excited for having another fabulous maker to follow. My favorite current designs are the Frank and the Yeti. I totally fell in love with the caps since your Miami Spice post and this picture above was icing on the cake. Actually, I feel extremely happy and pleased by looking at all of the outstanding pictures that you and Badwrench post on Reddit, here and on Post your Retrocaps thread. I don't know how to exactly say this because english is not my native language, but these pictures really make me feel super glad and inspired. I believe that I'm a visual person and the colors displayed on such photographs, specially the tones of hot pink and blue, are very relaxing and stress-relieving for me. Looking at these fancy and colorful keycaps completely improve my mood and I wonder if there's a psychological effect behind this "something" that I experience. But I'm sure it has to do with the glare, reflex, texture, gradients and colors displayed on the photographs. Turns out that looking at your work is something that truly lift my spirits and it makes a difference after a hard day, so thank you very much for that. Congratulations for the incredible progress you've made for the past couple of months, this project is going to be remarkable. I very much admire your effort and talent.
Post by: dohbot on Tue, 08 December 2015, 20:38:17
I can totally say that your designs are exactly what I was hoping to see somebody develop this winter on the MK communities. I was getting tired of seeing either detailed characters or blocky keycaps and we also had many people going for the blanks' route because it's the easier route, I believe. Like you said, you had to work with the keycap not against it and this is absolutely fantastic to read and to see. I find amazing that you improved the design without deviating too much from the original idea. You combined both of my favorite styles of artisan keycap design, the character and the block/cube. It is very nice to see how far the Goblin has come since you first presented it. The improvements in regards of texture, details, colors and size are definitely noticeable and the the most important thing is that you seem to be having heaps of fun making these keycaps.Show Image(https://i.imgur.com/eD95SdO.jpg)This is truly fantastic.
I'm super excited for having another fabulous maker to follow. My favorite current designs are the Frank and the Yeti. I totally fell in love with the caps since your Miami Spice post and this picture above was icing on the cake. Actually, I feel extremely happy and pleased by looking at all of the outstanding pictures that you and Badwrench post on Reddit, here and on Post your Retrocaps thread. I don't know how to exactly say this because english is not my native language, but these pictures really make me feel super glad and inspired. I believe that I'm a visual person and the colors displayed on such photographs, specially the tones of hot pink and blue, are very relaxing and stress-relieving for me. Looking at these fancy and colorful keycaps completely improve my mood and I wonder if there's a psychological effect behind this "something" that I experience. But I'm sure it has to do with the glare, reflex, texture, gradients and colors displayed on the photographs. Turns out that looking at your work is something that truly lift my spirits and it makes a difference after a hard day, so thank you very much for that. Congratulations for the incredible progress you've made for the past couple of months, this project is going to be remarkable. I very much admire your effort and talent.
Wowow are these all yours! They look amazing!
Post by: romevi on Tue, 08 December 2015, 20:41:46
I can totally say that your designs are exactly what I was hoping to see somebody develop this winter on the MK communities. I was getting tired of seeing either detailed characters or blocky keycaps and we also had many people going for the blanks' route because it's the easier route, I believe. Like you said, you had to work with the keycap not against it and this is absolutely fantastic to read and to see. I find amazing that you improved the design without deviating too much from the original idea. You combined both of my favorite styles of artisan keycap design, the character and the block/cube. It is very nice to see how far the Goblin has come since you first presented it. The improvements in regards of texture, details, colors and size are definitely noticeable and the the most important thing is that you seem to be having heaps of fun making these keycaps.Show Image(https://i.imgur.com/eD95SdO.jpg)This is truly fantastic.
I'm super excited for having another fabulous maker to follow. My favorite current designs are the Frank and the Yeti. I totally fell in love with the caps since your Miami Spice post and this picture above was icing on the cake. Actually, I feel extremely happy and pleased by looking at all of the outstanding pictures that you and Badwrench post on Reddit, here and on Post your Retrocaps thread. I don't know how to exactly say this because english is not my native language, but these pictures really make me feel super glad and inspired. I believe that I'm a visual person and the colors displayed on such photographs, specially the tones of hot pink and blue, are very relaxing and stress-relieving for me. Looking at these fancy and colorful keycaps completely improve my mood and I wonder if there's a psychological effect behind this "something" that I experience. But I'm sure it has to do with the glare, reflex, texture, gradients and colors displayed on the photographs. Turns out that looking at your work is something that truly lift my spirits and it makes a difference after a hard day, so thank you very much for that. Congratulations for the incredible progress you've made for the past couple of months, this project is going to be remarkable. I very much admire your effort and talent.
Agree +1. I love the caps, and can't wait for the raffle. I hope to win one, but I'll be ecstatic to see these on boards in different cap combos people come up with.
Post by: mobbo on Tue, 08 December 2015, 20:42:30
I can totally say that your designs are exactly what I was hoping to see somebody develop this winter on the MK communities. I was getting tired of seeing either detailed characters or blocky keycaps and we also had many people going for the blanks' route because it's the easier route, I believe. Like you said, you had to work with the keycap not against it and this is absolutely fantastic to read and to see. I find amazing that you improved the design without deviating too much from the original idea. You combined both of my favorite styles of artisan keycap design, the character and the block/cube. It is very nice to see how far the Goblin has come since you first presented it. The improvements in regards of texture, details, colors and size are definitely noticeable and the the most important thing is that you seem to be having heaps of fun making these keycaps.Show Image(https://i.imgur.com/eD95SdO.jpg)This is truly fantastic.
I'm super excited for having another fabulous maker to follow. My favorite current designs are the Frank and the Yeti. I totally fell in love with the caps since your Miami Spice post and this picture above was icing on the cake. Actually, I feel extremely happy and pleased by looking at all of the outstanding pictures that you and Badwrench post on Reddit, here and on Post your Retrocaps thread. I don't know how to exactly say this because english is not my native language, but these pictures really make me feel super glad and inspired. I believe that I'm a visual person and the colors displayed on such photographs, specially the tones of hot pink and blue, are very relaxing and stress-relieving for me. Looking at these fancy and colorful keycaps completely improve my mood and I wonder if there's a psychological effect behind this "something" that I experience. But I'm sure it has to do with the glare, reflex, texture, gradients and colors displayed on the photographs. Turns out that looking at your work is something that truly lift my spirits and it makes a difference after a hard day, so thank you very much for that. Congratulations for the incredible progress you've made for the past couple of months, this project is going to be remarkable. I very much admire your effort and talent.
Very very well said.
Post by: MiTo on Tue, 08 December 2015, 21:18:13
Wowow are these all yours! They look amazing!
Sadly I don't own any artisans, let alone Retro caps.
I found this beautiful picture on Reddit, all credits to Retrochick.
Post by: retrochick on Fri, 11 December 2015, 12:28:27
To be honest making keycaps started as a fun experiment and I've still got a LOT to learn, especially looking at the advanced techniques of Bro, Binge, Krytone, etc. But learning is part of the journey for me. I wanted to say that your guys' support means a great deal to me, and really I think to all new artisans, because sometimes I feel like I'm the crazy one making these tiny things in this silly hobby of ours :). I started out making blanks and it taught me a lot about casting resin by hand. I then discovered that I loved sculpting. I have a love/hate relationship with resin casting. There's something really rewarding when you go out on a limb and try a hair-brained idea out and it works out. There's also that equally crushing feeling when you have the absolute confidence that what you did will/should result in X, and what you get is something unusable instead.
A quick update for everyone: I'm making a new mold because my current one is driving me crazy. I'm OCD like that. So, until have the time to do that, keycap production is now halted. I have my dog's surgery that's looming ahead. Hopefully I can make some more and have a sale before the surgery and before I pack up and move. Not sure when I'll be able to get back into making keycaps after the move because all my equipment will be in storage indefinitely until I can find a permanent home for them. T.T
Post by: bcredbottle on Fri, 11 December 2015, 12:34:54
Wow, thanks MiTo for your eloquent words! I'm very happy that so many people like my caps. I'm glad that my work is inspiring to you - that's part of the reason why I love this subforum (Making Stuff Together) so much!
To be honest making keycaps started as a fun experiment and I've still got a LOT to learn, especially looking at the advanced techniques of Bro, Binge, Krytone, etc. But learning is part of the journey for me. I wanted to say that your guys' support means a great deal to me, and really I think to all new artisans, because sometimes I feel like I'm the crazy one making these tiny things in this silly hobby of ours :). I started out making blanks and it taught me a lot about casting resin by hand. I then discovered that I loved sculpting. I have a love/hate relationship with resin casting. There's something really rewarding when you go out on a limb and try a hair-brained idea out and it works out. There's also that equally crushing feeling when you have the absolute confidence that what you did will/should result in X, and what you get is something unusable instead.
A quick update for everyone: I'm making a new mold because my current one is driving me crazy. I'm OCD like that. So, until have the time to do that, keycap production is now halted. I have my dog's surgery that's looming ahead. Hopefully I can make some more and have a sale before the surgery and before I pack up and move. Not sure when I'll be able to get back into making keycaps after the move because all my equipment will be in storage indefinitely until I can find a permanent home for them. T.T
Why don't you do a mini sale with the caps that you have?
Post by: MiTo on Fri, 11 December 2015, 13:45:52
Wow, thanks MiTo for your eloquent words! I'm very happy that so many people like my caps. I'm glad that my work is inspiring to you - that's part of the reason why I love this subforum (Making Stuff Together) so much!
To be honest making keycaps started as a fun experiment and I've still got a LOT to learn, especially looking at the advanced techniques of Bro, Binge, Krytone, etc. But learning is part of the journey for me. I wanted to say that your guys' support means a great deal to me, and really I think to all new artisans, because sometimes I feel like I'm the crazy one making these tiny things in this silly hobby of ours :). I started out making blanks and it taught me a lot about casting resin by hand. I then discovered that I loved sculpting. I have a love/hate relationship with resin casting. There's something really rewarding when you go out on a limb and try a hair-brained idea out and it works out. There's also that equally crushing feeling when you have the absolute confidence that what you did will/should result in X, and what you get is something unusable instead.
A quick update for everyone: I'm making a new mold because my current one is driving me crazy. I'm OCD like that. So, until have the time to do that, keycap production is now halted. I have my dog's surgery that's looming ahead. Hopefully I can make some more and have a sale before the surgery and before I pack up and move. Not sure when I'll be able to get back into making keycaps after the move because all my equipment will be in storage indefinitely until I can find a permanent home for them. T.T
Very insteresting insight about your makings and creative process. To us your work looks pretty much perfect at this point, but it's cool to hear that you're still developing and finding room for improvement! However, I believe that you don't need to push yourself too hard, nor have a 100% perfect cap for a little sale. For example, Krytone had his 1.0 sale before the Judgemental Skull was completely perfected and polished. In his early days, he used to cast a batch of caps (95% perfect) in order to make a little sale. He would then take his learnings from the process, cast another improved batch (let's say 97% perfect) and made another small sale! Don't be afraid to make small sales because of quality, I understand that you're still improving but the thing is that I want to see your work IRL so bad! For me, every imperfection is a part of the experience and I love experiences. I cant wait to see the Yeti or perhaps Frank on my board!
I also love dogs. My Boxer is in a similar situation of health as your dog and I just moved to another place, so I can totally relate. It's very sad to see our companions down for the count and I really hope that your buddy gets healthy soon! ;)
Post by: retrochick on Fri, 11 December 2015, 15:32:44
Post by: bcredbottle on Fri, 11 December 2015, 16:18:37
As an artist I stand behind my creations and this first sale for me is an art exhibition of sorts. As such, certain things need to be in place before I feel comfortable having one. These are things I am not willing to compromise on. While other makers have their way of hosting sales, I have my own standards that I adhere to because I believe in quality and not quantity. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and support I am not motivated by whatever $$$ I may receive from this hobby but rather the process. I am just as excited to share what I've made with the community as the community is to receive it. Rest assured there will probably a b-stock sale afterwards for those who really really want a keycap and did not get in the raffle.
I can respect that.
My bad on not reading closely enough (didn't know they weren't up to snuff...I just thought you didn't have many).
Post by: MiTo on Fri, 11 December 2015, 17:36:08
As an artist I stand behind my creations and this first sale for me is an art exhibition of sorts. As such, certain things need to be in place before I feel comfortable having one. These are things I am not willing to compromise on. While other makers have their way of hosting sales, I have my own standards that I adhere to because I believe in quality and not quantity. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and support I am not motivated by whatever $$$ I may receive from this hobby but rather the process. I am just as excited to share what I've made with the community as the community is to receive it. Rest assured there will probably a b-stock sale afterwards for those who really really want a keycap and did not get in the raffle.
Different makers have different standards and goals and I respect and understand that you do it for the hobby and not to make a buck.
I honestly never thought otherwise. Prepare whatever you want to prepare and until then I'll stay here rooting for you and your eventual sale!
:thumb:
Post by: retrochick on Fri, 11 December 2015, 17:36:31
Post by: widdlekitty on Fri, 11 December 2015, 18:13:09
Post by: xondat on Fri, 11 December 2015, 18:14:46
As an artist I stand behind my creations and this first sale for me is an art exhibition of sorts. As such, certain things need to be in place before I feel comfortable having one. These are things I am not willing to compromise on. While other makers have their way of hosting sales, I have my own standards that I adhere to because I believe in quality and not quantity. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and support I am not motivated by whatever $$$ I may receive from this hobby but rather the process. I am just as excited to share what I've made with the community as the community is to receive it. Rest assured there will probably a b-stock sale afterwards for those who really really want a keycap and did not get in the raffle.
It's kind of refreshing to see someone care so much about the work they do, 100% or nothing is a great attitude and I'm absolutely doing the same if I ever create and publish something.
Post by: suicidal_orange on Fri, 11 December 2015, 18:41:11
As an artist I stand behind my creations and this first sale for me is an art exhibition of sorts. As such, certain things need to be in place before I feel comfortable having one. These are things I am not willing to compromise on. While other makers have their way of hosting sales, I have my own standards that I adhere to because I believe in quality and not quantity. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and support I am not motivated by whatever $$$ I may receive from this hobby but rather the process. I am just as excited to share what I've made with the community as the community is to receive it. Rest assured there will probably a b-stock sale afterwards for those who really really want a keycap and did not get in the raffle.
It's kind of refreshing to see someone care so much about the work they do, 100% or nothing is a great attitude and I'm absolutely doing the same if I ever create and publish something.
Booper was the same - she sent out some very well received samples in March and had an army of caps made by early July, but didn't have a sale until October (and none of the army was in the sale!)
Personally I think lady artisans just like to tease us :p
Post by: retrochick on Fri, 11 December 2015, 19:07:07
It'll be worth the wait :-*As an artist I stand behind my creations and this first sale for me is an art exhibition of sorts. As such, certain things need to be in place before I feel comfortable having one. These are things I am not willing to compromise on. While other makers have their way of hosting sales, I have my own standards that I adhere to because I believe in quality and not quantity. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and support I am not motivated by whatever $$$ I may receive from this hobby but rather the process. I am just as excited to share what I've made with the community as the community is to receive it. Rest assured there will probably a b-stock sale afterwards for those who really really want a keycap and did not get in the raffle.
It's kind of refreshing to see someone care so much about the work they do, 100% or nothing is a great attitude and I'm absolutely doing the same if I ever create and publish something.
Booper was the same - she sent out some very well received samples in March and had an army of caps made by early July, but didn't have a sale until October (and none of the army was in the sale!)
Personally I think lady artisans just like to tease us :p
Post by: FLFisherman on Fri, 11 December 2015, 19:13:34
It'll be worth the wait :-*As an artist I stand behind my creations and this first sale for me is an art exhibition of sorts. As such, certain things need to be in place before I feel comfortable having one. These are things I am not willing to compromise on. While other makers have their way of hosting sales, I have my own standards that I adhere to because I believe in quality and not quantity. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and support I am not motivated by whatever $$$ I may receive from this hobby but rather the process. I am just as excited to share what I've made with the community as the community is to receive it. Rest assured there will probably a b-stock sale afterwards for those who really really want a keycap and did not get in the raffle.
It's kind of refreshing to see someone care so much about the work they do, 100% or nothing is a great attitude and I'm absolutely doing the same if I ever create and publish something.
Booper was the same - she sent out some very well received samples in March and had an army of caps made by early July, but didn't have a sale until October (and none of the army was in the sale!)
Personally I think lady artisans just like to tease us :p
You've generated a lot of interest on these. If these are the b-stock I can't wait to see your finished work. Good luck!
Post by: mobbo on Fri, 11 December 2015, 21:56:42
well, the mold when everything is aligned properly, gives me great keycaps. when it doesn't it gives me keycaps that I deem as 'unacceptable.' mind you, my margins of error are extremely narrow to begin with. but i believe its very attainable. I just want me creations to be perfect :p :p :p
But imperfections give caps character ;)
Post by: romevi on Sat, 12 December 2015, 02:05:24
Post by: xondat on Sat, 12 December 2015, 02:09:04
It'll be worth the wait :-*As an artist I stand behind my creations and this first sale for me is an art exhibition of sorts. As such, certain things need to be in place before I feel comfortable having one. These are things I am not willing to compromise on. While other makers have their way of hosting sales, I have my own standards that I adhere to because I believe in quality and not quantity. While I appreciate your enthusiasm and support I am not motivated by whatever $$$ I may receive from this hobby but rather the process. I am just as excited to share what I've made with the community as the community is to receive it. Rest assured there will probably a b-stock sale afterwards for those who really really want a keycap and did not get in the raffle.
It's kind of refreshing to see someone care so much about the work they do, 100% or nothing is a great attitude and I'm absolutely doing the same if I ever create and publish something.
Booper was the same - she sent out some very well received samples in March and had an army of caps made by early July, but didn't have a sale until October (and none of the army was in the sale!)
Personally I think lady artisans just like to tease us :p
I'm sure it will but for now we'll all just sit here waiting for perfection.. waiting.. and waiting.
Post by: suicidal_orange on Sat, 12 December 2015, 08:48:30
It'll be worth the wait :-*
As long as you didn't "waste" all that lovely orange dye on "unacceptable" caps it will be unmissable :thumb:
I'm seeing an absence of Goblin Goyle in recent updates, has he been abandoned in favour of the equally toothy Cold Yeti? A "cold" orange cap just doesn't seem right...
Post by: trenzafeeds on Tue, 15 December 2015, 17:05:08
My cap will be temporarily housed on this APC board until my Jane CE arrives, which was the actual reason I got this in black.
Post by: MiTo on Tue, 15 December 2015, 17:16:39
Received my retro today, absolutely tops in quality. These things are more intricately sculpted than you could possible tell in the pictures.
My cap will be temporarily housed on this APC board until my Jane CE arrives, which was the actual reason I got this in black.
That's super cool!
Any chance you could post pictures?!
Post by: trenzafeeds on Tue, 15 December 2015, 17:17:27
Received my retro today, absolutely tops in quality. These things are more intricately sculpted than you could possible tell in the pictures.
My cap will be temporarily housed on this APC board until my Jane CE arrives, which was the actual reason I got this in black.
That's super cool!
Any chance you could post pictures?!
ooh, meant to post a picture with that.
(http://i.imgur.com/z0o1Ur4.jpg)
Post by: retrochick on Tue, 15 December 2015, 17:25:25
Received my retro today, absolutely tops in quality. These things are more intricately sculpted than you could possible tell in the pictures.
My cap will be temporarily housed on this APC board until my Jane CE arrives, which was the actual reason I got this in black.
That's super cool!
Any chance you could post pictures?!
ooh, meant to post a picture with that.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/z0o1Ur4.jpg)
Glad to hear that the sharpei has landed safe and sound! Lookin gooooooooood on that black board yo. :thumb:
Post by: MiTo on Tue, 15 December 2015, 17:48:10
ooh, meant to post a picture with that.Show Image(http://i.imgur.com/z0o1Ur4.jpg)
Now that's a solid one, the level of detail is amazing... :eek:
Nice job as always retrochick!
Post by: _joe_king on Tue, 15 December 2015, 18:26:40
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 17 December 2015, 22:24:36
Try try again tomorrow!
[attachimg=1]
Post by: SploogeFactory on Thu, 17 December 2015, 22:54:52
As someone just getting into making caps, this thread is awesome :) nicely done and I look forward to seeing more of your work!
Dude you should make your own progression thread like Katzenkinder has done and Retrochick.
Post by: MiTo on Fri, 18 December 2015, 07:31:52
Close but no cigar :(
Try try again tomorrow!
(Attachment Link)
(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4116/4940173372_b8f884f447_z.jpg)
This trio make my heart beat really really fast as these are the hottest keycaps that I have ever seen.
I'm in complete fascination, they are absolutely gorgeous, astonishing, mesmerizing.
No words rc, I have literally no words for this.
Post by: SploogeFactory on Fri, 18 December 2015, 07:33:29
Close but no cigar :(
Try try again tomorrow!
(Attachment Link)Show Image(http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4116/4940173372_b8f884f447_z.jpg)
This trio make my heart beat really really fast as these are the hottest keycaps that I have ever seen.
I'm in complete fascination, they are absolutely gorgeous, astonishing, mesmerizing.
No words rc, I have literally no words for this.
I think you need a cold shower...
Post by: FLFisherman on Fri, 18 December 2015, 07:39:27
Close but no cigar :(
Try try again tomorrow!
(Attachment Link)
Even though they wouldn't work as keycaps they still look great. Maybe a keychain decoration or something?
Post by: retrochick on Fri, 18 December 2015, 09:55:27
Close but no cigar :(
Try try again tomorrow!
(Attachment Link)
Even though they wouldn't work as keycaps they still look great. Maybe a keychain decoration or something?
Maybe! Dang nabbit air bubbles!!!!
I'm off to attempt this again. BRB y'all
Post by: MiTo on Fri, 18 December 2015, 17:57:35
Maybe! Dang nabbit air bubbles!!!!
I'm off to attempt this again. BRB y'all
(http://i.imgur.com/ZfKL5qG.jpg)
Take all the time you need!
Post by: Jema on Mon, 28 December 2015, 09:58:50
Close but no cigar :(
Try try again tomorrow!
(Attachment Link)
WHAT THE HECKKKK
That is the cutest Shar Pei Beret!!!
Every picture you post just gets better and better :p
Post by: pr0ximity on Tue, 29 December 2015, 10:19:21
Super cool sculpts and the colors look awesome too. Looking forward to seeing more!
Post by: piemancoder on Sat, 02 January 2016, 23:04:02
Post by: DAVYtm on Sat, 02 January 2016, 23:13:33
Post by: Jema on Thu, 14 January 2016, 17:29:23
Post by: retrochick on Sat, 16 January 2016, 19:40:06
Sorry for my lack of updates lately - I am currently on the road and in the process of moving to NC. I've been traveling for over two weeks now and have not had a chance to be on GH very much. Once I'm settled it'll take me a few months to sort out life stuff before I can go back to making keycaps. Worry not, there will be more retrocaps to come, just probably at a later time this year. I'll keep everyone updated with new designs and project ideas so stay tuned! Thank you for your continued support, it really means a lot to me :).
Post by: piemancoder on Sat, 16 January 2016, 19:48:20
Hi everyone!
Sorry for my lack of updates lately - I am currently on the road and in the process of moving to NC. I've been traveling for over two weeks now and have not had a chance to be on GH very much. Once I'm settled it'll take me a few months to sort out life stuff before I can go back to making keycaps. Worry not, there will be more retrocaps to come, just probably at a later time this year. I'll keep everyone updated with new designs and project ideas so stay tuned! Thank you for your continued support, it really means a lot to me :).
Good luck moving!
Post by: QuickDelat on Sun, 17 January 2016, 08:42:44
Post by: thaddeus on Tue, 19 January 2016, 10:06:45
Post by: Bromono on Tue, 09 February 2016, 19:21:38
Post by: romevi on Tue, 09 February 2016, 19:33:35
I am booping so people can get #hyped for her return
Booping appreciated.
Post by: DAVYtm on Wed, 10 February 2016, 11:34:37
I am booping so people can get #hyped for her return
Booping appreciated.
One more boop.
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Thu, 11 February 2016, 12:12:52
Post by: Moistgun on Thu, 25 February 2016, 15:52:40
Post by: TheJonas on Thu, 25 February 2016, 18:39:03
Post by: ubibaba742 on Tue, 08 March 2016, 16:56:11
I cannot wait for your return! Your work is fantastic! Keep it up! (Also trans red is life, keep that up as well <3)
Post by: romevi on Tue, 08 March 2016, 17:15:23
I cannot wait for your return!
The pain is unreal. :confused:
Post by: mobbo on Thu, 31 March 2016, 10:44:47
Post by: retrochick on Sun, 07 May 2017, 20:54:49
[attach=1]
Post by: romevi on Sun, 07 May 2017, 22:05:52
What a time to be alive :cool::eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
(Attachment Link)
Post by: Joey Quinn on Mon, 08 May 2017, 00:39:03
What a time to be alive :cool:
(Attachment Link)
Seriously can't wait to grow my collection! Glad to see you back on GH and back making awesome keycaps :)
[attachimg=1]
Post by: Sneaky Potato on Mon, 08 May 2017, 00:55:16
Post by: QuickDelat on Mon, 08 May 2017, 03:51:06
Post by: retrochick on Wed, 10 May 2017, 15:49:06
Some new sculpts this time around...
Post by: nickheller on Wed, 10 May 2017, 15:53:38
Post by: xondat on Wed, 10 May 2017, 15:57:39
(Attachment Link)
Some new sculpts this time around...
Miami :eek:
Post by: Joey Quinn on Wed, 10 May 2017, 16:28:22
(Attachment Link)
Some new sculpts this time around...
The first public appearance of Pumbae and Ruby :eek:
Post by: xine007 on Mon, 22 May 2017, 19:26:36
Post by: retrochick on Thu, 24 August 2017, 08:03:47
[attach=1]
Post by: retrochick on Sun, 24 September 2017, 22:57:54
As many of you know, I moved from SF to NC over a year ago and just started making keycaps again. The decision to move and start over in a brand new (to me) area, without knowing anyone, is not a new notion for me. That's how I moved to SF. I figured it wouldn't be that difficult to do it again. I'm not sure if it's because I'm older, or that the times have changed, but this move turned out not to be an easy move, and 2017 turned out to be a very difficult year. I won't get into specifics, but the combination of moving to an area that is decidedly less progressive than where I was before, coupled with family medical issues made it very difficult for me to do much of anything other than meet my basic needs, much less make keycaps.
So I took a hiatus. I took a break from keyboards and stopped interacting with the community. I needed perspective and to process what was now my new life.
Eventually, the itch came back. I'm not sure exactly what drew me back to keyboards and keycaps, but I do remember that when I started catching up on the forums and reddit and slack that a lot had changed. New faces in the community, new artists constantly popping up, and new techniques were being developed. The landscape had changed without me and it was up to me to play catch up. So I had to re-learn how to make caps. I was introduced to new tools and materials and began re-evaluating my current set of skills and had to decide how to advance my craft forward.
A lot of work, sweat, and tears have been invested into this upcoming sale and I'm both nervous and excited. Nervous because it'll be my second official sale, and excited because I hope you guys will like it.
As always, I'm happy to see that the community is as talented, friendly, and awesome as ever.
<3,
retro
p.s. Sale announcement will be made in the sale thread over at the Artisan Marketplace. Set your calendars to 2 weeks from now!
Introducing Hei Hei, the borked pug:
[attach=4][attach=1][attach=3][attach=2]
Post by: Corgi Butts on Sun, 24 September 2017, 23:06:24