Hello dear readers!
Well this feels a little bit different, to be sure. However, not in a bad way at all.
Indeed, this latest issue of the Penflower Post – its 100th, no less! – comes to you not from Patreon, but from my freshly rebuilt and updated website. More on that below, as well as the latest updates, news and art.
New Website Launched: A Platform of My Own!
First of all I want to give a shout-out to my wonderful partner who did a fantastic job building this new website and teaching me how to use it. She also deserves and extra special thank you for ensuring the email-subscription-blog-updates plug in functions correctly. Who would have guessed setting up a working newsletter would involve the most faff?
Nevertheless, she did it!
While sending out the newsletter via Patreon worked well enough (and didn’t cost me anything), I am super excited to be able to publish it on a platform of my own.
As long-time readers will already know, I have spent the past couple of years trying to use as few social media platforms as possible to get my art and work out there. Aside from their designs usually being incompatible with my own mental health, they are at the end of the day, subject to the whim of tech-bros and corpos.
Why, within less than a year of joining bluesky I have seen them capitulate to the transphobic and islamophobic minority in much the same way that the site formerly known as twitter did.
As much as I really enjoy using itchio, that platform also has its fair share of issues – the recent de-listing of all NSFW content in order to appease the payment processors, for example. As such, I will also be selling a selection of my games via the new website as well.
One particularly nifty feature is that via my shop you can select whether to purchase just the digital version of Stravagante: Gigante or SQUISH, or both digital and printed versions together!
Suffice to say I am incredibly happy with the new website. It feels professional while also having a distinct… “penflower-y-ness” to it. If you haven’t already, have a look around it yourself: I hope you like it!
Nature-themed Modular Character Sheet Assets: Printable Version Now Available!
In the previous issue I shared my latest expansion to the Modular Character Sheet.
As of this weekend, both the digital asset pack and its printable version are both also available on my shop.
Pictured above: two photos of sample character sheets made using the printable nature-themed assets. The assets include leaves, flowers, vines, flower pots, fruits, vegetables and more.
New Monthly Art Assets on Patreon: Cryptids & Critters!
Just in case you didn’t already know, every month I publish a set of themed TTRPG art assets over on my Patreon. The theme is usually decided via member poll and all the assets are available for both personal and commercial use (with attribution). Lower tier patrons get a character vignette while higher tier patrons also get an asset pack.
This latest set’s theme was “more creatures”. To increase their usefulness, I try to make these assets as varied as possible while still keeping to the chosen theme: I try to include multiple genres, such as fantasy, horror, sci-fi and comic book.
This time, that meant including some forest animal adventurers, eldritch abominations and some teenage mutant ninja turtle style animal-human mutates!
Pictured above: three black & white work-in-progress photos showcasing some of the new art assets.
New Patreon Tier: More Options for TTRPG Creators!
Something else that’s new on the Patreon: I have added a new limited tier, specifically for monthly commissions that can be used for commercial use with attribution.
Up until now there was just the Doodle Gallery tier, which got pledged patrons a monthly simple character portrait commission – or “doodle” – for personal use.
This new tier – The Commercial Use Doodle Gallery – affords the same benefit, but with added commercial use availability.
As well as offering more support options for prospective Patrons, I want to provide options to TTRPG creators who might otherwise decide not to include art in their projects. Or worse, resort to using plagiarism-machine-generated slop.
You can check out my Patreon membership options here.
Another New Adventure: A Visit to TO Play!
This Saturday the 13th I will be visiting TO Play, a TTRPG and board game fair in Turin!
After joining the EUPhoria and Lost Bay communities, I am keen to meet and potentially get to know even more Europe-based TTRPG people.
I learned about this event too late to see about tabling or selling, but I will be taking some home-made business cards with me just in case I get to chatting with anyone (see below).
Pictured above: some of my new home-made business cards! The reverse side is blank, so I can draw a little custom sketch on them if people like.
Just for Fun Project: A House Crest!
I have now done a few medieval heraldry-style crests and coats-of-arms, for family, friends and myself.
I enjoy looking up the various symbols for reference, learning about their various meanings, and the challenge of drawing new symbols that still maintain the same aesthetic and feel.
This week I decided to finalise a design for my wife and I’s new home, with symbols and colours that best represent us, our values and interests. Behold… the Crest of Pigganbee!
Pictured above: the House of Pigganbee crest. The pig represents both our love of the animal and our beloved pig soft toy/plushie called Poppy. The dice represent both our appreciation of any good luck we have had so far, and our love for TTRPGs and board games. The poppy and marigold flowers are my wife and I’s birth month flowers respectively – and also just happen to be two of our favourite flowers. The bumblebees are symbols of creativity and industry, as well another one of our favourite animals. The motto, “Aliquando Aliquid Cogitabimus” means “eventually we will think of something”.
This was a lot of fun to design and put together, and I would love to do more.
If you like the look of this and would like a similar crest or coat of arms for your family/club/organisation/RPG group, get in touch via the commissions page of my website!
Media Spotlight!
As usual, I’ll round off the issue with a list of cool, entertaining and interesting links to share.
- Check out this incredibly simple and accessible miniature skermish game designed by YouTuber Nubmark, that can be played with any miniatures on a regular 8×8 chessboard (or equivalent).
- JER from Skatune Network’s latest Ska cover: Dragon Roost Island from the Legend of Zelda: Wind Waker. I have never played that game, but I love this rendition of the tune!
- More music: I have been re-listening to TWRP’s latest album, The Longest Weekend, almost every day since it came out. The whole album – and in particular my favourite track, “Stargazer” – is dedicated to Starcadian, who recently passed.
- Check out fellow EUPhoria-naut Ayfa’s new link page: she is an Irish writer, TTRPG-performer, and voice actor based in Switzerland.
AP Cartography is will be hosting a Cosy Whimsical Fantasy Jam! I don’t know if I will have anything new in time to submit, but I joined anyway! check it out here! - And of course, last but not least, some Positive Leftist News from August!
That’s all for this week!
As always, thank you so much for reading.
One last reminder that if you feel like supporting my work, you can buy something from my website or itchio, join my Patreon as a paying member, or commission me.
If none of the above are doable for you, please consider spreading the word about my work to your friends!
New subscribers to the Penflower Post get a special discount code to use in the shop, as a thank you.
Until next time,
– Penflower
*technically speaking, since the “www” is gone, the website does have a new URL. The more you know!
