On April 22, 2019, Magic: the Gathering artist Seb McKinnon concluded his Magic Kickstarter Round 2, raising an exceptional $971,575 CAD ($726,417 USD) over sixty days from 7,246 backers. The campaign is McKinnon’s second Kickstarter campaign, which he has used as the only way for players and collectors to acquire his art as a playmat, print, Artist Proof card, or giclée canvas directly from the artist. All proceeds will be going to fund his feature film KIN Fables: The Stolen Child.
About the Kickstarter
McKinnon’s second Kickstarter followed in the footsteps of his first campaign that launched in May 2018 and raised CA$ 395,648, or approximately $298,971 USD, from 3,450 backers. His latest Kickstarter got off to an incredible start, raising over $175,000 USD in just the first four days and closing near the $1 million CAD mark with over 7,000 individual supporters. This fundraising expedition unlocked 15 different playmats, including 13 Magic artworks and an exclusive KIN Fables design.
This campaign even included a collaboration work with fellow MTG artist Nils Hamm, set in the KIN Fables universe. Both artists worked on this piece, and it came out to be something really special.
Each of these above designs was available as either a print or playmat, none of which will not to be printed again outside of this Kickstarter. Fulfillment will be via a partnership with HitPoint Press, the crew that brought the world Cardamajigs, Cubeamajigs, The Deck of Many, and Humblewood. McKinnon and HPP worked together on his first campaign, and should provide a smooth and streamlined solution to getting rewards out to backers as quickly as possible.
Wrapping Up
McKinnon is not just a visual artist but also a filmmaker. Just as with his first Kickstarter, all proceeds from this campaign are going to fund his first feature length film. He has been building his own IP, the world of KIN Fables, for over half a decade, and with this incredible financial push is moving ever-closer to making his imagination a reality.
I was able to reach back out to McKinnon to get his thoughts and feelings here at this newest milestone. He posted a video to his social media, and out to all his backers, expressing his gratitude for their support:
He additionally had this to say to everyone else that has been involved in his Magic career:
Beyond the overwhelming support from the Kickstarter backers and the community, I’d like to extend my thanks to Jeremy Jarvis who gave me my first MTG commission, to all the wonderful Art Directors I have the privilege of working with, to all my peers—MTG artists who continue to inspire and push me to become a better artist, to Wizards of the Coast and Ultra-Pro supporting this endeavor, to Brian the Professor at Tolarian Community College and Sam at Rhystic Studies, Hipsters of the Coast, Magic Mics, and every other blogger/podcaster/individual, etc who simply spread the word, letting people know that this campaign even existed…I will forever be grateful to Magic: the Gathering—a game that will forever be a pillar of my artistic becoming.
Seb McKinnon’s art continues to tickle the hearts and minds of Magic players and fans, and with each new artwork he releases, a excitement explodes across the internet. He is constantly pushing himself and his creativity, and it’s ever visible in each new artwork that is released. The same will be true for his upcoming feature film, and based on what we’ve seen so far, he will bring these same transformative experiences to the silver screen.
To learn more about the artist and his work, check out the Rhystic Studies video on his art as well as the Mirror Gallery’s own Behind the Brush interview from earlier this year. And make sure to keep your eyes peeled for KIN Fables: The Stolen Child, coming to you very, very soon.