Back in the year 2018, I launched my first crowdfunding campaign online. Believe it or not, it all started because of an “ugly cat” portrait I made.
I was a “struggling artist”, barely making ends meet. I just quit my corporate career and started to do art for the first time, without any art network or even art making practice. So, it was challenging to say the least.
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Until one day, when I painted a fun portrait of my neighbour's cat. The cat was messing with my dogs, making them bark everyday so I wanted to immortalise how I saw her at that moment.
(hint: I am a dog person)
The cat portrait turned, well, let's say "aesthetically challenged."
But my neighbour saw it, loved it, and insisted even on paying me for it.
That's when lightning struck.
I thought, "What if I painted ugly pet portraits for money?"
Even better: “what if I paint ugly funny portraits of pets and put them on a tee?”
💡
So, I set up a crowdfunding campaign as a joke.
"Fund my quest to paint the world's ugliest (best) pets portraits! So you can wear them everywhere with you. Even on your tee"
I expected maybe a few pity donations from friends.
Boy, was I wrong.
The campaign went viral overnight.
Suddenly, I was flooded with requests and pledges.
People were fighting to have their pets painted ugly!
Here's what I learned from this bizarre experience:
* Embrace the weird: Conventional is boring.
* Humor sells: People love to laugh and share.
* Timing is everything: I hit a sweet spot of internet culture.
* Engage your backers: I shared progress updates religiously.
* Deliver on promises: Even if they're ridiculous.
* Adapt quickly: I learned to paint "ugly" really fast.
The campaign raised over $50,000 in 30 days. I went from starving artist to "that ugly pet portrait gal."
It wasn't just about the money, though.
I found a community of people who appreciated absurd art.
We laughed together at each hideous masterpiece.
It was my reminder that art doesn't have to be serious.
This experience taught me that sometimes the most unconventional ideas can lead to the greatest success.
After all, you never know which one might resonate with people and take off.
So, what's your weird idea that might just work? Don't be afraid to give it a shot.
You might be surprised at where it leads you.
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