A pretty important Spells & Pencils newsflash.
You guys,
this little side business of mine is about to turn a new leaf, and I must say I’m quite over the moon, can’t-wait-to-get-started- excited (to tell you all) about it. So, under here is a little update on why commissions are staying closed for the time being, even though I’m finishing up my last bookings well before Summer, and what those empty agenda spots will make room for. Read on!
Focus on collaboration.
First and foremost, I would hereby like to rename the entire ‘commission’ thing to ‘collaboration’ instead. The reason why I love making illustrations, you see, is because I get to draw what I love. In my personal style, with certain favourite subjects, in certain, whimsical settings. Most of the time, that’s exactly what I get to do, whether it’s for wedding invites, Christmas cards, birth announcements, etc., but I’ve recently had to stick up for myself in a way that I’d like to avoid in the future (however frickin’ empowering that moment felt to me, haha). So. I’m jumping out of that box where there’s even the possibility of having to jump at whatever whim a customer conjures up, only for those ever-changing whims to pile up at the expense of other (more fun and respectful) gigs, and letting myself roam free of boxes altogether. After all, this is still a side-hustle, which means that it’s important to be more selective if I want to keep loving the fact that I’m combining this with a nearly-full-time job, at least for the time being. What this means for future commissions, nay, collabs? Let me sum it up for you, real quick!
I will be using this time to make clear bundles showcasing the work I love doing, for different kinds of collaborations, on different levels. This way, customers will have a better idea about what I can do for them, how long that takes, and how much it costs. Want a birth announcement? This is my style, this is how much this kind or this kind of design takes or costs, d’you want stickers with that, and so on. This is a win-win situation, really, because you’ll know exactly what you’re getting, and I get to set clearer boundaries in advance, which leads to less unpleasant surprises or last minute stress factors for both sides.
Collaborations (made the switch permanently there), will rise a bit in price, because I’ll simply be able to set them more correctly after doing the research for those bundles. Art costs money, folks. Especially when it’s personalised in such a way that it outshines even the best AI bots. Not that those exist, since all artificial art is stolen and /or looks the same.
That click amongst collaborators, leading to an amazing, never-before-seen end result that blows people’s minds? The chances of having that increase by 500%.
Dig up and order old ideas and inspiration notes.
While I was focused on my commissions and waiting list, I never stopped pinning inspiration or writing down my own ideas. That, of course, means that what I’m left with is pure chaos. Where do I start? What do I want to draw most? What CAN I draw first, timing-wise? So that little task is on the top of my list: creating clarity and listing up where I want to begin, and then just… begin. Can’t wait!
Experiment with new ways of creating, and making new kinds of products.
I’ve wanted to expand my own, general artwork and postcard collections for a little while now, and am currently brainstorming away when it comes to adding new types of products, too. Think calendars, clay creations, printed t-shirts, tote bags, and who knows what else I’ll cook up now that I have the time to really think about where I want Spells & Pencils to go. Maybe I’ll even reactivate that Patreon account of mine, because I kind of miss getting to cook up cute little extras for you… Oh, that thought excites me!
Stay tuned as I start this new Spells & Pencils chapter
& wish me luck!
Lots of love,
