Brellom
patreon
[Blog] Routine Annual Reflection
🕑 Added 2024-04-01 02:24:14 +0000 UTCWe are 3 months into 2024, and as is custom, it is now time to reflect and take stock of my career & the experience of my Patreon (or SubscribeStar). I do this every so often to check how I feel about things and determine what needs improving.
Reflections:
I have not begun any work on a new comic / image set. Instead, I've fallen onto our old habits by focusing on sketch collections - despite wanting to reduce its focus in 2024.
I experienced a loss of motivation this month, although it built up over several months. This came with questions like: what is the point? Why am I even bothering with art?
Changes to the economic accessibility of this career have been discouraging; stricter regulations across Patreon, Gumroad, etc. make for a less welcoming creative space.
I appreciate having more freedom & time to myself. But I do not enjoy having done nothing of value. There's nothing wrong with doing nothing, but it must be intentional.
Assertions:
I am not creating anything fun or interesting, nor adding meaningful value to the world. This also means new patrons / subscribers aren't being actively encouraged to join.
Game Development progress has been slow, despite being my most interesting project. This means you have not been able to receive frequent playable demos as a result.
Concept art has been too inactive. It has been intentionally slowed, but I think it's been a little too slow. Although I did begin some concepts, I felt they weren't good enough.
The distribution method isn't ideal, with inconsistencies across Patreon, SubscribeStar, and social media. This fosters different degrees of separation from my art for all users.
Proposals:
Create more authentic art? This sounds silly, but it's a surprisingly difficult thing to do.
Attempt to bridge Patreon with social media, perhaps relying less on timed exclusivity.
Re-introduce the concept of Female Link Fridays as a regularly-occurring event? I think we can benefit from routine events that users can support and look forward to.
Create more opportunities for concept art, even if they need to be shorter posts.
I think we've got a solid foundation and I do generally prefer the more relaxed atmosphere, but I do think the experience needs a few tweaks before it's strong. Let's take some small steps to hopefully improve the experience for everyone. I don't know if all of these ideas will ultimately take shape, but they're the ideas I have right now.
Don't forget to eat & sleep.
Comments
Keegan Alexander Davis
Seeing more environmental art from you would be really cool. Your brush economy lends itself well to those "larger" pieces. I don't know many people that do stuff like that, so it stands out. The stills you did for your Female Link series for example.
Anthony Docimo
? >nor adding meaningful value to the world. You've been making more new things than I have, certainly; and I like your artwork - both here and in the _Cassiopeia Quinn_ comics. >more authentic art your art is your art - thats both real and honest, and thus authentic, right?
Shawn Heatherly
The insight into how things are going is always appreciated.
