Description
New Artwork for a New Year.
Some things change, and some things stay the same. Let’s get the things staying the same out of the way, so we can get on with the new stuff! Ishmael Salleh, our intrepid artiste, is back with some brand new artwork (but that’s for the next part). Brass is also back as the material we’re using for the coins. Finally, we’re making them in-house again this year though with a bit of a twist.
The CHANGES! The artwork is brand new and a bit more esoteric than we’ve done in the past. For the front, you might get vibes of a album cover for a progressive rock band that might be from some place with lots of desert. We wanted elements of Arizona and the Sonoran desert but symbols more than something overt. The centerpiece is a saguaro cactus one of the most recognizable flora in the Sonoran Desert and Arizona. The base of the cactus is shaped like a fountain pen nib; we always like to put an element or two referencing writing instruments. The bottom is wrapped in a crescent moon, one of the most beautiful nighttime sights you’ll find when you look up at the sky on a clear summer’s evening. Finally, the cactus has been bracketed in geometric designs similar to some of the artwork we’ve used on the Vertex lids. The back of the coin has more geometric designs interspersed with icons similar to what we’ve used on the Alchemy-inspired Vertex releases. At the bottom is the year 2023 in Roman numerals. The center of the coin features a stylized sun like the sun that blazes down on us in Arizona all year long and is a fitting pair to it’s partner the moon. Capping it off, the double K logo has been placed in the center in a brand new style that somewhat resembles a trident, touching on our mythology-inspired Vertex series.
The other change is that we’ve elected to use our laser to etch the logo into the front and back of the coins. This process will be a two-step etching process. The first will remove material bringing out much of the artwork and allowing for some depth. The second step will use the laser to then burn over the removed areas and patina them to a dark brown/black color. We’ll then hand sand the face on 2,000 grit sandpaper to remove any possible metal burrs, and finally, hand polish each coin with a sunshine cloth.
Club Members will still have early access to select small-batch, special release, and limited editions. Other benefits include Pen Club Exclusive pens; items only available to Pen Club Members. These will be specially curated items in colors and/or materials not offered anywhere else, the will may also include club-specific marking and item numbering. The current Karas Pen Club year runs from January 2023 through December 2023.
*We are currently machining these coins and this is a pre-order sale. Purchase of the coin grant immediate access into the Club and all benefits, the coins will ship as soon as we have them completed. We expect the first coins to begin shipping in late January. Image used for this product is the layout copy of the artwork being etched into the coin.*
Limited numbers of coins will be released.
