[IC] PBT Silence=Death [Help decide the future of this set!]

[Mark The Weeb]

Hey everyone!
Welcome to the IC for my first keycap set "PBT Silence=Death"

I'm Mark, I’m an LGBTQ+ individual living in Cyprus, My goals for this set are to raise money for my local LGBTQ+ foundation, Accept CY, and to pay homage to the LGBTQ movements of the 80s. 60% of the profits will be donated, the other 40% will be kept for my future projects, as well as on starting my own nonprofit organization to support local LGBTQ+ youth explore Design and the arts!

Inspiration

I was inspired by the Silence=Death and Act Up movements that were founded in 1987. The keycap set takes inspiration from all facets of the movements. I decided to take inspiration from the original Silence=Death poster for my font as well as color choices, Alpha legends and accent cap colors are closely matched to the closest Pantone Uncoated to the Pantone 212C which was used in the original poster. I decided on black mods and white alphas to pay homage to the poster, as well as using pink as an accent and legend color in what I deem tasteful. The novelties are inspired by the protest banners as well as slogans and artwork that came out of the movement.

IC Form

I would be grateful if you would fill out this IC Form.

Kits

BaseKit

Novelties

Numpad

40s Kit

NorDe Kit

Spacebar Accent Kit

Spacebar Kit

Boards

Gmmk Pro (Glorious)

Nemui (Bachoo)

Radium F13 TKL (Ace Designs)

Amano (H40)

Deskmat:

Collaborations:
TBD

If you are interested in collaborating, please contact me on Geekhack or on Instagram @mark_the_weeb

GB Dates:
TBD

Vendors:
TBD

Thank you


I would like to extend a thank you to everyone in Keyboard Community Creatives discord server who helped me during the design process as well as during the creation of this IC.

I also want to thank ImperfectLink for Creating KRK as well as helping me get me started with blender and figuring out issues throughout the design process.
SpikedSynapse for being the helping and kind person he is as well as always helping me when I needed design feedback.
Afresh,Cthalupa,Reebes,Maxvoltar,exco,DumbAssBoi,Shiba,Ramlord,Biscuit,Cylent,Munchkin,Pasta,Paul_Gd,Kron,Ace Designs That all helped and supported me.

[Mark The Weeb]

The Silence = Death /Pink Triangle poster are not original to Haring. They were donated to Act up but the poster itself (from what i have researched has a creative commons 4.0 license attached to it meaning i am allowed to “Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material or any purpose, even commercially.”) That is why I have given attribution to the Silence = Death art collective as well as Act up.

Due to some close similarities I am pulling the deskmat and reworking it. I wanted to pay homage to Haring's work, but the point is not to copy. My artist and I got a little too close and we are going to fix that. My intention never was copy Haring's stuff directly but instead be inspired by the art style. That's on me in my direction for the art given to my artist. I am fixing this at my own expense, and I hope I can create something that shows the love I have for Keith Haring & his work.

Due to the additional level of uneasiness felt by some of my fellow LGBTQ people  I have reached out to the Act Out foundation to see what their thoughts are on where the line is.
My intention was to help people in my country. A small country that does not have many protections for LGBTQ people as well as shares a border with a country where simply existing as LGBTQ Is not Accepted. I am taking all the steps I can to make this set a success and help those in need.

I hope that despite all these circumstances and issues along the way, this keycap set will be able to bring joy to the people wanting it and to help spread the message in the community while supporting the charity through all of your support of my project.

Thank you -Mark

[Afresh]

I don't wanna die so I'll leave the comment here just to be sure.

In for the deskmat 100%

[scott_mk]

lets go mark!! amazing set and amazing cause

[bigoldbox]

I'm getting that desk mat no matter what.

[nullinasou]

what's up with the recent trend of so many sets entering IC without any mentioning of manu?

[eg0t1st1k4l]

Great cause, definitely in for the deskmat.
Is the font and legends a thematic decision? I'd greatly prefer the usual cherry legends and font, this font along with text only mods reminds me of cheap clones and the IFK team liquid set. Choosing a manu before posting an IC is crucial, kitting changes wildly from manu to manu due to the ways their moq's work, and vendors need to know what manufacturer you're using in case they don't have proper contact or don't wish to run sets with specific manufacturers.
Looking forward to where you take this keyset, GLWIC

[nicoles]

Heya! I'm also part of the queer community, and love the inspiration here. That said, ACT UP has historically been very clear that they don't want any products made with their brand. From https://actupny.com/contact/:

CAN I USE ACT UP IMAGERY FOR MY PROJECT OR RESEARCH?
If you’re a student in grades K-12 and this is for a school project, the answer is yes.

If you’re planning to sell merchandise with our imagery on it, or use our imagery to advertise a product, the answer is no.

I am especially concerned that the mat, though utterly dope and a thing I absolutely want, is wayyyy too close for anyone who might be connected to Keith Haring's estate to be cool about.

Sorry to be a bummer! I think the historic poster is super important and inspiring, and I totally understand wanting to honor it like this.

[totalemon]

the set itself isn't really to my taste, I agree with ego about it being reminiscent of cheaper designs even though it's clear from the IC that more time and effort has been put into this.
but this is a great cause! and as someone who's lgbt I always appreciate seeing stuff like this in the community I'd really love to support the project by buying the deskmat assuming there are no issues with the imagery used. best of luck with the IC, mark!!

[Mark The Weeb]

what's up with the recent trend of so many sets entering IC without any mentioning of manu?

While I already have a straight idea about what I'm wanting to do, sadly due to the current circumstances, especially with Manus no longer accepting new designs, it is quite difficult to find a manufacturer until the product is safe to become a thing.

[herbologist]

Noble cause aside, I'm really personally not a fan of the legending and I'm curious what lead you to choose to go with these unconventional ones.

Sent from my Pixel 6 Pro using Tapatalk

[Puddsy]

Heya! I'm also part of the queer community, and love the inspiration here. That said, ACT UP has historically been very clear that they don't want any products made with their brand. From https://actupny.com/contact/:

CAN I USE ACT UP IMAGERY FOR MY PROJECT OR RESEARCH?
If you’re a student in grades K-12 and this is for a school project, the answer is yes.

If you’re planning to sell merchandise with our imagery on it, or use our imagery to advertise a product, the answer is no.

I am especially concerned that the mat, though utterly dope and a thing I absolutely want, is wayyyy too close for anyone who might be connected to Keith Haring's estate to be cool about.

Sorry to be a bummer! I think the historic poster is super important and inspiring, and I totally understand wanting to honor it like this.

since posts from no avatar users with 15 posts often get glossed over i just wanna boost this one because this is not an unimportant detail

[BloremBipsum]

Really love working with you and your projects! Fingers crossed for a C&D-less IC, GLWIC!

[HappyB0T]

I actually can't read this font without putting a bit of effort in with my eyes. This is particularly noticeable with the novelties where I actually have to read the text. The poster font is cool but may not translate when the style is downsized. Please consider a more accessible font.

[andromache]

Heya! I'm also part of the queer community, and love the inspiration here. That said, ACT UP has historically been very clear that they don't want any products made with their brand. From https://actupny.com/contact/:

CAN I USE ACT UP IMAGERY FOR MY PROJECT OR RESEARCH?
If you’re a student in grades K-12 and this is for a school project, the answer is yes.

If you’re planning to sell merchandise with our imagery on it, or use our imagery to advertise a product, the answer is no.

I am especially concerned that the mat, though utterly dope and a thing I absolutely want, is wayyyy too close for anyone who might be connected to Keith Haring's estate to be cool about.

Sorry to be a bummer! I think the historic poster is super important and inspiring, and I totally understand wanting to honor it like this.

Oooooof. Definitely hoping OP will address this soon. Even if the intent is to honor the cause and contribute to charity, going against the wishes of the estate seems bad.

[spikedsynapse]

There is a difference between using inspiration and copying work. Clearly the deskmat is inspired by, but is absolutely not a copy of the Keith haring artwork. Furthermore he is not using the branding of the company. There is fair use in creative work and this is definitely it.

[cthalupa]

Heya! I'm also part of the queer community, and love the inspiration here. That said, ACT UP has historically been very clear that they don't want any products made with their brand. From https://actupny.com/contact/:

CAN I USE ACT UP IMAGERY FOR MY PROJECT OR RESEARCH?
If you’re a student in grades K-12 and this is for a school project, the answer is yes.

If you’re planning to sell merchandise with our imagery on it, or use our imagery to advertise a product, the answer is no.

I am especially concerned that the mat, though utterly dope and a thing I absolutely want, is wayyyy too close for anyone who might be connected to Keith Haring's estate to be cool about.

Sorry to be a bummer! I think the historic poster is super important and inspiring, and I totally understand wanting to honor it like this.

since posts from no avatar users with 15 posts often get glossed over i just wanna boost this one because this is not an unimportant detail

It's not super clear cut.

The pink triangle was of course used by the nazis, and then the art collective responsible for Silence = Death inverted it and used the Silence = Death phrase to subvert things, which Haring and ACT UP then used. The deskmat is clearly inspired by Haring's work, but there's lots of art that emulates the style of others.

I'm not a lawyer and there's no way I should be giving anyone legal advice, though, so even though I'm sure someone knows, it ain't me.

[jivex5k]

There is a difference between using inspiration and copying work. Clearly the deskmat is inspired by, but is absolutely not a copy of the Keith haring artwork. Furthermore he is not using the branding of the company. There is fair use in creative work and this is definitely it.

https://i.imgur.com/cHpIRLk.png

pretty close

[spikedsynapse]

thats not what a copy is. He used inspiration. That is not a copy. You cannot copyright an art style or technique. This is common knowledge in the art community.

[andromache]

Idk, I'm personally less concerned with the legal technicalities and more concerned with the fact that ACT-UP doesn't want its imagery to be used to sell products, and they are pretty clear about that. I think it's morally good to respect the wishes of a non-profit. While this project is inspired by the imagery and NOT an exact copy, the inspiration is EXTREMELY clear, both as stated directly by OP and in the deskmat design and title. I am genuinely wondering if the non-profit would be cool with this project going forward? Even if it might be legally in the clear (I'm not a lawyer, so I have no idea), I wouldn't personally feel great about supporting a project inspired by a charity/movement/org when the charity/movement/org itself would disapprove of the project.

[nicoles]

Exactly this. It's probably fair use, legally. But if the nonprofit that spent decades fighting aids and making the world safer for us lgbt folk says they don't want you to do this, why do it?

[Shvrk]

thats not what a copy is. He used inspiration. That is not a copy. You cannot copyright an art style or technique. This is common knowledge in the art community.

While this is true, you can copyright certain details. I'd have to look through the copyright database to see what is and isn't protected by ACT UP, but the pink triangle appearing in a certain way could be protected. Even just the pink triangle could be registered, although protections would vary if things ever went to court. I doubt it would ever go that far.

While it might be "common knowledge" in the art community, it's even more common knowledge that these things can be incredibly complicated.

All that said to say that I don't really think it's a great look to use something that ACT UP themselves have stated they don't want to be used. But I don't want to cast judgement. I would, if I were the runner, reach out to ACT UP and see how they feel about this before proceeding. Wouldn't want to get hit with a cease and desist in the middle of production. Provided you can drum up enough interest and find a manu. Just my two cents.

[cthalupa]

There does seem to be some confusion in here around the pink triangle and silence=death.

As noted in the wiki linked in the initial post, Silence=Death is an art collective that is responsible for the original phrase and pink triangle. They are separate in origin to ACT UP and Keith Haring's artwork.

[Shvrk]

There does seem to be some confusion in here around the pink triangle and silence=death.

As noted in the wiki linked in the initial post, Silence=Death is an art collective that is responsible for the original phrase and pink triangle. They are separate in origin to ACT UP and Keith Haring's artwork.

You're right and I was a bit misinformed as to whom might own what. I did some research and it looks like the deskmat is a direct recreation of a ton of Keith Haring's work. Likely infringing on copyright. Here's from Keith Haring Foundation's website:

"The Keith Haring Studio owns the international copyright to all artwork created by Keith Haring, and his artwork may not be reproduced in any way without express written permission from the Haring Studio. All rights and reproductions requests should be sent via the contact page and for additional information please see the Licensing page."

[spikedsynapse]

"deskmat is a direct recreation of a ton of Keith Haring's work.

Thats where you are wrong kiddo. That deskmat was created in the style of keith haring, but it is not a copy. It is hand drawn, by another artist. So go out there and find the exact poster you claim is being copied. Show that before you throw around baseless accusations.

Edit: I was being a d- Jerk. I shouldnt be a jerk. Sorry.

[Shvrk]

"deskmat is a direct recreation of a ton of Keith Haring's work.

Thats where you are wrong kiddo. That deskmat was created in the style of keith haring, but it is not a copy. It is hand drawn, by another artist. So go out there and find the exact poster you claim is being copied. Show that before you throw around baseless accusations.

Sorry, I should have been more clear with my words. Some of the designs in the deskpad are direct recreations of protected artwork by Keith Haring. I have found multiple instances of this. Here's one example: the character on the left of the work I've linked below appears to have been recreated by the artist on the left side of the deskmat. Sorry if you don't like the phrase "direct recreation," but this is how it's defined in a legal sense. Hope this helps your understanding.

https://imgur.com/a/79Ms16K

[depressedkeebs]

The deskmat is nice

[Aerysten]

"deskmat is a direct recreation of a ton of Keith Haring's work.

Thats where you are wrong kiddo. That deskmat was created in the style of keith haring, but it is not a copy. It is hand drawn, by another artist. So go out there and find the exact poster you claim is being copied. Show that before you throw around baseless accusations.

When looking through multiple different works of Keith Haring, like the one linked to above, there's images that do appear to be direct recreations of components of his work that are protected by copyright. Even if created in the style, the lines match up exactly with the lines on figures like that linked above, which would potentially be cause for issue with the Keith Haring foundation as those works are copyrighted. Would probably be best for the designer to run it by them before actually running the deskmat to ensure everything is copacetic.

[zekth]

Thats where you are wrong kiddo

Don't be that kind of person.

[Mark The Weeb]

Sorry for the late reply All ! i addressed all concerns in my top comment (for new users that come across this but i will also copy it in this reply so that the above that had concerns are notified

"The Silence = Death /Pink Triangle poster are not original to Haring. They were donated to Act up but the poster itself (from what i have researched has a creative commons 4.0 license attached to it meaning i am allowed to “Share — copy and redistribute the material in any medium or format Adapt — remix, transform, and build upon the material or any purpose, even commercially.”) That is why I have given attribution to the Silence = Death art collective as well as Act up.

Due to some close similarities I am pulling the deskmat and reworking it. I wanted to pay homage to Haring's work, but the point is not to copy. My artist and I got a little too close and we are going to fix that. My intention never was copy Haring's stuff directly but instead be inspired by the art style. That's on me in my direction for the art given to my artist. I am fixing this at my own expense, and I hope I can create something that shows the love I have for Keith Haring & his work.

Due to the additional level of uneasiness felt by some of my fellow LGBTQ people  I have reached out to the Act Out foundation to see what their thoughts are on where the line is.
My intention was to help people in my country. A small country that does not have many protections for LGBTQ people as well as shares a border with a country where simply existing as LGBTQ Is not Accepted. I am taking all the steps I can to make this set a success and help those in need.

I hope that despite all these circumstances and issues along the way, this keycap set will be able to bring joy to the people wanting it and to help spread the message in the community while supporting the charity through all of your support of my project.

Thank you -Mark"

[jivex5k]

good stuff

[atl22033]

Good **** mark good ****

[Mark The Weeb]

Hello!
Mark here with an update with PBT Silence = Death.

I have filled out their image use google form as well as I have been trying to reach out to the Act Up organization for a month already and have even sent numerous follow ups but to no reply. They might have not seen it yet or just don't mind. Due to its vague nature,I will still be trying to contact individuals from the Act Up organization, but in the meanwhile I will be trying to find a good middle ground between not potentially stepping on anyone's IP while keeping the sets original charm.

Thanks -Mark

[Mark The Weeb]

Hello!
Mark The Weeb here with updates regarding the future of PBT Silence = Death.

First of all, I would like to give out my sincerest thanks to those who have shared their interest and concerns with this project. Without you all, it wouldn't ever be in a position of proper fruition to help my fellow members of the LGBTQ+ community. My team and I have listened to the feedback given and we will address them and how it will affect the future of this project.

1) Legends

This part of the project was and still is the most difficult part to decide on due to both the custom and stock fonts having their own unique charm in elevating a board. Due to its contested nature, I have decided that the best way to resolve this is to let you (the people) decide. In the form below, you can see the difference and vote for your favorite one and address the other changes that you would like to be made and we will greatly consider its integration. This decision has been made to ensure the project's success in helping the LGBTQ+ community.

2) Manufacturer

As previously mentioned, the decision in naming it PBT is due to the difficulty in securing a Manufacturer and their queues. Regardless of this setback, we will continue our search to secure a manufacturer so that we can go full gear and make this project the project as best as it can. We will also be looking at the possibility of getting it in-stock if it improves our chances in getting it made.

3) Legality

As of March 18, 2022, there has been no response from both the Haring and Act-Up foundations. We will continue to exhaust our efforts in contacting both parties to ensure no further legal hiccups would happen later down the road. We would also be contacting their licensing office to consult our issues and make the necessary adjustments down the line.

The link here will redirect you to the form.

Thats all for now, please stay safe and love to the world