Big Patreon Revamp - Feedback needed! (Patreon)
Content
Hey everyone!
I've been running this Patreon the same way for the last 5+ years, and it's been a lot of fun! Some of my best work has come from these pinup sets, and I am very proud of the support you all have given me, here. Now, I feel it's time to make some big changes that I hope you will like! Let's get right to it!
A single Reward Tier
I want to change to a single reward tier, with all the goodies on it. Often I feel like reward tiers get so cluttered and confusing... it's like having to do homework to decide what tier new patrons might actually want to join! Here is what I am considering:
Single $6 Reward Tier
Includes:
- 1-2 full color nude/lewd artworks per month
- PSD Files
- WIP (sketches, etc)
- ...and maybe more? Let's discuss!
Now, this is a HUGE change for me! Right away, I will be taking a 40% pay cut. That's pretty scary! But I hope that this change in pricing will be more enjoyable and affordable to you all. Also, I am hoping that by making it more affordable, it will invite new people to make up the difference.
Now, let's dig a bit deeper into what these changes mean.
What would the artwork include?
At least one of the drawings will be guaranteed to have nudity/lewdness to it. But besides that, I'd like to be more open to express whatever sexy idea I have. Some potential examples:
- nude/non-nude versions, like I currently do
- first image is a sexy set up, 2nd image is a sexy nude/lewd reveal
- sometimes multiple characters, sometimes a single character
- any combination of the above, and more!
The point is, I want to be free to express my work in any of these ways, without having to throw out ideas, just because it doesn't fit the format I have set my Patreon rewards to.
Why 1-2 images?
I have been doing 4 pinups a month since March of 2015. At that time, the work was manageable. However, in the last 5 years, my work has grown in complexity, and I often struggle to finish all 4 drawings within a given month. I often work until 2:00am and don't take days off. Here's an example of how far my work has come, since I originally set the promise of 4 pinups per month:
Above: March 2015 pinup vs October 2020 pinup
Hopefully, you can see the difference in work and effort that goes into my newer works. This change would allow me time to work on bigger projects outside the monthly scope of Patreon. I'll get into more detail on that, below.
What do I want to do with this gained free time?
I want to work on new, bigger projects. This change would allow me to start actually putting serious effort into projects that just don't fit into the monthly Patreon plan, like:
- Short comics
- Games (Visual Novels, Metroidvanias, etc)
- Fantasy Scenic Illustration Sets (like I used to do, but bigger/better)
- Full Hardcore Erotic Illustration Packs (as inspiration dictates, and not recurring on a schedule)
Why not commit to either 1 pinup or 2 per month?
Again, it has to do with being flexible for the sake of quality. What if I want to do a single big scene, with several characters, and each character has 8 different outfit or pose versions, expressions, etc? Doing something like that takes a lot of work, so even if it's just one base image with 8 versions (like October's set), it's still a lot of artwork for patrons, at the end of the month.
Hell, this last month I did 4 base images, but with all the variations, it was a total of 42 drawings! And if I can do 2 base images with variants in a month, I will! It's just a matter of being flexible for the sake of time, and being able to branch out into working on other things, besides just these pinups.
What about the $3 Line Art Tier?
The line art tier has always felt like a half baked reward, to me. Going forward, I'd rather focus on having the finished works as rewards, and just share the WIP stuff as it comes. I realize that means that those of you on the $3 tier might not want to continue pledging, if you decide not to upgrade to the single $6 tier. My hope is that the changes I have made to the new $6 tier are a worthwhile reason to upgrade. If not, I totally understand!
Let's sum up...
These are the opportunities and positive benefits I am hoping these changes will allow:
- A single, affordable tier, to simplify the choice of joining.
- More flexible rewards, that liberate me to do my best work, free from harsh time constraints.
- The start of bigger projects, outside of the Patreon pinup sets, such as comics, games, erotic art sets, and more!
What do you think?
None of these changes are set in stone. I bring them to you to start a dialog. Once I feel we have discussed this thoroughly, I'll make any changes I agree with, and set up a poll, before giving a time frame for the changes.
So, please let me know what you think!
~Ray