Tag: Project Status

The Birthstone Goddesses Collection, A Retrospective + Future of the Project?

It’s the end of an era for me with the Birthstone Goddesses wrapping up!  I thought it only proper to send the project off with a look back at how it evolved over the years I spent on it.  This journey started as a simple set of 12 paintings for a calendar and ended up being so much more!

The Birthstone Goddesses

These paintings started it all!  Lady of December was the original first entry into the series in 2014 as a gift to my mother inspired by Alphonse Mucha’s Precious Stones series.  A couple of years later, the idea to continue with a series of similar paintings came to me.

The Birthstone Goddesses Masquerade

At the start of the series, I was also invested in leathercrafting as a hobby and wanted to explore the themes of flowers and birthstones via masks as well.  Each one of these is a limited edition of 10 per mask, some adorned with crystals and all hand-tooled and painted.  With the way the movement of Art Nouveau also extends beyond 2D art into jewelry, textiles, etc., I found masks to be a poetic addition to the Birthstone Goddesses’ growing ouevre.  (There are still a few masks left in my Artisan shop for anyone seeking a unique cosplay or display piece.)

(The masks were photographed by the talented Winter Wolf Studios).

The Visage Collection

Over the course of creating the paintings, I also started thinking about the prospect of creating a book, which I thought would look lovely if I started each section with a thematic banner of each Goddess.  And thus the Visage collection was born! Inspired by the gorgeous hand mirrors and cameo necklaaces from the Art Nouveau movement.

The Enamel Pin Designs

Once again, I was tempted to explore more wearable art forms by enamel pins, which I also thought would make a beautiful collectible item that would work with Goddess-themed gift sets.  The form of these pins were inspired by the cameo jewelry of Art Nouveau.  These designs were also used for stickers.

Ink & Gold Drawings

These drawings were created to promote the enamel pin designs as luxury tiers for the pins’ Kickstarters, stripping down the pin designs into elegant ink and gold.

Embellished Mats

I created these hand-drawn mats accented with gold leaf especially for display at cons. Several of them were sold before I had a chance to photograph them, as I created the full set of 12, one for each Lady.

The Little Gem Goddesses

During the coloring book’s Kickstarter, one of the stretch goals was the fun idea to do chibi versions of the Birthstone Goddesses.  Luckily they were unlocked and thus the Little Gems were born!  They’re a fun addition to this otherwise very serious series.

The Fashion Illustrations

Each Goddess’ painting was meticulously researched, planned, and rendered, including a fashion sketch on a croquis form to sort out the Goddess’ visual themes and dress.  All of these originals are still available in my shop with the exception of Lady of January’s sketch.

The Goddesses’ Windows

Each painting in the series also called for thematic mandala designs for their ‘windows’ that appear behind their heads in the main series’ paintings.  At some point, I’d like to do more with these designs to let the non-figural designs shine in all their intricate elegance.

Birthstone Goddesses Amulets

These designs were made as stickers for my Patreon Patrons, as well as what I hope will be enamel amulet necklaces I’ll be crowdfunding in the future.

Books & Misc

At the beginning of this journey, it was always my intent to create a wall calendar.  A coloring book and Lady of Eternity themed products arrived later as Patreon exclusives.  The Lady of Eternity enamel pin based on the drawing on the limited edition print is still an exclusive badge of honor for those Patrons who supported this series early on.

The Final Tally

125 creations, not including unique designs re-arranged for product designs like totes, pouches, etc.

  • 14 Paintings
  • 72 Drawings
  • 25 Pin and Amulet Designs
  • 12 Mask Designs
  • 6 Kickstarter projects
  • 1 book
  • 1 calendar

The Future of the Goddesses?

While I’m wrapping up the Birthstone Goddesses collection for now, it was always my intent that I could return to the wider Gemstone Goddesses theme and explore other gem-related Goddesses.  It’d be a chance for me to break away from the Mucha style and try other visual approaches.  I also feel that I have a few more ideas for additional paintings involving some of the Birthstone Goddess characters that I’d love to include in a prospective Birthstone Goddesses art book collecting all of the images you see here.

However, after 6 years, I desperately need some space before I take on creating a book collection for them.  I want to allow myself some creative freedom and a chance to thoroughly rest before I try anything else.

It’s strange to think what’s happened in my life during this 6 year span as well. I’ve gotten married, moved 4 times, helped my husband through his fight with lymphoma, heart failure, and job loss, had several surgeries, and so much more.  Life has been coming at us sideways for so long, I’m happy to be at an ending now that I can savor and appreciate!

It’s been quite the journey and I’m so grateful for those who provided encouragement and support along the way!  Thanks to everyone who pitched into my Patreon, supported my Kickstarters for this project, and left a kind word of encouragement in the years I’ve been doing this.  It helped my husband and I survive during rough times, as well as let me focus more on the art that helped the Birthstone Goddesses happen.

This entry is already long enough, so I’m going to leave off here!  I have some thoughts and feelings about the future of this Patreon and what art I’ll be sharing here that I’ll discuss in a later entry.  For now, let us bask and enjoy this moment of accomplishment!

– Ang

IMPORTANT! Upcoming Changes to This Patreon

It’s been awhile since I’ve shared anything here, friends!  I’ve taken some time to let myself rest, recuperate, and reflect.

As the Birthstone Goddesses draw closer to their finale, I’ve been pondering where I go once this years-long project wraps.  This Patreon began 9 years ago as an experiment in a new, exciting format to help support artists, with the Birthstone Goddesses occupying over 6 years of that time.

But now, times are changing for my husband and myself.  I’ve been working in overdrive for so many years to provide constant Patreon material, feeling the burnout from my long project, and feeling the crunch of an industry that’s slowly strangling illustrators like me out of the profession with machine-generated art trained on my years of hard work.

I’m so tired mentally from these industry shifts and recent ongoing health issues involving chronic illness have made this feeling even worse.  I’m struggling to even create art anymore, especially as I feel myself moving away from art and more into writing and other story-driven endeavors.  That’s meant less material to share here as time has gone by as I have been struggling to solidify where it is I want to go next as a creative professional.

What’s Next?  Looking to the Future

The Birthstone Goddesses were about creating a passive income for me as an artist with beautiful merch that brings light and tranquility to our everyday lives.  It was also something I owned controlled by me and not a publisher or company that didn’t value my work.

By contrast, my future projects are looking to be more narrative in nature, possibly comics, possibly illustrated novels, possibly even animatics, or some combination of all of these things!  All I know for sure is that the Illustration industry doesn’t feel safe for me anymore and I want to focus on the passion projects that fulfill me and add more to the world than a ‘product’, especially a product that works for someone else and not for my good as the creator.

These ambitious ideas need time to bake while I work through current health challenges, take new classes to educate myself on multimedia approaches, and settle into a new, focused me!

And so I’m making this Patreon primarily a Tip Jar with Loyalty Merch perks until further notice.  I’ll still be offering WIP’s, sneak peeks, etc, but at my own pace so I have the energy to work on my projects without stress.

My archives of digital downloads & private Discord access will still be available for Patrons, plus I’ve added brand new Patreon-exclusive Loyalty Merch rewards for those who choose to support me here!

Loyalty Merch is Already Here!

I wanted to give something extra back to you all for supporting me here aside from digital archive/Discord access, so I’ve added brand new Loyalty Merch Rewards to ALL of my tiers starting at $5 and up!  I have been working on several Patreon-exclusive designs for the past few months and I am so pleased to FINALLY be able to share them with you all!

Here’s a little taste of one of my new Patreon-exclusive designs, the Wheel of Eternity featuring the 12 new amulet designs for the Birthstone Goddesses (more merch previews coming in the next update):

Current Patrons don’t need to change a thing.  If you’re currently pledging at $5 and up and have chosen a tier with benefits, you’ll start earning time towards Loyalty Merch deliveries starting on June 1st!

Loyalty Merch begins to be mailed out after every 3 months of successive support and every 3 months afterwards up to a year.  All you need to do is make sure your mailing address has been entered into Patreon, your country is on Patreon’s allowed shipping list, or opt out if you don’t want to recieve anything in the mail.

Your pledge already includes the cost of shipping, even for international shipping!  Patrons outside the US need no longer add any extra funds for shipping to their pledges.

I’ll be sharing a visual preview and FAQ of exactly what Loyalty Merch will be added to each tier in the next update once I get my hands on the physical proofs, so stay tuned for that post!  In the meanwhile, check the descriptions of your tier here to get an idea of what merch is coming your way.

The higher you pledge, the fancier your Loyalty rewards will be!

Summary of Patreon Changes

– New digital downloads (wallpapers, premium tutorials, etc.) will only be added as & when I have time to create them, making this Patreon more of a Tip Jar.  I’ll post a head’s up when new material is coming to my digital downloads.

– New Loyalty Merch (IE. mini prints, stickers, mugs, and tshirts) have now been added to each tier starting at $5 and up!  If you’re currently pledged, you’ll start earning towards Loyalty Merch on June 1st.

See my Tiers list for a peek at what merch you’ll be getting and to update your pledges before June 1st!

– A Loyalty Merch visual preview + Merch FAQ is coming soon!

– I’ll still be sharing WIP’s and sneak peeks here on Patreon, especially during the Birthstone Goddesses’ final phase.

– My future projects will be totally different than the Birthstone Goddesses. Brace yourselves for narrative projects and Fantasy genre geekery!

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That’s all for now, folks!  This was a lot of info, so if you have any questions, please let me know in the comments or drop me a message.  I’m happy to help as this Patreon transitions fully into a new structure.

Thanks to everyone who has stuck it out with me thus far!  It’s been an amazing journey and I hope to keep sharing the ride for as long as I can stay creative.

♥ Ang

Project Status: Birthstone Goddesses Wall Calendar & Art Book – Production Agenda & Challenges

After the year that was 2020, my husband’s very scary battle with COVID this year, a house move, and my general burnout from all of the above, it’s safe to say that the Birthstone Goddesses have been VERY de-railed from being completed when I wanted them to be.  I had hoped 2021 would be their grand finale!  Unfortunately, due to our current economic climate and supply shortages, it’s looking like this won’t be the case.

I’ve been watching many recent crowdfunding projects be upended by paper shortages and supply chain issues with COVID still surging around the world.  Paper shortages means a rising cost to things like shipping supplies and paper-based products.  (This thread has a simplified explanation of the situation happening right now).

Because of all of this, I’ve come to the decision that I won’t be running any Kickstarters for the calendar or art book this year.  The long of the short of it is that a small creator like me is in danger of being massively overwhelmed by the unpredictable costs involved.

Even if I can’t do these things this year, I’m still primed to share my journey as I prep these products for production!  Here’s a look at my current agenda for getting the calendar and art book ready for crowdfunding, with more in-depth sneak peeks of my production process to come that I’m saving to share exclusively with my Patrons.

Wall Calendar To Do List

  • Find/Create 2023 calendar templates
  • Create any extra art needed for layouts
  • Get quotes & proofs from the local printer who did the coloring books (This will have to wait until paper prices go down).
  • Create marketing images and plan for the Kickstarter

Art Book To Do List

  • Create the book’s flat plan layout
  • Create extra interior elements needed for each section
  • Finish additional paintings!  I want to make some special unpublished paintings just for the book.
  • Hire a book layout designer (if this task proves overwhelming for me alone)
  • Figure out which book printer to use and get quotes
  • Plan two different versions for regular and deluxe
  • Create marketing images and plan for the Kickstarter

Backup Plans?

Should the production issues continue, my backup plan for the interim is to work on a series of Birthstone-themed pendant necklaces based on each Goddess’ mandala window.

While there will still be paper-based products involved, I suspect this will be far easier to manage than anything that relies more heavily on paper pulp, like books or calendars.

(The Lady of December’s mandala window design.)

I have to shout out The Forager’s Daughter’s amazing pendants which made me realize that my designs might also make lovely pendants in the same cloisonné style.

I’ve been wanting to create jewelry items to include in gift sets for each Goddess for a long time now and I think a pendant necklace would be the perfect thing!

That’s all the  Birthstone Goddess news I have for now!  I’m going to keep chipping away at the to-do list and sharing what I can as we navigate these uncertain waters.

♥ Ang

Project Status: Final Phase of the Birthstone Goddesses

I’ve had a much needed muse break with the Exalted Art Challenge, but now it’s time to return to my Birthstone Goddesses!  First off, a warm welcome to the Patrons who just joined up.  You’re in for a treat as we enter this final exciting phase of this project!  

Over the past few years, I’ve created the main set of paintings, the Visage collection, and the enamel pins, and now I want to take the final bold steps towards the big ambitions I had for this series.  Here’s a rundown of what I’m working on and what’s in store!

My dear Patrons will be getting that behind the scenes look into my design, publishing, and production process along the way, along with exclusive glimpses behind the scenes!

The Wall Calendar

Part of the major conceit of creating the original set of 12 images was that I wanted to make a wall calendar.  I’m finally making moves towards this endeavor and will need to create this calendar from scratch, as the nontraditional size of the images means I will need to have them custom cut and printed.  

I already have templates and a local printer in mind and I hope to launch this calendar on Kickstarter around August of this year so that it can be created in time for a 2022 calendar!  Patreon Patrons will be getting an exclusive peek at how I’m designing the layouts and other creative notes along the way.

(The main set of 12 paintings.)

The Art Book

What better way to wrap up this project then to collect the art created for it into a luxurious book?  This is my crown jewel, the ultimate showpiece of this series!  One of my biggest endeavors to happen next is to start working on the book’s storyboards.  I want to not just show off the art, but part of the narrative and research I’ve developed over time for this series as well as create an elegant collectible volume.  

I also want to create never before seen paintings for this book (which you can see a hint at the thumbnails in the featured image of this piece).  I’m calling these new paintings the ‘Dark Goddesses’, as I’m taking some of my favorite Goddesses from the series and giving them a new rendition in my own style!  

I adore Mucha, but I also want to leave my own mark with this series that shows more of my own style than Mucha’s.  These new paintings will be much more of my own dark elegant surreal aesthetic, which I hope you will still enjoy!

There’ll no doubt be many tasks that need doing, from spot illustrations to hiring a proper designer to help me with the book layout, but I expect to get the majority of work done before I Kickstart this book, which I want to happen in 2022.  2021 is going to be about all the prep work!

As ever, I’ll also be sharing sneak peeks of the Dark Goddesses paintings and other book tasks exclusively for Patrons!

Other Birthstone Goddesses Collections

I still have it in mind to release the following things along the way. Some of them have already been created, but still await a proper release!

  • Stickers – These designs have already been completed, but aren’t in my shop yet.  Currently researching dropship fulfillment options!
  • Totes/Messenger Bags – I test ran these at DragonCon a couple of years back. I sold out completely so it’s time to get them ready for a proper release in my shop!
  • Scarves – These also did well at the last in-person event I was at!  I’ll be taking customer feedback to heart so I can re-release them properly to my shop.
  • Greeting Cards – I already have designs for these, but am still working on setting them up with a dropship fulfillment system like Printful and Art of Where.
  • Gift Sets – I’ve always felt proper birthday gift sets featuring everyone’s favorite products matched to birthstone-themed jewelry and a pretty dried flowers (or perhaps a sticker?) would be an exciting thing to offer!  I’m still coming up with ideas of what to bundle together and how to present them so I can make them available for everyone.

My Would-be Dream Collections

These are wishes for cool things I’m not sure how to make happen, but hope that speaking aloud might happen some day!

Birthstone Goddess Jewelry – I really want to expand the Goddesses into some beautiful wearables so you can channel that feel you get when you look at the art through yourself as well!  Gorgeous jewelry is part and parcel of the Art Nouveau movement and I would love to pay homage to that fact by collaborating with a jewelry-maker.

Make-up Palettes – I love, LOVE seeing beautifully illustrated makeup sets with inspiring swatches.  Each Birthstone Goddess has her own color scheme based on her flowers and birthstones as well, which seems like a perfect match for makeup.  Plus the idea of illustrating a cover with a focus on the glamourous side of my Goddesses sounds so exciting!

Teas, Perfumes, Bath Bombs, and/or Soaps – All of these things bring me comfort and a sense of calm, while also having a luxurious feel and aesthetic to them.   I’m especially a sucker for tea mixes and fancifully illustrated tea labels!

Know of anyone I should talk to about these ideas?  Feel free to message their contact info to me and I’ll add them to the prospects list for when I am read to expand into these endeavors!

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I’ve got a lot to do as a 1-person biz, but I’m excited to get back into the fray!  I’ll be working through Emily Jefford’s Making Art Work marketing course over the next couple of months and am looking forward to gaining new insight on how to handle all of my ambitions for this series.

It’s been an amazing journey thus far in the 6 or so years I’ve been at this!  I’m excited to share the last leg of the journey and see what it reveals.  My hope is that this series would become the backbone of a self-sustaining business and I’m just starting to see good results from that.

Here’s to a future filled with beautiful art that I hope will bring you as much happiness as I’ve had in the sharing of it with you!

♥ Ang

April 2020 Wrap-Up – Going on Art Vacation!

Hello from Day 52 of self-isolation!  This week has been the first week since self-isolation started that I haven’t been crazy busy juggling pin samples, Kickstarter promotion tasks, etc.  The final campaign for the Birthstone Goddesses Pin series on Kickstarter wrapped up this month and I’m celebrating finishing up this next phase of this project!  All that’s left now is to produce the pins and ship them out.  

Next, I’m excited to start work on the next phase of the Birthstone Goddesses with some new art I hope to create in a more fantasy vein for the art book, plus the long-awaited wall calendar.  Wonderful things are on the horizon, which I hope to work on this year and release next year via Kickstarter when things are hopefully a little more stable for everyone!

But first, I’m enjoying some downtime!  May is going to be about letting myself rest and relax to recharge some of my burnt out batteries now that the Kickstarter gauntlet is officially over.  We had been planning a trip to Myrtle Beach to celebrate, but until it’s safe to travel, we’re having a staycation instead.  I’m amusing myself catching up with shows like The Expanse and Dr. Stone and playing video games like Overcooked 2 and Bloodborne.

I’m also excited for letting my muse off the leash to explore something new for a little while!  I’m planning to take on some short term art topics for May, including the May Sketch A Day event (which is where you try to sketch anything once a day in May), plus these other fun ideas:

  • 6 Fanarts Challenge – Drawing fan art from suggestions! I’ve already drawn two out of the six portraits and will share the finals here when I’m done.
  • 6 Outfits Challenge – Draw 6 outfits suggested for one of my characters. I’ll be taking suggestions here soon!
  • 5 Minute Artist – Draw a little portrait and share a little about yourself as an artist!
  • Color Palette Challenge – Pick a color palette from this site and create a piece around it!

Along with posting the next few Birthstone Goddesses related Rewards, I’ll be sharing my adventures with art memes in May.  Feel free to do them along with me!

New Rewards Added this Month

Posts You May Have Missed this Month

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How have you all been holding up?  How are you keeping yourselves busy?  I’m looking forward to having a little quiet time for art and introspection now that this phase of my project is well and truly finishing up!

More art soon!

♥️ Ang

Mar 2020 Wrap-Up – Arting through the Pandemic

Reading my last posts and writing this one right now feels so surreal.  Last month, we were canceling cons just in case. Now?  Kev and I have been self-sequestered for 3 weeks and adjusting to a new lifestyle.

Funny enough, my husband is handling this very well, while I’m the one who’s been an anxious mess working in my pjs, taking twice as long to do anything, and reading news late into the night (a bad habit I’m breaking with reading manga/comics instead!).

It’s been rough for me launching a Kickstarter this month as well because I honestly thought “With everyone in survival mode right now, why would they support a Kickstarter? I wouldn’t blame them for saving!”.  I’m so incredibly moved that even during this tough time, you guys came out to support me so that we’ve already fully funded the Goddesses of Spring!  So many of you have also chosen to stay as my Patrons, which I am so eternally grateful for.  My fans are the best!  Thank you so much for supporting the arts during a difficult time for all!

Right now, Kev and I are both safe, working from home, and financially stable.  Knock on wood!  I hope you all are doing well.  It’s okay if it’s difficult to focus.  The world is going through something it hasn’t seen in years.  Just remember that we will endure!  

I’ve decided to keep on working through the Birthstone Goddesses and try to do my best.  I still want to work on a calendar and Art Book for my Goddesses and am still excited to indulge more Fantasy Art to share with you all!  In these dark times, we turn to art for a hopeful escape.  A little light goes a long way!

On that note, I thought I’d round up a few resources that are keeping me sane that might also help you guys out (feel free to share more with me in the comments!):

Free Comics for 60 Days – Comixology, my fave comics reader, has extended their Unlimited subscription service free trial to 60 days.  They have a ton of comics in the Unlimited program!  They also integrate with Amazon for easy sign in.

Free Virtual Museum Tours – Here’s a collection of some of the biggest museums offering tours online.

StayHomeWrimo – The minds behind NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) are doing a daily event where they share writing prompts and self-care tips.  Camp NaNoWriMo is starting up in April as well!

The Uncrucified Free Audiobook + Book – My shameless plug! If you’re interested in my current writing project, check out this story inspired by my adventures in the Exalted tabletop roleplaying game.  

It’s a mature fantasy tale about a young girl who rises to greatness from a childhood spent in slavery.  After being granted abilities by a god to help stave off the world’s destruction, she chooses instead to use her newfound powers to forge her own path of revenge to right the wrongs of the world.  But will absolute power corrupt absolutely?

Also, gunslingers, Queenpins, sand, and sorcery!

It’s my hope that those who aren’t into Exalted can still enjoy it!  Come marvel at my very first try at audiobook reading and perhaps become invested in a writing project near and dear to my heart. (Currently seeking Beta Readers for the expanded rewrite!)

New Rewards Added this Month

Posts You May Have Missed this Month

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For April, I’m hunkering down to ship out as many of the Birthstone Goddess pins as possible, while managing the Goddesses of Spring campaign.  Then, I’ve promised myself a break afterwards to work on other non-Birthstone Goddess things for awhile.  I’m excited to share new work after being focused on more decorative art for so long. I can’t wait to sink my teeth into some narrative art!  We may be seeing more art inspired by the aforementioned writing project.

Stay safe and healthy, friends!

♥ Ang

Jan 2020 Wrap Up – Spring Goddesses & Plans for 2020

Wow did January fly by or is it just me?  I’ve been managing a lot of stressful situations this month, including my husband launching a deer into the stratosphere with his car (he is thankfully uninjured, but the deer was not) and many production woes involving my pins.  So that’s meant a new car payment for us and dreaded Kickstarter production delays!  

I’m especially grateful to my Patrons who have stayed with me through the holidays, as I know things can be tight during the holiday rush.  Welcome to the new folks who’ve hopped on board this month when many are still recovering from the holiday expenses!  The support is definitely helping us during the extra stress this month.  For those who had to leave, I still appreciate your support during the time you were here and totally understand that life happens (Boy howdy does it. Hello, teleporting deer!).

I’m grateful that all the Kickstarter Backers have been so understanding of delays thus far as well!  I’d much rather the factory workers be safe during the coronavirus outbreak, as my pins are not worth more than people’s lives!  I’ve written an update about how this situation affects shipping and safety here for the curious.

Meanwhile, I’m marching ever onwards and have started designing the Goddesses of Spring pins!  There’ll be a Secret Sketchbook entry showing off the creative process behind these designs within the next week or so.

I’m starting to see the finish line that’s coming after a year straight of Kickstarter projects and that feels GREAT!  I love how successful these campaigns have been, but I’d be lying if I said I weren’t also pretty exhausted from doing them!  I’ve learned exactly what my tolerance is for stress and project management and plan to never do this many in a row ever again (hopefully not famous last words!).

I’ve started to ponder what’s next after the Birthstone Goddesses wrap up, which could be a whole blog entry on its own!  For now, I’m focusing on finishing the Birthstone Goddesses  pins and the wall calendar in 2020 and then we shall see what happens at that point!

I can tell after 5 years of working on this endeavor, my muse is starting to meander with Witcher OCs and other distractions and that’s a clear sign to me that I may need to temporarily switch gears when I get to a good stopping point.  But to what?  I have many thoughts which I will save for a later entry once I’ve wrapped up my current queue!

New Rewards Added in January

Posts You May Have Missed In January

I’m keen to see what amazing beginnings and endings happen in 2020!  Thanks for being along for the ride.

♥ Ang