The final Angel Opossum samples are here, which means it’s time for one last finish comparison before we officially move forward with production! This time, I received three sample versions:
💎 Rose Gold Hard Enamel
📀 Rose Gold Soft Enamel + Pink Coating
💿 Silver Soft Enamel + Pink Coating
Originally, I was planning on ordering only two additional samples: one hard enamel rose gold sample and one soft enamel sample with the translucent colored coating. However, I wound up testing two translucent-coated versions, and there’s a specific reason for that!
Typically, this translucent coating is applied over silver plating, because silver reflects the Pantone color most accurately and gives the cleanest color match. However, I also wanted to test the translucent pink coating over rose gold plating. My thought was that if the coating wears down at high-friction points over time, rose gold showing through would look much softer and less stark than bright silver peeking through the pink.
Below are the three sample variations, including tiny breakdowns of their differences.
So how did they handle the shake tests, you might ask?
Well, the hard enamelrose gold version held up the best overall, with only a little scuffing visible on close inspection. The translucent-coated rose gold version does show a bit of wear around the halo, but it’s much less noticeable than the earlier chrome-plated version, and also less visually noticeable than the wear on the translucent-coated silver version (so it looks like my hypothesis was correct!).
Since the durability of the hard enamel rose gold sample is fairly straightforward, most of this update focuses on the two translucent-coated soft enamel samples and how they compare. (If you’d like a refresher on the more general differences between hard enamel and soft enamel + epoxy, I covered that in more detail in the previous sample update here!)
I recorded a shorter video this time showing:
All three samples before testing
A side-by-side discussion of the finish differences
The shake test for each pin (shortened)
Close-ups of all three pins after testing
As always, the photos below are helpful for a quick look, but I highly recommend watching the video if you’re able! The differences between the finishes are much easier to see when the pins are moving and catching light from different angles. 👍
🧪 Before & After Shake Tests
Since the hard enamelrose gold version held up the best overall, showing just light scuffing on close inspection, I'm going to skip right into the wear for the more experimental colored finishes.
The translucent-coated rose gold version has a warmer, slightly softer pink tone due to the rose gold underneath. It does show a little wear around the halo after the shake test, but the contrast is much gentler than the silver version, which makes the wear less noticeable overall.
The translucent-coated silver version shows the more true pink-purple tone of the Pantone I chose because the translucent coating is sitting over silver plating. However, when wear appears around the halo, the silver underneath creates a stronger contrast.
👥 Final Side-by-Side Comparison
Now that we have all three options in hand, I’m opening a poll so backers can help choose the final finish!
The winning option will be used for the rest of the Choir Critters pins moving forward.
🗳️ Poll: Which finish should we use for production?
Hard EnamelRose Gold The most durable option, with a classic rose gold finish and traditional hard enamel texture.
Soft Enamel Rose Gold + Translucent Pink Coating A warmer pink translucent finish, with less noticeable wear because the rose gold underneath blends more softly with the coating. (I can possibly adjust the Pantone color to be slightly more purple, as it is with the silver sample.)
Soft Enamel Silver + Translucent Pink Coating The most accurate to the Pantone pink translucent finish, but wear around friction points shows more noticeably due to the silver underneath. (The mouse appears more pink in the sample, but this was an error in the production, and it would be white in the final pins, if chosen.)
Vote to help decide the winning finish 👉 [POLL LINK]
The poll will be open until Thursday, Aug 20th (end of day CT), so please vote when you have a chance! Your feedback has been incredibly helpful throughout this process, and I really appreciate everyone taking the time to weigh in. 😇💛
📆 What Happens Next?
Once the poll has a clear winner, I’ll post a short follow-up update announcing the final finish choice!
That follow-up will also include the final date for charging remaining survey balances. I previously held off on charging add-ons/upgrades because I wanted everyone to have a say in the final pin direction before moving forward. Now that we’re at the final sample stage, I expect remaining balances will be charged during the final week of August, after my art show on the 22nd. I’ll share the exact date before any charges are run, so there won’t be any surprises. 😉
PokéBites is also almost fully wrapped up, which means I’ll have more time to dedicate to Choir Critters next month as we move into full production. Almost there!
🔎 Fellow Creature Sighting: BLUE HELL
Now for a short break before we get back to our regularly scheduled Choir Critters fieldwork. I wanted to shout out a fellow BackerKit campaign: 💙 BLUE HELL: An Ode to Dead Pet Games by ZooCorp.
Creature Collector (Atom) and their partner Flipper (ToadsTown) were kind enough to connect me with my very own fated pony, and I feel truly blessed that such a divine creature has chosen me as its person. 👁️🗨️💛~(>人<)
I suspect there may be a strong overlap between those of us who love Critters and those of us who may be intrigued by ponies and the lost digital pets waiting in Blue Hell. 👀
