A visual journey through fantasy art in 2023. Includes limited-edition & open edition art pins!
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
This post is for backers only. Please visit Kickstarter.com and log in to read.
Hi Backers!
I hope your week is going well. I have both good and bad news to share.
Let's start with the bad news. Unfortunately, our pin manufacturer used a defective material, resulting in oxidation on almost all the pins I ordered. In the 8+ years I've been making pins, I've never seen this amount of oxidation. (Often there are maybe 5 defective pins in an order, this was the entire batch!) It was heartbreaking to open the package yesterday and find the gold plating dull and lifeless (the sword pins are still in transit, so I haven't seen them yet, but they have also be reordered, just in case).
The good news is that this issue is being fixed. Although it means a delay, our pin manufacturer is working to correct the problem promptly. The new shipping date for the pins is May 30th, which means they should arrive about a week-ish later via FedEx.
I'm grateful to work with a reliable partner (PinSource) who handles such issues promptly and is committed to making things right as quickly as possible.
Fortunately, I budgeted extra "just in case" time into the fulfillment of this project, so we're still on track to ship everything in June. However, like you, I'm disappointed that this delay happened in the first place.
(If you have any creative ideas for recycling hundreds of pins, let me know! 😅 I might consider local metal recycling to ensure these don't end up in a landfill.)
And here's two previous limited edition pins and the defective one for comparison. It's so sad.
Now, for more good news: the books arrived this past week, and they look amazing! I've signed all 100+ copies for the signed book tiers, so those are ready and waiting to go. Whew!
To expedite shipping, I'm beginning to prepare the surveys in BackerKit. My plan is to send out the book-only packages while we wait for the pins to arrive.
Please keep an eye out for the survey emails soon, and I'll post an update once those emails are sent out.
Thank you so much for your understanding and enthusiasm for this project!
Best,
Naomi
Hi Backers!
I thought I'd send a little update here at the beginning of the month since I know it's been a bit since you heard from me (happily all moved into my new studio!).
Book Printing
First, here are the proofs of the book from the printer that came in recently. I'm really pleased with how the artwork looks on each page and am really excited about all of the sketches I was able to squeeze into each spread.
I did make some minor adjustments to this Hobbit spread (below) to include the original sketch. I think it's so much fun to be able to see the linework behind the art, and I know you'd appreciate it.
Enamel Pins
Pins are currently with the manufacturer. I'm working with the same go-between that I've used for all my pin projects, and we've decided to use two manufacturing locations—the first is the "star sword" pin, which uses a unique printing process on top of the pin that requires some special handling because of it. The "Shuttle Launch" limited edition pins are being created in Bangladesh at a new location (to me) where I'm very excited to see the results.
What's next?
Book proofs are approved. I should have this whole book order in hand later this month and will update you when it arrives. By then, I should also have an estimated shipping time for the pins, and I'll let you know when I know.
I hope you're staying well and I look forward to sharing when the loads of books are here!
Cheers,
-Naomi
Hi Backers!!
We are off to a fantastic start!!
Thank you all so much for your enthusiasm and love over these past few days.
A very short update to say thank you for backing this Kickstarter and helping create another Yearly Art Book. I am so excited you're a backer—it really means a lot. Thank you so much for your support!
I hope you had a good weekend.
Just a few housekeeping things before I go:
📣 Spread the Word!
I know this is a short-ish campaign and I don't want anyone to miss the project while it's live. To help, regardless of if you're able to back the project or not, sharing this with your friends on socials would be absolutely amazing!
🗓️ Countdown to February 16th
Remember, the magic ends at 6 PM PST on February 16th. Let's keep the momentum going until the very last moment!
📚 Behind the Scenes:
As we speak, I'm dotting the i's and crossing the t's on the print files. Color checks and pin productions are on the horizon, and I can't wait to bring you along with me on that journey.
💬 Stay Connected:
Your thoughts, ideas, and questions are what make this journey truly special. Feel free to reach out anytime here on Kickstarter or via email. Your voice is a vital part of "Creative Spark."
Here's to making "Creative Spark" a beautiful reality together!
Stay creative,
-Naomi