Keycap Designs

[Binge]

[ Guests cannot view attachments ]

My collection of original sculpts grows every time I feel a design needs refinement.

Hey I'm STILL unhappy with what I'm producing, but I'd like to get an idea where people see my talent is put to the best use.

You won't be stopping me from creating what I want or force my hand to make something I don't want.  It'd be nice to see some organized public opinion.  With the options I've provided in the poll I feel you can ask for just about anything and then leave comments with your vote.

Baller?  YEAH!

[SpAmRaY]

I say make an orc army you could have a few different orcs, good guy, bad guy etc.

[Moralless]

I've always enjoyed seeing all your designs but IMO your topre Fns have always looked the nicest to me, just because I've always found it interesting seeing what keycap makers can do with blank keys to make it unique from other maker's designs since I think that's one of the hardest things you can do and would love to see you explore more into blanks

[sethk_]

I love both the hand e caps and the topre blanks, but I had to choose the hand e caps, I just like them too much.

[GSimon]

A dragon style keycap with sharp features!

[Binge]

These categories are not limited to keys I've already made, but it's nice to know people have some favorites.

Keep the responses coming!  Centering the Chi or something.

[iamtootallforthis]

These categories are not limited to keys I've already made, but it's nice to know people have some favorites.

Keep the responses coming!  Centering the Chi or something.

I really just want the Lion Keyng you just posted to be honest though 

I did vote though and would like to see more Orcs and Keythulus

[SpAmRaY]

Just send me that cap in the OP for testing purposes.

[digi]

animals...duh...you can never have enough h00ts

[HoffmanMyster]

Can't make any more topre fns, or else I won't be able to collect them all!   

Seriously though, I still need a Hoot.  So there's that.   

But for new designs?  I'd like to see more animals-enjoying-hifi-equipment designs, a-la Slo-Fi.   

[Melvang]

Made my vote, anything from a Dungeons and Dragons book.  I can send pics from my copies if you want.

[Binge]

Can't make any more topre fns, or else I won't be able to collect them all!   

Seriously though, I still need a Hoot.  So there's that.   

But for new designs?  I'd like to see more animals-enjoying-hifi-equipment designs, a-la Slo-Fi.   

Any molds I've retired are not likely to come back.  That's just how I roll. 

I want to refine, I want to improve.  Doing the same thing over and over again can not the capcrafter do.

[HoffmanMyster]

Can't make any more topre fns, or else I won't be able to collect them all!   

Seriously though, I still need a Hoot.  So there's that.   

But for new designs?  I'd like to see more animals-enjoying-hifi-equipment designs, a-la Slo-Fi.   

Any molds I've retired are not likely to come back.  That's just how I roll. 

 

So no hand-e-cap then, right?  Or would you sculpt a new one?  And has Hoot been retired?  Hoping not...        Oh shoot, is that one retired now that the Mrs. isn't helping anymore??   

[sethk_]

Can't make any more topre fns, or else I won't be able to collect them all!   

Seriously though, I still need a Hoot.  So there's that.   

But for new designs?  I'd like to see more animals-enjoying-hifi-equipment designs, a-la Slo-Fi.   

Any molds I've retired are not likely to come back.  That's just how I roll. 

 

So no hand-e-cap then, right?  Or would you sculpt a new one?  And has Hoot been retired?  Hoping not...        Oh shoot, is that one retired now that the Mrs. isn't helping anymore??   

I think he means as in he would make new molds, but I don't want to speak for Binge, so I might be wrong.

[slickmamba]

Hmm, wolf, something environmental sciencey(leaf or tree or something), oh maybe a nice meal( bowl of noodles, breakfast, steak), and of course, a cop dragon.

[Binge]

Can't make any more topre fns, or else I won't be able to collect them all!   

Seriously though, I still need a Hoot.  So there's that.   

But for new designs?  I'd like to see more animals-enjoying-hifi-equipment designs, a-la Slo-Fi.   

Any molds I've retired are not likely to come back.  That's just how I roll. 

 

So no hand-e-cap then, right?  Or would you sculpt a new one?  And has Hoot been retired?  Hoping not...        Oh shoot, is that one retired now that the Mrs. isn't helping anymore??   

I think he means as in he would make new molds, but I don't want to speak for Binge, so I might be wrong.

You isain't wrong.

[CPTBadAss]

I've been enjoying the KBK Topre FNs. I like that they've got that KBK flair but understated. Might be cool to do something a little more minimal than you usual designs?

[hwood34]

[Joey Quinn]

Slow-Fi v2!

Or more Hoots.

[tigersharkdude]

I'd love to see Konahrik's mask from Sky rim

[Binge]

I'd love to see Konahrik's mask from Sky rim

Show Image

Looks like it has interesting design elements.  I do a lot to try and create objects from concept and not existing artwork.  Maybe I'll borrow the eyes.... BWAHAHAHAHA

These suggestions are great and I'm paying attention to the polls.  Get any friends who may be interested to lend their opinions by introducing them to this thread.  Please/Thank you.

[FrostyToast]

Make something like a Mr. Potato and have us collect the different pieces we can put on him!
That way we can have the dream of Santa Hats for keycaps like Booper had! 

[Jokrik]

How about a design that can be focus on in the long term and represent your brand
Something like from the fantasy world/animal (ie different dragon head design)

[Binge]

How about a design that can be focus on in the long term and represent your brand
Something like from the fantasy world/animal (ie different dragon head design)

Show Image

This is something I've been really mulling over.  My favorite creatures made into statues are lions.  They've got great proportions and character.

So far my most popular keys I've made to date are the Lion Keyng (lion) and Keythulhu (octopus).  The Keythulhu wins by a slim margin.

[BlueNalgene]

Why don't you post some art that you've really grooved on lately.  Maybe not so much as subject matter you'd like to use, but something that shows the style you would like to draw from.  Everybody here so far has posted examples of digital fantasy art with high detail.  Is that what you like? Do you want to do something similar to what you have already done to further your 'brand' (I feel dirty saying that), or do you want to branch out into a style you haven't focused on in the past? Or is this just a way to determine what your users prefer so when you come up with the right thing, you know how to make it?

[Binge]

Why don't you post some art that you've really grooved on lately.  Maybe not so much as subject matter you'd like to use, but something that shows the style you would like to draw from.  Everybody here so far has posted examples of digital fantasy art with high detail.  Is that what you like? Do you want to do something similar to what you have already done to further your 'brand' (I feel dirty saying that), or do you want to branch out into a style you haven't focused on in the past? Or is this just a way to determine what your users prefer so when you come up with the right thing, you know how to make it?

Gotta level with you man.  The only art I've produced recently is for this site and its members.  I'm a former career artist who really missed it and saw an application for my skills in this medium.  I think if I didn't find keycaps I would sketch here and there but generally would have focused more on other things like... my retirement?  I dunno.  Needless to say if I'm doodling it's scratch and nothing else.  Most of the time it's little pictures to make my wife laugh.

You're right I've seen a lot of fantasy art and really detailed work thrown at me, and I've got to say the artform it's presented to me in is the stuff I used to strive to achieve.  Can't say I have wanted to remain in that circuit of creation because it lacks spontaneity.  As odd as that sounds Fantasy Art as it is in popular books/media is not very free flowing.  There are lots and lots of  techniques, drafts, concepts, and to me that was stuff I had to learn from other people.  When I began to express myself there was not a teacher in my life who could articulate perspective or the need to practice X, Y, Z artistic theories.  Everything before I went to college I had without instruction, and that was probably the best creative period of my life.  If the art was a lot like the the Fantasy Art I'm seeing in pictures here I made it with my own process, and now I can't very well go back to that process without wasting gobs and gobs of time.  That annoys the learned artist in me.

Keycaps are a strange set of restrictions and nobody has been cruel or gracious enough to try and teach me anything about it outside of duplicating process.  Some of the crafters and I exchange ideas, but that's the very limit of our relation as student/teacher.  There days when presented with the challenges of a seemingly impossible request I'll choose not to tackle it and put it on the back burner.  The more I get to go through the process the more improvements I can make to my set of standards.  The purpose of this thread and poll are to help me take the energy from a bunch of people who see what I'm doing and see it improving and align myself  as best as possible with a broad perspective.

I've got blinders on when I look at my work.  I see every key design as part of a larger project while recently I realized they are all individual projects, and unfortunately for me and people interested in the art that is going to waste a lot of people's time before I get to where colleagues of mine have been able to take their vision.  Unless I organize I can see myself just burning up with all of the variety my brain keeps churning out.

[BlueNalgene]

Why don't you post some art that you've really grooved on lately.  Maybe not so much as subject matter you'd like to use, but something that shows the style you would like to draw from.  Everybody here so far has posted examples of digital fantasy art with high detail.  Is that what you like? Do you want to do something similar to what you have already done to further your 'brand' (I feel dirty saying that), or do you want to branch out into a style you haven't focused on in the past? Or is this just a way to determine what your users prefer so when you come up with the right thing, you know how to make it?

Gotta level with you man.  The only art I've produced recently is for this site and its members.  I'm a former career artist who really missed it and saw an application for my skills in this medium.  I think if I didn't find keycaps I would sketch here and there but generally would have focused more on other things like... my retirement?  I dunno.  Needless to say if I'm doodling it's scratch and nothing else.  Most of the time it's little pictures to make my wife laugh.

You're right I've seen a lot of fantasy art and really detailed work thrown at me, and I've got to say the artform it's presented to me in is the stuff I used to strive to achieve.  Can't say I have wanted to remain in that circuit of creation because it lacks spontaneity.  As odd as that sounds Fantasy Art as it is in popular books/media is not very free flowing.  There are lots and lots of  techniques, drafts, concepts, and to me that was stuff I had to learn from other people.  When I began to express myself there was not a teacher in my life who could articulate perspective or the need to practice X, Y, Z artistic theories.  Everything before I went to college I had without instruction, and that was probably the best creative period of my life.  If the art was a lot like the the Fantasy Art I'm seeing in pictures here I made it with my own process, and now I can't very well go back to that process without wasting gobs and gobs of time.  That annoys the learned artist in me.

Keycaps are a strange set of restrictions and nobody has been cruel or gracious enough to try and teach me anything about it outside of duplicating process.  Some of the crafters and I exchange ideas, but that's the very limit of our relation as student/teacher.  There days when presented with the challenges of a seemingly impossible request I'll choose not to tackle it and put it on the back burner.  The more I get to go through the process the more improvements I can make to my set of standards.  The purpose of this thread and poll are to help me take the energy from a bunch of people who see what I'm doing and see it improving and align myself  as best as possible with a broad perspective.

I've got blinders on when I look at my work.  I see every key design as part of a larger project while recently I realized they are all individual projects, and unfortunately for me and people interested in the art that is going to waste a lot of people's time before I get to where colleagues of mine have been able to take their vision.  Unless I organize I can see myself just burning up with all of the variety my brain keeps churning out.

That wall of text was a good read.  A relevant comic came to mind.



The source is Subnormality by Winston Rowntree. 

I'll keep my eyes open for something tasty to send your way.  I used to do inspiration/influence packets when I was in the theater, so I'll send you some stuff if I think it comes across as a cohesive idea.

Any genres appealing to you lately?

[Binge]

Any genres appealing to you lately?

Pens.  Is pens a genre?  Let me write that down and nibble on the idea.

[BlueNalgene]

Any genres appealing to you lately?

Pens.  Is pens a genre?  Let me write that down and nibble on the idea.

Genre, theme, time period, phrase, emotion, whatever.  Pens is perfect.

I am going to make a few assumptions before I start.  First, I assume that you have enough pens laying around to know what they look like.  I am well aware you are a fan of writing implements, since that is how I ended up getting my first artisan cap.  The second assumption comes from a little Geekhack stalking.  I went through your posts and learned some stuff about you.  You like pens, vinyl, artsyfartsy extracurriculars, prefer cats, are married, are white, have a linnie, enjoy hifi audio stuff.  The assumption is that you are way too much like me.  Seriously. I assume that, based on this, your house is furnished with disjointed themes, you drift from project to project, do fine in public but prefer solitude, and have an SO with an advanced degree in ornithology.

The obvious choice for cap design would be something using the distinct nib shape of a fountain pen.  The idea that focuses solely on the nib would be a nib encased in resin a la something found in a museum gift shop

More

.

But this idea limits the number of colors possible.  You could change the color of the nib, but the clear resin would have to stay that way.  It also presents some casting problems for multiple injected colors.  It might work as a mixed media cap, but that would require a change of pace for you.

How about a nip on top of the cap?  Simple, recognizable, and elegant.  But this doesn't have the Binge^TM appeal.  Maybe we need to spice it up a bit.

I've always wondered why no one puts a layer of textured shapes underneath a sculpture layer.  An intricate repeated/tessellated pattern underneath a simple object could really make it pop.  For example, let's look at some University of Alabama branding.

Here is the Alabama A

More

And here is some houndstooth

More

The A is a bold logo on a single color background, but look at how it jumps out at you when we combine them.

More

Time for more inspiration.  Let's look at something that is related to pens but doesn't focus on the nib.  Here and here are some good links to vintage ink bottles.  Something I noticed about the older ones, is that you can see a definite shift from Art Noveau styling to Late Modern labels.  This is a nice little reference for important design styles.

If we pull this all together, we need some work music.  I'm pulling more from the post-war style, so I think some jazzy swing is in order.  Let's try something industrious on for size, and if that doesn't suit you, let's try a little modern electroswing to get that heyday mood in full swing!

I did a quick mockup of what I have stitched together.  I chose to do a nib leaking ink onto the far side of the cap with an intricate repeating pattern.  The pattern are some arrows that I liked on a bottle of Carter's Rytoff from one of those sources. 

More

Hand drawn isn't my thing.  Don't judge me.  I see you judging me!

I'm not saying you should do this, but it is where the combination of those ideas sent me.



I hope this sparks something.

[Binge]

Those chick legs on the keycap have serious curves.  I see you like women how I like women.  Nice bush.

JUDGED

[FrostyToast]

Show Image

Those chick legs on the keycap have serious curves.  I see you like women how I like women.  Nice bush.

JUDGED

Those are legs?!
I thought it was the nib of a fountain pen.  :))

[Binge]

Don't you see the tiny feet? 

[GenKaan]

Ronan the accuser would be sick! Or any Kree like creature

[Krogenar]

A "Zork"-themed keycap. It's an old text-based game, very retro. The letter 'Z', raised, made from stone bricks. If you could make the bricks opaque, and the rest of the keycap translucent, then it could be backlit.

[tigersharkdude]

Ronan the accuser would be sick! Or any Kree like creature

Show Image

At first glance I thought this was Beta Ray Bill holding Mjolnir

[FrostyToast]

Don't you see the tiny feet? 

Sooo.... it's a dual nib for a fountain pen?

[BlueNalgene]

A "Zork"-themed keycap. It's an old text-based game, very retro. The letter 'Z', raised, made from stone bricks. If you could make the bricks opaque, and the rest of the keycap translucent, then it could be backlit.

It would be a pain in the ass to carve 69,105 bricks though.

[Binge]

I hope people won't be too disappointed when I produce a key of my own design be it character or concept.   Some design that originates on my desk instead of from the cast of a comic book, a video game, or other popular visual media.

There was a warning in my OP which I know some people read.  I hoped this would minimize the wishing for things that are just not going to happen.  There are other designers who feel perfectly alright making a pop-icon figure, doing some CAD stuff or 3D printing on a model they created or is in the public domain and then releasing it for profit.  I would rather close everything down than have to make another Keythulhu happen.  It's a fantastic idea!  I love Cthulhu.  He's one of my most popular designs on a keycap, but it's also not my character.  The only saving grace to my principals is that there is no official artwork for Cthulhu as H.P. Lovecraft did sketch the creature but opted to mention that its body was maddeningly beyond comprehension.  I feel that gives up the floor to more artistic interpretation to which I've done my best to make it look like some evil octopus.  Still I don't want to make more of these keys.

When CPTBadAss came over to my place for the pen show I gave him a completed sculpture for a Snorlax on a key.  Why?  I don't want it, and it would be a cool gift.  I thought it would a great key design, and honestly it was a lot of fun to have on the keyboard.  It's still a problem for my principals.  I've never done anything with Snorlax other than played Pokemon.  What gives me the right to take that figure and make toys out of it to sell and keep this whole thing running?

Rant rant- rant... rant raaaaant.  Rant.

[HendyZone]

animals moar lion keyng v3 ? maybe ?

[Binge]

animals moar lion keyng v3 ? maybe ?

No worries man Lion Keyng V3 is here to stay.

[HoffmanMyster]

Would you ever consider making "landscapes"?  I'm not sure how it would even work on a keycap, but something like a river or a mountain might be fun. 

It sounds like you don't like fantasy/pop icons, and you do like animals.  So obviously you are perfectly capable of finding a new and interesting animal and sculpting that, you don't need help there.  Are you looking for alternate "genres" to get into (other than animals)?  I'm honestly a bit confused what you're looking for here.   

[tigersharkdude]

Would you ever consider making "landscapes"?  I'm not sure how it would even work on a keycap, but something like a river or a mountain might be fun. 

Happy little trees ...


Binge, I believe people would buy whatever you make (Whether if it's your own design or based off of 'x').

[FrostyToast]

Would you ever consider making "landscapes"?  I'm not sure how it would even work on a keycap, but something like a river or a mountain might be fun. 

It sounds like you don't like fantasy/pop icons, and you do like animals.  So obviously you are perfectly capable of finding a new and interesting animal and sculpting that, you don't need help there.  Are you looking for alternate "genres" to get into (other than animals)?  I'm honestly a bit confused what you're looking for here.   

Remake the Lion King on a keyboard. Do it.

[Alex92]

These might be too complex to make into keycaps, but 2 designs that I thought of were a dragon curled up on a keycap and a gargoyle sitting on a keycap. An animal that I think might be good for a keycap is a parrot because you could make it in so many different colors while still looking like a real creature.

[Binge]

Would you ever consider making "landscapes"?  I'm not sure how it would even work on a keycap, but something like a river or a mountain might be fun. 

It sounds like you don't like fantasy/pop icons, and you do like animals.  So obviously you are perfectly capable of finding a new and interesting animal and sculpting that, you don't need help there.  Are you looking for alternate "genres" to get into (other than animals)?  I'm honestly a bit confused what you're looking for here.   

The responses to the poll I posted are great!  That's exactly the sort of broad direction I'm looking for from FANS.  I'm looking for feedback from people who believe I could make something of quality from a broad genre.

Small descriptions of an interesting creature/monster/object and even encouragement to improve on projects I've already started was the original objective.  I just find it odd that looking through the poll responses people are giving great answers.  The very same people are using the thread to elaborate that broad spectrum creative juice into a creation that exists or that they have envisioned in their mind.  That's not stuff I can use aside from going back to the root idea and taking it in a direction.

I feel as though this is self evident in the type of questions I'm asking, and I won't turn away ideas but I do not want people to get so.... deep.  That's my job.  I've got run into the shallow water in order to swim out into an ocean of creativity, and no amount of hyper-detailed concept art or references from other media sources will help me get there.  Point me to water, ya I'll find it.  Drop me in it and I'll have to swim out of it before I can ever do what I need to do with it.

[HoffmanMyster]

Would you ever consider making "landscapes"?  I'm not sure how it would even work on a keycap, but something like a river or a mountain might be fun. 

It sounds like you don't like fantasy/pop icons, and you do like animals.  So obviously you are perfectly capable of finding a new and interesting animal and sculpting that, you don't need help there.  Are you looking for alternate "genres" to get into (other than animals)?  I'm honestly a bit confused what you're looking for here.   

The responses to the poll I posted are great!  That's exactly the sort of broad direction I'm looking for from FANS.  I'm looking for feedback from people who believe I could make something of quality from a broad genre.

Small descriptions of an interesting creature/monster/object and even encouragement to improve on projects I've already started was the original objective.  I just find it odd that looking through the poll responses people are giving great answers.  The very same people are using the thread to elaborate that broad spectrum creative juice into a creation that exists or that they have envisioned in their mind.  That's not stuff I can use aside from going back to the root idea and taking it in a direction.

I feel as though this is self evident in the type of questions I'm asking, and I won't turn away ideas but I do not want people to get so.... deep.  That's my job.  I've got run into the shallow water in order to swim out into an ocean of creativity, and no amount of hyper-detailed concept art or references from other media sources will help me get there.  Point me to water, ya I'll find it.  Drop me in it and I'll have to swim out of it before I can ever do what I need to do with it.

I understand your stance much better now, thanks for the explanation. 

I don't have much else to offer though, as I'm lacking a creative mind for this stuff.  But things that interest me that I'd like to see made into keycaps are landscapes (as mentioned before) and machinery.  Not specific machinery, just the vibe that machinery gives off.  Not even dirty and grimy to a cliche, just the general theme.  But I'm not sure if you're into that, or if it's even something to make a keycap from. 

[Binge]

... or if it's even something to make a keycap from. 

That's the beauty of it.  That's all I need.

[baldgye]

Ran out of room for my comment, so I'll continue it here;

I think that making some really cool blanks would be super ****ing cool, but I don't just mean WASD/arrow clusters etc etc... I would love some proper sweet mod keys, like some special stepped caps lock where the step is a diff colour to the top, **** like that.

[tigersharkdude]

Ran out of room for my comment, so I'll continue it here;

I think that making some really cool blanks would be super ****ing cool, but I don't just mean WASD/arrow clusters etc etc... I would love some proper sweet mod keys, like some special stepped caps lock where the step is a diff colour to the top, **** like that.

I could not agree more, some artisan keys in sizes beyond 1x1 would be awesome

Maybe do a custom set of modifier keys (ctrl, alt, shift)

[cooldiscretion]

I'm a huge fan of the Keythulu keycap and your T Fn keys.  Another one of my favorites is the Moose.

When you posted the photo of the artisan spacebar you created that made me incredibly excited.  I've never seen anyone else make an artisan spacebar.