FA+
Shop
December Updates + (Sorta) New Management + Closed
8 years ago
Hey everyone, this is Quaylak! Just wanted to pop on and share some new updates before 2018 rolls around.
Words can't express the insanity we experienced this year. I know we covered some of it in the last update, but so much more has happened since then. We lost our two eldest pets (one we expected/planned, the other shockingly sudden), experienced a death in the family (my uncle), multiple illnesses, purchased a new car, I had five teeth removed in October...and those are just a few of the bigger events. I went home to Chicago for my first Thanksgiving dinner with my family in 15 years, only to come home with the flu. It's been two weeks and I'm only just now shaking it off, so I wanted to take advantage of my feeling better to do some work for the studio.
Which reminds me!
For the foreseeable future, I (quaylak) will be running the studio myself. With jakejynx working consistent 12-14 hour days and 55+ hour weeks, it's just not feasible for him to keep up with it anymore (the studio was his primary job for several years, whereas I was only responsible for head sculpts). He will continue to do fursuit work as time allows, but I'll be managing emails, keeping this account updated with finished work, and primarily using Twitter for communicating updates/progress moving forward! If you want to know what we're up to, I recommend giving us a follow: savageturtlestudios on Twitter!
As for commission updates: despite the insanity that went on this year, we were able to secure the funds for those who requested refunds, so those are currently being issued as we speak! If you requested a refund but have not received it, check your email for further instructions.
Right now, we have one full suit left that I'd like to have finished before the end of the year. Then, the only large projects remaining are two partial suits (an owl and acat raccoon). I also have an artistic liberty otter partial we started late last year using an old base that I'd like to finish and sell, so he may make an appearance in early 2018!
Future commissions/Future of the studio: Once those last two partial commissions are completed, our commissions will be CLOSED INDEFINITELY. At the moment, we are NOT taking quote requests, as we have no intention of opening commissions for the foreseeable future. With how long our current queue has taken and with as limited as jakejynx's time is these days, we feel it is more appropriate to work on artistic liberty suits and sell them in our free time.
We love you guys and all of the people we've had both the honor and pleasure of working with the last 10 or so years, but we can't risk missing deadlines or having people wait inordinate amounts of time again due to our schedules being overloaded. Both of us work full time jobs outside of fursuit work, so trying to run a studio that takes commissions with any sort of regularity just wouldn't be responsible. At most, I could see us taking ONE suit at a time if we ever did custom work again, but for now, it'll just be artistic liberty suits once our queue is done. We hope you guys understand and of course, you'll be the first to know if that changes in any way!
Honestly, we're both really itching to experiment with new techniques again and have some creative fun with our own designs. It's been a while! So we're not "leaving the fandom" or closing shop any time soon -- more like wanting to rediscover our love for it by not having to rely on it to pay the bills. c:
I'll mainly be posting more frequent updates/happenings/progress on Twitter, but will share finished stuff here as soon as I have it! Any questions/concerns can be emailed to us any time. We appreciate you guys, as always, and hope you have a great holiday season! <3
Words can't express the insanity we experienced this year. I know we covered some of it in the last update, but so much more has happened since then. We lost our two eldest pets (one we expected/planned, the other shockingly sudden), experienced a death in the family (my uncle), multiple illnesses, purchased a new car, I had five teeth removed in October...and those are just a few of the bigger events. I went home to Chicago for my first Thanksgiving dinner with my family in 15 years, only to come home with the flu. It's been two weeks and I'm only just now shaking it off, so I wanted to take advantage of my feeling better to do some work for the studio.
Which reminds me!
For the foreseeable future, I (quaylak) will be running the studio myself. With jakejynx working consistent 12-14 hour days and 55+ hour weeks, it's just not feasible for him to keep up with it anymore (the studio was his primary job for several years, whereas I was only responsible for head sculpts). He will continue to do fursuit work as time allows, but I'll be managing emails, keeping this account updated with finished work, and primarily using Twitter for communicating updates/progress moving forward! If you want to know what we're up to, I recommend giving us a follow: savageturtlestudios on Twitter!
As for commission updates: despite the insanity that went on this year, we were able to secure the funds for those who requested refunds, so those are currently being issued as we speak! If you requested a refund but have not received it, check your email for further instructions.
Right now, we have one full suit left that I'd like to have finished before the end of the year. Then, the only large projects remaining are two partial suits (an owl and a
Future commissions/Future of the studio: Once those last two partial commissions are completed, our commissions will be CLOSED INDEFINITELY. At the moment, we are NOT taking quote requests, as we have no intention of opening commissions for the foreseeable future. With how long our current queue has taken and with as limited as jakejynx's time is these days, we feel it is more appropriate to work on artistic liberty suits and sell them in our free time.
We love you guys and all of the people we've had both the honor and pleasure of working with the last 10 or so years, but we can't risk missing deadlines or having people wait inordinate amounts of time again due to our schedules being overloaded. Both of us work full time jobs outside of fursuit work, so trying to run a studio that takes commissions with any sort of regularity just wouldn't be responsible. At most, I could see us taking ONE suit at a time if we ever did custom work again, but for now, it'll just be artistic liberty suits once our queue is done. We hope you guys understand and of course, you'll be the first to know if that changes in any way!
Honestly, we're both really itching to experiment with new techniques again and have some creative fun with our own designs. It's been a while! So we're not "leaving the fandom" or closing shop any time soon -- more like wanting to rediscover our love for it by not having to rely on it to pay the bills. c:
I'll mainly be posting more frequent updates/happenings/progress on Twitter, but will share finished stuff here as soon as I have it! Any questions/concerns can be emailed to us any time. We appreciate you guys, as always, and hope you have a great holiday season! <3
Things are looking up and I'm hopeful that these changes will help us "get back in the game" a bit. I wasn't in a position to take over sooner considering everything I've had happen this year, but it was my intention once things started to calm down. c:
Will you guys be at FWA next year? It's always great to see you!
With both of you working so much and with everything that has happened I can see why making suits is going to be hard to make time for, it's definitely a time consuming process.
We will be at FWA, already have the room booked, was waiting until the first of the year to take the time off.
Oh once things settle a little will you be taking art commissions on and off again by any chance?
ANYWAY. Sorry I kinda rambled, haha. I look forward to seeing you guys again at FWA and yes, I would definitely like to open up for some more art commissions as soon as I get things more settled here and clear out some owed art I have queued up (mainly trades and gifts). c:
Nah it's cool, if you ever need to vent/ramble/whatever just let me know, I'll give you my number or if you are on telegram you can look me up there. You guys are my friends and I'm here for you!
Definitely looking forward to seeing you guys, we all need to find a place to go eat at again this year, not the steak place though, haha, wow, expensive.
And let me know about the art, I have something in mind I'd love to have you do involving two of my characters.
Happy to hear that you'll be still coming to fwa 2018! I need to catch up with you both soon. Miss you guys terribly. <3
And yes, we're already registered and all that for FWA 2018! Jake's mom should be there again too, haha. xD We all look forward to seeing you again!
MY SWEET LION SON
And yes, I'd still love to be a part of the fursuit community and building adorable critters for people to bring to life, so I (personally) have no intention of leaving it any time soon! Thanks for the support. c:
Love your stuff - still one of my favorites! ^w^
We wish you all the best in your future endeavours and can't wait to see what new creations appear from your awesome studio <3
Have given you a follow on Twitter to keep up with what y'all create next (@VeeJayHedgehog) <3
((I wasn't sure if any of my previous FA notes/emails were received, but my husband and I are the new owners of Bubo The Owl [renamed Dr Whoot/Owl-Negan]; We purchased him from his previous owner in early 2016, just in case you were wondering whereabouts he ended up! There are many photos of him on my twitter, my hubby absolutely adores him <3))
~
And I don't think I saw the notes/emails about Dr. Whoot, but that's so great to hear and I'm super happy to know he's still getting out and about! \m/
I'll have to stalk your twitter later and go on a fav/retweet spree, haha. Thank you for letting me know, as it's always nice to know where our babies end up when they're sold and to know they are with happy families. <3
- w/ Jim Beaver: https://twitter.com/VeeJayHedgehog/.....28913023676416
- w/ Karl Urban: https://twitter.com/VeeJayHedgehog/.....29458379718660
- w/ John Rhys-Davies: https://twitter.com/VeeJayHedgehog/.....30088468996096
- w/ Ray Santiago [One of our faves!]: https://twitter.com/VeeJayHedgehog/.....41324241874944
- Cosplay For A Cause 2016: https://twitter.com/VeeJayHedgehog/.....60646832660480
- w/ Nathan Fillion: https://twitter.com/VeeJayHedgehog/.....81597201752064
- w/ Jason Mewes: https://twitter.com/VeeJayHedgehog/.....29393918775297
- w/ Paul Nakauchi & Feodor Chin (Overwatch - these guys utterly LOVED him <3) & w/ Stan Lee: https://twitter.com/VeeJayHedgehog/.....30707176783872
We're big on pop culture conventions and he's been an absolutely amazing hit with a lot of the locals here; he'll be Dr Whoot for a con interstate in 2018 (John Barrowman photo, yessss!), Owl-Negan for Cosplay For A Cause 2018 and a thief/mage Owl for Supanova Expo 2018 =3
Will be stalking your twitter/FA for news on your next creations. Much excite =D <3
~
We've had a couple of requests come through for Owlbears, but I don't think I've seen an Owlgryph! If we ever do reopen and you've yet to find a maker, definitely hit us up. c: