Happy Thanksgiving! Today, we stuff our faces with food & give thanks. What am I thankful for? Kickstarters (and other stuff of course). But mostly, today, I'm excited about the very first Kickstarter that I backed: a line of Dark Sword miniatures inspired by the artwork of Stephanie Pui-Mun Law, an accomplished fantasy artist. The Dark Sword miniatures, sculpted by Patrick Keith, are absolutely stunning. I've been a fan of Patrick's work for quite some time. I've painted some of his early work and it's amazing to see his evolution as a sculptor. I love his pension for creating curvaceous, dynamic female forms and his faces are a joy to paint (hello, eyes!). He captured the whimsical spirit of Stephanie's art and sculpted this series of beautiful three-dimensional figures for Dark Sword. And what's even better, the studio models are painted by one of my favorite miniature painters, Jessica Rich. All in all, a truly successful partnership!
Image taken from the Dark Sword Kickstarter page
Image taken from the Dark Sword Kickstarter page
Image taken from the Dark Sword Kickstarter page
I'm incredibly glad the project was funded-- and in only 95 minutes! I jumped in with the basic core set pledge & from there, it was just a carnival of optional add-on features and free bonus miniatures. Some of the optional add-ons included diorama pieces, discounts on instructional painting DVD series, themed bundles miniatures from other Dark Sword lines, and even some special edition miniatures that aren't available through their website. As I fill out my Reward Survey to identify the particular add-ons that I increased my pledge to include, I'm thankful that the expected delivery date is January 2015. I can't wait to paint some of these miniatures! While the Kickstarter is a wonderful platform for, well, kick-starting project concepts, my selfish impatience kept me from pledging to other KS projects in past. For me, it was hard to justify dropping $100+ on something that wouldn't be completed for another year or so, assuming the process would be successfully completed. So many things can go wrong in these projects, including failed personal & business partnerships, manufacturer set-backs, underestimating production costs, etc. I'm glad Dark Sword arranged the key pieces well in advance. I feel confident investing this project launched by an already successful company in partnership with a fantasy artist and sculptor I truly admire!
After I complete my post-pledge survey, it's back to the kitchen-- the turkey's in the fridge after sitting overnight in the brine and I'm about to set my game plan for the sides. In addition to the turkey I'll roast, there will be mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, green been casserole, roasted brussels sprouts with a spicy sriracha kick, cranberry jelly, and cherry pie. Oh, and I just may enjoy a mimosa or three during this epic cooking process. Wish me luck! Have a Happy Thanksgiving :)