Bambino's Keycap Lab

[CoolGrayAJ]

Oh my god... those Keybutos... 

[Bambino]

Something new. Stage 1: starting from a blank canvas.

[FLFisherman]

Something new. Stage 1: starting from a blank canvas.

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Oh I'm excited already. Good luck!

[romevi]

Something new. Stage 1: starting from a blank canvas.

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Yes! Finally; someone's making a Crash Bandicoot-themed cap!

[polentA]

Something new. Stage 1: starting from a blank canvas.

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Oh, this is something I am very curious about.  Is that just a chunk of clay on top of a switch, or is there also a blank cap buried somewhere underneath? I've always wondered how each artist starts their caps, and the various methods involved. 

[Bambino]

Something new. Stage 1: starting from a blank canvas.

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Oh, this is something I am very curious about.  Is that just a chunk of clay on top of a switch, or is there also a blank cap buried somewhere underneath? I've always wondered how each artist starts their caps, and the various methods involved.

This design was started on an MX row 2/QWER-row PBT cap. The exterior is covered on every side. The lower profile cap is used so that building up the shape doesn't make the key too large and tall. The key is PBT because an ABS key would melt when the sculpture is fired.

There are definitely methods you can follow to just start with a clay block too, but that tends to complicate the molding process.

[polentA]

Something new. Stage 1: starting from a blank canvas.

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Oh, this is something I am very curious about.  Is that just a chunk of clay on top of a switch, or is there also a blank cap buried somewhere underneath? I've always wondered how each artist starts their caps, and the various methods involved.

This design was started on an MX row 2/QWER-row PBT cap. The exterior is covered on every side. The lower profile cap is used so that building up the shape doesn't make the key too large and tall. The key is PBT because an ABS key would melt when the sculpture is fired.

There are definitely methods you can follow to just start with a clay block too, but that tends to complicate the molding process.

Thanks for the clarification Bambino.  Really impressed with your work so far! Can't wait to see what's next.

[Bambino]

Stage 2: The next day, I expanded the top surface and experimented with the level of detail I wanted in each individual shape.



You can start to get an idea of where this is going at this point.

[Hexterdude]

Stage 2: The next day, I expanded the top surface and experimented with the level of detail I wanted in each individual shape.

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You can start to get an idea of where this is going at this point.

I like where this is going

[FLFisherman]

Stage 2: The next day, I expanded the top surface and experimented with the level of detail I wanted in each individual shape.

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You can start to get an idea of where this is going at this point.

Looks like some skeletons rising from a grave. But why were there multiple in this one grave?  :))

Speculations fly! What could it be!?

[deductivemonkee]

Stage 2: The next day, I expanded the top surface and experimented with the level of detail I wanted in each individual shape.

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You can start to get an idea of where this is going at this point.

Graveyard like thing? Love it.

[xondat]

Stage 2: The next day, I expanded the top surface and experimented with the level of detail I wanted in each individual shape.

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You can start to get an idea of where this is going at this point.

Trumpets next right?

Looks neat anyway.

[27]

Stage 2: The next day, I expanded the top surface and experimented with the level of detail I wanted in each individual shape.

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You can start to get an idea of where this is going at this point.

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Trumpets next right?

Looks neat anyway.

Doot doot


Definitely liking the look of these.

[Bambino]

Stage 2.5: I spent day 3 "fleshing" out the top some more. Each skull represents about 30 more minutes. Also did more experimenting with shapes.



At this point I was trying to figure out how much of a skull I wanted for each individual part.  Do I include teeth? Mandible? Spine?  Do I make the skull more fantasy or realistic?

[mobbo]

Stage 2.5: I spent day 3 "fleshing" out the top some more. Each skull represents about 30 more minutes. Also did more experimenting with shapes.

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At this point I was trying to figure out how much of a skull I wanted for each individual part.  Do I include teeth? Mandible? Spine?  Do I make the skull more fantasy or realistic?

What tools are you sculpting with? I'd love to try this part of the process before thinking about casting (see if I can actually make anything recognizable). I know a lot of people are using sculpy, but what about the tools themselves?

[Bambino]

Stage 2.5: I spent day 3 "fleshing" out the top some more. Each skull represents about 30 more minutes. Also did more experimenting with shapes.

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At this point I was trying to figure out how much of a skull I wanted for each individual part.  Do I include teeth? Mandible? Spine?  Do I make the skull more fantasy or realistic?

What tools are you sculpting with? I'd love to try this part of the process before thinking about casting (see if I can actually make anything recognizable). I know a lot of people are using sculpy, but what about the tools themselves?

My favorite tools have been some small embossing tools and rubber-tipped clay shapers.  They're both widely available.  I bought some wax carving tools too, but they are generally too large and too rough for the details I want to add to my designs.

[mobbo]

Stage 2.5: I spent day 3 "fleshing" out the top some more. Each skull represents about 30 more minutes. Also did more experimenting with shapes.

Show Image

At this point I was trying to figure out how much of a skull I wanted for each individual part.  Do I include teeth? Mandible? Spine?  Do I make the skull more fantasy or realistic?

What tools are you sculpting with? I'd love to try this part of the process before thinking about casting (see if I can actually make anything recognizable). I know a lot of people are using sculpy, but what about the tools themselves?

My favorite tools have been some small embossing tools and rubber-tipped clay shapers.  They're both widely available.  I bought some wax carving tools too, but they are generally too large and too rough for the details I want to add to my designs.

Thanks! I also wanted to ask you about your process. Do you usually have a design sketched out before you start sculpting, or do you have a general idea in mind and create it as you go?

[Bambino]

Thanks! I also wanted to ask you about your process. Do you usually have a design sketched out before you start sculpting, or do you have a general idea in mind and create it as you go?

Both. You should have an idea of what you want to achieve, its size  and height, how it will fit on a keycap, how it will interact with (or not interact with) the neighboring keys, and so on.  It may help to sketch it if you are good at drawing.  You'd ideally sketch it from multiple angles first so you can decide how it will look in 3 dimensions.  I used about 6 images of bulldogs from different angles as references to design Duke.  But before sculpting I had an idea of where I wanted the nose and ears to lie, what I wanted to do around the perimeter of the base, etc.

Things come up as you work on your design, and those parts require you to be creative on the fly.  In an unannounced project, I completed a face sculpture but wasn't satisfied with the rest of the design.  So I cut off the face sculpture, fired it by itself, and used it in an entirely different design.

Oh, and I could go on and on about mold-making considerations.  Suffice it to say that you constantly need to remind yourself, "I have to pull this out of a mold over and over, so I better not make it hard to do."

[Bambino]

Stage 3: Keycap top shapes completed on day 4. Major revisions to some previous work done to bring their various shapes into harmony with each other.



This design was made with the intention of being repositionable and multi-oriented. You can put it on your keyboard in four different orientations. This means that if you have multiples of this cap, you can put them next to each other without them each repeating the same pattern or looking like the same Keycap. Instead, you get a continuously changing facade across multiple keys. Here are some pics from other angles:







Next stage: Finishing the sides and bottom of the keycap.

[romevi]

Freakin' amazing.

How would the multi-angle work, though? Wouldn't you need some sort of angle so that the top surface is completely horizontal? Or obviously not if they can go on any angle?

[Bambino]

Freakin' amazing.

How would the multi-angle work, though? Wouldn't you need some sort of angle so that the top surface is completely horizontal? Or obviously not if they can go on any angle?

The top of the finished design is not angled. Aside from the texture of the skulls it is mostly level.

[FLFisherman]

Stage 3: Keycap top shapes completed on day 4. Major revisions to some previous work done to bring their various shapes into harmony with each other.

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This design was made with the intention of being repositionable and multi-oriented. You can put it on your keyboard in four different orientations. This means that if you have multiples of this cap, you can put them next to each other without them each repeating the same pattern or looking like the same Keycap. Instead, you get a continuously changing facade across multiple keys. Here are some pics from other angles:

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Next stage: Finishing the sides and bottom of the keycap.

Very ominous. You're making real fast progress.

[romevi]

Freakin' amazing.

How would the multi-angle work, though? Wouldn't you need some sort of angle so that the top surface is completely horizontal? Or obviously not if they can go on any angle?

The top of the finished design is not angled. Aside from the texture of the skulls it is mostly level.

Sorry, I meant angled when placed on a keyboard. Since most keyboards have some sort of slant to them, wouldn't the top of the cap be at an angle too?

And as I type that I realize how dumb I sound, considering most of my caps are like that. Wow, romevi; wow.

[theoriginal123123]

Stage 3: Keycap top shapes completed on day 4. Major revisions to some previous work done to bring their various shapes into harmony with each other.

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This design was made with the intention of being repositionable and multi-oriented. You can put it on your keyboard in four different orientations. This means that if you have multiples of this cap, you can put them next to each other without them each repeating the same pattern or looking like the same Keycap. Instead, you get a continuously changing facade across multiple keys. Here are some pics from other angles:

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Next stage: Finishing the sides and bottom of the keycap.

Your stuff is looking amazing, can't wait to see the finished piece!

[Waateva]

Stage 3: Keycap top shapes completed on day 4. Major revisions to some previous work done to bring their various shapes into harmony with each other.

Show Image

This design was made with the intention of being repositionable and multi-oriented. You can put it on your keyboard in four different orientations. This means that if you have multiples of this cap, you can put them next to each other without them each repeating the same pattern or looking like the same Keycap. Instead, you get a continuously changing facade across multiple keys. Here are some pics from other angles:

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Next stage: Finishing the sides and bottom of the keycap.

Wow, looks really nice!

[Bambino]

Stage 4: On day 5, sides were textured and final figures were added to the sides and back.

My strong preference is for artisan keycaps that make creative use of the entire key surface rather than simply being a sculpture pasted on top of a normal key shape. I think this is aesthetically much more interesting, but it is also practical since the side surfaces add thickness and can help reduce defects in production. Also, all-around-designed artisan keycaps are a nod to artisan collectors' typical use cases- (1) the common user who uses their artisan in place of an Esc key will be viewing the sides of the keycap much more often than if it was in any other position due to the Esc key spacing away from other keys, and (2) power collectors don't keep all their artisans on a keyboard, so I want them to be able to enjoy the keycap on a tabletop or switch tester without it looking totally out of place. Plus, an all-sides design is more photogenic for those who like to share pictures! Artisans aren't cheap, but a keycap that only looks good from a couple angles is, in my opinion, low value compared to one that looks cool in many directions, even if it's upside down.

The design in these pictures takes these ideas to an extreme since it is designed to have multiple "front" views, including some corners as "front" views. I don't know if I'll be doing this type of design after this cap, but it follows these guiding principles well. You'll probably notice more attention to the sides and back of keycaps in my work as time goes on.

Next, I made a moldability pass to reduce the depth of some of the eye sockets. I also redesigned some skulls that would have a tendency to destroy a mold and added details to a couple that were misshapen. One of the most crucial parts of the sculpting process is constantly moving your workpiece and viewing it from different angles. It's the only way for you to see when one eyebrow sticks out too far compared to the other or when one shoulder is twisted compared to another.

I also had to go around the shape with calipers to ensure that no bulges would be so large that they would inhibit movement of lateral keys. Several points had to be dialed back to keep the skulls in bounds. Meaning, I had to cut off some of their outer surface and make their sculptures in further relief. This is where it comes in handy to have the blank canvas of sculpting material at the start- the extra depth between the outside and the keycap surface allows you to work into the surface rather than being inhibited by the rigid keycap. If you have to remove material, you can still texture the surface rather than having to retreat to the plain keycap surface.

Some progress pics below. This wasn't the final form, but they're the last pics I got before reaching final form.











I really need to get a better camera for these :/

Next step: Molding and casting.

[Diokhan]

Stage 4: On day 5, sides were textured and final figures were added to the sides and back.

My strong preference is for artisan keycaps that make creative use of the entire key surface rather than simply being a sculpture pasted on top of a normal key shape. I think this is aesthetically much more interesting, but it is also practical since the side surfaces add thickness and can help reduce defects in production. Also, all-around-designed artisan keycaps are a nod to artisan collectors' typical use cases- (1) the common user who uses their artisan in place of an Esc key will be viewing the sides of the keycap much more often than if it was in any other position due to the Esc key spacing away from other keys, and (2) power collectors don't keep all their artisans on a keyboard, so I want them to be able to enjoy the keycap on a tabletop or switch tester without it looking totally out of place. Plus, an all-sides design is more photogenic for those who like to share pictures! Artisans aren't cheap, but a keycap that only looks good from a couple angles is, in my opinion, low value compared to one that looks cool in many directions, even if it's upside down.

The design in these pictures takes these ideas to an extreme since it is designed to have multiple "front" views, including some corners as "front" views. I don't know if I'll be doing this type of design after this cap, but it follows these guiding principles well. You'll probably notice more attention to the sides and back of keycaps in my work as time goes on.

Next, I made a moldability pass to reduce the depth of some of the eye sockets. I also redesigned some skulls that would have a tendency to destroy a mold and added details to a couple that were misshapen. One of the most crucial parts of the sculpting process is constantly moving your workpiece and viewing it from different angles. It's the only way for you to see when one eyebrow sticks out too far compared to the other or when one shoulder is twisted compared to another.

I also had to go around the shape with calipers to ensure that no bulges would be so large that they would inhibit movement of lateral keys. Several points had to be dialed back to keep the skulls in bounds. Meaning, I had to cut off some of their outer surface and make their sculptures in further relief. This is where it comes in handy to have the blank canvas of sculpting material at the start- the extra depth between the outside and the keycap surface allows you to work into the surface rather than being inhibited by the rigid keycap. If you have to remove material, you can still texture the surface rather than having to retreat to the plain keycap surface.

Some progress pics below. This wasn't the final form, but they're the last pics I got before reaching final form.

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I really need to get a better camera for these :/

Next step: Molding and casting.

That looks so amazing O.o

[onemegamanfan]

Stage 4: On day 5, sides were textured and final figures were added to the sides and back.

My strong preference is for artisan keycaps that make creative use of the entire key surface rather than simply being a sculpture pasted on top of a normal key shape. I think this is aesthetically much more interesting, but it is also practical since the side surfaces add thickness and can help reduce defects in production. Also, all-around-designed artisan keycaps are a nod to artisan collectors' typical use cases- (1) the common user who uses their artisan in place of an Esc key will be viewing the sides of the keycap much more often than if it was in any other position due to the Esc key spacing away from other keys, and (2) power collectors don't keep all their artisans on a keyboard, so I want them to be able to enjoy the keycap on a tabletop or switch tester without it looking totally out of place. Plus, an all-sides design is more photogenic for those who like to share pictures! Artisans aren't cheap, but a keycap that only looks good from a couple angles is, in my opinion, low value compared to one that looks cool in many directions, even if it's upside down.

The design in these pictures takes these ideas to an extreme since it is designed to have multiple "front" views, including some corners as "front" views. I don't know if I'll be doing this type of design after this cap, but it follows these guiding principles well. You'll probably notice more attention to the sides and back of keycaps in my work as time goes on.

Next, I made a moldability pass to reduce the depth of some of the eye sockets. I also redesigned some skulls that would have a tendency to destroy a mold and added details to a couple that were misshapen. One of the most crucial parts of the sculpting process is constantly moving your workpiece and viewing it from different angles. It's the only way for you to see when one eyebrow sticks out too far compared to the other or when one shoulder is twisted compared to another.

I also had to go around the shape with calipers to ensure that no bulges would be so large that they would inhibit movement of lateral keys. Several points had to be dialed back to keep the skulls in bounds. Meaning, I had to cut off some of their outer surface and make their sculptures in further relief. This is where it comes in handy to have the blank canvas of sculpting material at the start- the extra depth between the outside and the keycap surface allows you to work into the surface rather than being inhibited by the rigid keycap. If you have to remove material, you can still texture the surface rather than having to retreat to the plain keycap surface.

Some progress pics below. This wasn't the final form, but they're the last pics I got before reaching final form.

I really need to get a better camera for these :/

Next step: Molding and casting.

Can you do something like this when you make the mold?  I have been having troubles with the few I have made.

[Waateva]

Stage 4: On day 5, sides were textured and final figures were added to the sides and back.

My strong preference is for artisan keycaps that make creative use of the entire key surface rather than simply being a sculpture pasted on top of a normal key shape. I think this is aesthetically much more interesting, but it is also practical since the side surfaces add thickness and can help reduce defects in production. Also, all-around-designed artisan keycaps are a nod to artisan collectors' typical use cases- (1) the common user who uses their artisan in place of an Esc key will be viewing the sides of the keycap much more often than if it was in any other position due to the Esc key spacing away from other keys, and (2) power collectors don't keep all their artisans on a keyboard, so I want them to be able to enjoy the keycap on a tabletop or switch tester without it looking totally out of place. Plus, an all-sides design is more photogenic for those who like to share pictures! Artisans aren't cheap, but a keycap that only looks good from a couple angles is, in my opinion, low value compared to one that looks cool in many directions, even if it's upside down.

The design in these pictures takes these ideas to an extreme since it is designed to have multiple "front" views, including some corners as "front" views. I don't know if I'll be doing this type of design after this cap, but it follows these guiding principles well. You'll probably notice more attention to the sides and back of keycaps in my work as time goes on.

Next, I made a moldability pass to reduce the depth of some of the eye sockets. I also redesigned some skulls that would have a tendency to destroy a mold and added details to a couple that were misshapen. One of the most crucial parts of the sculpting process is constantly moving your workpiece and viewing it from different angles. It's the only way for you to see when one eyebrow sticks out too far compared to the other or when one shoulder is twisted compared to another.

I also had to go around the shape with calipers to ensure that no bulges would be so large that they would inhibit movement of lateral keys. Several points had to be dialed back to keep the skulls in bounds. Meaning, I had to cut off some of their outer surface and make their sculptures in further relief. This is where it comes in handy to have the blank canvas of sculpting material at the start- the extra depth between the outside and the keycap surface allows you to work into the surface rather than being inhibited by the rigid keycap. If you have to remove material, you can still texture the surface rather than having to retreat to the plain keycap surface.

Some progress pics below. This wasn't the final form, but they're the last pics I got before reaching final form.

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I really need to get a better camera for these :/

Next step: Molding and casting.

I honestly can't believe that you're just starting out.  Everything you've done so far has looked great, make sure you keep up the great work!

[Moistgun]

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

[Bambino]

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

[FLFisherman]

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

Damn, beat me to it. :/

Are there any designs that you would like to do, but don't quite feel confident attempting yet?

[Moistgun]

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

You know what I mean -___-

[Bambino]

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

You know what I mean -___-

I keed I keed.  I wouldn't have done a 'skull' if it ended up looking like another CC skull, Bro Reaper v1/v2/Reaper Classic/Jolly Roger, Krytone JSv1/v2/CS/Robo/Dome skull/Brainy/Fang skull/diagonal skull, Binge Smiling Jack/DWIJ/Skulthulhu, HKP Warmaster, Nubb scully, Zorb santa, BadNews Diamondeyes, Hammer Skull, etc. etc.  Not that those aren't cool in their own ways; it's just been done ad nauseum.

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

Damn, beat me to it. :/

Are there any designs that you would like to do, but don't quite feel confident attempting yet?

Oh yes.  One of my original ideas was an iconic architectural design.  Hopefully I'll work out some new methods to let me implement it.  Right now there's just no good way for me to get precise, tiny, straight lines that would be needed for the walls and roofing.

[romevi]

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

You know what I mean -___-

I keed I keed.  I wouldn't have done a 'skull' if it ended up looking like another CC skull, Bro Reaper v1/v2/Reaper Classic/Jolly Roger, Krytone JSv1/v2/CS/Robo/Dome skull/Brainy/Fang skull/diagonal skull, Binge Smiling Jack/DWIJ/Skulthulhu, HKP Warmaster, Nubb scully, Zorb santa, BadNews Diamondeyes, Hammer Skull, etc. etc.  Not that those aren't cool in their own ways; it's just been done ad nauseum.

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

Damn, beat me to it. :/

Are there any designs that you would like to do, but don't quite feel confident attempting yet?

Oh yes.  One of my original ideas was an iconic architectural design.  Hopefully I'll work out some new methods to let me implement it.  Right now there's just no good way for me to get precise, tiny, straight lines that would be needed for the walls and roofing.

I remember when I first saw CC's years ago I thought, "That looks silly. Who'd want a skull on their keyboard?" Then over the years it's like everyone could do only a skull, with a few exceptions.
Thank goodness I got into artisans last year; so many varying designs now.

[Bambino]

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

You know what I mean -___-

I keed I keed.  I wouldn't have done a 'skull' if it ended up looking like another CC skull, Bro Reaper v1/v2/Reaper Classic/Jolly Roger, Krytone JSv1/v2/CS/Robo/Dome skull/Brainy/Fang skull/diagonal skull, Binge Smiling Jack/DWIJ/Skulthulhu, HKP Warmaster, Nubb scully, Zorb santa, BadNews Diamondeyes, Hammer Skull, etc. etc.  Not that those aren't cool in their own ways; it's just been done ad nauseum.

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

Damn, beat me to it. :/

Are there any designs that you would like to do, but don't quite feel confident attempting yet?

Oh yes.  One of my original ideas was an iconic architectural design.  Hopefully I'll work out some new methods to let me implement it.  Right now there's just no good way for me to get precise, tiny, straight lines that would be needed for the walls and roofing.

I remember when I first saw CC's years ago I thought, "That looks silly. Who'd want a skull on their keyboard?" Then over the years it's like everyone could do only a skull, with a few exceptions.
Thank goodness I got into artisans last year; so many varying designs now.

My first purpose in creating the Handmade Artisan Keycap Directory (shameless plug: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1FOpysO03dfmpjsmHMnYGQC2bcPc40D_jbDGkE6NH5KY/edit?usp=sharing) was to give myself a broad perspective of what exists out there. I had it as a personal database for several weeks before opening up to public view so that I could detect some design space that wouldn't significantly overlap with what's been done. Everyone around here hates a copycat (*cough like a certain copycat). Hopefully the directory can now serve that purpose for newer artisans too.

Making the directory was, at times, frustrating. I wanted to make a feline design at first, but I found there's already a lot of that available. I liked astronaut concepts, then realized Booper's is already out there and Whizzard has one too. I could go back to those ideas in a new way at some point, but at least for now I'd rather stick to unique stuff, so seeing stuff similar to my ideas slowed me down at first.

[FLFisherman]

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

You know what I mean -___-

I keed I keed.  I wouldn't have done a 'skull' if it ended up looking like another CC skull, Bro Reaper v1/v2/Reaper Classic/Jolly Roger, Krytone JSv1/v2/CS/Robo/Dome skull/Brainy/Fang skull/diagonal skull, Binge Smiling Jack/DWIJ/Skulthulhu, HKP Warmaster, Nubb scully, Zorb santa, BadNews Diamondeyes, Hammer Skull, etc. etc.  Not that those aren't cool in their own ways; it's just been done ad nauseum.

Not only has your work been spectacular for just starting, but its been original.

Well I don't know.  DID do a skull this time

(Inb4 "NOW DO A ROBOT")

Damn, beat me to it. :/

Are there any designs that you would like to do, but don't quite feel confident attempting yet?

Oh yes.  One of my original ideas was an iconic architectural design.  Hopefully I'll work out some new methods to let me implement it.  Right now there's just no good way for me to get precise, tiny, straight lines that would be needed for the walls and roofing.

I remember when I first saw CC's years ago I thought, "That looks silly. Who'd want a skull on their keyboard?" Then over the years it's like everyone could do only a skull, with a few exceptions.
Thank goodness I got into artisans last year; so many varying designs now.

My first purpose in creating the Handmade Artisan Keycap Directory (shameless plug) was to give myself a broad perspective of what exists out there. I had it as a personal database for several weeks before opening up to public view so that I could detect some design space that wouldn't significantly overlap with what's been done. Everyone around here hates a copycat (*cough like a certain copycat). Hopefully the directory can now serve that purpose for newer artisans too.

Making the directory was, at times, frustrating. I wanted to make a feline design at first, but I found there's already a lot of that available. I liked astronaut concepts, then realized Booper's is already out there and Whizzard has one too. I could go back to those ideas in a new way at some point, but at least for now I'd rather stick to unique stuff, so seeing stuff similar to my ideas slowed me down at first.

Thank you for the insight! I hope a slightly generic design idea (skulls, robots, astronauts, animals, etc.) doesn't dissuade any future artisans from creating something in those categories. One can always change up a design.

[Bambino]

Thank you for the insight! I hope a slightly generic design idea (skulls, robots, astronauts, animals, etc.) doesn't dissuade any future artisans from creating something in those categories. One can always change up a design.

There are definitely new ways you can approach a concept, and I wholeheartedly approve of that.  My skulls cap (name not final) would otherwise be extremely hypocritical.  But my advice to someone new would be to try to find something unique about their idea if you want to get recognized in the sea of everything else out there.  For example, I really respect Nubbinator's Dolly and KK's Furt.  They're so whimsical and out there and different from anything anyone else has made before.  Now, everyone can immediately identify their work with those designs.  If we saw another basic skull key, it would most likely be easily forgettable.

[Liocer]

Stage 4: On day 5, sides were textured and final figures were added to the sides and back.

My strong preference is for artisan keycaps that make creative use of the entire key surface rather than simply being a sculpture pasted on top of a normal key shape. I think this is aesthetically much more interesting, but it is also practical since the side surfaces add thickness and can help reduce defects in production. Also, all-around-designed artisan keycaps are a nod to artisan collectors' typical use cases- (1) the common user who uses their artisan in place of an Esc key will be viewing the sides of the keycap much more often than if it was in any other position due to the Esc key spacing away from other keys, and (2) power collectors don't keep all their artisans on a keyboard, so I want them to be able to enjoy the keycap on a tabletop or switch tester without it looking totally out of place. Plus, an all-sides design is more photogenic for those who like to share pictures! Artisans aren't cheap, but a keycap that only looks good from a couple angles is, in my opinion, low value compared to one that looks cool in many directions, even if it's upside down.

The design in these pictures takes these ideas to an extreme since it is designed to have multiple "front" views, including some corners as "front" views. I don't know if I'll be doing this type of design after this cap, but it follows these guiding principles well. You'll probably notice more attention to the sides and back of keycaps in my work as time goes on.

Next, I made a moldability pass to reduce the depth of some of the eye sockets. I also redesigned some skulls that would have a tendency to destroy a mold and added details to a couple that were misshapen. One of the most crucial parts of the sculpting process is constantly moving your workpiece and viewing it from different angles. It's the only way for you to see when one eyebrow sticks out too far compared to the other or when one shoulder is twisted compared to another.

I also had to go around the shape with calipers to ensure that no bulges would be so large that they would inhibit movement of lateral keys. Several points had to be dialed back to keep the skulls in bounds. Meaning, I had to cut off some of their outer surface and make their sculptures in further relief. This is where it comes in handy to have the blank canvas of sculpting material at the start- the extra depth between the outside and the keycap surface allows you to work into the surface rather than being inhibited by the rigid keycap. If you have to remove material, you can still texture the surface rather than having to retreat to the plain keycap surface.

Some progress pics below. This wasn't the final form, but they're the last pics I got before reaching final form.

I really need to get a better camera for these :/

Next step: Molding and casting.

Can you do something like this when you make the mold?  I have been having troubles with the few I have made.

That would be cool to see.

[xtrafrood]

I really like the transparent/opaque keybuto keys

[Oxid]

Stage 4: On day 5, sides were textured and final figures were added to the sides and back.

My strong preference is for artisan keycaps that make creative use of the entire key surface rather than simply being a sculpture pasted on top of a normal key shape. I think this is aesthetically much more interesting, but it is also practical since the side surfaces add thickness and can help reduce defects in production. Also, all-around-designed artisan keycaps are a nod to artisan collectors' typical use cases- (1) the common user who uses their artisan in place of an Esc key will be viewing the sides of the keycap much more often than if it was in any other position due to the Esc key spacing away from other keys, and (2) power collectors don't keep all their artisans on a keyboard, so I want them to be able to enjoy the keycap on a tabletop or switch tester without it looking totally out of place. Plus, an all-sides design is more photogenic for those who like to share pictures! Artisans aren't cheap, but a keycap that only looks good from a couple angles is, in my opinion, low value compared to one that looks cool in many directions, even if it's upside down.

The design in these pictures takes these ideas to an extreme since it is designed to have multiple "front" views, including some corners as "front" views. I don't know if I'll be doing this type of design after this cap, but it follows these guiding principles well. You'll probably notice more attention to the sides and back of keycaps in my work as time goes on.

Next, I made a moldability pass to reduce the depth of some of the eye sockets. I also redesigned some skulls that would have a tendency to destroy a mold and added details to a couple that were misshapen. One of the most crucial parts of the sculpting process is constantly moving your workpiece and viewing it from different angles. It's the only way for you to see when one eyebrow sticks out too far compared to the other or when one shoulder is twisted compared to another.

I also had to go around the shape with calipers to ensure that no bulges would be so large that they would inhibit movement of lateral keys. Several points had to be dialed back to keep the skulls in bounds. Meaning, I had to cut off some of their outer surface and make their sculptures in further relief. This is where it comes in handy to have the blank canvas of sculpting material at the start- the extra depth between the outside and the keycap surface allows you to work into the surface rather than being inhibited by the rigid keycap. If you have to remove material, you can still texture the surface rather than having to retreat to the plain keycap surface.

Some progress pics below. This wasn't the final form, but they're the last pics I got before reaching final form.

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

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I really need to get a better camera for these :/

Next step: Molding and casting.

:O The detail on that is insane! That's beyond impressive sculpting! Excited to see you cast it :D

[FLFisherman]

Thank you for the insight! I hope a slightly generic design idea (skulls, robots, astronauts, animals, etc.) doesn't dissuade any future artisans from creating something in those categories. One can always change up a design.

There are definitely new ways you can approach a concept, and I wholeheartedly approve of that.  My skulls cap (name not final) would otherwise be extremely hypocritical.  But my advice to someone new would be to try to find something unique about their idea if you want to get recognized in the sea of everything else out there.  For example, I really respect Nubbinator's Dolly and KK's Furt.  They're so whimsical and out there and different from anything anyone else has made before.  Now, everyone can immediately identify their work with those designs.  If we saw another basic skull key, it would most likely be easily forgettable.

Well you certainly have a very fascinating and unique skull cluster cap on your hands. Can't wait to see it after casting!

[xondat]

Stage 4: On day 5, sides were textured and final figures were added to the sides and back.

My strong preference is for artisan keycaps that make creative use of the entire key surface rather than simply being a sculpture pasted on top of a normal key shape. I think this is aesthetically much more interesting, but it is also practical since the side surfaces add thickness and can help reduce defects in production. Also, all-around-designed artisan keycaps are a nod to artisan collectors' typical use cases- (1) the common user who uses their artisan in place of an Esc key will be viewing the sides of the keycap much more often than if it was in any other position due to the Esc key spacing away from other keys, and (2) power collectors don't keep all their artisans on a keyboard, so I want them to be able to enjoy the keycap on a tabletop or switch tester without it looking totally out of place. Plus, an all-sides design is more photogenic for those who like to share pictures! Artisans aren't cheap, but a keycap that only looks good from a couple angles is, in my opinion, low value compared to one that looks cool in many directions, even if it's upside down.

The design in these pictures takes these ideas to an extreme since it is designed to have multiple "front" views, including some corners as "front" views. I don't know if I'll be doing this type of design after this cap, but it follows these guiding principles well. You'll probably notice more attention to the sides and back of keycaps in my work as time goes on.

Next, I made a moldability pass to reduce the depth of some of the eye sockets. I also redesigned some skulls that would have a tendency to destroy a mold and added details to a couple that were misshapen. One of the most crucial parts of the sculpting process is constantly moving your workpiece and viewing it from different angles. It's the only way for you to see when one eyebrow sticks out too far compared to the other or when one shoulder is twisted compared to another.

I also had to go around the shape with calipers to ensure that no bulges would be so large that they would inhibit movement of lateral keys. Several points had to be dialed back to keep the skulls in bounds. Meaning, I had to cut off some of their outer surface and make their sculptures in further relief. This is where it comes in handy to have the blank canvas of sculpting material at the start- the extra depth between the outside and the keycap surface allows you to work into the surface rather than being inhibited by the rigid keycap. If you have to remove material, you can still texture the surface rather than having to retreat to the plain keycap surface.

Some progress pics below. This wasn't the final form, but they're the last pics I got before reaching final form.

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

Show Image

I really need to get a better camera for these :/

Next step: Molding and casting.

Thanks for the brief thought process that goes into a cap like this, your work is really good and you should keep going :thumb:

[TheJonas]

I would have bought the one with one skull, I would have bought the one with three skulls, then I saw five skulls and I was sure I needed to do my best and get one. But all those ideas were lost when I saw those last photos. I did not expect to see a mountain of skulls and damn it looks incredible!

[olieatstofu]

Already imagining having these on my keyboard, pls release now 

[qazeqaz]

I like the multiple skulls idea. Reminds me of the catacombs in Paris!

[Bambino]

I like the multiple skulls idea. Reminds me of the catacombs in Paris!

Funny you should mention that. Go check out part 2 of the story in the sale thread!

[Bambino]

A few more experiments.

Some solid colors and transparent colors.  I think this cap isn't well suited for full-cap transparency.



A mix.  The top is a pearl dust with a dark crimson backfill.  The left is a pearl dust with pure solid orange backfill, the bottom is a pearl dust with transparent teal backfill and the right is pearl dust with white backfill followed by trans teal backfill.  Interestingly, the dust looks much more silver after it is embedded in resin than it looks out of the box.



These Keybutos are equivalents of the right and bottom Legion caps above.



What do you like best?

[FrostyToast]

Copper Kabuto mask?
Skulls encased in ice?

Please. Just stop. You're killing me.
Too much want.

[romevi]

A few more experiments.

Some solid colors and transparent colors.  I think this cap isn't well suited for full-cap transparency.

Show Image

A mix.  The top is a pearl dust with a dark crimson backfill.  The left is a pearl dust with pure solid orange backfill, the bottom is a pearl dust with transparent teal backfill and the right is pearl dust with white backfill followed by trans teal backfill.  Interestingly, the dust looks much more silver after it is embedded in resin than it looks out of the box.

Show Image

These Keybutos are equivalents of the right and bottom Legion caps above.

Show Image

What do you like best?

The Legion caps in the second pic look the best, albeit the rightmost one in said pic.

The Keybuto on the right seems best.