Metal key art ideas

[tjcaustin]

So with the awesome that is the Ironman cap that girldc made, I'd like to see something similar made onceish a quarter.  I don't know if that would be best to work with kawa/girldc, finding another metal artist to help or what (I leave that up to the forum as I'm opening it to ideas, too).  I also know that that there's an idea thread but this seemed too big to just add to that...

Here's my current list of ideas I think would be cool:

Capt America shield
Thor's hammer, Mjolnir
Hulk bust/fist
Batman bust/helm
Superman symbol
Green Lantern...lantern
X-Wing
TIE Fighter
Death Star
Serenity
USS Enterprises
Borg cube/sphere
TARDIS
Metroid bust/helm
other nerdy things that I can't think of right now

My biggest desire for the "next" cap, assuming this is doable and I'm not just dreaming big is the TARDIS. 

Please be gentle

[singaporean123]

I think the metal part SHOULDN'T be too hard.. I have an old monopoly set at home, and the "things"(i dont know what you call them, counters?) you use to represent yourself are normally made of metal, like the dogs car whatever.

I think the hard part is getting someone to mold it into the shape of a keycap that fits perfectly yes?

[reaper]

Captain America's shield is a cool idea but it has to be painted.  USS Enterprise would make a very cool keycap for all the Trekkies and non-Trekkies alike if you can pull it off.  Good stuff.

[shadewolf]

I wonder how a hulk fist trying to 'bust out' of the cap would look once molded...modeled after something like this maybe. Not sure how it would actually look, but I like your thinking.

[asura]

Here's my current list of ideas I think would be cool:

Capt America shield
Thor's hammer, Mjolnir
Hulk bust/fist
Batman bust/helm
Superman symbol
Green Lantern...lantern
X-Wing
TIE Fighter
Death Star
Serenity
USS Enterprises
Borg cube/sphere
TARDIS
Metroid bust/helm
other nerdy things that I can't think of right now

Problem being that most, or all, of those are copyrighted designs and for someone like me to start producing caps based on any of the above they would have to seek permission of the copyright holder.  Yes the chances of litigation for what would be a (fairly) minor breach are minimal, but it's there, and ruinous. 

Equally comes the ethical question - as a bespoke jeweller, and architectural designer, I would be very grumpy if someone lifted one of my design and started profiting from my efforts.  So why should I go out and copy someone else's work?  Hammer, fist, and police box, should probably all be fine, as they're mythology, biology and public works respectively - the rest have no grey area at all...

[danielucf]

How do people at comic conventions get away selling their art of various characters without getting in trouble? I thought if it was original art and changed enough there is no problem.

[tjcaustin]

This is a completely fair point that I've been curious about how they got around it for the Ironman group buy, honestly. 

[asura]

They're breaching copyright law, they're just not being punished as they're such small fry.  And limited run key caps would probably be okay too, but there's always a risk that one may be made an example of.  It's a risk I'd not be willing to make for just a few grand.

If you get written permission from the copyright holder, then all is well.

It's a funny thing copyright law, for example, if I sell you a painting, then I transfer with the sale my copyright over to you and you can make as many reproductions as you like; if I sell you a sculpture, then I retain the copyright and if you make a copy, then you're breaching copyright... Very easy to trip up, it's so convoluted.

[Goodfella]

A green hulk fist popping out of a keycap would be so legit.

[moonprismpwr]

I was actually wondering about the issue mentioned above too. Since a lot of people are sensitive to copyright, I was wondering what makes certain things okay to use for producing and selling versus others.

[phetto]

The only thing I see here is  that isnt copyright protected is Mjollnir (Mjölner).

Its from an old religion here in Scandinavia, so if somebody would make such a cap, there is nothing that could stop you.

[moonprismpwr]

phetto- yea ^^ that would be really cool actually. get some mythological pieces done. and maybe some dragons

[tjcaustin]

phetto- yea ^^ that would be really cool actually. get some mythological pieces done. and maybe some dragons

So pointy.  (All dragons are pointy)

[phetto]

So pointy.  (All dragons are pointy)

Not all dragoooons 

[moonprismpwr]

phetto- yea ^^ that would be really cool actually. get some mythological pieces done. and maybe some dragons

So pointy.  (All dragons are pointy)

I thought maybe to get around stabbing your finger every time you pressed on it, it could be refined to a smooth design where maybe the eyes glow as a highlight ^^

[tjcaustin]

So pointy.  (All dragons are pointy)

Not all dragoooons 

Show Image

Look at the points on those wings!

[phetto]

Ok I give up! You won.

[esoomenona]

.

[asura]

...maybe the eyes glow as a highlight ^^

Flush set garnets for eyes?  Problem with a dragons head is the long face v.s. short key cap, preportionally it would work better rotated 90degrees for example, if it were the CAPS or LShift.

[moonprismpwr]

...maybe the eyes glow as a highlight ^^

Flush set garnets for eyes?  Problem with a dragons head is the long face v.s. short key cap, preportionally it would work better rotated 90degrees for example, if it were the CAPS or LShift.

thats actually a good idea, i hadn't thought to consider using a longer key ^^

[dorkvader]

...maybe the eyes glow as a highlight ^^

Flush set garnets for eyes?  Problem with a dragons head is the long face v.s. short key cap, preportionally it would work better rotated 90degrees for example, if it were the CAPS or LShift.

That is a good idea, The only way I see it working is to just have a head coming out of the keycap, like those ironman ones recently, but with more space to work with you could even have a bas-relief going across the entire keycap, like those japanese woodcuts.

[moonprismpwr]

...maybe the eyes glow as a highlight ^^

Flush set garnets for eyes?  Problem with a dragons head is the long face v.s. short key cap, preportionally it would work better rotated 90degrees for example, if it were the CAPS or LShift.

That is a good idea, The only way I see it working is to just have a head coming out of the keycap, like those ironman ones recently, but with more space to work with you could even have a bas-relief going across the entire keycap, like those japanese woodcuts.

I love the idea of the bas relief, it would definitely look cool and be usable at the same time, eliminating the problem of a sharp horn or scale pricking your finger when you use it. I image you could even make it a set of 4 top row keys, with the first being the dragon's head, the next two being the body, and the last being the tail ^^