Every now and again, I feel like artists will find that one new idea or new medium that suddenly opens up their imagination to new and different things. For me, that was when I discovered artisan keycaps.

One of the things that really caught my attention about artisan keycaps is being able to physically make something that I could put on something I use daily: my keyboard. It’s a level of expression that’s like picking out clothes that suit your style. It’s very charming and for the individual and I liked the thought of being able to make my own.

It’s also a particularly neat endeavor for me because it combines both my design skills through my usual art and my 3D modeling and 3D software knowledge that has grown through work. It’s a blend of so many different things that I’m interested in that I couldn’t help but dive head first into them.

My keycaps are created in one of the following ways:

• Method 1: A hand sculpted clay design that I turn into a mold

• Method 2: A 3D modeled piece of art that I turn into a mold

• Method 3: A 3D modeled piece that is printed and painted before being sealed into a key shape

If using Method 1 or Method 2, the final produce will then be a series of resin casts to get the final product. With Method 3, it’s a mix of the 3D print and resin to encapsulate it.

These are some examples from one of my favorite ones. More to come in the future!