Hi!

So.

As you may have noticed, I disappeared after my last post on June 9th.

My ability to create was, for a few months during the summer, shaky-at-best. I don't need to detail the pandemic or quarantine or make vague allusions by calling the past few months these troubling times. We know. We all get it. It's a rough time for all of us, and some more than others. 

Let's catch up, shall we?

Since my last Art Update, back in May 2020, I have been both procrastinating, dealing with burn-out, and discovering new ways to paint digitally. I've spent the last few months working on pet portraits, commissions, and other related work.

There are exciting changes coming to my ko-fi page next year!

​As those following my work may have noticed, I disappeared for a little while. Updates became sporadic and eventually stopped. It was due to a bit of burnout, pushing myself to create when what I needed was a break to recharge and try to stay sane in the mess that is 2020.

I want to continue to create and share my work with people, and changes like this should be more sustainable for me. I may continue to change things next year, too, and am always open to feedback. These changes will all go into effect January 1st, 2021.
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Let's see how it goes!

New Monthly Draws
Every supporter will now be that month's draw, and draws take place the first day of the following month. (For example, those who donate in January will be entered in January's draw, which would take place February 1st.) Donate in one month and you'll be entered into a draw with all other supporters that donated. And should you be the only supporter that month, then.. the winner is clear! ?

Winners will be able to request a portrait sketch from me, of a character of their choosing!*
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Sketches will be delivered later that same month, and will have a sketchy quality to them as it part of their charm. Also note that a person can win multiple months consecutively, though I may change this rule when there are more supporters to ensure more people have a chance to win.

*Check out my Commission Information for what I will, and will not, draw. I reserve the right to refuse drawing a character for any reason, and will give winners the chance to choose another should that occur.

​Changes to Monthly Supporter Rewards
Previously, two rewards would go up every month for all supporters in the Supporter Downloads album on Ko-fi. Rewards would consist of a background image (for a phone for desktop) and a lineart sketch for colouring. There didn't seem to be high interest in either of these. I do want to continue providing rewards, though perhaps in a more limited fashion going forward.
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Rewards may not necessarily be monthly in 2021, though I will be updated available downloads as I can. Is there something you want to see specifically? I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

The Cost of a Ko-fi
The cost of a ko-fi on my page, $3 USD, is staying the same! I have no plans to change this number. ​

Thanks for sticking with me! Do let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding these changes.

​May has been a busy month. I've been keeping myself busy during this time, using different tactics to motivate myself to create, learn, and improve. At the beginning of the month I was feeling particularly low and unmotivated, though my mood has since improved and I have a few goals and tasks to focus on in the coming months.
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How are all of you dealing/coping/doing? What are your tricks, if any, to get yourself to focus?

I've had to remind myself that naps are okay, if I need to reset. I'm learning to not push myself too hard when what I really need is some rest. 

We're at of the end of April in the year that has been a thousand-year blink. It is a vast expanse of time that has vanished between breaths. I see the work I have done over the last few months and think, "Wow, I made that so long ago." Only, upon checking posting dates and timestamps, I discover a week, or maybe two, has passed. The months have become emotionally heavy.

At least, that is how it feels to me.

What has it been like for you?
How are you holding up?

​March has certainly been a trial in productivity and I have been trying not to drown in the waves of anxiety. I've been trying to keep the depression at bay, but in the last few days I finally realized part of the reason I have been feeling so low... I haven't kept it at bay.

Not at all.

I'm focusing far too much on the news, and really need to take steps back. More so than I thought. Depression is finding a way to settle in but, thankfully, it rarely stops me from creating. I can work through it, I just need to be careful and take more breaks. Plus, I know why it's here this time.

This pandemic, and the state of the country, are making a mess of my mental space. I need find some higher ground and remember how to breathe. I'm not drowning. I'll get through it.
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We'll get through it.