riibrego

June Newsletter

What to expect this month:

For all members:

• The shop promo codes have been updated and can be found here!

• A new illustration will go up sometime this month. I don't have a sketch ready just yet for an early preview, but I'll be able to jump in and get started in the next few days!

For Harvest tier members:

• A new wallpaper set for phone and tablet + a coloring sheet will be available soon after the illustration is posted!

• The Tokyo photo set, which can be used for reference, collages, tracing, etc! (Sorry this one is taking a while, I have to set aside time to sort through all of my photos and blur out faces!) It will have photos from both my digital and film pics.

What I've been up to!

The project eating up the most of my time is still our graphic novel The Netherlings (still not sure what the final title will be...), but I also managed to squeak out a new skirt collaboration with Maya Kern! It's blackberry-themed and is a variation on my old raspberry design:

While I'm not totally sure when that one will be available for sale (I believe it should be this year), a few of my designs are still available in Maya's store (stock changes between the US/UK/CA websites), and I have one coming back into rotation this month: Wildflowers! (Photo belongs to Maya)

And that's it for now! I hope you have a beautiful June, and thank you as always for sticking around for another month!

"Netherlings" Progress: Round 2 of Inks!

Here's another peek at what I've been up to! I'm now about 2/3 of the way through inks - there's still a ton to do, but I've been working on this for so long that it's exciting to see the light at the end of the tunnel!

As always, I can't show or say too much, but I hope it's fun to see some of this out of context anyway! I hope you'll look forward to the book's eventual release from Penguin Random House!

"Terrarium" Coloring Sheets (A4 and 8.5x11, Digital and Printable)

(NOTE: The full set of files can be downloaded below!)

Here's this month's coloring sheet! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know if you run into any issues!

Terms and Conditions
Can be colored, printed, and the results can be posted publicly! All that I ask is that you do not claim the images as your own, do not use them to turn a profit, do not use them to promote anything that will turn a profit, and do not publicly re-upload the original uncolored high-res files (I don't mind if you share with friends or print them as a school/library/etc activity though!)

Download here:

"Terrarium" Phone + Tablet Wallpapers

Here are the wallpaper sizes, including versions with just the leaves! I wanted this one to feel nostalgic, like one of those little plastic terrariums you fill with leaves and bugs as a kid, but this time you can keep it in your pocket! As always, let me know if you have any issues using these!

If you aren't interested in this set, you can quickly browse all past sets using the wallpaper masterlist. I've also made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount!

Wallpapers can be downloaded below:

Terrarium

Here's this month's illustration! I tried making this one using a faux riso process, which was really new to me, but I think it's such a fun effect! Basically you build the colors up on top of each other using translucent layers - it was a good challenge and created a look I might not have sprung for otherwise. I'd love to try it again sometime!!

Wallpaper versions will be available in the Harvest tier in the next few days and will include a bonus version with just the leaves; in the meantime, I've made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount.

PS, here's a peek at the upcoming wallpaper set!: 

May Newsletter

What to expect this month:

For all members:

• As always, the shop promo codes have been updated and can be found here!

• A new illustration will go up sometime within the next two weeks. This time I went with a bug Pokemon theme! (There will also be a version without the Pokemon in case anyone just wants the plants!)

For Harvest tier members:

• A new wallpaper set for phone and tablet + a coloring sheet will be available soon after the illustration is posted!

• Another peek into the inks for my upcoming graphic novel!

What I've been up to!

I mentioned last month that I was in the process of moving, and as it turns out, I'm... still in the process of moving! So hopefully that gets squared away this month - we'll see!

Apart from that, I don't have a lot to report right now. The skirts and shirts mentioned in last month's post are still available in some sizes, and I've continued filling my time with working on the graphic novel. My greatest hope is that I can finish by the end of the year so that I can focus on making more personal work (and more wallpapers!), but I still have half of the inks left, lettering, and coloring, so I'll have to really buckle down for that...! Wish me luck!

Anyway, thank you for another month, and I hope you enjoy the summer weather!

"Sour" Phone + Tablet Wallpapers

Here are the wallpaper sizes, including catless versions! As always, let me know if you have any issues using these!

If you aren't interested in this set, you can quickly browse all past sets using the wallpaper masterlist. I've also made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount!

"Sour" Coloring Sheets (A4 and 8.5x11, Digital and Printable)

(NOTE: The full set of files can be downloaded below!)

Here's this month's coloring sheet! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know if you run into any issues!

Terms and Conditions
Can be colored, printed, and the results can be posted publicly! All that I ask is that you do not claim the images as your own, do not use them to turn a profit, do not use them to promote anything that will turn a profit, and do not publicly re-upload the original uncolored high-res files (I don't mind if you share with friends or print them as a school/library/etc activity though!)

Download here:

Sour

This month's illustration is sour gummy worm-themed! I've been wanting to draw more candy ever since the gummy bears, but this one wound up being a bigger challenge - the sugar coating is such a specific texture, and it was hard to keep it from overpowering everything!

Wallpaper versions will be available in the Harvest tier in the next few days and will include a bonus version without the cats; in the meantime, I've made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount.

PS, here's a peek at the upcoming wallpaper set!: 

April Newsletter

What to expect this month:

For all members:

• As always, the shop promo codes have been updated and can be found here!

• A new illustration will go up sometime within the next two weeks (this time it's a sour gummy worm theme; here's a preview!)

  

For Harvest tier members:

•  A new wallpaper set for phone and tablet + a coloring sheet will be available soon after the illustration is posted!

• Possibly a new reference photo pack, but this month is a little crazy, so I don't want to make promises!

What I've been up to!

This month I'm in the process of moving! I'm excited, but it's also so much work; I've been living in the same apartment for 8(?) years, so I forgot how much I need to do in between making sure I keep hitting my work deadlines. But here's hoping it all goes smoothly!

Also of note: my pomegranate and strawberry designs are returning to Maya's store this month, and a new pattern (Cat Nap) is debuting! These midi skirts will tentatively be available April 10th, but I don't think that's set in stone just yet, so I'd keep an eye on Maya's socials (@mayakern) if you're interested!

And that's all I've got for this month! As always, thank you so much for being here!

Graphic Novel Progress: Inks are underway!

I finally got the go-ahead to begin inks about a month ago, so I've been spending a lot of time chipping away at those! While I can't show too much, you can see a couple of pages in the gallery above! I'm also going to talk a little bit about the process, which may be slightly less exciting!

Inking this has been a big learning experience for me in a lot of ways. Tonally, this book is a lot different from the sorts of books I've worked on in the past; it's a lot sillier, so I've had to really loosen up the way I draw. Actually, the second reason I've had to loosen up is that it's also much longer than anything I've worked on in the past. Sprite and the Gardener was 70~ pages and Grace Needs Space was 190~, whereas this one is supposed to come in at 260~! So I've had to be much more selective about which pages get how much care, but honestly, sometimes the results are pretty fun.

I'm currently about 1/4 through inks. After that I'll be moving on to colors, and after that I'll be finalizing lettering. The lettering is technically supposed to be finished alongside inks, but unfortunately I ran into multiple hurdles that, together, are making the lettering process a headache!:

1) It turns out Clip Studio doesn't support certain OpenType font features, meaning I'll need to letter in Photoshop.
2) But if I letter in Photoshop and then go back to Clip Studio to complete the art, I'll run into the previous issue again. So lettering will need to be added after the art is completed, BUT I want to draw the word bubbles in Clip Studio, plus I need to know how much room to leave in each panel to make sure nothing important gets covered up by text.
3) On top of all that, we're waiting on the completion of a custom font using Joe Whitt's handwriting.

In the end, I settled on putting in placeholder lettering, which works well enough. The only downside is that I'll need to go back and replace all of it with the real lettering in the end lol...!

Anyway, in spite of all that, it's been coming along! Due to the delays, we're currently floating a potential 2027 release, but I'm hoping that if I finish early that can be scooted forward a bit. Hard to say! Regardless, I hope you'll look forward to it!

"Spring Greeting" Phone + Tablet Wallpapers

Here are the wallpaper sizes, including bunnyless versions! As always, let me know if you have any issues using these!

If you aren't interested in this set, you can quickly browse all past sets using the wallpaper masterlist. I've also made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount!

Wallpapers can be downloaded below:

"Spring Greeting" Coloring Sheets (A4 and 8.5x11, Digital and Printable)

(NOTE: The above image is just a preview. The full-size files can be downloaded below!)

Here's this month's coloring sheet! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know if you run into any issues!

Terms and Conditions
Can be colored, printed, and the results can be posted publicly! All that I ask is that you do not claim the images as your own, do not use them to turn a profit, do not use them to promote anything that will turn a profit, and do not publicly re-upload the original uncolored high-res files (I don't mind if you share with friends or print them as a school/library/etc activity though!)

Download here:

Spring Greeting

I know it isn't spring just yet, but I wanted to welcome it with a bang! Around this time of year, little low-lying clusters of plants are popping up everywhere, so I have them on my mind. I wanted to make something that felt that lush, like carrying spring in your pocket. So if warm weather hasn't reached you yet, I hope this can tide you over!

Wallpaper versions will be available in the Harvest tier in the next few days and will include a bonus version without the bunnies; in the meantime, I've made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount.

PS, here's a peek at the upcoming wallpaper set!:

March Newsletter

What to expect this month:

For all members:

• As always, the shop promo codes have been updated and can be found here!

• A new illustration will go up sometime within the next two weeks (I don't have a sketch preview ready just yet this time - sorry!! The beginning of the year is always so busy!)

For Harvest tier members:

•  A new wallpaper set and coloring sheet will be available soon after the illustration is posted!

• I'll be uploading a peek at some inked pages for my upcoming graphic novel "The Netherling" now that I've got the ball rolling on that!

What I've been up to!

I noted last month that I would be away on a trip - I visited Tokyo to see some friends, and it was a really, really wonderful experience. It was actually my first time leaving the USA, and my first time buying plane tickets, so I was stressed to say the least haha!!! I'm very grateful to have made it there and back safely. Once I have a little more time to sort through my photos (and anonymize faces) I'll upload a pack that can be freely used as reference, edited for backgrounds, etc to the Harvest tier, likely next month!

For anyone who's been interested in my film photos, I also wound up taking a little novelty camera with me - I tried out the Ektar H35N, which is a very casual half-frame camera. Basically, it takes pictures vertically along the film, allowing twice as many photos! The quality is a bit grainier, and the result reminds me of a disposable camera (I mean this in a good way), but it's a nice budget-friendly way to take quick, casual pictures. I uploaded some of those to the gallery above!

Also of note: the gummy bear pattern I made a while back has been turned into button up shirts in collaboration with Maya Kern, so if you like candy, button ups, and standing out, you can check that out here! Like the rest of her shop, these are made using certified ethical labor sources and come in a wide variety of sizes. Here are some pics from Maya!:

And that's it for now! I hope the weather has been good to you (it's been so nice here)!

Sketchbook #60

Nothing too wild this time, but here are some recent doodles that I had lying around! I'd like to finish the Wisteria sketch in particular... I hope I can find the time for it! I always love drawing her curls, it's like a form of meditation for me hahaha

The two at the end are my oldest OCs! I made them around elementary school and would love to revisit them sometime.

"Raspberry Cream" Phone + Tablet Wallpapers

Here are the wallpaper versions! As always, let me know if you have any issues using these!

If you aren't interested in this set, you can quickly browse all past sets using the wallpaper masterlist. I've also made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount!

Wallpapers can be downloaded below:

"Raspberry Cream" Coloring Sheets (A4 and 8.5x11, Digital and Printable)

(NOTE: The above image is just a preview. The full-size files can be downloaded below!)

Here's this month's coloring sheet! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know if you run into any issues!

Terms and Conditions
Can be colored, printed, and the results can be posted publicly! All that I ask is that you do not claim the images as your own, do not use them to turn a profit, do not use them to promote anything that will turn a profit, and do not publicly re-upload the original uncolored high-res files (I don't mind if you share with friends or print them as a school/library/etc activity though!)

Download here:

Raspberry Cream

Since this month is Valentine's day, I wanted to go with a pink theme! Raspberries are one of my favorite berries to draw, so I hope you like them, too!

Wallpaper versions will be available in the Harvest tier in the next few days and will include a bonus version without the bunnies; in the meantime, I've made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount.

And here's a peek at the upcoming wallpaper set!:

February Newsletter

Hi again, everyone, thank you for being here for another month! I don't have a ton to report right now, so this newsletter will be a bit short!

Patreon Updates

Things will run as usual! Here's a peek at the sketch for the upcoming wallpaper for anyone interested - I'm going with a raspberry theme this time!

Other musings

Unfortunately a lot of what I've been working on lately can't be discussed just yet, but here's a quick peak at a monarch-inspired item I have in the works! I'm excited about it, so I hope you'll look forward to it, too!

Also, in personal news, I'm actually going to be away for the first half of February on my first real trip ever! My hope is that I'll be able to upload a new pack of reference photos sometime afterwards since it's been a while since I've released one of those. In general I'd like to start throwing in more bonuses again when I'm able, I miss making all sorts of things!

(Also, rewards for this month will be unaffected by the trip - the new wallpaper should go up in about a week)

Thank you as always, and I hope you have a great February!

"Mother" Phone + Tablet Wallpapers

Here are the wallpaper versions! As always, let me know if you have any issues using these!

If you aren't interested in this set, you can quickly browse all past sets using the wallpaper masterlist. I've also made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount!

Wallpapers can be downloaded below:

"Mother" Coloring Sheets (A4 and 8.5x11, Digital and Printable)

(NOTE: The above image is just a preview. The full-size files can be downloaded below!)

Here's this month's coloring sheet! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know if you run into any issues!

Terms and Conditions
Can be colored, printed, and the results can be posted publicly! All that I ask is that you do not claim the images as your own, do not use them to turn a profit, do not use them to promote anything that will turn a profit, and do not publicly re-upload the original uncolored high-res files (I don't mind if you share with friends or print them as a school/library/etc activity though!)

Download here:

Mother

Here's this month's illustration - a little different from the usual, but I thought it was a cute idea! I always have trouble deciding what to do for January; I try to stick to themes of new beginnings, hope, etc... which are sort of vague concepts, it turns out, but I hope you like it!

Wallpaper versions will be available in the Harvest tier in the next few days; in the meantime, I've made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount.

And here's a peek at the upcoming wallpaper set!:

January Newsletter + 2024 Reflection

Happy new year, everyone!!! Thank you so much for being here for another month! Because of the holidays, I don't have a ton to report right now, but here's what I've been up to!

Patreon & work news

Patreon will be business as usual, and as always, my discount codes have been updated. You can find those here!

Beyond that, the graphic novel is still crawling along - currently I'm still waiting on editorial notes, so inks are on pause for now.

Personal update

With 2025 beginning, I've been thinking a lot about the past year. Those who've been following for a while may remember me discussing pain in my arms that caused a dip in my productivity starting in 2023; unfortunately in 2024 that did not change, and I learned that it's unlikely to change.

For as long as I can remember, drawing has been my number one priority, so it's been frustrating to feel like I'm losing control of core aspects of myself that I'd come to take for granted, but I'm slowly accepting that it isn't so gloomy. I can still draw, even if that looks a little different in practice now, and even if I have to limit myself.

I'm not really sure why I'm writing this - I think I was just caught off guard by how strangely lonely the experience has been. It's easy to feel like you're the only one in the world dealing with a problem. I was also caught off guard by the way it felt almost embarrassing, like I should have been able to avoid this, or I should be able to get over it, and what if talking about it causes me to lose opportunities or support due to a lack of faith in my ability to deliver? It started to feel like a personal failing.

But the more I listened to my peers, the more I realized this is so ordinary and I'm far from the only one who's felt this way, so it felt worthwhile to be more open about it myself. It's not that I'm happy that others are dealing with similar problems - obviously, I wish none of us were - but it helped me to realize that it's still possible to adapt and find creative fulfillment, even if it takes a while to figure it out. In the meantime, thank you, thank you, thank you for being here and for trusting me with your support while I find my way, and if anyone else is facing something similar, I hope you're able to find yours, too.

2024 in review: art and merch!

To move on to something happier: I do think I was still able to make some pretty fun work, so here are some of my favorites from last year!

I truly had so much fun making wallpapers for everyone, so it was actually hard to choose, but I think my personal favorites would have to be Springtime and Toppings. I love going all out on nature illustrations, and I've also been feeling an ache for past years when I drew a lot of indulgent fanart, so I had a soft spot for these! (if you're in the Harvest tier, you can find all wallpapers here!)

This year I made a few different skirts with Maya Kern, but the two I was most excited about were the wildflower and blueberry designs! They're unfortunately sold out, but they should be making a reappearance sometime this year, so keep an eye out!

This year I also opened my own merch shop, which has been a fun experiment! It's mostly a way for me to make things that I'm personally excited about haha. I think my two favorite designs are Sweet Citrus and My Sweet Heart. I'm glad others liked them, too!

An honorable mention: since I've had to pump the brakes on drawing, I've been trying to find other hobbies, and my favorite one that I started in 2024 is film photography! I'm not very good LOL, but it's been really, really fun, and I actually recently got my second roll of film back! Like last time, I'm pretty limited in what I can show since I want to respect the anonymity of the photo subjects, but here are a few that I thought turned out okay! (Portra 400 shot with a thrifted Canon A-1)

Anyway, once again, happy 2025! I'm wishing you all the best, and I hope the year is kind to you.

"Warmth" Phone + Tablet Wallpapers

Here are the wallpaper versions! As always, let me know if you have any issues using these!

If you aren't interested in this set, you can quickly browse all past sets using the wallpaper masterlist. I've also made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount!

Wallpapers can be downloaded below:

"Warmth" Coloring Sheets (A4 and 8.5x11, Digital and Printable)

(NOTE: The above image is just a preview. The full-size files can be downloaded below!)

Here's this month's coloring sheet! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know if you run into any issues!

Terms and Conditions
Can be colored, printed, and the results can be posted publicly! All that I ask is that you do not claim the images as your own, do not use them to turn a profit, do not use them to promote anything that will turn a profit, and do not publicly re-upload the original uncolored high-res files (I don't mind if you share with friends or print them as a school/library/etc activity though!)

Download here:

Warmth

Here's this month's illustration; I wanted to make this one feel extra warm and close. (Rolling up in a blanket is more or less how I've been surviving the winter so far haha)

Wallpaper versions will be available in the Harvest tier in the next few days; in the meantime, I've made prints, posters, etc available. If you purchase anything, be sure to use your patron discount.

And here's a peek at the upcoming wallpaper set!:

December Newsletter

Hi all! Thank you for being here again this month; here's what I've been up to!

Patreon news

Patreon discount codes are still boosted for the upcoming holidays - 25% for my print shop and 20% for my merch shop. You can find those discounts here!

Beyond that, it's business as usual this month! I've gone ahead and started on the wallpaper; since it suddenly got SUPER cold here, I went with a "warmth" theme haha! Here's a peek at how it's coming along:

Other news

My gummy bear skirt will be appearing in Maya Kern's store on the 5th of this month! It sounds like they weren't able to do their usual photoshoot due to unfortunate circumstances, so the photos are a little more casual this time. Still, I think it's cute!:

Graphic novel-wise, I'm currently waiting on editorial notes, so I haven't jumped into inks just yet, but hopefully I'll have something to share soon!

Personal stuff!

Lately I've been interested in film photography! I've been using a Canon A1 that my siblings found at a thrift store and taking some test shots while I learn the ropes, and I got my first roll of film back not too long ago. Here are some that I like! (trying to post ones where faces aren't clearly visible lol...!):

I've been using a Fujifilm Instax, too, which has been a lot of fun. In general I feel like it's been helping me think about compositions more spontaneously, which I've been trying to carry over when I draw.

Anyway, wishing you all the best through the final stretch of 2024!!!

Graphic novel pencils preview #2!

Since I finished pencils, it's time for another roundup of assorted, out-of-order, out-of-context snippets! I can't say much, so I'm having to just sort of present them as-is haha

Here they are!

 And that's it for now! Hopefully once inks kick in I'll be able to show some of those, too. I really can't express how much fun this project has been - I hope you look forward to the book!!!

"Pancake" Coloring Sheets (A4 and 8.5x11, Digital and Printable)

(NOTE: The above image is just a preview. The full-size files can be downloaded below!)

Here's this month's coloring sheet! I hope you enjoy it, and let me know if you run into any issues!

Terms and Conditions
Can be colored, printed, and the results can be posted publicly! All that I ask is that you do not claim the images as your own, do not use them to turn a profit, do not use them to promote anything that will turn a profit, and do not publicly re-upload the original uncolored high-res files (I don't mind if you share with friends or print them as a school/library/etc activity though!)

Download here: