I found an envelope in my mail pile from someone who asked me to draw them a toaster. The envelope included a blank piece of paper, maybe a blank card of some kind. I had forgotten about it, apparently in August of 2020 someone e-mailed me asking if I'd draw a toaster for them, because they collect drawings of toasters. For some reason, I said I would. I stopped agreeing to draw freebies for folks a few years ago through the mail. I don't get a ton of requests, but enough to cost me time and money and impact my schedule. Because I don't scribble something quick and send it back, and because I'm not a fast artist and because my issues cause me to spend time on things. Anyway, this is what I drew for someone. And I got a Patreon post out of it.
I still do "quick" freebies at cons, which I try to do quickly, but I tend to get anxious about them and spend more time on them than planned. I always draw for kids if asked. Kids always get a drawing. Kids get a drawing even if I'm not sketching because of the arm thing. I love drawing for kids. Unfortunately, I'm not doing any conventions anytime soon, for obvious reasons. No shows have contacted me since the pandemic started. Rose City invited me last year, I was going to fly out to Portland but everything was (wisely) shut down. I was bummed because I've never been to Portland, and a lot of people I know were attending, including Benjamin Dewey (who I haven't met in person) and a lot of Dark Horse folks. Also, Veronica and Andy Fish were going to be guests, we were going to promote Blackwood: The Mourning After, DHC even made banners for the event. They didn't invite me this year, but the Fishes were guests. Oh, well. I wouldn't have gone because of Covid, but it would have been nice to have been asked.
I haven't set up at a con since mid-2018, after taking 2019 off and then everything being canceled. That's like a lifetime for me, I've been going to conventions as a fan and as then a pro since I was 13 years old (going alone to Creation Star Trek and comic book cons in Manhattan, nowadays they'd have arrested my mother for neglect or something). Someday I'll write some stuff about my first conventions. I don't remember all that much, but I remember a few things that might be of interest. Only two involve personal shame and bad behavior. Yes, even at 13..
Anyway, here's Milk & Cheese setting Milton the Toaster on fire.
Back to the commissions! Will be posting a few drawings here pretty soon.