How artists can get the most out of Patreon

Pledge fund The creator-orientated membership platform has seen some artists rack up big sums, but is there more to Patreon than money? Dom Carter investigates

The creator-orientated platform has seen some artists rack up big sums, but is there more to Patreon than money?

To many onlookers, Patreon can appear to be a numbers game. Artists who use the platform jockey for subscribers, and therefore funds, as part of a transaction for their work. As for the site itself, the statistics speak volumes. Set up five years ago, Patreon has sent over $150 millions to its creators, who in turn get to keep a staggering 90 per cent of received donations. The site has had an impact beyond these figures, though. Patreon has put creators back in the driver seat and freed them up to create more personal work. For many, it’s been the platform they’ve been waiting for. “I’d been dreaming of Patreon for 10 years before it existed,” explains Peter Mohrbacher, a fantasy illustrator whose passion had always lain in personal work. “After about seven years working in the games industry, I stopped seeking new employment because I wanted to pursue the dream of making a full-time living from my personal work. Not long after that, Patreon launched and I jumped right on board.”

Ploughing one’s own furrow

Thanks to Patreon, Peter’s able to do just that, as well as supporting his favourite artists and feeling more incentivised to create. “Right away, I got swept up in it and lost interest in making art for things like Magic: The Gathering.” Illustrator and artist

Wylie Beckert turned to Patreon out of

Michael Lim turned to the Patreon platform (https://ifxm.ag/ michael-l) after he struggled to find mentees elsewhere online. The support of Peter’s fans on Patreon “means I don’t need to act defensively when something doesn’t sell well or an opportunity falls through.”

Wylie Beckert released her first playing card deck, Wicked Kingdom, via Patreon (https://ifxm.ag/wylie-b).