
- BGG rating
- 7.7
Starving Artists: 2017 Kickstarter Art Packs
- 1–4 players
- 40–60 min
- 2017

2017
Rules assistance for Starving Artists
Plain-language explanations of turns, card effects and disputed situations, with official source references and saved question history.

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Answers come from the official rulebook, with the page to check.
Starving Artists is a board game released in 2017 for 1–4 players, 30–60 minutes per game, and ages 12 and up. It was designed by Mike Wokasch and its main mechanics are Set Collection.
There's no question: the life of an artist is hard. There’s no paycheck to paycheck to live by. What little money you do have you invest right back into paint. And without that paint, there’s no way to follow your dream. You don’t relish the idea of having to work at a desk, in front a computer, toiling away for some faceless corporate overlord. You really want to make it! Starving Artists is a game for 1-4 players. It takes about 30-60 minutes (approximately 15 minutes per player). In Starving Artists, you are a painter trying to be famous. In the game, paints are the only currency. On your turn, you can buy canvases, paint them or work for more paint. And, at the end of each round, players can put their completed paintings up for sale for more paint and food. The game ends when shortly after someone is out or someone manages to paint enough paintings: either in value or quantity. Yes, you can become famous by flooding the painting marketplace.
Starving Artists supports 1–4 players according to the catalogue. This range comes from the publisher’s listed player count, so the game can be set up for any group size within it. Some setups, rules and scoring details may still vary by player count, so check your edition’s rulebook for the exact configuration.
The listed playing time for Starving Artists is 30–60 minutes. This is the publisher’s estimate for a full game. The actual duration depends on the group, the player count and familiarity with the rules: first sessions usually run longer, while experienced groups often finish faster. Setup and teaching time are not included in this estimate.
The catalogue lists Starving Artists for ages 12 and up. This is the publisher’s recommendation and reflects reading demands, rule complexity and small components rather than theme alone. Younger players can often join with help from an adult, so check the age guidance on your edition and consider your group’s experience with board games.
Starving Artists has a complexity rating of 1.9 out of 5 from BoardGameGeek players, which makes it a light game. The rating reflects how much rules knowledge, planning and decision-making a typical game demands. Expect a longer first teach for heavier games, and use a preparation guide before game night.
Starving Artists belongs to these categories: Card Game, Abstract Strategy, and Educational. Its main mechanics are Set Collection. Categories describe the theme and setting of a game, while mechanics describe what players actually do on their turns. Each mechanic links to a catalogue hub with similar games, which helps when you want something comparable.
The credited designers of Starving Artists are: Mike Wokasch. These credits come from the published game data and name the people responsible for the game’s design, not its illustrators or publishers. Designer pages on MeepleRules collect other titles by the same designers, which helps when you enjoy a game and want to find similar ones.
The catalogue lists Starving Artists as a base game. It can be played on its own with the components in the box and does not require any other title. Expansions, if any exist, add new content or rules on top of it and are listed separately in the catalogue with a link back to this base game.