Keychain
Given the current keychain phenomenon, with popular examples including Labubu, Monchichi, and Jellycat, it is clear that these accessories have become emblematic of contemporary pop consumerism.
Positioned at the intersection of self-expression and disposable status symbols, keychains reveal how easily personal identity is shaped and commodified through consumer trends. In response to this culture of overconsumption, I chose to challenge the craze by reinterpreting the notion of wealth and status through my own lens. For my keychain assignment, I intentionally drew from a design featured in my previous animation, African American Express.
African American Express is an abstract, evocative work that interrogates materiality within Black consumerism. By critiquing the broader implications of consumer culture in the Black community, the film provides a foundation for reimagining how objects, such as keychains, carry layered meanings of identity, aspiration, and resistance.
The chosen design is the main title sequence for African American Express, and features a large coin-like shape, stamped with “5¢” as though valued to be a nickel, with the motto being “LIBERTY”. Emerging from the center of the coin is a mouth sporting a set of gold grillz, an iconic symbol of wealth, style, and cultural expression. The contrast between the cold, standardized symbol of money and the vibrant, personalized adornment of grillz creates a powerful commentary on consumerism, wealth, and the redefinition of status within Black culture.
Project Intentions
For my assignment, I would like to make my keychain have a multi layered 3D aspect while utilizing different colored materials, black acrylic and mirrored acrylic. To specify, I would like to have the coin in mirrored acrylic, and the hands and mouth in black acrylic. In order to achieve this I would need to have my model separated into different cuts and separate artboards.
Cardboard Test
As a first prototype, I decided to test out my keychain model in cardboard. In this example I decided to make it about 3.5 inches and another 10% smaller. Some things I realized I would like to think about in the next few tests are that the keyhole ring would need to be bigger in order to accommodate the keychain ring. Also, since I’m in a way piecing the excess pieces like a puzzle, I wonder if I should engrave the hands and mouth piece in the coin as a guide when assembling the pieces
Acrylic Test
I decided to do a second test using black acrylic to better visualize how the design would appear. This proved to be incredibly helpful, as it revealed issues I hadn’t noticed in the cardboard test. One major problem was that the laser cutter was unintentionally piercing some of the etches all the way through, which caused difficulties during painting since the paint would seep through the openings.
After consulting with a lab technician, we resolved this by adjusting the job control settings and running the cut as if it were on cardboard. Once that was successful, I felt confident moving forward with printing my design on mirrored acrylic.
Bonding Phase
For this phase, I underestimated how challenging it would be to glue the black and mirrored acrylic together. Initially, I assumed Gorilla Glue would work, but once it set, I noticed it began to seep out around the layered edges and left a lot of air bubbles. I tried trimming the excess with an X-Acto knife, but in the process I accidentally scratched the mirrored surface.
After consulting with a lab technician, they recommended using Rez N’ Bond. This adhesive bonded the pieces together much more effectively, though it left behind noticeable residue smudges on the mirrored acrylic. Determined to refine the gluing process, I returned on another day with more time to conduct a second test, comparing both Gorilla Glue and Rez N’ Bond. By working carefully, I found that while the Gorilla Glue didn’t seep as much as before, the thick layer was still visible at certain angles on the mirrored base. In contrast, the Rez N’ Bond produced excellent results, the bond was strong, clean, and virtually flawless.
Final Result!
