andava
patreon
1,000+ PATRONS
🕑 Added 2021-06-20 07:29:09 +0000 UTCHoly Moly!
It seems like I've been steadily growing every month and I am really grateful.
I don't know how to say it without it meaningless and less every time I say but, goddammit, Thank you with all my heart.
Ever since I decided to really pursue this 2018 hardcore I have been met with tremendous support.
Here is a story I think I never told anyone. I feel like it time because it was one of many reasons why I am doing this. A few years back I wanted to make this be something good for me, but I was making basically nothing the whole year. I couldn't save up for anything, but a friend got me a job in a security company. It didn't pay well, and it was the furthest I ever had to commute. But it was full time, I needed a newer car, wanted to move out of my parent's home (I always buy used). I wanted to make a good impression with my superiors, I always tend to take jobs really seriously. Well, I was always working overtime, they always needed me to stay longer. I would always call dispatch that I was going to stay at the site a little longer because they needed me to be there. Well, that week past and I picked up my check for that week. Always felt cold, I didn't ever really felt like the security company felt like they cared only cared about their contracts. It must've been pretty late because it was dark and empty when I went to cash it thinking I made a lot of overtime and was going to be paid! I opened the envelope and the time wasn't recorded. All that overtime was for nothing.
Just 360usd after taxes. I broke down in that lonely parking out. I would always log everything as per company policy and none of it was taken to account. But I sucked it up and for almost a year. For almost a year I would always log in and call and nothing was taken to account. I gave up trying to get the OT I needed the extra cash flow. Every day I worked at the warehouse, I would just look at older employees thinking was this what they wanted to do and time passed them by? I just had the goal in mind. Eventually, I did get a newer car with the help of my wife. Then we did move out. But Now it was further, so it added 30min to the commute in the morning and even worse coming back (California traffic..) I quit it shortly after moving out. Good riddance. I exchanged it for something a lot closer, but now I was working in a warehouse. It was really physical. Moving heavy furniture for shipping. I remember one guy looked at the new guys and told us "We will see who won't make it a week. Well the guy was wrong I made it a week but I got a nasty fever soon after, I think I exerted a lot of energy and had bad sleep because with all that I was struggling to keep my Patreon going. I just quit the week after. I was tired of the depressing grind.
I decided to just go all-in with this after weighing my options with my wife. We had a bit of saving just in case things didn't pan out. So I never looked back.
One thing that needs to be said is that my wife was always there behind the scenes every step of the way. She was the one that got me to open commissions again and a Tumblr to promote my work more when we were dating. She always got me to get out of my comfort zone to expand. Like merch and comics. She would go with me to work and wait in a nearby Starbucks working on her own work there because we would hardly see each other at that period. She taught me a lot of things to make this a thing, she is the best.
I know I am not unique to this. I know friends and colleagues of mine that have been screwed by work/ life, similar or worse than mine. And probably you too. But now they are trying their hand to make their art something more. I will do what I can to help them in any way because I want to see them succeed too.
So we are here now and it is insane to me. I am moving out again to a better place really soon! All thanks to you through here, commissions, teesprings, and gumroad I am where I am at with this line of work. I love it. Always do.
So please believe me when I say thank you, I truly mean it deeply. I always think back to that empty parking lot when I see how far we have come. That drives me to do more. To provide a good product for you all. I dislike seeing deleted pledges because I always think about what am I doing wrong? So I think of things to make what I do here better and will continue to keep you here through this ride! Hopefully, I am doing something right.
Thank you a thousand times,
Andava
Comments
will1977
Congrats, Andava! Now I'm gonna commission me some dirty dirty Pelo and Darcy.
Robert B.
Congrats glad you made it this far. Don't worry about the deleted pledges it has nothing to do with what you do or don't do people are just like that, they swoop in, look around and leave. Believe me if you did something wrong or something they didn't like they'd let you know. The loyal ones that stay are the ones you want anyway. Thanks for the art.
Your hard work and incredible pace is astounding. You deserve all the success that you have achieved!
FaceMustache
Man, companies will do anything to screw over the workers. That shit was exploitative. Glad this whole thing is working out well enough for you to make a living off of it. You deserve the support for the quality of your work and the frequency with which you churn it out. Congrats on the 1000 patrons.
Straqt
Super happy that it worked out for ya. You certainly deserve it.
This is a story I hear all too often. Good for you! It takes courage and wisdom to follow your dreams and do what makes you happy. Congratulations, and best of luck moving forward. 😁👍
Justin
Congratulations Andava! This is well deserved and well earned!🥳
Oh wait, that's wrong.. Thanks Andava for sharing and not backing down! And thanks to everyone that came, and left! Was nice having you here :)
Just 36 likes.. Break the damned thing guys!!
Omegalock
Congrats and thank you for all your wonderful art.
Ardfark
Congratulations man, always nice to hear others getting some good windfall.
Thank you for all you hard work and amazing art andava! You’re the reason I made a Patreon and I hope to improve my art while supporting yours!
SPFnsfw
Congratulations, Andy! That’s incredibly uplifting to hear. I’m glad that your tenacity is paying off and hope that it continues to do so. Wishing you and your loved ones the best.
