Let's Talk #2 - In the New 2025;

A rather immodest amount of time has passed, and now I’ve accumulated several important and not-so-important updates that I’m going to share with you.
These updates will concern Patreon, my posts, requests, commissions, and creativity in general. This is going to be a long one – so grab some popcorn; or you can scroll to the end and read the TL;DR.
Alright, let’s go!

— Changes in style and workflow.
Technology never stands still, offering new solutions in the field of image generation and new AI models – which means new opportunities for me and improvements in my workflow.

Here’s what’s changed:
• Updated character database – it’s now possible to create illustrations for characters released up to 02.2025. This is especially important for those who order requests.
• Improved understanding of concepts and creativity – expect more “unconventional” solutions in illustrations and greater diversity.
• Enhanced interaction between characters – as a result, more interesting compositions and improvements in requests and commissions.
• Easier creation of variations for existing images.
• Drastic changes in style (!) (more on that below).

— Style as an artist’s signature.
I’m sure many of you support a particular artist based on their style – you appreciate how their thoughts, personality traits, and skill level are reflected in their creative work.

With this in mind, I’ve decided to move away from multiple styles and focus on one that best aligns with my aesthetic vision and meets my goals.

The new style is close to the previous one (s4), though it comes with a number of distinct differences.
The only exception is that I will still provide more variety for commissions (in process) - I’m striving to offer more options for my most dedicated supporters!

— ‘Quick’ illustrations.
As an experiment, I’ve started adding extra illustrations as a ‘side dish to the main course’ = these illustrations are usually slightly lower in quality; their purpose is to serve as a pleasant addition to the post.
Whether they’re necessary is up for debate; for now, I’m exploring different options for additional content.

— Arknights – exhausted theme?
Lately, I’ve been receiving more requests and orders unrelated to Arknights. For a long time, I was devoted exclusively to this franchise, but trends and preferences change, including my own.
Expect more illustrations from other universes and franchises!
What do you think – is Arknights becoming an exhausted thing?

— Character & Art Suggestion
I’ve been struggling to gather enough candidates for voting – I see this as a communication failure on my part. Because of this, I’m revisiting this system and am open to your ideas and criticism.

— Changes in tier descriptions and the ‘About’ section.
Taking all of the above into account, I’ve updated and adjusted the descriptions on my Patreon page – for greater clarity.

— Delays with requests and commissions.
There have been delays of one to two weeks with some requests and commissions, for which I owe you an apology. In light of what’s happened, I’ve decided to clarify the timelines for both requests and commissions in their descriptions.

— What’s next?
Over the past two months, I’ve been desperately trying to provide interesting and high-quality content for my supporters – with mixed success.
I’ve worked on fixing mistakes, but there’s still a lot to do. Here’s what I have planned:
• New styles for commissions.
• Exploring the option of creating specialized sets in different themes.
• Revisiting supporter preferences – if you want to share your tastes and preferences, now is the time to do so.
• A roadmap for the coming months – so many ideas and so little time…
• Giveaways, quizzes, and polls.
• More communication and activity on social media!

TL;DR:

• I’ve updated my workflow and style, focusing on one main aesthetic while exploring more variety for commissions.

• Experimenting with ‘quick’ illustrations as bonus content.

• Moving beyond Arknights to create art for other franchises.

• Revamping the Character & Art Suggestion system due to low participation – open to feedback.

• Adjusted tier descriptions and the ‘About’ section for clarity.

• Apologies for delays with requests and commissions; timelines are now clearer.

• Plans include new commission styles, themed sets, more polls/giveaways, and better communication.

• Your feedback and preferences matter – share them now!

Lattekoi5252 – will either change for the better or disappear.