Tier Update Announcement!

Hi everyone!! It's time for some much-awaited news on the future of this campaign! Can you believe I've been on Patreon for seven and a half years - since early 2016? Some of you have found me relatively recently, while others have been part of this journey since just about the very beginning. Every bit of support has been very meaningful, and I hope you have overall been happy with the type of work I've been able to produce and the process I've been able to share with you along the way. Much has changed in all those years, and while I've put it off as long as I was able, it's time to make some adjustments to the campaign that will take effect by October this year. Since it's pretty late in August now, I wanted to make sure you had at least a full month's notice before any changes.

The current tier scheme is going to be retired after September pledges go through, and those will be fulfilled as usual. The new tier scheme which will become available to change to before October offers a few more options and has some price adjustments. Here's a run-down of what you can expect:

(All prices are in USD.)

• Backstage Updates - $3
  Patron-only monthly review with WIPS, sneak peeks, and behind-the-scenes info!
  The monthly review tier is adjusting in part because of payment processor fees - $1 gets about half-eaten before I see any of it, so on the advice of other creators, my base tier is now $3. You can still tip me for $1 monthly if you would like to continue supporting me at that rate - it will simply no longer be a pledge tier.
  
• Sketchbook Access - $8
  Above + access to a patron-only sketchbook channel in my Discord server for live WIPs and sneak peeks + monthly recap ZIP sent via Patreon containing roughly 20 art files (sketches, scans, high res images) including more than seen in the monthly review!
  This will continue to operate as it has been - you do not have to take advantage of the Discord channel if you don't want to, you'll receive the monthly ZIP regardless.
  
• The Ballot Box - $15
  Above + vote on projects for me to tackle next! Also get first dibs on shop availability for limited-run items and original traditional artworks.
  This new option will let you weigh in on my creative process! Part of the purpose of this campaign is for me to be able to spend more time making my own ideas, so I'd like to hear what you'd enjoy seeing next, or present some possible projects where you get to pick which I do first. You and tiers above will also receive first opportunity to purchase one-of-a-kind and limited edition items, like traditional originals, limited run prints, and single-run merch.
  
• The Bug Club - $35
  Above + earn a physical reward item every month, with accumulated rewards mailed quarterly + 10% off shop code sent via Patreon monthly. First dibs on commission openings when they occur (several times per year). Access to highest tier of patron-only Discord channels.
  This tier has been the most difficult to account for in planning adjustments - shipping rates have changed dramatically over time, as have my production costs for some of your reward items. I had already begun moving to shipping less frequently and found that it both helped reduce shipping costs and also allowed wiggle room for when a month's rewards were delayed in production or delivery to me. As a new perk for the adjusted pledge, Bug Club members and above will be able to submit for commissions at openings before the general public gets access.
  
• Sketch Request - $70 - LIMITED TIER
  Above + request a sketch from the artist monthly with visual reference, single character (OC, fan character, etc. with reasonable complexity). Can bank 2 months to upgrade to either simple color or 2 characters.
  This option has been requested and under consideration for some time. I am going to start with only two slots available as a test, with intent to expand to five slots later if all goes as I expect it to go. The ability to bank months to spend on something more complex may also expand later.
  
• The Very Important Bug Tier - $??? - LIMITED TIER - LAUNCHING LATER
  All of the above + the satisfaction of being one of the biggest supporters of my work ever + something special TBA!
  This tier is for those generous few who just really want to be part of my success and see what I can do when let loose! Final details are not yet ready, so stay tuned if this interests you.
  

I hope that all makes sense and looks reasonable to you - I've given it a lot of thought and tried my best to arrive at adjustments that would be fair to everyone with rewards and expectations I can fulfill and uphold. Of course, I welcome your thoughts and feedback as well as suggestions for anything else you might like to see I might not have thought of!

Please be aware you will need to manually change tiers when the new ones become available. I cannot automatically swap you over. Old tiers will be hidden, and while you may remain pledged at an old rate if you wish, those tiers will no longer be fulfilled once the new scheme comes into effect. I'll make sure to alert everyone of when the new tiers go live to switch to and remind everyone again before the old tiers officially go defunct on October 1st.

Thank you so very much for being part of my journey and making it possible for me to make it this far - while being an independent artist comes with many challenges, I have been constantly thankful to have the support of folks who believe what I'm doing is worthwhile and have backed me up in many ways, big and small. I hope to keep seeing you in the future and to walk alongside you for as long as my little bugs spark joy. 🐛💖