Thursday, November 21, 2019

Updates, 2020 Look Ahead...


Hey friends, thanks for checking back with me.

I haven't updated here much. Although at my Patreon, I post there a few times a week. Blogs, pinups, sketches, comics... Its really the place to be and it directly funds what I do. So if you want more me, join us by clicking: HERE

I'm super busy with day job overtime and wrapping up STARSLAM RETURNS. My colorist finished the pages a couple weeks ago and so word ballooning has begun. I got a lot of family stuff coming up in the next couple weeks (holidays, natch), so I am still hoping that December release will happen. Of course you will hear about it on my blogs and social media. If you missed the Kickstarter there will be opportunities to get digital and physical copies when its complete. Stay tuned.

I'm already looking ahead to 2020 and what that will bring into my life. I have a couple projects I want to focus on and complete, along with the monthly work the Patreon brings me. Unfortunately I've found that as I grow older and life has become more complicated, I've found that my time is more severely limited to work on the things I want to do and pursuing paid work and commissions have constantly put road blocks in front of progress on these things. Its not a bad problem to have, don't get me wrong. Getting paid for my art and seeing people enjoy it has been a privilege.  I'm forever grateful for those folks who do get my art and support me directly. But the drive to finish these things I have long since promised and keep delaying, coupled with a severe drive to want to do these things, funneled through a shrinking window of daily time to do them has been an extreme juggle for me. I have thought long and hard about what to do and what I WANT to do, and I think I have come to with a conclusion.

Freelance has to stop. Meaning, paid work and commissions. But I cannot stop it outright. I have clients I work with long term and its on things that are not finished yet. I cannot leave anyone high and dry on things. I would never do that. So I have come up with a compromise:

2020 will be the last year I will take commissions. 

There, I said it. It feels better to admit it. So I am giving the world 13 months to get whatever they want out of me until I close the door for good. Page commissions, story commissions, 8x11, 11x17, larger pieces... all of it will end on Dec, 31st 2020. No more. Zilch. Nada. Onward.

The focus will only be on my stuff and keeping the promises I've made to myself and to others. All the things will come. Also, more time with my family and friends. I've had a great run and I am grateful to all who have supported and will still support what I do. I never have taken you for granted. You've helped me keep the lights on in extreme times. I hold you all closer than you know. But I've just come to a point in my life where I just want to pursue the things I want to do and not make it so much of a "business" anymore. I've already stopped doing conventions, except for this anniversary year where I did reach out a bit. This decision is the next step.

Does this mean no more Commission tiers on Patreon? I haven't made a decision on that one yet. I am thinking I might keep that one for now. That might be an exception I will consider because its not all that much of a demand and its for the hardcore folks who support me and ALL THE THINGS I do. That might be the only way to get something from me. Also, I do often do story commission reward tiers on Kickstarters for new books. That might be the other way. But as far as me chasing down paid work, emailing me blindly and getting something done, nope. That ends on Dec. 31st, 2020.

So we got a year. Want something done? Something for the holidays this year? NOW is the time to get it done.  Details and pricing are here: CLICK HERE

I hope this decision isn't too disappointing to you. I've wrestled with this for a long time, so it did not come lightly. But this is the best choice for me and my future. But we got 13 months. There is plenty of time to get something nice for yourself, whatever form that will be in. All funds secured directly go to fund my future and my family. I got big life changing events happening in 2020. The money will certainly be put to use. So consider scoring a piece today or very soon. I do appreciate it and love you all.

Next time we talk will be my big year end blog that I always do. Let's talk then after Christmas!
Much love, T

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