Meet balance, Bim's creator

Aug 13, 2024219 VIEWS

DCX Bim is launching today, so to help celebrate the occasion we have called upon the creator of Bim to peek out from behind the curtain and share a bit about himself and his design process. Welcome balance, and thank you in advance for taking the time to answer our questions! With that, let’s take a dive into the mind of balance!

How did you get into mechanical keyboards as a hobby? Was there any particular event that caused you to seek it out, or was it a slow burn over time? I got into mechanical keyboards through one of my friends as he was really fond of keyboards and 3d design. What caused you to take the next step in the hobby, moving from enjoying keyboards to designing keysets and taking on more of a “making” role? Actually, I was really interested in designing and 3d modelling and I have discovered people who designed keycaps. While doing this, I fell more in love with the hobby and designs around them, influencing me to make my first ever custom keyboard. What has been the biggest challenge or learning experience from your time designing in the keyboard space (or elsewhere)? I think that the biggest challenge for me was creating the Interest Check for my first project. Which of your own designs/projects are you the most proud of? As a designer, I like all the designs I've done but the most memorable is definitely my first ever set, GMK Blossom.

What is your favorite design of someone else’s? Either in terms of pure execution, or “I wish I had thought of that idea”? Some very beautiful sets that I've seen are: ▪️ GMK Fuji by Tom ▪️ GMK Hazakura by BapoDonu ▪️ GMK Oblivion by Oblotkzy ▪️ GMK Symbiote by pikku-allu What is a concept or idea that you’ve had, but have been unable to create (whether for technical reasons, licensing, etc)? I would have really loved to make a design related to the Star Wars movies Do you have a process for gathering your potential ideas, and culling down to workable concepts that you select designs to move forward with and take to the community? Would you be able to share a bit about what goes into those decisions? I don't have any process for gathering, the idea just pops up in my head. How many different iterations or rounds of revisions does a design typically go through before being finalized? Would you be willing to share some early-stage work in progress designs with the readers? ▪️ Firstly I choose the colors and then the theme. In other situations it goes otherwise. ▪️ Then, I compare the concept with other designs (if it is too similar, I start the process again). ▪️ After this I try to add some new ideas to the concept, for example an abstract mod kit or an alt base kit. ▪️ After doing all these, I do the kitting, then render the kits and boards ▪️ The last step is the IC post on geekhack. Additionally, I am trying to design the forum for my set to be beautiful and interesting for the community.

What software/hardware setup do you use to create your designs? I use Blender, Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Illustrator How, if at all, does the design process differ across manufacturers/vendors/profiles/mediums? I think it is different across the manufacturers as all of them have a different way of providing pricing, the quotes, samples and the delivery of the set. Do you have any designs in the works that you could tease or cryptically allude to here? Yes and it will be posted soon. The set will contain different shades of purple and will be related to space. When you design a new keycap set in particular, are you designing first and foremost to satisfy a need in your own collection (or to outfit a board of your own), or are you also thinking about filling a need in the broader market of keyboard users? When I design a keycap set, I am thinking about doing a product which I would put on my keyboard. Looking at the DCX Bim design myself, I’m reminded of BMO and other robot companions/assistants over the years. Did you have any robot companions in the back of your mind when you created the Bim character and persona? If so, how do you balance giving a nod of reference to past creations (to invoke a sense of familiarity, perhaps) with staying true to your own creation and making something new? Is that something that has gotten easier over time? I was really inspired by BMO's design but I've always wanted to design a set which doesn't have a particular theme, I wanted to create my own theme/design (a robot-assistant) which will enhance people's keyboards.

What is the most endearing quality of Bim, in your opinion? You mention that they are created not only to be helpful, but that they also want to be your friend. Could you introduce us to some of the personalities of Bim that we haven’t seen yet? Bim is a really supportive robot. So that, in the most difficult cases, when you are too lazy to work, it will encourage you to finish it! Where do you think Bim sees themselves in five years? What are their goals and aspirations? :) The main purpose of Bim is to support people. As many people work by themselves, I think that this companion will make them more comfortable and productive, but most importantly, they won't feel alone.

Thank you once again for sharing, balance! I can't wait for Bim to make its way to my desk and keyboard. I think we could all use a little more support and companionship these days, so thank you for helping make that a reality. :)

On that note—which Bim expression is your favorite, and why is it the sleepy closed-eye one in the middle? ^-^

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Aug 14, 2024

As a noob on the scene it was very interesting to read and understand how many designers make their own keycaps. I always just assumed they were being put together by large brands, etc. Thank you for sharing! Awesome job with these keycaps balance!

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