We know the Weird
almost 4 years ago
– Sun, Jan 10, 2021 at 03:55:14 PM
My dear backers,
It's been a long time since I wrote here. In this strange and disturbing times.
I must admit that I have a tendency to stay in my bubble, especially since the beginning of the lockdown, and not communicate with you as much as I should.
First, I want to send you my best wishes for 2021 !
I don't know about you, but I barely feel that this is a new year. I'm having difficulties with our actual calendar... I guess, when we can't improve what normally makes us feel alive among others, when we see parts of our "normal" world falling apart, you can feel an emptiness under your feet,
unless you've got something powerful like I believe we all have here : our imagination !
I don't know for you but for me, Fantasy is my safety.
In 2021, let's spread our fantasy so we can make a change for real!
Here we are on the project right now :
-Paper props : all the drawings are finished. I need to scan them and send my files to Campaign Coins and the Tattoo's producer. Yes, only that. That simple.
Next week, I meet my printer (I have to call him Monday afternoon and he'll tell me when I can come by); he has made all my paper props so far and has a former RPGamer, he's very into doing the best for the Cause ;) I will choose the right paper for the Portrait of the Expedition watercolor and we'll run some tests.
I will confirm with Mark, but I think Campaign Coins will need three months to make our coins and last time I checked, I would need a month max to get the tattoos and the watercolors paintings.
-Sculptures : I can't begin the production before I finish the mask I've been working on for two years, almost three. Six backers of The props of Nyarlathotep Kenya bought a wearable mask in silicon that gave me a loooot of technical issues. I had to re-sculpted it entirely since it was not good enough. Those people had paid a nice amount of money for this and I owe them the best quality that I could do. Also, I can't send out art that I 'm not satisfied with. I'm about to finish modeling and starting the mold making. I think I would need until the end of March (because unfortunately I have to work outside in order to make ends meet, and I can't work full time on the props) and then I can start the Australian/Shanghai pieces. I'm looking forward to painting this bloated woman, oh believe me. There will be so many soft and graded colors. It will be a great moment. Then, when I'll be starting the sand bat and the bloated woman, I will order the wooden box and paint them after reception.
I'll post some watercolors tests here at the end of next week. I would order the production of the printings on canvas after this.
You take care people and thank you, again, for your patience and support. And thank you Jeff for all your help.
Delphes
August 2020
over 4 years ago
– Fri, Aug 07, 2020 at 06:30:57 AM
Hi eveybody
I hope you're all safe!
I know this is frustrating for you to wait and I'm sorry about that. I appreciate the support of all our backers during this slow gestation. I'm dealing with a challenging time because "The Idol of Cthulhu", another of my project has been more complex than expected and it takes me some of my working and mental charge-time.. So I have to resolve each problem in order.
The Covid-19 has also challenged my financial situation and I had to seek in emergency for new ressources because all my workshops were cancelled..; I've solved this economic matter in a large part, which is very cool and relieving!
I want to be proud of the products I create, and you to be satisfied with them then I need to do things well. The next steps of this project are these :
- Memorabilla Coin and Watercolor: after seeing my printer, there are still a couple of minor details to fix on the Carlyle's expedition drawings that need to be corrected. Paloma, my photoshop personal assistant (not a virtual robot, a real talented creative young woman who works for a big english graphic design compagny) spotted some visual conflicts on my coin's illustration that need to be resolved before I through them to printing and editing to Campaign Coins and my local printer. These are small issues and should be fixed in a couple of business days.
-Bloated Woman and the club : I need to resume production of the sculptures; the tests were made and technical issues identified and fixed so now, I 'm just waiting to make some room in my studio to launch the Australia and Shanghai statuettes.
-Painted boxes : I'll order them when I'll get some room on my shelves (after I send the 55 Idols of Cthulhus and their boxes).
Thanks for your support and staying involved despite my delay.
Delphes
On board
over 4 years ago
– Fri, May 29, 2020 at 02:03:41 PM
Dear backers
Just a quick note to tell you that I’m still on board!
I’m sorry that I didn’t communicate with you during those last crazy months.
I hope everybody is safe.
We’re dealing with a lot of economic issues here but the lockdown has offered me a real and long quality time to work on my props.
I ended up finding technical solutions with props I had difficulties with and the results is better than what I excepted at the beginning.
I also have this tendency to improve my art when I work on a long period because my eyes see new details to work on and new solutions appears. Well it it seems obvious to say it like that but the more I create props the more I understand that time is a quality criterion.
I’m made a few changes on the drawings.
I’ll tell you more about my schedule deliveries in a next update. The printer I work with is also overbooked; I’ll give him the scans next week.
Take care!
Delphes
Cthulhu in the time of Covid-19 update
over 4 years ago
– Tue, Mar 17, 2020 at 04:59:20 PM
Hi everyone ! First, I hope everyone is doing ok, despite this pandemic. In France, too many people don’t respect the preventives measures to contain the virus spread. They probably think their brain is so special that they’ll be safe from this tiny virus. But it’s not all about us, it’s about everyone survival.. For us, the good thing is that we will have more time to work on your props because all our works in local schools are cancelled and we can’t receive any pupils in our studio anymore. Of course, we have to manage home schooling for our son and it takes a while but the everyday discipline plan is going well.
Like many people, our economic survival is compromised but we can’t do much about it so there is nothing to do except staying at home and make nice props.
The main problem right now is that all the post offices are closing and so are the suppliers. For now, I’ve got the main products I need, so it’s all good regarding of the production. My laptop is out of order and I can’t fix it with all the shops closed. So I’m using Denys’ when it’s possible.
I hope your health is strong ! I wish you will be able to use this strange experience to play some good RPGs session with your close family.
The curfew is starting tonight here. We organized as well as we could.
I’ll publish pictures very soon. You and your families take care!
Delphes
Happy new year !
almost 5 years ago
– Tue, Jan 14, 2020 at 02:52:05 PM
Dear backers,
I'm sorry I didn't write you since a long time. I know you are waiting to get your tier and I'm sorry I can't manage to speed up things as it should.
I've been doing some progress with the statues as well but not as much as I wished : as I told you before it takes time to print each of it because of the tiny part in the mold and since September I've been struggling with many personal and financial issues. I was hoping to finish many things before the end of the year but I've been sick during the last two weeks of December.
2019 was a terrible year for several diseases in our family and I'm so glad it's over (fingers crossed!)
You probably know that the money I earn with my Kickstarters fundings does not covers my financial needs. Therefore I must find other ressources. I’ve been developping a new rpg projet with an electronic disposal that could be uses in any rpg universes. But unfortunately there have been several delays with the ingeneers so I had to find another source of income.
It was such an exhausting and difficult year indeed. After my brain, my body implored me to give it some rest... and when I was lying on my bed, I've been thinking a lot about the last months and all the obstacles that came through my organization.
Some of them were out of my control : what can I do if my father is sick, and then my husband? What can I do when my partner loose his current job and has to find something else to feed the family quickly? what can I do when I have to pay 10% more of social fees than the last year?
But some of obstacles were coming from my own brain. Oh ! useless brain.. I've spent so many time making to-do lists, trying to be the most productive a possible. But the more I was making those lists, the less I was productive. I was feeling soooo guilty to unachieved simple goals. And I started to make technical mistakes and also, I chose poorly some people I was working with. And I felt more guilty about being weak not able enough to be the strong manager I should be I think I've started a kind of burnout, which is very common with people selling their works on the internet. We are the worst bosses for ourselves !
SO during my long days in bed, vulnerable as we all are when we get a fever, I allowed myself to reconnect with some deep needs. I thought about all I have to do to honor my engagements and instead of feeling guilty again I remember WHY I was doing this job and it gave me some new strengths. I believe that my work should participate in a collective process : the fact that I'm creating objets that will participate in some of the best memories of your life is my first reward as an artist. Some souvenirs of your role paying games are the best of your life, aren't they?
I've stopped to exhibit my art in galleries because I wanted something bigger : connect and create with the others. So even if I'm very slow to deliver my project because my brain and body chocked last year, be sure that I will always use my blood, sweat and tears to honor my mission because I love it. And I know we share the same believe " connect and create with the others".
I know now I will overcome the difficulties and I'm focused on finishing the work for this Kickstarter and The Idol of Cthulhu's.
I'm getting back my energy and it feels so good !
Happy new year to all of you and my best thoughts to our Australians friends,
Delphes
