Puzzled-Artist
patreon
Updates for Annual Patron Commissions in 2026(Long post fair warning)
🕑 Added 2025-10-19 22:29:21 +0000 UTCWanting to put this out a bit before the end of the month for a couple reasons, 1. in case this changes anyones thoughts I'd rather have it out in the open, and 2. November is the last month for you to submit to the annual patron form which I will put the main post for that linked below as well.
So starting this off with, nothing changes for anyone who has already submitted a form to the annual patron form. While I'm no longer sure if I'll be able to finish all of them by the end of the year I will still be getting all of them done. For those that haven't submitted yet the rules I'll be following are: if you've been a patron for over 6 months this year and you cancel your sub before I get to your submission I will still get it done. I will be trying to get through as many as I can before the end of the year but as life continues to keep being life I'm just not sure if I can do it. Most likely work on these will be continuing into 2026 and I do apologize for that.
The ramble time (might get a little personal too so I do apologize for that ahead of time)
tl;dr for the below, The annual patron commissions will not exist in their current state in 2026 as I no longer feel its feasible for to handle it in the same way for another year. I will be trying to think of ways to either provide extra benefits or a way to provide some form of patron exclusive commission without running into scaling issues. I will keep you all updated on that front and am open to suggestions (can reply here or DM me either works!).
So now for the long part, I most likely will not be doing the annual patron comms in their current state next year. Scalability is extremely difficult to plan for and I have found out I am a big idiot. As those that have been here long enough know I've been doing the patron exclusive comms for the last couple of years but have always been a bit messy with them getting done on time, whether that was the bi-annual they used to be or the annual this year. Long story short it is very hard for me to balance getting those commissions done along with my regular openings and until I'm in a position where I'm self sufficient outside of those regular openings, it is too much work for me to balance while still trying to get things outside of commission work done. I'm never going to say I don't appreciate all of you and all of the support you've given me and I hate taking away a benefit especially a long time one like this, but its not feasible at this current point in time for me to continue on like this when essentially, the better patreon is as a source of revenue for me, the more I have on my plate that I'm already having issues fulfilling.
For example, I currently have around 120 patrons in the SR and SSR tier and about 40 of them have already submitted for an annual submissions, if there was a scenario that all 120 eligible patrons submitted, I would probably die (exaggerating here) as it takes me about a month to work through 20 commissions. I'm very proud of that pace I've settled in but it also means adding ~2 extra batches of commissions in a year is already very very rough. While I do take breaks to do things like go out with friends or play videogames, I do spend 90% of my week drawing or dealing with communication on commission clients and don't really take full days off outside of extenuating circumstances and, I thankfully still love what I do but something does have to give for me to be able to continue doing this.
Partly going along with that as you might be aware, the U.S is currently a total shitshow and next year I will have to be looking for my own health insurance on top of needing to find one that covers a medication that I need for a chronic illness. And while I am doing fairly well for myself at the moment(for a freelance artist, which is to say, still not great but possibly enough to survive, possibly), I have no idea how much that health insurance will cost due to how volatile things are right now and if it comes down to it I'll have to find a job that does cover that health insurance and ergo, will not be able to do as much art or commissions as I'm doing now/give up freelance altogether and don't want to set myself up for a scenario where I'd have to go back on my word for annual commissions halfway through the year.
Now that is a worst case scenario and as of right now I don't plan on stopping doing art fulltime and as always I will keep you all posted on that front if anything changes but I do have to operate within that framework especially when all of my income comes from very generous people and not a salary. And I do not want this to be a thing where the only reason you stay subbed is out of pity due to me bringing up the medication stuff. There's a reason why I never really like bringing it up and its because I'm not in a situation where I would die without it but just long term in life I do need to take it.
Now what will I be trying to replace it with? I do not know at this point in time. I try not to bring it up too much but the patron commissions always operate at some form of "loss" since while the concept is that if someone is subbed for a year their sub pays for the commission, doesn't fully hold up as my prices are raised nor does it account for if someone drops their sub immediately after I finish. (and note this is not why I take a long time with them, it is the trying to squeeze in between the regular commission work and my own work that it becomes a lot to juggle) It's always been something I've been aware of and have had people point that out to me with my answer being "I know, but, I know this a big benefit for people that I have outpriced as I've had to raise and I don't really know what else to give in replace of it" I've been considering possibly doing it that theres maybe 1-2 limited monthly subscription slots but then it becomes like another race/competition for people and I don't know how I feel about that when it already has sort of become that with my regular openings. I'm open to suggestions in this regard or just in general benefits that you've seen others do that you feel could give similar benefits.
I am not perfect, I make tons of mistakes especially with this and I do apologize for everyone waiting and am eternally grateful for everyone who has been patient with me. And thats why I wanted to put this post out further from the end of the year then I had planned since I felt I owed it to you all to be upfront about the future of this and not trying to keep waiting for the perfect time.
I thank you to everyone who read through all of this, as always I'm sorry for being longwinded. Again I thank you all for your current and hopefully continued support, I literally could not be doing this without all of you and it means so much that theres even this many willing to do that. I apologize to anyone disappointed in me making this decision. I hope to continue drawing many things and maybe draw some pretty ladies along the way nonetheless.
Link to the 2025 Annual patron comm post
Comments
Calsetes
Completely understandable - I remember reading a post a long time ago from another creater named Zedrin who said one of the worst things an artist can be "tricked by" is offering commissions as a tier option, and suggested instead either discounts off them (so you still can limit them in that regard) or by offering once- or twice-only options at certain "total amount" levels (I think his was like $200 for one commission, and then another $200 after that, but that was it then) as that also limits the number you have to do, and also helps spread them out because you'll have $10 tiers hitting that first mark ar a different time than $20 and such. In any case, it's no prob, I hope you manage to find both a method that suits you without throwing too much on your plate, as well as a provider rhat covers your meds. I plan on sticking around for a while yet since your stuff is good and you deserve the support.
Timpani
No worries at all, please take care of yourself! I'll still be supporting, I just love seeing your art! And even better if you're able to take care of yourself while doing it.
