Kings Journal: Thoughts, Changes and Chances (Patreon)

In this journal I will write about my thoughts regarding my work as an artist. What bothers me? What kills my motivation? What are my personal interests?! What did I learn during 4 years on Patreon?!

And I will write about changes, which are the results of my experiences.
But first things first: Will this be a happy journal?
The answer is: You have to read it and you'll see.

Here I go.

What bothers me
I have an account on Patreon since August 2016. I began with sharing my art on Tumblr and I was in an urgent need for money so Patreon seemed to be a good thing.
The first illusion I lost was that fans would support me. Clicking the like button on a free art page is not the first step to becoming a patron. Before Tumblr banished art for adults I had about 10.000 follower, but only 60 patrons. Of course 60 patrons are a proper amount, but compared to 10.000 possible patrons it does not seem that much.
The same happens on Twitter. I am heading towards 10.000 followers while I am shrinking on Patreon.
A few weeks ago I received a strange exit survey message. Once a patron deletes a pledge, there are pre-made phrases to choose from, that offer different reasons why someone finishes the support. The message contained the following phrase:
"I only intended to give Greeneyedwolfking a certain amount of money"
For me that does not sound like someone who came here for my art. It sounds like charity for the pitiful. Like poor Greeny needs some Dollars. Who cares what he is doing, because I give artists a certain amount of money and then I am gone.

I am no fan of the exit survey, because it completely focuses on patrons and ignores the creators point of view. I have an example:
"I did not get the rewards" - and the patron deletes the pledge.
I can not reply to that person, because the patron's name isn't displayed.
But I can tell you the truth: That patron did not pledge anything and I do not reward people for fraud.

The fanart problem
Aside dealing with Patreon issues the fanart is one of my main concerns. When I browse the Internet or Twitter I can find one fanart artist after another. And there are many talented ones. I am a patron of some artists, too, but it would be impossible for me to support every artist I like. My financial situation is limited. So from another point of view, that "pledging only a certain amount of money" patron might wander between different artists to support one after another. The movement of patrons is dynamic on Patreon and it is tough to keep the same supporters over months and years.

So shout outs to my long time patrons! You are great!! <3

What has all that to do with fanart?! Fanart is an effective way to attract attention. People love certain characters so they might love my art. The problem is, that hardcore fanboys and girls hardly care about style and quality: They just focus on a character and take everything that person is involved in. I have seen popular art on Twitter, where I would not have known who that is supposed to be, if there wouldn't be a name. Just a random face and some clothes and the fans are happy.
I know, that's not always the case, but one can not deny, that there is a lot of fanart, where it is hard to see any accuracy to the original source, when facial features are completely ignored and are exchanged with a random anime face.
Anime style can be extremely good and unique, but I am talking about those easy anime faces, where a simple straight line is supposed to be a nose.

Fanart tourism
I am not done with the fanart topic, because I didn't mention the biggest problem.
Once a fan is attracted he/she will want more of the same character. Even now the Internet is still full of Overwatch fanart and Chris Redfield content. It is a heaven for fans, but it is also a desert for fans with diverse interests.
Each time I drew popular stuff I got new patrons who vanished after a month, because I did not draw their favourite character again and again and again.
I like to draw less famous characters in fanart, sometimes I even enjoy it just to be a rebel.
I do not like to surf on the same wave like anybody else.
But once I do not surf that wave I lose supporters. I grow very slowly on Patreon, because I literally pay a high price for my artistic freedom. I do find people who like rarely drawn stuff.
I am grateful for each new supporter who will stay here to support me drawing infamous characters. But the fanart tourists ignore me. They go to other artists.

Fanart competition
Fanart also means competition. Tough competition. Unfair competition. When I was suspended on Patreon in 2017 like some other artists I had the impression it hit selected artists and there was no coincidence. I am still convinced, that someone systematically reported artists to harm them or to get rid of competitors.

In general I have to compete with any fanart artist in the world. Yes, that's a lot. And each month a new one joins the battle of attention.
I did not accept this state and unlike others I did not join that fight. Together with two friends I founded a group for artists. A group, where you needn't be famous to join.
The Everec-group. To be honest not much happens there. We create art specials for Halloween and Christmas, but it is fun and it is a chance to be visible in that ocean of art.
At the beginning I did not have noble intentions. I thought, when a super famous artist would join the group, the less famous ones could profit from that fame. It is a shameful thought and fortunately I changed my mind with gathering more experience.
I want to be a good example for an artist. I accepted my/our artists group as it is. Kinda dead between the holidays, but somehow charming as it exists aside any fame.
It is important to see each other, to not get lost in the Internet. In the Everec group we have literature/fiction, 3D art and 2D art. We unite different areas of art and that's a success. At least for me. A small one. But a success.

The Changes and Chances
Do you notice that the journal is moving towards a happier direction?
There is a way to resist the fanart competition and to get out of the shadow of other artist's fame. The answer will be a different one for each creator, but my answer is:
Original content.
Long time patrons might remember my plans of creating a game. There even exists a Kings Journal with early concept art. But "Radogien's Magic School" paused like several other of my own ideas, because I tried to keep up with popular fanart artists.
I reached a moment, where I can accept, that I can not keep up with those artists.
I was so ambitious for 4 years. I believed in my abbility to learn fast, to become better fast.
But I think I bet on the wrong horse. I should have trusted in my ideas more.
I want to trust in my ideas more. I think they are good and promising.
I can be the origin of original content instead of drawing others creations.
I have the chance to create things on my own and I do not wish to lose patrons who came for my comics and then I just draw a single page per month. That's a pity.

I am among the very few artists who draw Bara and Furry art and I let humans and Furries interact. There is no division. I have pleanty of ideas for comics, that do not exist.
I can show worlds and stories where being gay or whatever is no drama, but a chance to experience fun, friendship, romance and love.
To follow this new path, well it is actually nothing new - so let's say: To enlarge and develop my original content I will edit all reward tiers.

There will be 3 artworks and 2 comic pages in the future. The Commission Chance remains as well as my promise that at least one of the artworks shows a Furry character.
The third artwork will be something nice, too.
I do enjoy drawing fanart, especially of characters I like so the fanart will not vanish.
I just give my original content more room to grow. Like a plant, that finally gets more water and sun.

There is something else. I will try a new software for drawing. it might be good or bad. I can not tell yet. It is called Manga Studio. According to the video the program can create panels and that might be helpful for me. Photoshop is good for colouring, but I am not sure anymore if it is the right choice for me.

Anyway. I hope you somehow enjoyed reading this journal. It started quite negative, but it ends with a ray of light. Creative light. I hope you look forward to a faster progress of my comics.
If you want to share any thoughts with me you can tell me in the comments.

Thank you for reading!
Greeny

PS: I created a selection of different Artpack overviews from different years to show, that I edited  and changed my presentation several times. Sometimes on my own will and sometimes because I felt insecure. Feeling insecure is something that accompanies me.
But I am learning to accept, that I am not a fortune teller and that I have to trust in my decision before others can do so too.