A Step in the Right Direction...
over 1 year ago
– Thu, Jun 12, 2025 at 12:44:01 PM
I wanted to provide a further update along with some long-overdue good news. However, first and foremost, I want to acknowledge our failure, once again, to deliver regular updates.
I now realise the importance of consistent communication and regret not maintaining it. While there have been reasons, as previously mentioned, there are truly no excuses for this lapse. It has been 10 months since our Kickstarter was successfully funded, and I sincerely appreciate your patience.
Moving forward, I am pleased to share that following our update on May 4th, 2025, several key issues delaying the project have been resolved.
Complications and Delays Faced
Our main challenges primarily revolved around:
- Design and Printing
- Quality Control
- Packaging
Our Solutions
To address these issues, we have restructured the “project management” aspect of this Kickstarter campaign. We have developed a revised timeline, and we are making every effort to adhere to it. Our current plan is to begin shipping pledges within the next 12-16 weeks, with the possibility of an earlier delivery if everything progresses smoothly.
Since its inception, Black Sun Miniatures has been run by a single individual—myself. The recent pressures from this Kickstarter, along with my commitment to delivering the highest quality miniatures, have led me to make the decision to bring on additional support for operations.
Moving forward, all quality control and packaging will be handled exclusively at Black Sun Studios. This change is aimed at ensuring the best possible products for our valued backers and customers.
Creating this Kickstarter has always been driven by my passion for Fantasy Art and miniatures, with the goal of delivering something truly memorable. I am committed to ensuring every detail is perfect—from the design and print quality to the sculpting, casting, and packaging. To achieve this, rigorous Quality Control is essential, and it will require some time to carefully prepare and produce the volume of models needed. Thank you for your patience and support as we work to bring this vision to life!
Our Promises
Firstly, we recognise the importance of keeping you informed. Therefore, we commit to providing at least one update each month from now until your pledges are fulfilled.
Despite the challenges of time constraints and unforeseen pressures, we will also strive to offer behind-the-scenes updates. This will give you an inside look at some of the creative processes, allowing you to see firsthand how your support is making an impact.
A sincere thank you.
None of this would have been possible without you. Your belief and trust in our vision have been the cornerstone of this project, and we are fully committed to exceeding your expectations. Every pledge, share, and message of encouragement (or even critique) has fueled our determination to bring this project to life.
Please bear with us a little longer.
Long Overdue Update
over 1 year ago
– Sun, May 04, 2025 at 11:56:27 AM
Understandably many of you have expressed concern over the lack of updates in regards to the progress of this project. We realise we have failed in that regard. We are committed to this Kickstarter, and to delivering high quality miniatures to every backer. This project, and this period of our business life has been very challenging.
As mentioned in the last update, the first setback was with the printers who were handling printing for the art cards, posters and packaging. That particular issue has almost been solved. More recently, we had problems with a third party that we had arrangements with to package the models and handle shipping to specific locations. For various reasons that arrangement has now been abandoned. To clarify, quality control is, and always will be done in house. This arrangement was to simply package those models that had already passed QC and then ship. On top of all of this, there is also the significant increasing costs on every front.
I'm not trying to give excuses, just reasons. Ultimately every setback is our own responsibility. No doubt this KS is delayed. Please know we are fully committed to delivering this project.
We are working towards a revised timeline and will provide a more concrete estimate in our next update later this month.
Carlos
Black Sun Studios
Overdue Update!
almost 2 years ago
– Sun, Dec 29, 2024 at 11:32:24 AM
Dear Backers,
Firstly, please accept our sincerest apologies for how overdue this update is! We completely understand that you have been eagerly awaiting news from us, and we truly appreciate your patience and support during this time.
We had intended to post an update a few weeks ago; however, we encountered unforeseen obstacles that slowed our progress.
Going forward we will endeavour to provide more regular updates.
Delivery/Delays: In retrospect, we realise that our initial estimations regarding timelines were perhaps a bit optimistic. While many aspects of our project are on track, a few important elements have not gone quite as planned. One of the main challenges we’ve encountered is the recent need to change our print suppliers for packaging materials, art cards and prints. This was an unforeseen circumstance that has led to some delays in production. We are committed to maintaining high quality and therefore, we are taking the necessary time to ensure that our new suppliers meet our standards.
We anticipate being in a better position to provide more specific timelines in the new year. However, we hope to start shipping pledges within the first quarter of 2025.
Pledge Manager: We understand that many of you are eager for updates regarding the pledge manager and shipping costs. We want to make sure that these costs are as fair and reasonable as possible. With the current fluctuations in shipping rates, we have been working behind the scenes to secure the best options for our backers. We appreciate your patience and are hopeful that our next update in January will provide clarity and further news on this important front.
We want to take a moment to acknowledge that as this is our first Kickstarter, there are aspects of our campaign that we are still learning to navigate. We recognize that our communication has not been as consistent as it should have been, and we sincerely apologise for that. Thank you for your patience, as well as your valuable comments and suggestions regarding updates and communication. We appreciate your feedback and are committed to improving our engagement with you moving forward. On that note, for quicker responses, please reach out to us here: [email protected]
Please know that we are fully committed to delivering the high-quality models that Black Sun is known for. We are working diligently to ensure they meet the standards you expect, and we will ship them out to you as soon as possible.
As we close this year, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to all of our supporters, backers, and contributors. Wishing you all a very Happy New Year filled with joy, health, and success. Cheers to new beginnings and continued collaboration in the year ahead!"
Carlos
Black Sun Studios
Production Progress & BackerKit
almost 2 years ago
– Sun, Oct 13, 2024 at 12:28:47 PM
Hello Backers,
Thank you first for your patience. We have been hard at work in the background, organising and preparing various aspects of this project.
Here are some key updates:
Funding Success: The Kickstarter campaign successfully secured funds from almost every backer, and after a few weeks, the funds were transferred to us. This has enabled us to expand upon what we had already started and get things in motion.
Production Progress: We have officially begun the production of the resin kits and are diligently working on the various design elements that need to be finalised.
Pledge Manager & Late Backers: We are making good progress setting up the pledge manager and the late backer/pre-order store. The late backer store will be opening very soon, allowing those who missed the Kickstarter to still purchase the sets. Please note: Late backer pledges will be delivered sometime after all Kickstarter backers have received their rewards.
Pledge Confirmation: Following the opening of the late backer store, we will send out invitations to backers of the Kickstarter to confirm items, delivery addresses, and other details. Please wait for this direct invitation and instructions before attempting to complete your pledge information.
We will provide further updates on all of the above shortly, and we are excited to share our progress over the coming months, including the sets and the various unlocked stretch goals and add-ons that you made possible through this campaign.
Thank you once again for your support and patience throughout the past couple of months. We look forward to sharing more updates with you all soon.
Best regards,
Carlos
We did it! Thank You! What's Next...
about 2 years ago
– Fri, Aug 02, 2024 at 09:00:47 AM
Wow! We did it!
We can't thank you enough for your support and for all the sharing that made this project a reality. Your enthusiasm and commitment have truly driven us to this incredible milestone.
Now, as we transition from funding to production, we wanted to let you know what happens next...
Kickstarter Deposits: In approximately 2-3 weeks, we will receive the funds from Kickstarter. This is an essential step that will allow us to move forward with production.
Pledge Manager Launch: We will be launching the pledge manager shortly, where backers can confirm shipping details and add any extras you might have missed during the campaign. This will also open up options for late backers to join in on some products. Each of you will receive a unique email with your pledge selection and corresponding value assigned in the pledge manager, so please keep an eye on your inbox and wait for this email before completing your pledge.
Production & Design: We will begin producing the resin sets and finalise the designs for all printed materials. We're thrilled to bring these concepts to life!
Rest assured, we will keep you updated throughout this process, right up to the shipping of pledges and beyond. If you have any questions at this stage, please feel free to reach out, and we will do our best to answer them as soon as we can.
For now, we’ll take a short break to recharge, and then we’ll dive back into getting the next phase of this project underway.
Thank you once again for your incredible support. We couldn't have done this without you!
With immense gratitude,
Carlos
Black Sun Studios
