3/24/2023 0 Comments Artisan keycap![]() ![]() This means that other areas of the mold may need to be cured first, elongating the process time and complexity. If a sculpt has elements on the sides of the mold that need to be colored separately, the mold will have to be tilted to allow the resin to fill that area properly. You also have multiple shots with the same color in certain cases, such as layering. If the design calls for multiple areas to be colored differently, each color may require a separate shot, with a different resin mixture. It is challenging to visualize the final output, because the surface of the mold is an inverse of the sculpt, and the resin color appears different in liquid form versus when it is cured.Įach placement of individual color is called a "shot". In this step of the process, the maker has to place the resin they mixed, which has a certain time limit before it cures, into the appropriate place into the mold. Keycap casting difficulty can range from simple single-color casts to complex, multi-shot casting with resin writing and other techniques that can take hours of painstaking, meticulous work. Now repeat the process multiple times for every cap you want to make, ensuring there are no discernible differences between each one. If you mess up just one drop, or run out of time, you have to start all over again. Imagine having to place tiny drops of liquid into several sockets less than a millimeter in diameter, multiple times, across a sculpted surface no bigger than your fingernail, within a specific time limit. Some makers retire the sculpt once the initial molds wear out. At some point, the molds will need to be retired and new ones will need to be made to continue casting the sculpt. As molds are successively used to create casts, they tend to become worn over time, losing fine details and eventually forming cracks. Makers creating multiple caps for larger sales usually make multiple molds for higher-volume casting sessions. Mold release is applied to the sculpt and base so that the silicone can be removed more easily once it is cured. Sprues are usually placed on the corners of the cap base, and can also be added to the stem. The bottom part of the mold is created in a similar fashion, but using sprues that attach to certain parts of the cap base, to enable air and excess resin to escape through. Lego bricks can be used to create the structure for the mold, or if you are using a solution like the :~$ynth, it comes with it's own box to pour the silicone into. A structure is created that surrounds the sculpt and base, and the silicone is poured carefully into a corner of the structure until it fills to the top without any bubbles. This is typically done using mold-making silicone to create a two part mold: one for the top half with the sculpt, and another for the bottom half with the base and stem. The symptom of this issue is when you cannot fit multiple of the sculpt next to one another, or a single one rubs on other surrounding caps when pressed.Īfter the sculpt is ready, one or more molds will be made from the original art. One area that makers sometimes overlook is ensuring that there is enough clearance around the sculpt to accommodate other keycaps or high profile cases. Sculpting is usually an iterative process that refines the artisan's vision over multiple versions. Sometimes, pre-made objects are added to a clay sculpt to form parts of the object, such as small ball bearings for eyeballs. Some artists sculpt from a piece of clay in the general size of a keycap, others may use an existing keycap and add clay shapes to it, while others may sculpt their keycaps on 3rd party platforms that are designed to assist with making artisans, such as the :~$ynth or ZButt. Artists will have their preferred workflow and choose material based on personal preferences. Monster clay, CX5, and Sculpy are common brands of choice. Sculpting material usually consists of various clay or wax media. In some cases, makers have been known to design their own tools to implement specific techniques or fit their preferred workflow. For the purposes of this section we will be focusing primarily on the former, hand-sculpted artisan keycaps.Ĭreating detailed sculpts at the scale of a keycap require fine tools often used by sculptors in other sculpture art domains. ![]() While both require creativity and artistry, hand sculpted masters are generally considered to require more skill across multiple disciplines, and closer to the traditional handmade art form by some collectors. There are typically two ways to do this from scratch: (1) hand sculpting with some form of clay or wax media, or (2) three dimensional modeling with software, usually followed by 3d printing or machining (which could also be used as a master for hand casted caps). The first step is to create a three dimensional object that is the subject of the keycap.
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