The First Week of Lilliputian Living- Patreon Newsletter October 10th (Patreon)

Hey there, Artnerds!

October has begun, and I've been busy with my own October art challenge, Lilliputian Living. I've shared seven days on my favorite socials (Bsky, Threads, Tiktok, Instagram, and Youtube) already, but in case you missed it, here are the first six days, all cleaned up thanks to Joseph!

Day 1- Newborn

Day 2- Naming Ceremony

Day 3- Cuddling with the Family Pet

Day 4- First Day of School

Day 5- New School Clothes

Day 6- Orienteering Class

While I'm working hard to create daily inked illustrations and worldbuilding prompts, he's working hard to get the second book of Lilliputian Living to the presses as soon as November hits.

Speaking of! I'm still looking for eARC readers! This advanced reader copy contains the first three chapters in the second book, since I'm still drawing the fourth. We REALLY need feedback and blurbs for this second book, and haven't heard from any eARC volunteers yet! If you're interested, please email me.

This year, the personal challenge for me is to focus less on pretty art and more on storytelling. In the past couple of years, my shots have gotten rather stagnant; they work as standalone illustrations but are not particularly immersive. Since we're celebrating Milestones and Festivities, I wanted the worldbuilding to be more immersive.

Although one of my goals for my October art challenges is to continue to maintain a daily life status quo, it's always a challenge in the first week as I find my feet.

Working With Art Supply Companies

20k subscribers on Youtube seems to be the magic number for companies wanting me to look at their art supplies, particularly acrylic markers.

It's a bit of a dream come true. Reviewing art supplies gets expensive, and I end up doing a lot of promotion for foreign companies. At one point, I'd hoped Internetting (blogging, Youtube, having a webcomic, and having an online shop) would be a full-time paid job for me, but at this point, I've happily accepted that it's a fun and time-consuming hobby.

That said, I've always wanted to know what it would take to get companies to notice me. I've been doing this for a long time (2010), and I've tried all sorts of things over the years to work with companies. I've tried blogging about it, tagging them in posts, emailing directly, even going to NAMTA and introducing myself. The trick seems to be hitting 20k subscribers. So it's thanks to you guys that I get to explore even more art supplies.

If you're curious (or nosy like me), this seems to be the gist: There are websites that collate this information to make it easier for companies to find internet people (Social Blade, for example, although I've never looked at mine, and don't intend to). 20k subscribers if you're on YouTube seems to be just the right size for companies to want to send me something in return for a video. I don't know the threshold for Tiktok or Instagram, but I do know those are the other two platforms companies seem to look at.

I get emails about products that aren't art supplies, but I really try to only accept things I think yall might genuinely be curious about or would be a good fit for the channel. The only companies I've ACTUALLY received something from so far are Grabie, Funto, Arrtx, and Ohuhu; a few other companies have reached out to me, and I agreed, but I never received the product. I guess bigger fish than I bit first.I'm quixotic about it though. if I receive the thing, that's great. If not, I'll probably end up buying it eventually anyway if the deal is good enough. Do the internet (YouTube, Instagram, blogging, whatever) long enough, and you realize eventually that no one owes you anything, and that it helps to be grateful for every little bit of help or support you get. If you don't need something or outgrow it, pass it along to your students, your library, a younger artist, or a local school.

Pill case from my Ohuhu Kakaako Acrylic Marker video, coming soon!

Hibiscus from my Arrtx Simptap Acrylic Marker video, also coming soon! 

That's one of the reasons I've been reviewing so many acrylic markers lately. The other reasons are that they're fun, different, and people seem interested in them. I spent years reviewing every alcohol marker I could get my hands on, and while some people think the alcohol marker is dead, I don't, but I do think we've hit the end of alcohol marker innovation for the time being. Acrylic markers present an interesting new avenue to explore.

Early Access:

Early Access: Adding the Finishing Touches to A Watercolor Illustration: https://www.patreon.com/posts/early-access-to-112924530

Early Access: Grisaille, Bleuaille, and Underpainting in Watercolor Tutorial: https://www.patreon.com/posts/early-access-and-111969412

Early Access: Colorful Washes Tutorial: https://www.patreon.com/posts/early-access-112191414

Early Access: How to Create a Bokeh (Lens Flare) Effect in Watercolor Tutorial: https://www.patreon.com/posts/early-access-how-111694851

New to the Public:

Maries Marvelous 'Master' Misnomer- Not Quite Professional, Not Quite Student Watercolors: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrsT1WcOuf8

Let's Try Drawing Realistic Portraits- Face Drawing Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ECOcgrMtxWE&t=3s

Derwents New Waterbrushes & Hahnemule's New Watercolor Papers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tGSVfO6j3zU&t=2s

You've Seen this All Over Tiktok- Trying Grabie's New HUGE Watercolor Kit & Watercolor Calendar: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2jCsJUlX4uk

Reviewing Art Whale Watercolor Tubes: Are They Really Superior? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrbJb0dO3jg&t=279s