FAQ for -The Witch of Balloons- (Patreon)

Well, I've released a small teaser on youtube of something new a few days ago. If you have missed it, you can see it here: Link. This FAQ will answer a few questions which had come up with the teaser. I’ll try to keep it as short as possible but it might be a bit more text this time: 

Q: What will „The Witch of Balloons“ be about?
A: “The Witch of Balloons” will be a completely new project. The main story is about a Witch, who is specialising in inflation-magic. She is living alone with a couple of strange friends in a swamp and experience both normal and expansion adventures.

Q: What are the genres of “The Witch of Balloons”?
A: I aim for it to be 75% Comedy, 20% Sex and 5% Other Things.

Q: Will “The Witch of Balloons” involve sex or genitals this time.
A: Yes...maybe?...At least I will be more open for it.

Q: Will there be Bursting/Popping Characters in “The Witch of Balloons”?
A: Yes...but only clean and happy bursting. No gore. And it happens quite rarely, almost as it is now.

Q: What Kind of Medium/Artworks can we expect to see?
A: The teaser might imply it will be some sort of animation, but that’s not the case. I am preparing the creation of short comic strips with 3-6 panels like the ACS-Comics again. But I am also planning to do longer full-sized comics which will be more about sex and expansion. Once the basic designs for the main characters are done, I want to do some classic pinups with the Witch. Expansion/Inflation will only happen as a commission or in the longer comics for now.

Q: Is your OC “Skie” the Witch?
A: No, while the Witch will look 90% like Skie, she will be a new character with another past, present and future to tell. This also means she will have another personality and motivation.

Q: So your OC Skie is basically “Dead”?
A: “Basically” you can say: Yes, Skie and her Story are dead (for the moment).

Skie is a character that I had in my head and heart for almost 25 years now. But I figured that I had planned too many big things with her, featuring an epic story and a lot of things to happen. But this year, I figured out that this isn’t as special anymore as it was 25 years ago. Also, with all of the Pinup and Expansion artworks her “image” has gone into a direction that is not fitting this kind of big project anymore.

Q: Don’t you think people will be sad or disappointed if you are no longer drawing Skie?
I am aware of that. But I hope that the community will give this new character a chance. Since her appearance is 90% like Skie, I hope this won't be a big problem. Her personality might be different, but I believe that this change will make her and her world more interesting as Skie was in the end.

Q: Most important question:  Will the breast size of the new character as big as Skie?
A: In her basic design: No. If you ask: Why? It’s because she needs room for growing. ;)

Q: What about Gnomee, the gnome from the ACS-Comics?
A: He might have some guest appearances but he will no longer be a sidekick for the main character.

Q: What other OC are you planning to add?
A: There will be quite a few... One will be Lycia for sure, she comes with a completely new design and story as well.

Q: Can you explain the technical difference between “Project Skie” and „The Witch of Balloons“?
A: The project with “Skie” was a story where I had a beginning and an end planned. „The Witch of Balloons“ is more variable and open. It is about a character and her universe, not a fix storyline. If I want to tell a certain story within that universe, I don’t have to think about if it fits into an overarching plot. That will make it easier to have “Guest OCs” show up, realise “Sudden Inspirations” and to have a more fantastic variety of Normal and Expansion Artworks.

Q: Why this whole “Restart”?
A: The main reason is my depression. I want to start with an easier, more open project which will progress over time. This means: I don’t have to prepare conceptional work for the next 5 years to tell one chapter of her life. Maybe this was also one of the causes for my depression: Skie’s story was a big project with no visual progress. When you have a story in your head for such a long time that you wake up in the morning felling bad because you haven’t managed to get it to the point you want it to be... it’s kind of depressing.

Another aspect is that I want to put more of my different skills into my work. At the moment, with Skie, I am feeling that I am mostly an artist who can draw. But with “The Witch of Balloons”, I can use more of the skills I have learned in the specialised school for game development I did a degree at. This means: I am a storyteller, I am able to do concepts for fantastic backgrounds, characters and worlds and I will put those skills to use to make for a more engaging experience for both you and me as an artist.

Q: What is going to happen to Deviant-Art, Tumblr and Patreon.com the next few months?
A: I still have full pictures of Skie to release until the beginning 2018 for Deviantart and Tumblr. And my Patreon-Site will be updated with pictures of her at least until November 2017. After this, there will be mostly pictures with other OCs from commissions and “hopefully” some real artworks/pinups of “The witch of Balloons”. Parallel to the normal updates on my Patreon, from now on there will updates with concept art for “The Witch of Balloons” – visible to all pledges. Every Patreon can provide feedback, which might have influence on the stories and design during this time. Overall, I am hoping to get the whole basic conception done this year. After that, I can focus on pictures, comics and other projects in 2018.

Q: What about the Exclusive-Expansion-Picture-Series with Skie on Patron?
They will continue until every type of expansion in the votings are done. After that it will reset with the new OC.

Q: If I commission now, can I use the new character instead of Skie beside my own OC?
A: Not now. Please give me at least one more month to get her design/personality done.

Q: Can you name a correct release date for “The Witch of Balloons?
In the moment the only thing I can say is that people can expect the first comics sometime in 2018.

I really hope this FAQ answers most of the basic questions. I know I haven't written much about “The Witch of Balloons” itself yet, but that’s something for another time. So expect more FAQs for her and her story in the future. :D