2019 goals and new tier plans 本年度目標與獎勵調整

Two of my primary goals in 2019:
2019年的兩大目標：

** 1 fully rendered illustration every month (start from March) **
** 每月一幅含完整光影處理的灰階插畫(從本月開始) **
For now there's still no good sample of what it will be like, you can refer to this testing WIP to get some ideas, or wait for me finishing this work this month:
目前還沒有完成的例子(汗)，前數週我先做了個測試截圖貼在下方，或是各位可以先等我完成本月的插畫：One of my dreams is to publish an artbook collecting my illustrations (it will take years to achieve). And I've also been asked by many for it. Unfortunately, most of my illustrations are rough or unfinished so it is important to build a monthly routine and push myself to fulfill this dream.
我常被問究竟什麼時候才要出個人插畫集，是說我確實很想出，但目前的插畫稿量和完成度都不夠，幸好經過數月嘗試後，我終於得到比較穩定的製稿流程，因此我決定把完成至少一幅完整插畫排入每月固定行程。

** Finish DanCre fan book before the end of 2019 **
** 在今年年底之前完成蛋朵同人誌 **
Starting from 2014 I have published DanCre fan books but those stories are not finished yet, and during these years new ideas continued to pop out and conflict with each other, and I've been struggling to figure out how to draw them as manga format. I still want to make a book as a closure, and then I can concentrate to continue on my own project.
是說從2014年開始，我開始畫起蛋朵本，不單是期待的人不多，我完成它的能力也不夠，於是掙扎數年至今遲遲無法完成他們的故事。本想乾脆跨出去開始做自創，但一顆心還是懸在這個主題上，沒有畫出個結果就很難再踏出下一步。

It's hard to monetize fan works on the internet, and DanCre has been always a topic accepted by little. My time, resource and ability are limited for doing so, but it's harder to leave my all time favorite topic unfinished and disappoint my precious fans who also adore them. I'll give this challenge another 8 months and hopefully, by the end of 2019, you will see me finishing their story.
不得不說我對這個CP的愛非常自不量力，我的時間、資源和能力有限，得到的迴響也不可能多熱烈，況且在網路上發表衍生同人作品可以說是毫無保障。但我也發現把它拋諸腦後原來比繼續完成它更困難，畢竟他們一直是我最喜歡的主題。所以我決定在今年結束之前、撥出最後八個月來完成它，也算是給仍在關注的讀者們一個交代。

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Some thoughts for my patreon:
經營Patreon的新方針：

** Streaming all the process of painting on youtube **
** 在Youtube上實況繪製灰階插畫的過程 **
Recently I found doing streams makes me waste less time and it might be a way to boost my speed. It also frees me from not having enough storage for recording footages.
最近發現、計畫性地定時錄製實況似乎可以讓我更有效運用工作時間，而且也不用愁沒有足夠的硬碟空間存放這些影片。

** Focus on creating works, quality over quantity **
** 專注於作品本身的理念而非數量 **
For the latest year, I've acknowledged that there is karma for trying to do exclusive content and staying in a small group. Speed, catching up with trending, trying to be entertaining, and running an engaging community might never be my strong suit, and thus it's obvious to see the growth on my Patreon is running to its bottleneck.
提升速度、趕流行、營造與粉絲間的互動熱度等似乎就是提升P專收入的不二法門，不如說不管到哪裡這幾招都能讓你吃得很開。目前營運P專近一年的我也發現──我一點都不擅長經營它(汗)。不單收入成長早已進入瓶頸期，也落入了一個必須花許多時間待在小圈圈裡、無法與更大的群體互動與成長的陷阱裡。

After all, concentrating on 'what content I care the most' is the thing that matters as an artist, rather than being an entertainer. It seems there will be a price which I'm unwilling to pay if those sub/income numbers become my primary consideration. As long as I still have supporters, Patreon will always be my biggest motivation to create, despite how those numbers will grow.
雖說目前許多創作者的經營模式更趨近於藝人或網紅，但發布作品其「本身的內容是否與我的理念相契合」其實才是我一直想追求的核心，如果不論如何嘗試都發現難以兼顧，那麼我只會選擇後者。當然啦選擇後者的代價多半是我的P專成長會繼續瓶頸下去甚至於萎縮，但只消還有人繼續支持我，這個地方與各位的關注仍會是我繼續創作與進步的最大動力。

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New plan of tier rewards:
新的獎勵與調整：

** Public content **
** 公開的內容 **
New: Streaming records on youtube. A time-lapse video of the whole process once the work is done. I'll post the streaming schedule on my Patreon weekly.
新增：我會在Youtube上實況插畫稿繪製過程。當插畫完成後會再將全程編輯為一支倍速播放的影片(倍速值將視影片總長度而定)。我會每週在Patreon上公開預定的實況開放時間。

** Tier $1 一鎂會員 **
Still the same, this tier is a tip jar. Plus access to polls.
照舊只是個收小費用的罈子，可以參與投票，雖然我很少辦投票orz

** Tier $2 二鎂會員 **
All Tier $1 rewards. Plus:
所有一鎂會員的獎勵，再追加：
Fully rendered illustration every month: 150dpi, time-limited, download from DM.
Canceled: Process photos. Since you will directly see the streams on my youtube channel :D  Also I found most viewer online are more interested in tutorials of starting level which is not what I am offering, and I don't plan to be an educator. I'm still willing to share my thoughts through streams, and you can directly ask me in the live chat, comment or community page.
Occasionally (not monthly reward): Brushes, doodles, tutorials, some concepts or works that I want to temporarily hide from the public.
每月一幅含完整光影處理的灰階插畫：150dpi解析度，下載點透過私訊傳送，載點存活期限是一個月。
取消獎勵：過程截圖。畢竟都有公開實況了應該是會比看截圖和解說更直覺好懂啦，之所以取消這獎勵其實也是發現多數人只對入門程度的教學有興趣，我的過程解說可能不太適合想入門CG的粉絲。如果有需要我解說的地方，各位也可以直接透過聊天室、留言板或在community頁面發問。
不定時獎勵 (非每月固定，僅在有的時候才會提供)：筆刷檔、塗鴉、教學、一些暫時不打算公開的概念或未完成作品。 

** Tier $5 五鎂會員 **
All Tier $1 & $2 rewards. Plus:
所有一&二鎂會員的獎勵，再追加：
Fully rendered illustration every month: 300dpi, time-limited, download from DM. The 150dpi version will remain accessible on tier $5 post for 6 months.
每月一幅含完整光影處理的灰階插畫：300dpi解析度，下載點透過私訊傳送，載點存活期限是一個月。150dpi版本載點則以文章附件型式發表在Patreon上，附件存活期限是六個月。

** Tier $30 三十鎂會員獎勵 **
All Tier $1, $2, $5 rewards. Plus:
所有一&二&五鎂會員的獎勵，再追加：
All illustration packs and all fully rendered illustration rewards (150dpi) will always remain accessible on tier $30 post.
( Remember to change your tier after downloading the rewards, if you don't want to pay $30 every month )
所有插畫包以及含完整光影處理的灰階插畫：150dpi解析度，載點則以文章附件型式發表在Patreon上，沒有下載期限。
(如果不打算每月都支付30鎂，請記得在下載獎勵之後修改會員等級)

P.S. I will resume charging monthly after the said illustration being finished in March. My old patrons still have time to make decisions of staying or canceling pledge before paying me for the March patronage.
註：我會等到本月的插畫完稿之後才重啟扣款系統，所有舊會員在這之前都可以考慮是否要繼續給予贊助。

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TL;DR:
題外話，不夠閒不用看：
Actually, indie/fanart publishment market is already flourishing in my homeland and most of the artists here never have the need to interact with the outside world. (You can imagine our doujinshi/anime market is similar to Japan.) But my works and publishing speed are not appealing enough to those people who enjoy localized or trending content, and as a creator for more than a decade it's not hard to see the pattern of focusing on entertaining a smaller group, it does give an artist more stable income and lifestyle but eventually the preference of a certain group will shape the content they want to see.
是說華文圈可能有不少作者對於英文圈同人市場抱著憧憬，但不得不說、就同人市場與創作環境來說，其實台灣早就是頂級友善，便宜安全穩定又自由，如果在這邊已經待得很開心，基本不需要考慮去開拓其他語系的市場(但又話說，數年之後的中國政府究竟會對華文創作圈帶來什麼影響其實也是個很大的隱憂)。那叭子為什麼很矛盾地還想經營海外粉絲圈？說來話長，數年來我個人感覺得自己的喜好與傾向不管到哪都格格不入，似乎唯有接觸更廣大的人群才有機會推銷自己，也能得到更多不同的刺激以及向外學習的機會。矛盾地是專注於在小群體內經營、跟隨群體的規則走，其實更能為一個創作者帶來穩定的營收與生活型態，但代價便是、這個小群體將會決定其所支持的作品的面貌。

To sums up, I am going to find my creation very predictable if I choose this path, and my creation will become less inspiring (to me at least) and falling away as time goes on. Recently I've found it's also the same on Patreon or you can say such a pattern is just universal. But I'll lose the point by following it on Patreon because it's a lot easier to do exactly the same in Taiwan, where there is already a mature market and I never need to worry about adapting to foreign languages and cultures.
簡言之，假如選擇從善如流，我的創作走向會變得越來越容易預測，我將越來越難從創作之中找到靈感和動力。最近我感到經營Patreon其實也就是這麼一回事，又或者說這個模式基本全球都通用。假如我開始在Patreon上走起這個模式，那我還不如就乾脆待在台灣粉絲圈，絕對比跑出去用不熟悉的語言和不熟悉的文化交流還輕鬆得多。

After all, this is not what I want so I decided to try a different path. Doesn't mean I'm good at it though, and I'm still struggling for the ability to gain the freedom to create. I'm very lucky to still have supporters to this day despite being an unstable creator for a long time. I'll keep improving and learning to achieve better goals. Thank you, my supporters! :)
不想遵循這個模式的我一直在想是否還有別的模式可走，但最大的問題不在他人、其實是在於我能力很有限。身為一個數年來無法維持穩定步調的半吊子創作者，至今還能保有不少支持者(即便還是很難糊口)已經是非常幸運。只要還有保留創作自由的可能性、我就會不斷嘗試學習與自我改進，在這邊也感謝各位的耐心與支持！