Dusting Off The Blog

Sorry that the blog has been so slow lately, but as I keep parroting around here, work, personal schedules, etc. have been chaotic to say the least. I didn't know it when I did it, but pushing the strip back to 3 days a week at the beginning of the year probably saved my sanity, maybe my health, and definitely the comic itself.

I am working on a handful of projects for the site. Here's a sneak peek:

1) The New Character portraits are almost done.
In fact, they may be up on the site before this weekend is over. I'm pretty pleased with how they are turning out. They reflect the evolution of my drawing ability and show that my coloring/painting skills are improving. Not only will these portraits feature the new cast arrangement (!) they will also be used in advertising on other websites which I hope will be effective.

2) The first piece of official Suburban Tribe merchandise is on my drawing board.
I am talking about an 8 x 10 full-color matte-finish print of Haley Bhairavi. This is a mock "promotional photo" of Haley for her 2005 concert tour, and will feature "Haley's" autograph in silver ink. I managed to find a printer who can run these prints on demand for an incredible rate. I've done a couple of test runs, and I can tell you that the quality is spectacular. You will be able to purchase it from this site via Paypal for a very fair price. Look for it before August.

3) The first bi-annual Suburban Tribe pledge drive is coming.
I have always been uncomfortable with the idea of posting a donation link on the site. I thought I would wait and implement BitPass tech instead, but that doesn't seem to be going anywhere, either. So I've taken a page from NPR's book and come up with what I think is a happy medium. Starting in late August/early September, I will have a donation link on the site for two weeks only. During that time, anyone who donates above a certain amount will receive a free print that will only be available during the two-week pledge drive. This print will feature original Suburban Tribe art and will not be for sale after the two-week period. Ever! If the response to the first pledge drive goes well, I'll do it again six months later, offering yet another unique print.

More blog later, I have some artsy-fartsy links I want to share.