The last week and beyond
almost 9 years ago – Sun, Jul 05, 2015 at 08:17:56 AM

We are entering the last week of the Kickstarter, and it seems to have succeeded on its stealth roll and is now upon us without warning! I wish we had a time machine... oh look, here's a one.

We have a few updates headed your way over the next seven days, and they may or may not include the following

• I am planning another stab at T-shirt designs (I'm working on them tonight).
• My partner, Ali, is planning one about the impact names have on characterisation (for example, naming the empress in the above card Hin means that the palace we imagine it taking us to is more likely to have more oriental notes than if we had named her Victoria) 
• We need to talk about games with the cards, and the roleplaying game

But there is more time, both this week, and after the kickstarter ends.

Once the project is over we intend to keep you in the loop, with updates once or twice a month about how things are going - for you things will seem to die back, but for us it remains active and we don't want you to think we have forgotten you.

One of the things I like about this site, this medium, is communication. Being able to communicate direclty with backers, and when I'm backing things being able to communicate with the creators. So let me ask a question:

What else would you like to see in these updates?

-- Loz

Build a Bearowl
almost 9 years ago – Sun, Jul 05, 2015 at 08:15:20 AM

Artwork

While both Loz and I have some skill with graphic design neither of us is really an artist. This wasn't the main reason we chose text-based decks, but it certainly made the choice easier.

It can be expensive to buy art, especially good art. Trying to budget by going for the lowest bidder often results in unacceptably poor work, as we discovered in our Character Cards kickstarter. 

But that's not always the case. Sometimes a cheap option can also be a good option, especially if we find someone who, like us, is still in the process of building up their portfolio and proving their skills.

So we've sought out such an artist commissioned a couple of pieces  based on one of the Creature Cards, which (if you like it) we intend to use for a T-shirt design. But first, the card:

So now that you know what we were looking for, here are the two pieces we commissioned for the creature:

1)

And

2)

I don't know which version I prefer, the latter has the advantage of being a tetrapod, but it is a fantasy creature so that may not matter, but I certainly like both of them. 

And yet they were only $5 each. Why? An interesting place called Fiverr, where a number of skilled hobbyists are making a bit of spare cash, and some are starting the journey to actually making a living through drawing (although from what I understand that's a very hard road ahead of them). 

Many of the people there are mediocre, but as you can see some of them are good. The one behind these pieces is called Ravenfire55

If you're in need of a small piece of work (art, proofreading, or dozens of other things) and want to try out the service, there's a referral scheme which gives you one free gig. It's from a limited list but I've been told that that list contains a number of good options. so feel free to take advantage of it.

Also, please let us know what you think of the two Bearowls, and which you prefer.

Be Well

-Ste