Sketchbooklets all around!

With the overwhelming response the book project has been getting on Kickstarter, I'm thinking we can do even more. I would be able to list the book through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc. as well as keep the book's domain (www.hairyeyeballs.com) and hosting up for an extra five years if we raise the funding goal a bit. But this doesn't mean the project won't be funded if this new goal isn't reached! We've already reached it, and I thank every one of you lovely backers quite sincerely.

I've raised the new funding goal to $2,950, so if the project reaches this new goal before September 17 (or on the 17th, as long as it's before 10 am!), everyone who pledges $25 or more will receive a limited edition physical copy of all the sketches from the book, in booklet form. Limited edition meaning, the booklets will be signed and numbered, and only available to backers of this Kickstarter project. The total number printed will be the total number of backers who pledge $25 or more. Anyone who pledges up to $25 will be able to download their copy of the booklet as a pdf.

When I sketch, I usually draw in pieces and then assemble a final composition in Photoshop. So I'm thinking the sketchbooklet will include not only the direct scans from my sketchbooks, but also the final sketches as they were reassembled in Photoshop. The image attached above is a tentative version of a two-page spread from the booklet.

The countdown is on! Only eight more days to go!

Bookmark designs for Kickstarter

I designed a few bookmarks for backers of my Kickstarter project, and the general consensus was leaning toward the first two pictured here. I added the third design just because I think you're cute. So that means anybody who backs this book project will receive all three of these designs, either physical or virtual, depending on your level of pledge. The designs are at the printer as we speak!

If the funding level reaches $2,950, I'll throw in a sketchbooklet of all the images from the book to anyone who pledges $25 or more. I'm looking to keep the book listed on Amazon and Barnes & Noble (among others) for another five years as well as keep the book's Web site up and running during that period, and the new funding level will enable both of those things to happen.

Next up: Print designs...

Going green: Putting me money where me mouth is

Probably the thing that gets me aggravated and motivated to act is when people willingly destroy the environment. I mean, c'mon, it's the only one we have. So the one thing I wanted to strive for with the production of this book—and Hairy Eyeballs Press in general—was to be as sustainable as I possibly could.

I will be using Lightning Source to print the books and their environmentally-friendly print-on-demand model. They have received Chain of Custody certifications by the Forest Stewardship Council™ (FSC®), the Sustainable Forestry Initiative® (SFI®) and the Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification™ (PEFC™). Here are some frequently asked questions about their Chain of Custody certifications.

Lightning Source also supports compliance with the Lacey Act, a conservation law prohibiting illegally sourced wildlife, fish and plants, including paper and paper products. Here is Lightning Source's statement about their supporting the act.

Of course, there's always more I can do, so searching for new sustainability practices will be an ongoing commitment.

Twisted Project on Kickstarter

I've decided to launch the book as a project over on Kickstarter, and today is "Day 1" of the 45 days they're giving me to reach my goal. I created an animation for the trailer which also doubled as the project video (see below). It stars "Doodles", an illustration from the book.



You can leave a comment on Kickstarter if you like, and let me know what you think!

Test the new Hairy Eyeballs QR Code

I was messing around with a QR Code generator today, and it gave me this for the Hairy Eyeballs Web site (http://www.hairyeyeballs.com/):

Pretty cool, huh? I don't have a smart phone that can read these things, so I'm hoping somebody who does can try it and tell me if this thing actually works.

But it still looks cool.

Hairy Eyeballs Press! No! I'm not kidding!

I'm mulling around some considerations and thoughts and decisions, as writers tend to do and, although I can't reveal some of the considerations and thoughts and decisions here, I can reveal a few.

First off, I have a new logo I'd like to share without comment:

Second off, I have a new Web site that only has a domain name at this point, but I'm going to keep it to myself until it actually has some content. Just know that it's getting thought about wildly.

And third off, as the "First off" and title of this post may have given away, I'm making plans, but I won't be able to share them officially for a couple of months.

So right now, just consider yourself sort of in the noose — I mean loop. Loop. Did I say noose? I meant loop.

The Ax Man second go-round

So I finished sketching the background idea I had for Robot (I'll post the final version with the background when it happens), and decided to draw everything in layers; Robot first, then the background by itself. That way I can control the light and blur of the background separately, and I'll also be able to move it around behind Robot to a spot where it doesn't interfere with the foreground.

Here's Robot pre-tattooing:

Here's the original sketch.