Patreon Tier Update – 2026 Transition

TL;DR: Patreon Tier Changes (Effective Jan 15)

• The $35 Researcher tier is being retired due to sustainability

• Current Researcher supporters will receive:

  • 1 clean sketch

  • 1-time 50% commission discount (valid 90 days)

• New tiers:

  • Researcher: $25 (8 slots max): clean sketches

  • Lead Researcher: $65 (4 slots max): 1 finished character

• Legacy/unpublished tiers are unchanged

• Changes take effect January 15th (EST)

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I want to start the year by officially announcing an update to my Patreon tier structure.

Over time, my current tiers: Tip Jar, Lab Intern, Lab Tech, Researcher, and Project Director, grew in a way that wasn’t sustainable, particularly the $35 Researcher tier, which had no cap. With 16 people in that tier, I’ve come to accept that there’s no realistic way for me to fulfill those rewards consistently or fairly, even with rotation. I tried, and it became overwhelming.

Because of that, January will be a transition month, and the updated tier structure will take effect on Thursday, January 15th (EST). Some changes may take a little time to fully implement.

For current $35 Researcher supporters

As a thank-you for supporting that tier:

• You’ll receive one clean sketch

• You’ll also receive a one-time 50% discount on a commission, valid for 90 days

• This is optional, subject to availability, and follows my normal commission rules

The current $35 Researcher tier will then be retired.

New tier structure

• Researcher: $25 (8 slots max)

  • Clean sketches

  • Limited to keep it manageable and consistent

• Lead Researcher: $65 (4 slots max)

  • One single-character, finished, commission-level image

  • Clearly scoped and limited for sustainability

Additionally, each month I may choose one supporter to receive a bonus sketch or piece. This selection is entirely at my discretion, based on availability and creative fit.

Legacy tiers

If you’re currently pledged to an unpublished or legacy tier, nothing will change for you.

Looking forward

I’m aware that I haven’t been as active or visible as I wanted to be recently, and I’m working on correcting that. These changes are about setting up Patreon in a way that allows me to deliver consistently, stay creative, and avoid repeating past mistakes.

I also plan to release all PSD files from 2019 up until my switch to Clip Studio, as an additional archive resource.

Thank you for your patience, your support, and for sticking with me as I improve how I do this.