(https://i.imgur.com/njEady0.jpeg)
Howdy partners! This is the interest check for GMK CYL Orenji! I’m Tristan, but you may know me as Captain Sterling. I’ve been photographing, designing, streaming, and reviewing keyboards in the space for a little over 3 years now (I think, lol). I appreciate you taking the time to check this out, and I hope you enjoy the set!
PLEASE FILL OUT THIS IC FORM (https://forms.gle/eZUpvAvQ16qULbMt9)
The Inspiration:
My fascination with this new wave of tech incorporating a retro aesthetic inspired me to make Orenji. I specifically look to the design of Teenage Engineering, the Phase One 65 keyboard, and third-party retro gaming consoles/emulators as retrofuturistic tech that resonates with me.
The novelties for Orenji are designed around fun-shaped speaker cutouts and minimalist switch toggles or sliders from Nintendo and Playstation consoles and Teenage Engineering tools. The name Orenji (a Japanese romanization of the word orange) is a callback to the origin and a nod to one of the more dominant and vibrant colors utilized in this new wave of retro/nostalgic tech. I also get this feeling of futuristic robotics from these colors, so I made the 65/75% column with these cool robotic wings in different configurations. I am also working on a cute little orange robot to be a fun mascot design for the set!
I would love to see what you think of the bold and fun nature of this set and the novelty designs. Orenji is one of the sets I’m most proud of designing, and I’m glad to be able to share it with you. It would be my dream to see it come to life!
(https://i.imgur.com/0rvmOjV.jpeg)(https://i.imgur.com/CDXHaMr.jpeg)
Kits -
Base Kit
(https://i.imgur.com/4PnyThs.jpeg)
Novelty Kit
(https://i.imgur.com/ddwW5KL.jpeg)
Parts Kit
(https://i.imgur.com/IXyVeRK.jpeg)
International Kit
(https://i.imgur.com/CgMpjVL.jpeg)
Renders - By Radkbds: (https://www.instagram.com/radkbds/)
SONOMA by Wired In (https://www.instagram.com/radkbds/p/DG064nIxcHh/)
(https://i.imgur.com/7yR7B23.jpeg) (https://i.imgur.com/fQvbTBG.jpeg)
Renders- By MVKB: (https://www.instagram.com/mvkbcom/?hl=en)
(https://i.imgur.com/68REHZc.jpeg) (https://i.imgur.com/DFpo86M.jpeg)
(https://i.imgur.com/EjHb802.png) (https://i.imgur.com/pZNr24c.png)
Renders - By Yours Truly: (https://www.instagram.com/captain.sterling)
(https://i.imgur.com/sGhLw8I.jpeg) (https://i.imgur.com/NCiSeFN.jpeg)
Renders - By Jei Kei Design: (https://www.instagram.com/jei_kei_design)
Qi65 by Rkeebs_ and an unknown 60 (I’ll figure it out hehe) (https://www.instagram.com/yan.kbd/p/DEVJwsyuI1s/?img_index=1)
(https://i.imgur.com/35oJ6Rq.jpeg) (https://i.imgur.com/P5X8Lih.jpeg)
Renders - By Rkeebs_: (https://www.instagram.com/rkeebs_/)
Qi65 (https://www.instagram.com/yan.kbd/p/DEVJwsyuI1s/?img_index=1)
(https://i.imgur.com/WWh8sYv.jpeg) (https://i.imgur.com/VfO1SJw.jpeg)
Why Orange?:
- I’m in my orange era! I’ve been obsessing over more bold color options on my caps lately. For a long time I felt this was a color missing from the keyboard space. I’ve been posting teasers of this for nearly a year now over on Instagram, and I have seen that people really vibe with it. I have included all of the specs and current information below. It means a lot to me that you are taking the time to look over my project, so thank you!
Specs:
- CYL Profile: ABS plastic, thick doubleshot keycaps manufactured by GMK | GMK Neue Legends
- Colors: Orange: Pantone 1505 C, Grey: Pantone 420 C
Timeline:
- Pricing / Vendors: Regional vendors / timelines are still TBD but hoping sooner rather than later
- Color matching: Samples are photographed below with a daylight balanced flash, I've approved the colors!
- GB Timeline: TBD
- Changes will be made to the Ctrl + Alt novelties soon, it'll be subtle so stay tuned for that
- Artisan collab (above) produced by Salvun designed by MVKB (crushed it mate), features an actual physical toggle you can fidget with
(https://i.imgur.com/fgkCJo9.jpeg)
Thanks To:
- Rad | Beni: Really helping me fine tune and just bounce ideas for renders, he’s been a massive inspiration and help. The renders you’ve done are just amazing.
- Oh Type, Akuko Labs, and Keypothecary: truly grateful for all of the wisdom you guys bless me with. You’re so insightful and give amazing feedback.
- Jei Kei and Rkeebs_: provided some top of the line renders to support the project (more soon!)
- My Wife: for always giving feedback and hyping me up
- MVKB: Absolutely cooking up the most incredible artisan (and renders), you’re the man
-Evan: Thanks for helping me not die doing this geekhack thing, you talked me through it and really helped. A true pal <3
Questions, Comments, Concerns:
- Please comment below and I’ll be sure to read everything (unless you hate it XD)
- If you are an artisan marker and want to collaborate on something, please reach out!
- If this set goes through to a GB, we may have some other fun ideas planned!
Links - follow if you’d like:
Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/captain.sterling)
Twitch (https://www.twitch.tv/thecaptainsterling)
Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/@thecaptainsterling)
IC FORM:
PLEASE FILL OUT THIS IC FORM (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeRl24V5eIwn8ShxQVb267Y60N6_zYL5H0LMIZ32UmHmpyjMw/viewform?usp=sf_link)
I, too, have recently been falling in love with safety orange. I'll be following this.
Base Kit
Show Image
(https://i.imgur.com/mOwvN0a.jpeg)
As it currently stands, the base kit has a 1.25u Shift but no accompanying ISO Return, R3 \| and R4 <> for basic ISO support. I'd recommend adding those; i.e. moving them out of the international kit into base — that way your int'l kit will also be compliant with GMK's standardized int'l kit template (example (https://i.imgur.com/YaUypQZ.jpeg)).
The R1 1u Backspace key might be extraneous and could be removed.
The four 40s support keys are currently rendered as R3/R4, but they should really be R2/R3.
Looks pretty good otherwise.