Meet Captain Sterling, Dragon Darts Designer and Aesthetic Aficionado

Drop+MechKeys

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Sep 10, 2024602 VIEWS

We're here today to share an interview with our latest collaboration designer, Captain Sterling. You've probably seen him around the community before, having designed a few sets over the years as well as being one of the more prominent social media creators in the space (and, frankly, taking some of the most stunning keyboard photos you'll come across). With that in mind, we are beyond excited to be able to feature an interview with Captain Sterling—thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions and share so much about your own life with us all!

We’d love to hear a little bit about yourself and your history - relevant to mech keys or not. Where are you from, what is your “day job”, what are your other hobbies and interests aside from keyboards? I was born and raised in Texas. I’m married and have a lovely, supporting family. I am a full time Product and Wedding Photographer who pursues Content Creation on the side. I also love to play video games, most notably Pokemon, Call of Duty, and Honkai: Star Rail. 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 think my story is similar to the majority of the community members nowadays. It all started during covid with the release of tiktok. I found some creators that stood out and thought “Man I’d love to be like them one day!” So I invested in a few builds and got to work. The rest is history. If you don’t mind, could you please share your current keyboard/desk setup? Photos appreciated but not required. I actually just moved into a new office space so I imagine things will look alot more aesthetic in the coming weeks but, sure here it is!

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? So I’ve probably been conceptualizing keycap sets since my 1 year mark in the hobby. After becoming friends with many other designers in the space I began to feel inspired and think to myself “I wonder what ‘this’ would look like as a keycap set?” ‘This’ being anything I have an interest in. Rather it be my favorite coffee beverage or a nostalgic character from a video game I played growing up. What has been the biggest challenge or learning experience from your time designing in the keyboard space (or elsewhere)? I’d say learning Blender so I can visualize the sets I’m designing. I’m still learning now but I get better or learn something new everytime I open the application. Baby steps...baby steps. Which of your own designs/projects are you the most proud of? I’ll say my first, Nekoccino. It still hasn’t run yet but it is finally fully approved in all aspects. It’s taken ages to get right and has been a rollercoaster of a journey but it’s been worth it.

What is your favorite design of someone else’s? Either in terms of pure execution, or “I wish I had thought of that idea”? 100% either GMK Expo, GMK Tribal, or AL Gestalt as of late. These sets have wowed me in every aspect. From the novelties of Tribal to the fully custom legends on Expo and Gestalt. Both are incredible and I hope I can get to this level one day. What is a concept or idea that you’ve had, but have been unable to create (whether for technical reasons, licensing, etc)? Currently I have a concept for Spyro the Dragon. It’s a game I played growing up with my mom. I want to make a set with this so bad. I have the colors down already, now it’s a matter of novelty designs and how I can make it work. 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 actually do. I will come up with an idea and I have a folder on my computer for “Future Project Concepts” and I have a breakdown of the ideas and some sample renders showing color combinations and possible novelty sketches. It’s a whole process for sure. I keep them here until I have a more fleshed out idea then I will pick them up and finalize things when I have time. How do you think running a photography business influences your design decisions? Do you approach designs/renders/etc differently with that background? I definitely do actually. I always think “would this look pretty in a setup photo”. I really don’t try to make sets that are “meh” for lack of a better word. I always want to design something that would be pretty or interesting to photograph. 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? I’d say it varies. Sometimes you really nail it on the first go. Other times it may take tweaking over months and months to get things right. What software/hardware setup do you use to create your designs? I do everything from conceptualizing to finalizing visuals in Blender. I usually have to finalize things in Illustrator to get the proper files to the factory. Do you have any designs in the works that you are willing to tease or show off here? Sure! Here are a handful in the early stages. These include Spyro, Majin Buu, and Pumpkin Spice themed sets.

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? I really don’t mean to sound selfish AT ALL. However, it’s typically to fulfill my own wants for a specific themed set. I just hope the designs resonate with other like-minded individuals. How do you balance staying true to a piece of inspiration while also not leaning too heavily on the source material, therefore making it truly your own design? This is definitely the most difficult part of the process and honestly the part I love most. This part allows me and the artists I work with to really make things in our own way. Keeping the source material in mind but adding a unique twist to make it our own somehow. Have you ever considered designing something related to keyboards other than a keycap set? Maybe a keyboard, an artisan of some sort, or something else? I do have something in the works for now. I’ll leave you with one word—Lavish. If you had to come up with a design inspired by something completely unrelated to your existing designs (something that makes us think “Oh, I didn’t realize he was passionate about that!”), what would it be? I actually have an idea that I’ve been slowly making. My son is OBSESSED with Dinosaurs. To celebrate this I’m collaborating with another designer friend in the space whose son also loves Dinos. I think it’ll definitely be a fun set. You get to pick any three ‘mons as starters for a new game - who are you choosing, and why? Let’s do Cyndaquil, Tepig, and Glaceon. Cyndaquil was the first starter I ever chose in my first game, Silver. Tepig is my favorite starter from Black and White, my favorite Pokemon game. Lastly, Glaceon is one of my favorites and I have a whole keyboard build dedicated to them.

Again, a massive thank you to Captain Sterling for giving us a peek behind the curtain! Be sure to check out DCX Dragon Darts when it launches later in the week and follow Sterling for updates on his other projects. Until next time!

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Sep 11, 2024

Wow, Spyro hits home for me, because besides Crash Bandicoot, Spyro was the one game that I couldn't wait to play after school every day. I'm looking forward to your upcoming sets, whether they be with Drop or someone else!

Captain.Sterling

Sep 11, 2024

Thanks for the interview! This was so fun and I hope people enjoy a peek behind the curtain 🙌🏼