Story Sketches: crowdfunded illustration for writers and their fans

[meeksp]

Hi, I'm Meeks. If you started following us earlier this week, you've probably seen me mentioned a disproportionate number of times for someone who's actually rather new to this whole crowdfunding thing :P I launched Story Sketches just this past April, and I really appreciate all the attention it's gotten since then!

the projectStory Sketches is a

Comments

[ellenmillion]

I have been amazed by your sketches - they are so full of life and volume, even before you start 'refining' them. They are tremendous fun to watch you come up with.

[meeksp]

Thank you! I owe a lot of it to the writers, who give me such inspiring material to work with :)

Review

[ysabetwordsmith]

*dons Patron hat*

Story Sketches is one of my favorite projects. It offers a much-needed and, currently, unique service. I support this one by linking, not just to illustrations of my work, but most of the images in general. They are just fun to look at, and a lot of them depict other stories that I and my audience are reading anyhow.

One cool result of this is the depth effect. I'm learning what meeksp particularly excels at drawing. This makes it easier for me to select scenes from a story or poem to request. First I look for scenes that are pivotal to the action, but don't give away everything. That's often something near the climax. I think about what is photogenic -- what bit will tell a story well in images and attract the viewer's attention. Then I think about this particular artist's fortes.

Most recently, I chose a scene with very dramatic lighting for " Shine On." I picked this scene out of several possibilities, partly because I was impressed with how meeksp handled the play of light and shadow in " Tin Man." And what did

Re: Review

[meeksp]

Thanks so much for taking the time to review my project, and for all your help so far with promoting it!

I hadn't thought about my audience members learning how to look at art from reading each others comments, but you're absolutely right! That's exactly the reason we do so much group critique in art school. And at least this way we don't have to pay thousands of dollars in tuition.

Re: Review

[ysabetwordsmith]

>>Thanks so much for taking the time to review my project, and for all your help so far with promoting it!<<

*bow, flourish* Happy to be of service!

I've noticed folks saying they want to hear more from patrons, not just creators. On the art side, I'm almost all patron, so I'm making an effort to be more visible as such when in that mode. That means I'll be doing more reviews, or at least blurbs for things when I link them here, rather than just *plunk*link*bye*. Hopefully this will encourage more folks to do that for projects they like.

>>That's exactly the reason we do so much group critique in art school. And at least this way we don't have to pay thousands of dollars in tuition.<<

*cackle* And the Internet sends another team of sappers under the ol' ivory tower.

I have a piece that I want to retouch for this purpose. haikujaguar and I did a presentation on art appreciation at a con, which I later adapted for an online class, and I'm thinking it could be done up as a how-to article or series or something. This stuff isn't actually

[janetmiles]

I like your idea of offering bonuses for linkbacks and comments, as well as for tips. As you say, enthusiasm and discretionary funds don't always occur together.

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

I have been trying to think of ways to reward nonmonetary support, and your comment got me mulling that over again. I've got the seeds of an idea for linkback encouragement that I may try out the next fishbowl.

[meeksp]

Thanks :) Tips are very much appreciated, but audience participation is essential, so I think it makes sense to reward people for getting involved.

[aldersprig]

As one of the major requesters of art from meeksp (This icon and

Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

meeksp made this icon for me. I forgot to use it earlier. <3

Re: Yes...

[aldersprig]

I love that icon!! Chibi-Ysabet-taking-over-the-world!

Re: Yes...

[ysabetwordsmith]

*laugh* Yeah, it's a gem. I use it for my Monday Update posts and other times when I'm doing a boatload of stuff. <3