Why fit in when you were born to stand out?

Dr. Seuss

Over the last few months I have been considering Patreon and Ko-fi as options to give fans of my work more access to me as a creator. It has taken some consideration, and I have decided to go with… Ko-fi!

Maybe this isn’t a surprise as my page has been accessible since October, but the current plan I’m using is Free. The change will be that I’m moving to Ko-fi Gold, a subscription to both support Ko-fi’s development and to give me access to a number of features that I can put to good use for those following and supporting my work.

I am aiming to be ready to go early February.

As a note, this does not mean my blog and portfolio won’t be updated anymore. However, how I update will change. Ko-fi will be updated first with work in progress and final images, and have some exclusive content. I’m still working out the exact changes, and feedback is not just welcome but heavily encouraged.

The Move to Ko-fi Gold

I prefer the Ko-fi model over that of Patreon because fans of my work will not be charged extra fees to support me, and Ko-fi does not take a cut of creator profits. (Patreon takes 5-12% depending on the type of plan. Oof!) So, everything sent to me goes to me, directly.

Ko-fi does receive money, though, from me directly as a subscription for accessing the “Gold” features. My first goal in all this it to make at least the cost of the Gold subscription every month, which is $6.00. This seems reasonable to me, given the changes to come in what I’m able to offer.

And maybe, just maybe, you can help me do that! I understand not everyone can support monetarily, but liking posts, or sharing them on other platforms, is amazing and so appreciated, too. Honestly, anything helps.

Gold features

Ko-fi Gold has a number of features: Here are a few that will affect my supporters directly. I still need to decide how I will be utilizing them, and come up with a list of what will be available through Ko-fi.

• Supporter-only Posts: Posts that can be unlocked with one-off or monthly donations.
• Commission Tools: Simplified commission information, option to offer commissions showing status and available slots.
• Set Price of a Coffee: The default is $3.00, and I will be able to change anywhere from $1-$100.
• No ads: Woo!
• Gallery Extras: Add higher quality images and allow supporters to download hi-res versions.
• Subscriptions: Option to receive monthly payments via PayPal.

And these are awesome for a lot of reasons. Supporters can decide, in increments of what a “coffee” is priced at, how they want to support me. Just once? Monthly? For one coffee, or three? It’s personal for each supporter and the amount goes to me directly, minus PayPal fees (which are small and unavoidable, but also reasonable).

Which leads to my next series of questions…

What’s a COFFEE worth?

1. What do you want to see from me?
   • For example, would you like to see me create more posts about in-progress work, videos of my process (actually drawing), or exclusive digital downloads (like wallpapers for desktop or phone)?
2. If you do not currently support my work directly, what would it take for you to consider it?
   • What price would be reasonable for you?
   • Would you prefer a one-off donation giving access to posts/work?
   • Are you interested in a subscription?
   • Would your decision hinge on a promise of constant updates monthly content?
3. Would you be interested in digital art commissions from me?

I would love any feedback on this. It will help me finalize my Launch Plan, and to be able to be upfront and meet expectations. I’ll be creating another post when it’s all ready to go.

Thanks!

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