Beowulf: An Illuminated Wonder Tale

We Made It!
8 months ago – Sun, Feb 04, 2024 at 08:08:34 AM

My deepest thanks to everyone for supporting this project to bring it life! I couldn't be more excited to present a truly epic artistic treatment of this great tale, and look forward to more tales to come!

We'll be sending you updates soon as we work with Backerkit to get an Add-On store in place and start getting the reward surveys put together. Stay tuned as well for updates as the work on the book itself proceeds.

Many thanks,

Joel Trumbo

Final Stretch!
8 months ago – Fri, Feb 02, 2024 at 02:07:22 PM

We're in the final stretch for the campaign period! Now begins the process for setting up the backer surveys and finalizing everything before moving into the production phase. To that end, I have partnered with Backerkit to facilitate surveys, pledge management, and pre-order options to ensure we will proceed towards the fulfillment stage as smoothly and efficiently as possible. Backers should receive their surveys in about two weeks time, which will allow you to confirm essential info for fulfillment - email addresses, shipping addresses, and the like.

Thanks to everyone who has jumped in so far to make this campaign such a success! Onward!
 

Stretch Goal Achieved! Treasure Coins to be Distributed!
8 months ago – Wed, Jan 24, 2024 at 01:24:17 PM

What an incredible day! You guys came out with the support in a big way yesterday, and we not only reached our second stretch goal but shot right past it! Our sincere thanks and appreciation to everyone for the enthusiasm getting this project really rolling.

With your abundant support we're now able to include custom engraved and enameled challenge coins with every pledge at the Thane level and above! I just got the prototype today, and it is really awesome. A full 2 inches across, it features a cloisonné style enamel pattern based on Anglo-Saxon brooch and bracteate decoration from real treasure hoards, as well as engraved knotwork on the back with the inscription: "Gaeth a wyrd swa hio scel" - "Fate goes ever as it must", taken from the Beowulf text.

Thanks for making this project absolutely crush!

Amazing Response! First Stretch Goal Met, Second Stretch Goal on the Horizon!
8 months ago – Sat, Jan 13, 2024 at 07:10:30 AM

Dear friends,
     I have been so excited to see the overwhelmingly positive response to this project from backers and people sharing, commenting, etc! With your help we not only fully funded the first day, but have now exceeded the first stretch goal in our first week! I’ll be hitting the drawing board in the next week or two to start working on the new illumination of the sea race with Breca, and sharing some updates on these pieces as they come along. Would there be interest in any time-lapse videos showing the drawing/creation process for one of these pieces?

Now that we have exceeded the first stretch goal thanks to your generous support and enthusiasm, our next stretch goal is going to aim at making the entire reward experience really unique beyond just getting a one-of-a-kind book – a true taste of a treasure hoard, as it were. 

For the next stretch goal, we'll be able to make and include the engraved Saxon style treasure coin, currently available at the Add-On Store, in ALL reward level deliveries at and above the Thane level once we fund at $50,000. Here's a description and mockup of the coin design:

This is a two-inch shiny gold finish challenge coin, designed in the style of Anglo-Saxon bracteates and brooches featuring colored enamel inlay. The back is engraved with the Old English saying "Gaeth a Wyrd swa hio scel" and the translation below: "Fate goes ever as it must".

If you have never seen one of these, they are modelled on Germanic bracteates, which are thin, flat, gold medals worn as jewelry, as well as the Anglo-Saxon brooches which were very often inlaid with enamel and engraved, as in the example below from the British Museum.

If we reach the $50,000 stretch goal mark, EVERYONE who receives the illuminated book in a Thane, Ealdorman, Aetheling, or Cyning level reward will also get one of these treasure coins included. If you already pledged extra to reserve one of these coins in the Add-On Store, then you will receive two of them. I’ll be working on a really special mailing box modelled on the 8th century Frank’s Casket for the pledge fulfillment, so you can count on a special and exciting experience on the day your treasure box arrives, whether it’s for your own collection or for a gift.

Thanks everyone! 

Amazing Start! Stretch Goal, FAQs, and Add-Ons
8 months ago – Mon, Jan 08, 2024 at 10:18:07 AM

Thank you all so much for getting this project off the ground. We've reached our initial funding goal to begin working on the various pieces of the project, and I'm happy to announce the 1st Stretch Goal of the campaign: If the project reaches $25,000 in pledge support, the full page illumination stack will be able to be upgraded from 8 full page illuminations to 10, including a full page illumination of the sea-monster swimming match between Breca the Bronding and Beowulf.

In response to several questions and requests, all of the reward tier items with the exception of the limited handbound goatskin editions have been made available as add-ons. This allows you to modify your pledge or make additions of you wanted multiples of any of the options. 

I have also added an FAQ page with some of these questions that have come up; I'll be adding to and updating that as we go and I get more inquiries.

Thanks everyone!