For several years, I wanted to try to run a Kickstarter campaign, but it just seemed so intimidating. Then I discovered Kickstarter’s small campaign calls to creators to just make 100. This could range from making 100 items or having 100 backers. The definition is pretty loose. Still intimidated, I hesitated for a couple of more years. Last year I finally got an idea for a Make 100 project, centering around my love of nature and images of nature I photographed over many years in all my travels. And that’s when I thought, either go for it, or let the thought go. There is no sense in thinking about doing something forever and never actually doing it. I decided to just go for it.
For this first iteration of my Make 100, the subject is my love of koi. They are simply so magnificent to me, with their flowing fins and tails that look like they are forever dancing in the water. I decided that I did not really want to draw 100 koi, although drawing 100 of anything will surely give the artist that ability to draw from memory. The logistics of offering 100 tiers of original drawings would be a nightmare on Kickstarter, especially since I want backers to actually choose which koi drawing they want to back. I chose to make 20 and add sets of prints to make the number required of the make 100 themed project.
I met another great artist, at a workshop a while back, who talked about her own Kickstarter experiences, specifically how to figure out the minimum funding amount. This is a great start. I computed some numbers and recomputed them several more times, each time with more understanding of how minimum funding should work and what exactly constituted “minimum funding.” One of those understanding is that “Your funding goal should be the amount you need to complete your project, not what you hope to raise from your campaign.” What a revelation that is, to know that unless I have a following in the thousands, I only needed enough to cover basic costs. This really helped me select a funding goal and have a successful campaign.
I choose 20 beautiful koi photos from my collection to draw from. I research what I would use as packaging and calculate that cost. Since I am already working with a specific US printer, it was not hard to calculate my printing cost. My Kickstarter will really mainly be funding the printing of the artwork to make this project come alive. Several minimum funding computations later, I launched my project.
Then I literally hold my breath for 4 weeks. Honestly, I did not even think I would be funded, but I finally did near the end. I want to take a moment and thank all those who supported my first Kickstarter campaign, if you are reading this article. This really boost my confidence, not to mention I learned so much from just doing it, rather than the project just being a thought in my head. The exhilarating feeling that experience provide, to go from idea to planning to action to completion, is so high, I can’t even describe it in words. I’ll just draw a picture instead!
