Major Patreon Update (please read) (Patreon)

First off, I want to apologize that this is so long. I wish it was shorter but I think I need to explain everything thoroughly! So its time for me to talk about some patreon stuff that Ive been thinking about for months but havent been talking about. This might feel like its coming out of no where, but Ive been growing more exhausted and incapable of keeping up with my work load between commission work and patreon work. 

Unfortunately, I believe its time for me to retire the print and sticker rewards. It has simply become too much for me to keep up with. Providing 3 brand new illustration every month in addition to to having to invest in getting them printed and shipped is too much for me while also having to manage commission work.

Always Behind

My plan was to take on less commission work this month so I could catch up on patreon stuff but unfortunately, thats not working. Im more behind than i was when I started. By the time I finish last months + this months patreon rewards, I wont have started any of my commissions that needed to be done this month. Itll also be time to get started on next months rewards, further pushing back commissions.

Its really demoralizing for me to always be behind on work because the goals are just too demanding for me to meet. I never get to feel like I accomplished what i set out to do, because it never gets done in time. Making impossible goals and deadlines for myself only leads to me feeling defeated. 

I hate that my rewards go out late every month.  I hate that Im illustrating last months rewards and that Im *still* not done with them. I hate that I havent even started commissions, and the month is nearly over. I know it causes frustration and confusion on my supporters end. I want to do better, but with everything as it is I dont think I can.

Money Problems & Moving

Commission work makes up the vast majority of my income, but over half of all my time goes into working on patreon stuff, and this has lead to major issues where I can do one or the other in a single month but not both. Art is my full time job, and while it pains me to have to prioritize money over something I love, I just cant go on like this. Ive been hoping for years that it would balance out one day, but as time goes on my living expenses have only increased, and art continues to take me longer to complete as the scale of my illustrations get bigger. The reality is commission pay better, a lot better, and I need to be bringing in more money.

I was hit with the news that Ill have to be moving again this summer. I had been hoping to live here for a couple years at minimum to recover savings from the previous move, but the landlord wants to move in so Im out of a house. Ill be okay, but I have to start bringing in more income through commission work if Im going to make this work.

Future of My Comics

I dont want to sound like Im complaining about the work. I want you to know that the comics and illustrations I make here are my favorite drawings to work on. Its largely what I look forward to doing, but these days its only bringing me dread because I know I cant do everything in time. 

As we know, lately Ive been using the prints as a means to illustrate comics. I want to continue to make those comics, they really are my favorite thing. However, I have to pull away from guaranteeing 2 pages a month, especially when I have a move later this year. Theres probably going to be a month where I cant make comics and I need that to not result in me being painfully behind and owing a lot of make up rewards.

I want commit myself to making 1 page a month, and only 2 if im able. Im still interested in making both sfw and nsfw comics, so im going to let myself be able to choose freely which I get to do on any given month. My characters are everything to me, and I want to keep making silly comics with them.

New Patreon Tiers

So heres where I start talking about the future of this patreon’s tiers and rewards. Im going to be reworking each tiers benefits into something more manageable and sustainable for me in the long run. Heres what Im thinking so far:

• $2 tier: tip jar

This is mostly going to remain a tip jar. i think im going to remove occasional sketches and instead provide a one time collection of illustration images that can be used as wallpapers or simply your full resolution viewing pleasure.

• $6 tier: comics and illustrations

Early illustration and comic access! Much like how it is now. I post stuff as i finish it, whether it be sketches, commission illustrations, or comics. This will be both sfw and nsfw content. This also gets you access to the discord.

• $10 tier: process & wips

Access to the wips I share throughout the month and any process videos. One benefit that i want to add to this tier is streaming! I need to look into getting that set up, and where best to host it. Im not sure if its something i can do here on discord? Gotta research that, it’d be fun i think! I expect this wont happen immediately, so it might not show up on my listed benefits right away. Another thing this tier is going to provide is first dibs on commission slots, and first dibs on original illustrations that I have for sale. If youve ever wanted a commission but dont want to stress about missing the opening, Ill be providing an early window for supporters of this tier. I have some upcoming original illustrations that Ill have for sale probably some time next month!

• $15 tier: retired

Im not sure what to provide for this tier! I think Ill retire it for now and bring it back should I think of a good reward. 

• $20 tier: zines

So i think this tier will be fun but its going to work a little differently than previous print rewards. Every 2-3 months Ill compile my work and make a little physical zine to mail to you. This could be a collection of sketches, my commission work, or a collection of my comics when I get enough pages. Maybe a mix of all 3! Theyll be anywhere between 8-16 pages long. I want to dedicate a page in the back to include all the names of the people who support this tier in the months between each zine release. Additionally, Ill be providing pdf’s of the final zine for your digital archive. I believe this will be a more manageable and cost effective way of providing a physical copy of my work but within my means. I actually have a zine ready to go—you might remember it from last year, its a sketchbook collection! So I think this will be the zine to kick it off. These zines will be both sfw and nsfw, but Ill probably separate that content and group nsfw stuff into one zine.

Timeline & Exit Strategy

These changes are going to happen immediately, starting next month. That feels really fast but Im already painfully behind and I cant waste another month. This means that the shipment that goes out collecting last months rewards and this months rewards will be the last of the prints and stickers. For those of you interested in print stuff, I hope that the zines will both be fun for you and more manageable for me. 

Im going to be restructuring everything before the 1st of the month hits. This means writing new tier descriptions and a new description on my main page to remove prints and stickers. Ill be hiding the $15 tier so new people cannot pledge, and sending out messages on patreon so that everyone is aware of the changes.

Theres no need to be worried about the current status of your rewards, and whether or not youll be getting them. Everything is still going to be shipped out! Your charge for this month covers the prints and stickers Im currently finishing up, so theres not going to be a gap where you dont receive what you pledged for. 

All of these changes are going to be taking place come the 1st of April. The zine will be sent to the printer with the prints and stickers, so anyone still in the $20 tier come the 1st of April will receive that reward. Ill be changing discord roles, but that wont actually change until the 1st of April. 

This patreon has brought me a lot of joy over the years. Ive loved getting to make prints and stickers for all these years (i think since 2018?? wow thats a long time). Thank you so much for all the love and support that Ive gotten here. Ill really never be able to express what its done for me, and how its allowed me to experiment and explore with my art. I hope that this next chapter in my patreon works out for me, and that I get to keep making cool stuff for you. I know that this is going to be a lot of peoples signal to unsub, and I want to say thats okay! I know the changes wont be for everyone, but I want you to know that it was very meaningful to me that you enjoyed my work enough to support me at all. I cherish all of you and what youve done for me.

Please let me know if you have any questions! Im happy to talk about all of this in the comments, I know its a lot of information. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to read all of this!