Andrew Tarusov's Kinky Cards Pre-Order Store

We hit 60k + new challenges!
2 months ago – Tue, Aug 27, 2024 at 09:50:29 AM

We did it! We've reached 60k! This means everyone will receive a special Kickstarter extra trading card (that's 4 trading cards in total for each backer, plus a signed card and 1 extra card in every deck!).

But wait, there's more! I want to offer you another challenge. We currently have 945 backers, but if we hit 1000, I'll send out a special PDF book featuring all the new and existing Kinky Cards drawings! (NSFW) You don't want to miss this—it's an amazing opportunity!

And for the 1000th backer (and the 1100th, 1200th, and so on), I'll create a custom piece of traditional art!

Let's see how far we can go!

$60K STRETCH GOAL & some chatting.
2 months ago – Sun, Aug 25, 2024 at 10:11:30 AM

Hey!

We're in the final stretch—only about 60 hours left in our campaign! We've hit the $57k mark, and I'm aiming for $60k or more. I believe we can do it!

To sweeten the deal, I'm announcing a new stretch goal: if we reach $60k, all Kickstarter backers will receive an exclusive collectible card. This special card will be available only for  Kickstarter backers of this campaign!

I'll reveal the card's design soon. For now, I can only show you the back of the trading cards I'll be producing. I've decided to use the same back design for all card types across different projects, allowing you to mix and match them.

I'd also like to explain why these cards are pricier than those from other projects:

There are several reasons:

Firstly, creating each card requires significant effort. It took about 30 design iterations to achieve what you see now. As an experienced artist, I spend over two hours drawing each card—that's more than 100 hours just for the deck.

I've invested months in drawing, studying, and researching. The cards you see are the result of not just illustration, but a synthesis of all my ideas. This represents many work hours—and not just work hours—which come at a premium, given my high demand as an artist. I feel awkward saying this, but I think it's important to explain why these cards cost more than typical Bicycle cards.

I work on this project full-time—and by that, I mean almost every waking hour, sometimes even in my sleep. I handle the art, promotion, and creation single-handedly.

Of course, I'll also compensate those who help me complete the project, manage post-campaign tasks, and handle shipping.

Unlike 99% of card projects that manufacture in China, our production will take place in Poland. This European Union location increases costs.

Regarding shipping, I've addressed this before, but it bears repeating. Previously, I aimed to keep costs as low as possible for affordability, but this often led to problems when expenses exceeded expectations (prices typically rise, not fall). Some projects, like the 2016 American Calendar, even resulted in financial losses. That's why I've decided to set higher shipping rates worldwide—to ensure timely delivery without incurring losses. This approach also accounts for potential changes in printing providers, stock locations, or even my own relocation (yes, that's happened too).

As with the Pinupocalypse project, all profits will go towards covering expenses for the Black Book deliveries. I'm still working on delivering a significant number of books, and I'm committed to transparency about this. While it remains a challenge, I've made a personal promise to deliver all books by the end of 2025!

Here's a new card I did on a lifestream recently! Not sure about the pose though, maybe I'll redraw it :)

Final 8 Days – Unlock More Rewards and Join Our Growing Community!
2 months ago – Mon, Aug 19, 2024 at 09:55:20 AM

Hey everyone,

We’re entering the final stretch of our Kinky Cards – Second Round! campaign with just 8 days left! Your incredible support has already helped us raise over $50,000, and we couldn’t be more grateful. 🎉

As a reminder, since we’ve surpassed this milestone, all backers will receive 3 extra random trading collectible cards. These are perfect for expanding your collection or trading within our community!

Now, let’s talk about our latest addition:

New Reward: Fetish Icons Collectible Pack! 🚨

For just $8, you can grab a limited-edition pack of 6-8 cards from our exclusive Fetish Icons series. The complete set will feature 20-24 cards, available in Gold, Silver, and Standard variants. These cards are not just beautiful but rare, making them a valuable addition to your collection.

We'll keep adding new card themes with each project. This means your collection will keep growing and becoming more diverse. Picture yourself as part of an excited group of collectors, sharing and showing off these special cards!

Also, I'd love to hear your thoughts on our community chat platform. Should we use Telegram or Discord? I'm more accustomed to Telegram in my daily life and find it more convenient, but I know many people in the US are less familiar with it. Additionally, I'm curious about your opinions on NFTs. I could create an NFT equivalent for each card, giving you not only the physical card—which can be easily lost—but also an official digital version. What do you think?

But remember, time is ticking. With only 8 days left in the campaign, this is your last chance to secure these exclusive rewards and be a part of our growing community.

Get Your Cards Now!

Thank you once again for your support. We can’t wait to see how your collections grow and to share this exciting journey with all of you!

Best,

Andrew

TRADING CARDS AS AN ADD-ON!
3 months ago – Tue, Aug 13, 2024 at 01:44:39 PM

Hey guys!

Great news! We've reached $46k, which means everyone will receive TWO special collectible trading cards! If we hit $50k, you'll get three! To make this happen, I'll be drawing lots of cool and sexy fetish art featuring Kinky Icons like Dita Von Teese, Masuimi Max, and Miss Mosh. I'll print these with an interesting effect (to be determined) and might even make them into stickers. I've decided to add a special add-on and reward: a set of 8 different trading cards! Each set will contain 8 random cards, allowing you to trade with other owners. It's our cheapest reward at just $8 plus $5 shipping, with free shipping if chosen as an add-on.

After shipping, I'll create a special chat on Discord or Telegram. I think it's a fantastic idea that could lead to a great community! I've always wanted to do something like this. My plan is to release a set of trading cards with every future project or book. Fetish Icons is just the beginning!

On a personal note, I celebrated my 38th (🥲) birthday yesterday with friends in a Berlin park! I'm busy preparing for my September wedding and looking forward to a bit of rest after the Kickstarter campaign ends. I'm feeling a touch of burnout coming on.

Thank you all! Have a great week and stay tuned!

Andrew

30k stretch goal unlocked!
3 months ago – Sun, Aug 04, 2024 at 08:14:05 AM

Hello, awesome people!

Thank you so much for your support and interest in my project! I'd like to give you a quick update on what's happening.

Stretch goals unlocked!

We've hit the $30k stretch goal, which means you'll get one extra card in every deck. The style of this card will match the deck: if it's the normal deck, it'll be in black and white; if it's the luxury deck, it'll be colored with a holographic background. You'll also receive a card signed by me and a special collectible card featuring one of the fetish icons! Here's a brief explanation of what this is all about:

Fetish Icons: What's Behind the Concept?

I've always been fascinated by collectible cards and dreamed of creating my own. Finally, I had the idea to draw cards featuring my favorite fetish models! I'm not sure how many cards there will be in total, but they'll all be limited edition. They'll be printed with golden foil (I still need to confirm this with my printing company, but I'm confident we'll find a solution) and possibly in a slightly larger size. If you're a card collector, I'd love your advice on how to make these as cool as possible. I'm envisioning something like Garbage Pail Kids cards, but with beautiful ladies. I plan to add new cards to each project or campaign. I might offer sets of 6-8 cards for purchase, but they'll always be randomly selected. There will also be rarer, more precious cards. All cards will be numbered. I'm considering making them available as NFTs too—please share your thoughts on this idea. If you have any collaboration ideas or proposals, feel free to email me at [email protected]

Printing Company

I've decided to be as transparent as possible, so I'll share the name and website of the printing company I've partnered with to manufacture the cards. Last time, I faced a challenge when I worked with a Chinese company. We had set up all the prices, but a couple of weeks into the campaign, they informed me they couldn't print nipples in China. I had to find a new company quickly and settled on one in Russia, but I wasn't thrilled with the card quality in the end. This time, I again encountered issues with Chinese companies (my fulfillment manager is Project-Nerd in Denver, CO, and most U.S. printing is done in China), so I had to look to Europe. The French publisher of my comics recommended a Polish company, and they were eager to help. I've had several cards printed by them, and the quality is excellent. They also printed the French edition of "The Swinging Island," which turned out great.

Livestreaming

I'm also creating traditional art commissions from the Pinupocalypse campaign and this one during livestreams on Twitch & YouTube. I'd be thrilled if you could join me—we can chat and have a great time!

Patreon

Here's a quick reminder: if you enjoy even spicier 18+ content and stories, feel free to join my Patreon—it's free! You'll find plenty of naughty comics there!