With the release of their new book, Cursed Lands, and the rerelease of Curse of Strahd; 1985 Games knew their first collection of miniatures had to be gothic horror inspired. They envisioned The Shade Collection, a line of 11 highly detailed resin miniatures sized for the most popular roleplaying games. Each miniature was crafted to fill a unique role and feel totally different from the majority of minis on the market.
We collaborated with 1985 Games to bring The Shade Collection to life on Kickstarter. We were responsible for the creation of all major Kickstarter graphics and social media ads, including detailed showcase images, and an evolving stretch goal chart. In addition, we worked together to develop a sub-brand that would proudly encompass the Shade Collection and all miniature lines that were still to come. The Counterspell Miniatures sub-brand was developed to allow flexibility for future product lines, and add to the thematic nature of the tabletop gaming collection.
The Counterspell Miniatures brand was designed to be intricate and powerful, heralding the dimensionality and detail of the miniature sculptures themselves. The Counterspell Miniatures logo was designed to evoke feelings of ancient magical architecture. The typeface was selected for its crisp structured look, and harshly pointed tips that say, "we mean business". Overall, the Counterspell miniatures brand features a mix of fantastical elements that allow it to feel right at home in environments from crumbling ruins to the most fantastical landscapes.
Each Kickstarter graphic was carefully envisioned to enhance the gothic horror theme of The Shade Collection. Weathered gothic ironwork borders with mystical purple hues adorn stone tablets that display everything from concept art to 3D rendered miniatures. The stretch goal chart was styled after a vampiric mausoleum, with glowing candles that would become illuminated with every new stretch goal that was reached. Above all else, the graphics were designed to be legible and informative, allowing potential backers to easily understand the details of the campaign.
In addition to the Kickstarter campaign graphics, a full series of social media images were produced to allow 1985 Games to effectively promote the Kickstarter during the campaign. The collection of graphics was rolled out across Facebook and Instagram, at strategic intervals to raise awareness and direct potential backers to explore the campaign on Kickstarter.
