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geekhack Community => Keyboard Keycaps => Topic started by: bmmcwhirt on Sat, 24 August 2019, 23:03:57

Title: Current Keycap Sculpts [Croak] and (Unnamed) oni.
Post by: bmmcwhirt on Sat, 24 August 2019, 23:03:57
I'm working on some sculpts for some new designs. This will be my second attempt at doing Artisan keycaps, the first time a few years back was a learning experience and never resulted in a product.

First is Croak, my take on a stylized frog face.

[attach=1]

[attach=2]

[attach=3]

And here is my GIANT unnamed oni. I've not done the mount and the horns will probably be sculpted and molded separate.

[attach=4]

[attach=5]

[attach=6]

Curious what everyone's thoughts are. Neither is finished yet, but Croak is getting close.
Title: Re: Current Keycap Sculpts [Croak] and (Unnamed) oni.
Post by: popcap on Sun, 25 August 2019, 15:15:29
The first doesn't immediately read frog but you did say it was a stylized rendition. The oni looks like it will turn out very nice.

What kind of sculpting clay are you using? I like how smooth it looks.
Title: Re: Current Keycap Sculpts [Croak] and (Unnamed) oni.
Post by: bmmcwhirt on Mon, 26 August 2019, 02:07:29
The first doesn't immediately read frog but you did say it was a stylized rendition. The oni looks like it will turn out very nice.

What kind of sculpting clay are you using? I like how smooth it looks.

Croak, I've been on the fence about adding his tongue. Also when he's cast in color the idea of frog will come out more. The tongue design I have might be easily broken off and would be a separate mold.

As for the clay, I am using Super Sculpey Firm, which is not really that firm when you start working with it. You can toss your sculpt in the fridge when not working on it to get a firmer clay until it warms back up. Part of the smoothness is I use soft silicone tools with a very light hand. By light I mean you use more pressure when you feather dust than I do when I am smoothing an area. Here is a link the the exact ones I am using.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073QHHCZL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  However any of the soft silicone ones will work. Also I use additive modeling where I add small balls or rolls of clay to build a feature instead of carving.  This is due to the small size and it the opposite of what you do when working on larger sculpts.

Title: Re: Current Keycap Sculpts [Croak] and (Unnamed) oni.
Post by: popcap on Mon, 26 August 2019, 15:58:46
The first doesn't immediately read frog but you did say it was a stylized rendition. The oni looks like it will turn out very nice.

What kind of sculpting clay are you using? I like how smooth it looks.

Croak, I've been on the fence about adding his tongue. Also when he's cast in color the idea of frog will come out more. The tongue design I have might be easily broken off and would be a separate mold.

As for the clay, I am using Super Sculpey Firm, which is not really that firm when you start working with it. You can toss your sculpt in the fridge when not working on it to get a firmer clay until it warms back up. Part of the smoothness is I use soft silicone tools with a very light hand. By light I mean you use more pressure when you feather dust than I do when I am smoothing an area. Here is a link the the exact ones I am using.  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B073QHHCZL/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o09_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1  However any of the soft silicone ones will work. Also I use additive modeling where I add small balls or rolls of clay to build a feature instead of carving.  This is due to the small size and it the opposite of what you do when working on larger sculpts.

Would love to see it when you've casted it.

Also thanks for the tips I don't have any of the silicone shaper tools so going to have to give that a try.
Title: Re: Current Keycap Sculpts [Croak] and (Unnamed) oni.
Post by: bmmcwhirt on Wed, 28 August 2019, 16:31:30
Here is what it could look like with the tongue added. This inst attached just a quick moch up with it laid ontop.

[attach=1]
Title: Re: Current Keycap Sculpts [Croak] and (Unnamed) oni.
Post by: popcap on Wed, 28 August 2019, 17:54:42
Getting somewhere, looking forward to seeing how it turns out when your done.
Title: Re: Current Keycap Sculpts [Croak] and (Unnamed) oni.
Post by: AuthenticDanger on Wed, 28 August 2019, 18:01:15
Careful not to go too large or it'll rub on other keys!