
About this project
Welcome to the kickstarter page for my picture book, tentatively titled "Mr. McFrawley's Traveling Show." This creepy, fun and gothic tale is inspired by the art and symbolism of Tarot Cards, the Wizard of Oz, mythology, and by artists like Tim Burton, Mary Blair, Edward Gorey, Jhonen Vasquez, Sanjay Patel, and of course, by Calvin and Hobbes.
http://thedekaytarot.tumblr.com/
In this story, Bix Spiderbeck is a young freak in Mr. McFrawley's Traveling Show. Trouble strikes when McCrum and Callow's mega-super-ubercircus comes to town and threatens to bankrupt the only place Bix has ever called home. But a visit to the old fortune teller, Madame Bahrvogsky sets him on an exciting cross-country adventure. The goal? To find more freaks and save his circus.
With Annie, the bearded girl (who is too young to grow a beard yet) at his side, Bix meets new friends and has an exciting time, but is never more than a few steps ahead of McCrum and Callow's army of disgruntled clowns.
I've been brainstorming and sketching for this project for almost a year now. I have well over a hundred sketches drawn and the entire story outlined. I'm an animator by trade, and I'd love to animate this project as a big Burton-esque creepy musical, but for now I realize that the picture book is a great step towards getting more exposure and realizing the story and images more fully. I'm even working with friends to begin sketching out a musical score, which we'll be giving away as a read-along cd.
I'd love to share this entire process with you, with time lapse illustrations, clips of work that has inspired me, blog entries and art at http://thedekaytarot.tumblr.com/
The work is almost halfway done. With any luck, the entire project will be illustrated and ready to print by the end of the summer.
And that's what I need help with! I'm looking for money to print, print, print so I can give away as many copies as I sell, to schools, libraries, really to anyone who could do something positive with them! I'm hoping to raise enough loot to print way more copies (especially since the cost plummets as the print run rises) - I'd like to print enough copies to fly over the entire Earth in an Apache helicopter, flinging them madly like some kind of deranged Santa Claus.
If you have any questions, let me know - danartbarn@gmail.com
THANK YOU!
FAQ
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Funding Successful
This project successfully raised its funding goal on June 1, 2010.
Pledge $2 or more
Access to behind-the-scenes updates, which will include images of each page as I finish it. You'll also get one Tarot card from my series of 12.
Pledge $5 or more
Everything above, but you'll receive 3 of the 12 tarot cards that relate to this story.
Pledge $20 or more
You'll receive the printed hardcover book and 3 of the 12 tarot cards that relate to this story.
Pledge $25 or more
You'll receive the printed hardcover book and 5 of the 12 tarot cards that relate to this story. Also, I'll draw a picture just for you on the inside cover of your book!
Pledge $35 or more
You'll get the signed book, with the drawing, plus I'll include one of the original story development sketches and send you 8 tarot cards. Tell your friends! Collect them all!
Pledge $50 or more
You'll get 10 of the 12 tarot cards, everything mentioned above, plus an oversized print of a page from the book.
Pledge $75 or more
I'll give you the full set of Tarot cards, everything mentioned above, the Read Along CD, and a random item from my living room along with a descriptive page of why I chose that item.
Pledge $100 or more
I'll give you the full set of 12 tarot cards, everything mentioned above, and an original scratchboard drawing done just for you! Check out the blog for examples of my scratchboard work!
Pledge $200 or more
$200.00 You will receive everything, plus a "Special Thanks" credit on the inside of the book, and the vaunted tarot card for "The Devil", both as a card and a special oversized print, signed and numbered. Any pledge you make beyond $200 will go directly to giving these books to libraries.
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Hi there! I'm Dan and I'm a cartoonist. I live in Maine with no wife, kids, or pets, but with many many sketchbooks. How are you today? How is that relative who had that issue with that thing? Better? Oh, good.