Please Read: Important Patreon Changes / Wrist Problems

As many of you already know, I’ve been unable to draw now for 3 weeks due a wrist pain. I’m going to avoid sounding any dramatic because that’s not on me, but I don’t want to lie, it has been affecting me mentally, it has been due Roni (my boyfriend) and my local friends that I’ve kept my sanity and I’m truly grateful.

I can’t be more grateful with all of you, because your support also has helped me afford to not work for several weeks in order to alleviate my wrist issue.

What’s my wrist problem?

It was recently diagnosed by a traumatologist as “Round Pronator Syndrome”, a compression of a nerve in the forearm. Fortunately it is not that advanced so for now it can be fixed with treatment instead of a surgery: medicine, ointments, injections and….. more resting. (No drawing T__T )

If it keeps moving forward and it doesn’t recover as expected, then the topic of a surgery could be in the possibilities. But I really don’t want to get there.

So for now I’m avoiding as much as possible to use my phone, to use my desktop computer, using mainly my non-dominant hand and…. not drawing.

When am I going to draw again?

On a bright-side new, the doctor told me I’m going to be able to draw and paint again for sure, with or without a surgery. It may take some weeks after the recovery but I can keep doing it but in a very slow pace. It’s true that I was exaggerating a really lot, I wanted to get many drawings done a day, and work as fast as possible trying to clear up my queue, which was not healthy at all in any way.

But definitely I will draw again and I can’t wait for that to happen!

Let’s start with a change!

I’m a panda of my word, most of you know me very well, not only as the workaholic bear who was drawing with no stop, but that I really keep my promises. I may take ages to have one of my rewards done on time, but I always do. And I won’t let down all those who are already on my queue.

So I need to change all Patreon tiers on a way that is not unfair for any of you, nor for me and for good of my own health. Since I need to slow down my working pace once I resume my work again, I need to completely stop offering rewards at all until I had healed and I have finished that promised queue.

How will the changes be?

I’m reducing the Patreon tiers, there were so many and I had no idea what else to offer to each one of them, so instead of 10 tiers, I’m reducing them to only 6. You can check my Patreon front page to check them out, but I’ll be sending automated messages to each of those who are in their respective tiers.

I can’t delete tiers where people is already in (so… I can’t delete any tier for now), but if your tier is disappearing, I encourage you to move to downgrade to the previous tier.

I’m also modifying many tiers’ rewards, since I won’t be able to fulfill all the promises of drawings. For sure I can still offer Full Resolution Pictures, more especial activities with the Clubhouse, yearly Enamel Pins and Christmas Cards. All that is not disappearing, probably I will even increase those rewards. But promising more and more drawings was the thing was making me overwork. And since I need to slow down my pace, it was for sure it had to happen.

If you were here for the rewards your tier was offering you and it is changing not on your favor, I don’t blame you, I’m also supporting other creators here on Patreon because the rewards they offer me, so I will understand perfectly you stop supporting me, I won’t feel bad at all, I will be always so grateful with you for the support you gave me on this time!

Check the changes on rewards on my Patreon page or: https://www.patreon.com/pandapaco/membership 

What happened with all the Rewards I was not giving in all these past months?

I had told you many times on many previous journals here on Patreon that once I cleared up my queue, I was going to start taking the rewards that I was not taking due a pause I was giving at taking rewards. I don’t want to change things suddenly and forgetting about this.

So the lazy way (I’m not being lazy in purpose) is leaving you all a Google Survey, so you can fill what rewards I have to add on my queue for you, and I will add them eventually on my Trello board. I will trust you completely about this, you can check how long you’ve been supporting me and which reward I needed to do for you, I won’t question you, I will just trust you, as the same you have been trusting me all this time with your support.

So please, if you consider you need rewards from me, fill this survey:

—— https://forms.gle/6Kgwj7APpVqEeGpy5 —

And if you want to check my current queue, remember I have a Trello board link:

https://trello.com/b/W6ob94vS/patreon-rewards

If you have any question, don’t hesitate to send me a DM here on Patreon or a personal message on Telegram @Drawsbearywell (I may take some time to reply them since I’m avoiding using devices, but for sure I will)

So… What happens now?

For now I will keep resting my wrist, following the treatment, and trying to recover, because it really hurts me more not being able to draw, since it is one of the things I love the most in my life.

I will keep you updated, I prefer to keep things updated here on Patreon and in the Clubhouse than publicly, so my updates will be only around here. Also I will announce all of you when I finally resume drawing.

All of you who were supporting me for months or years already are credited with the current rewards I was offering until April 2023, and if it applies to you, you can go and request a reward that I didn’t give you. But from now, I will be offering the new rewards listed on the updated page on Patreon. Once I don’t have anyone on the tiers that are disappearing, I will delete them and I will only keep 6 tiers instead of 10. But I won’t be able to take new drawing rewards until I’m completely recovered and I clear completely my queue.

Another new that I can give you in advance is the new design for the Clubhouse Enamel Pins 2023!!!

Are already on production and next month I will start shipping them to all whose rewards apply and also for those who wants to purchase them, I will let you know in a future announcement how to get them!

Final Words

I feel very lucky to have you all, I can’t think how lucky I am that Patreon exists, that I have people who are willing to support my work, and I’m able to rest many weeks out of work with no economical worrying, I can’t think on another time on history where I could be able to have this privilege. I’m truly grateful with all of you! You’re the very best!!

But I know that money doesn’t grow on trees and many of you were here because rewards, so I will understand perfectly and I won’t feel bad if you decide to stop supporting me due these changes, I will be eternally grateful with you anyway for the time you decided to support me.

*panda hugs*

Paco.