Kickwatcher: Not your usual suspect

Okay, so I know we have a really strict rule about "no Kickstarters that don't have soldierdolls in them" here at LXG.  I know because I made the rule, so there.  And now I'm gonna break it, because sometimes doing the right thing means breaking the rules- or at least that's what I tell my Parole Officer.  So, get ready for Professional Prints Price Provocatively, by our own Ali Alcatraz. 

So, everyone's got their Gaming Den, that fairly antisocial part of the house where their significant other allows their Hobby to fester.  What better way to spruce up that place than some really impressive, professional quality art that's suited to theme?  

Ali's "Clark Kent" persona is Sheila Haswell, a talented artist who has a twenty year deep portfolio of work.  She's established a Kickstarter to try to get some of her work digitally cataloged and archived- which is a massively expensive undertaking, as the full portfolio is well over one hundred works of art!  With just about two days left, she's a maddening $300 from fulfillment on the Kickstarter, so I'm putting out the call to the talented ladies and gentlemen who have proven already that they can single handedly save projects.   

There's a good range of backing options on this one.  The $5 postcard pledge is a good entry level if you just want a nice piece of desk/cubicle art.  $25 for a matted 8x11 piece of art is an incredible price- just ask any convention attendee.  Personally, I'm a big fan of the 11x14 size:  I think the 8x11 is a bit small for a standalone wall piece, and 16x20, once framed, tends to be a bit big for my tastes.  Your mileage may vary on that one however depending on the space you're trying to fill.  

Then again, some people prefer original works to digital reproductions.  The two black and white pieces you see (left and above) are also available in limited edition lithograph prints.  Not only can those lithographs never be created in that manner again, the cost of true lithography continues to go up, as there is only one quarry in the world able to produce the stones needed for the process. Our Lady of Sorrows comes in at $120 for the Lithograph, while the Aztec Dancer sits at $150.  As I'm only a Second Class Elitist and not yet full-bore, I'd personally rather spend that $150 as only $90 getting five pieces, or bump it up to $160 and get ten. 

Rounding out the pledge levels in a category gamers are more than familiar with at this point, is the art version of the "your face on a model" pledge, the portrait.  Anyone who has priced these will tell you $300 for a portrait or $400 for a couple's portrait is an absolute steal.  Last time I seriously considered having one done, it was like a grand.   Since she can work from photographs you avoid the intensive amount of sitting time.  Let me tell you something guys, surprising your wife/girlfriend/boyfriend/husband/xeno-lover with a custom couple's portrait goes a really, really long way to excusing how much money you're going to spend on Mantic's or Reaper's next semi-annual million dollar extravaganza. 

You can see the use of color and contrast is amazing and vibrant, just like in her miniatures.  Funny how classically trained artist know how to art better than the rest of us, almost like a degree and twenty years experience is useful or something.  

Unlike most Kickstarters, this one is really looking at zero risk (aside from not funding, obviously).  The works are all done.  The scanning time is penciled in at the Athenaem (the same facility that scans historical documents for many if not most Philadelphia museums and personal collectors- last time we were there, they had just completed scanning and archiving a several centuries old Canterbury Tales, and schematic drawings made by the Wright Brothers.  These guys are the real deal! Even the packaging materials are already prepped and ready to go.  Go take a look at the Kickstarter, find something that you need to have on your wall, and drop a couple drachma into an important project for a fellow gamer, and contributing LXG member.  Not only will you get something amazing for your money, you're helping a fellow gamer reach an important goal... and that's kinda what Kickstarter is all about.


Keep doing what you do best, and I'll see you on the other side of the table.
The Second Class Elitist