A couple of days ago I launched a Geyser campaign to cover some of the production costs of self-publishing an art book. For some background on the book see the announcement post. Saying I was excited to launch the campaign is an understatement. Producing an art book has been a vaguely defined idea that simmered in the back of my brain for years. With the a press of a button it became very real.
Being excited wasn't the only emotion I felt. Knowing there was no way back hit me hard and I've been feeling the pressure since the start of the campaign. What if there's no interest in a bitcoin themed art book or the production costs are higher than I expected? Do I have enough content to fill a book? How do you make a book anyway? It was a mix of imposter syndrome and being way out of my comfort zone.
Turns out, I didn't need to worry. The first week of the campaign has been quite a success with over 20 pre-orders and roughly 25% of the production costs covered. A huge thank you to everyone who has supported the book so far!
Last week I visited some bookshops in Amsterdam. To clear my head and to get inspired. I quickly discovered there's a recurring theme in the books that catch my eye. I call them 'zines without a budget' – books that have a more modest look, yet are beautifully designed and use various printing techniques in a more subtle way. The opposite of the large, glossy and colourful publications that scream for attention.
My trip to the bookstores also sparked some new insights. In order for the book to become more than an illustration portfolio I need to provide context about the world my illustrations inhabit. I want to tell the reader about bitcoin and the greater open-source space. About NOSTR, zaps, the V4V model, online privacy, decentralised tech and open protocols.
Written content. Unfortunately I'm a terrible writer. The solution? Asking prominent figures in the space and people whose work I find inspiring to contribute. Ideally something written specifically for the book, though I'm well aware that's a lot to ask. It could also be a repurposed article or blog post or a snippet of one. It could be podcast transcript.
So far I’ve reached out to a small group of people and was pleasantly surprised when some of them agreed to help out! I’m not used to bluntly ask for favours so this was a big step to take.
Next steps
This week I'll visit two printers that specialise in producing art books. Their initial quotes were in line with my expectations and I'm looking forward to discuss options, get their input and see a lot of beautiful books. After this the fun begins and I'll start working on my first designs. I'll also create a post about books I found that inspire me, and go into more detail about my plans for the NoGood art book.
I'll keep you posted.
Thomas
nogood.studio