I really want to start making art tutorials- maybe some general art tutorials, but I would like to focus a little on my current art program of choice, Manga Studio 5 since there isn't much out there for it.

What would you like to know more about?
Would you prefer image/text tutorials or video tutorials? A combination?

Turns out  pachabel started doing this challenge on the same day as me: to draw one Pokemon a day until every one of them is drawn (excluding weekends, we decided). It's a huge coincidence that we started on the exact same day, and that we found each other on day 2! We are now Pokemon sketch buddies- if you like mine, go check out their Pokemon sketches too!

Wish us luck, and enjoy all the Poke-art!

https://www.picarto.tv/live/channel.....BriMercedesArt

Patreon art, sketches, whatever!

Donate $10 on Ryan's behalf and I'll sketch something for you:

https://www.crowdrise.com/ryanmoren.....ser/ryanmoreno

Tell me when you donate and what you want in return!

I want to watch MORE people! Who are your favorite artists/musicians/authors/suitmakers? Or maybe you watch someone for their entertaining journal entries? Or maybe you know someone who draws cute fat birds? Because I will indiscriminately watch anyone who draws cute fat birds.

One more slot is open this week, so if you were thinking about getting one, now's your chance! http://www.brimercedesart.com/pokemon-card-badges

I am EXTREMELY happy with how great yesterday's sketch stream went. Prices were a little low for the time and polish I put into each sketch, but that's okay. I wanted to do something special for all you who took me up on the deal. I was very, very pleased with how smooth the streaming went since I found a program that worked extremely well for the Mac and Picarto.tv (who I'd had problems with in the past with stream persistence and quality with different software) and the combination of good software and the quality of the Companion tablet was just incredibly comfortable.

Things I learned: To not take more work than I can complete the same day (sorry GeckoZy!), to know exactly how long something might take, to use Manga Studio 5 instead of Photoshop, to take breaks, and to write things down!

So: would anyone be interested in a weekly livestream with sketch commissions? What day of the week is the best to have something like that (excluding weekends)? And do you have any suggestions or things you might want to see offered? They will all be held on my Picarto stream page. Please bookmark and follow it if you haven't already: https://www.picarto.tv/live/channel.....BriMercedesArt

https://www.picarto.tv/live/channel.....BriMercedesArt

^^ Streaming at 11pm EST! ^^

Commissions are closed for the night. Finishing up a few I didn't get to complete before work!

https://www.picarto.tv/live/channel.....BriMercedesArt

^^ Streaming LATER around 10pm EST! ^^

I will be taking $8 sketch commissions, otherwise prepare yourself for lots of dumb birds.

HOW TO COMMISSION ME TODAY:
Send $8 to brianaweidner@gmail.com, then tell me in the chat what you want. Simple as that!

I was able to finish up work at my cleaning job this morning, but it started snowing like nothing we've ever seen this year! Today's outing plan was totally canceled, and church is canceled in the morning, though if the roads are good my husband and I hope to spend the day with family.

The good news is I ordered a Cintiq Companion 2 (Standard/second-from-the-bottom model) last weekend after saving up for it for quite a while, and it is coming next week! I am SO excited. This is the piece of hardware I've been dreaming of since I was about 10 and can finally have one in my hands. I know a new toy won't make me any better at drawing, but it'll be a much more comfortable setup and I can either take it with me or hook it up to my computer. It will also allow me to offer digital sketches at conventions and meets!!

On Thursday I will be streaming art I owe my Patreon supporters this month, but I will also be taking sketch commissions during the stream (or working on some personal art if no one's interested). More info to come! (speaking of Patreon, I gotta update my page and my blog more often... yipe!)


-Bri

Our internet has been pretty good up until a few months ago when it started kicking out occasionally. It has become more and more frequent and it looks like it's down for good this time. Comcast is coming to our house on Thursday to fix it (they'd better give us credit for all this downtime... grr!). They said it's free if it's their fault and not free if it's our fault. We haven't changed anything about our configuration and our modem is on the list of approved modems, but I still have a feeling they're gonna slap us with a bill. Ugh! Fortunately I have cell service for emailing and light Internet use, but the shared data won't go too far.

I will try and get as much work done as I can between now and then but it will be slower. I feel extremely bad making all my current commissioners wait more than they have to for their art (it isn't that long in the big picture but I want good turnaround times for everybody). I always feel bad when I am not working... Do I have a problem? XD

I won't be around until Comcast sends someone out. Comcast is a big pile of doody!

I will be away until Monday night, so there will be no new art or progress on current commissions until then. See ya!

*** Note to everyone who is interested in card badges that I will begin taking orders for them again on February 23. You may submit an order before then, but it will not be processed until the 23rd so keep that in mind. ***

I've made a LOT of these badges in the past month and have learned a lot from making them (such as the price of international shipping, price of ink/laminate/clips/bubble mailers, how much time they take, desired options I didn't list, etc.) and have adjusted some things accordingly so I can produce quality work.

I have a question about how I am going to handle the set numbers on the bottom right of each card. Currently I am only putting 1/1 (or 1/2 & 2/2 if it's a commissioned pair). Should I decide on a set number (251 for example, so it will take a super long time to get that many card commissions) and each order becomes 1/251, 2/251, 3/251, etc. until 251 is reached? How's that for a plan? 1/1 is boring!

Similarly for monster numbers (displayed in flavor text box on each card, like how Pikachu is #25): should this number rise with each new character card (a character will have the same number if more than one card is commissioned of them)? Should the commissioner choose the number they want? Should duplicate numbers be allowed for different characters?

Things I am adding (or have recently added):

Dragon and Fairy types (I know they weren't in the classic set, but we can pretend!)
Weakness and Resistance Variables
First Edition marker option
Set Marker option
Level
Holographic Rare option (note that they won't be shiny when printed, it is a texture overlay)
Choice between plastic sleeve and badge for printing/presentation
$3 Custom Button add-on
Basic Pokémon, Stage 1, and Stage 2 options

Things I am changing:

Price structure
- Base price for art is now $35
- US printing/shipping is now $7
- International printing/shipping is now $10
Element wording has been made consistent with the TCG (only affects order form)

I will be closing commissions for a week or two so I can get caught up on the ones I already have and get one or two personal pieces/much needed business work in. (If I have quoted you for a commission and have not invoiced you yet, this does not apply to you.) A HUGE thank-you to everyone who has gotten a piece from me so far, you have helped to cover convention/travel expenses for the year and I am truly grateful. I hope to have all badges finished by the end of this week and larger illustrations finished by next week.

A heads up that I will likely be raising prices on some items; I've gotten a feel for how much time and material cost I spend on my badges and feel that $30 is a bit too low for the quality of my badges. International printing & shipping for badges will now be $8 instead of $5. Custom button add-on price will remain $3. I am also considering an hourly rate for larger illustrations, as the time spent on those varies greatly. Good or bad idea?

Email me for any questions regarding commissions: brimercedesart[at]gmail.com


-Bri
http://brimercedesart.com

I'm considering selling my gryphon shirt design at FurTheMore and AC this year: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/14455925/

it would be my first time selling T-shirts and it will be an investment on my part if I decide to go ahead with it.

If you're going to either of these cons, are you interested in buying one, and if so, which size would you need?

If this design isn't for you, what other types of designs would you like to see?

I met my freelance deadline (there will be more ongoing work for them but it won't be urgent like this anymore)! Today I do need to catch up on errands and housework I wasn't able to do during the week. I will be away for the weekend so there will be no art updates or commission progress until Monday. So if you are interested in a commission from me, Monday would be the perfect time to inquire!

-Bri

Hello! Just giving all commissioners (present and future) a heads up that I have a surprise rush deadline for one of my freelance clients this Thursday so there may be a short delay in commission progress. I will ensure that all orders will be complete within the estimated 2-3 week time frame.

Thank you!

Hey guys! Before I get to the good stuff, I thought I'd share a little tidbit of how the money you spend on commissions is being used. This is not a drama or sob story journal- don't worry! - Income from commissions goes first to paying bills if my husband and I don't make enough to cover them with our regular jobs. Let me tell you- these past couple months would have been tight if I weren't working on art! Tight but not impossible, fortunately. The rest gets invested into art supplies or put into savings.

There are two things specifically that I'm saving up for: a tablet PC for more mobile digital art (instant digital sketches at cons??) and a professional photo printer to keep printing costs low. Both are directly related to commission work. I want to have the best equipment available to better serve my customers. But if no one wants Birdfox art, why upgrade... right?

So... RAFFLE INFO!!

The raffle will continue through now through the months of February, March, and April.

FIVE PRIZES WORTH A TOTAL OF $115! YAY!

- Full body character illustration, minimal background (worth $50)
- Custom Pokemon card art (worth $35; you pay $5 for optional shipping OR pick up at FurTheMore/Anthrocon)
- Full body shaded character sketch (worth $20)
- Signed "Cerulean Warblers" print (worth $7; you pay $5 shipping or pick up at FurTheMore/Anthrocon)
- Choice of one (non-holo) Pokemon card button (worth $3; you pay shipping or pick up at FurTheMore/Anthrocon)

HOW DO YOU ENTER? There are a few ways to be entered into the raffle:

1) The first is simple: Follow me on Twitter (@BriMercedes), then retweet my raffle tweet once per week. That's TWELVE free entries! Yay!

2) The second method: For every $5 you spend on commissions from me, you will get one entry into the raffle (No limit on commission raffle entries; freelance commercial projects and shipping costs do not count towards raffle entries). GET A COMMISSION HERE! http://www.brimercedesart.com/noncommercial/

3) The third method: Support me on Patreon! Patreon supporters get DOUBLE ENTRIES for each $5 they pledge- plus you get sketch or illustration commission each month at a discount AND you get to peek inside my art career!! How cool is that?? ( http://patreon.com/BriMercedes )

The entry period lasts from now until the end of April! GET GOING and HAPPY SPRING!!

What are you dying to know about your friendly neighborhood birdfox? Ask away!

You now have the option to get a button version of the art I create for your Pokemon card badges for just $3 extra! Since you're getting the art commissioned and shipped anyway, why not throw one in? Buttons are 1.25" in diameter and are super great quality. I'm told by a previous customer that they can even go through the wash (you probably shouldn't try that on purpose though).

http://www.brimercedesart.com/pokemon-card-badges

Hello!

If you haven't checked out my Pokemon card badges, you can view all completed ones and order one for yourself here: http://brimercedesart.com/pokemon-card-badges

Now, onto the main point! I want to know if you guys would be interested in pre-made badges for $5 each. They would be based on the Trainer cards (like this: http://pkmncards.com/wp-content/upl.....-set-bs-75.jpg ) and would have a playable effect based on the species stereotype (such as Raccoons rooting through your Discard pile, Dragons giving you Fire Energy, etc.) - does this interest anyone?

Here is a visual! http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15577087/

What species would you like to see made?
What kind of stereotypical effects do you envision those species to have?

Thank you so much!
-Bri

Look at all the cool things I made during this month's Patreon stream:

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15536166/

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15536774/

http://www.furaffinity.net/view/15538156/

If you want cool art like this every month at a discount, head on over to my Patreon page at http://patreon.com/BriMercedes

Hello!

First of all I want to say that the response to my Pokemon card badges has been AMAZING. For the first time in my life I really feel capable of making art into my secondary part-time job, and I can actually handle it. It's been an amazing experience so far and a huge boost to my morale. I am getting better and better at mocking up the cards and managing a bunch of orders at once. Expect to see a trickle of completed badge commissions starting this week. Thank you to everyone who has ordered one so far, and please tell your friends because orders are still open! Order form: http://brimercedesart.com/pokemon-card-badges

For the next few months I will be putting all art proceeds towards a new tablet PC to serve as a portable workstation, since almost all my commissions are created in Photoshop. Every penny I make gets re-invested into making awesome art for you guys!

I have also been busy making buttons out of some old Pokemon cards. They will be for sale at FurTheMore and Anthrocon- the rest will be for sale on my Storenvy page ( http://brimercedes.storenvy.com ).

Did you know- I will be attending FurTheMore and Anthrocon as a dealer? Look for Bri Mercedes Art! I'm going small this year since it will be my first time dealing: you will be able to purchase commissions (badges, buttons, and sketch commissions), Pokemon card buttons, copies of my children's book Bird Boy, original art, postcard prints, and even some tails. I will be taking badge pre-orders for BOTH conventions, so you won't have to pay shipping and you won't have to wait at the con for them to be completed. Watch my journals for more information.

In other news, trance music is pretty great and I got a pack of three Moleskine journals at Goodwill for $2.

How are you doing? How has 2015 been treating you?

-Bri

a new adorable green and brown birdy icon!

I had a few inquiries for these, so I made a page where you can see examples and place an order all in one convenient place! Fake card fronts plus real card backs, laminated and hole punched for your badge collection.


View examples and order here: http://www.brimercedesart.com/pokemon-card-badges


Price per badge is $30 plus $5 shipping.