people still comment on my pins video that they're sad they missed 'em... WELL YOU DIDN'T! They're still available! Check 'em out! ericawester.bigcartel.com/
[[the following post is copied from Patreon, dated Nov 9, 2022 at 4:36 PM. Apologies for not sharing it here sooner, but I felt I needed to prioritize patrons first, and then I got swept up in the holidays, traveling, and moving shortly thereafter. Anyway, here you go]]
Hey guys! So I don't think I've made a proper post about this yet, but I had an epiphany recently that I just need to post W2H2 once I feel like I've gotten to that "good enough" point.
What the film will be: That means it won't be fully cleaned, colored, and composited -- some of it is just gonna be roughs, like the GIFs I've been posting here, but with completed backgrounds! (You'd be surprised how much legwork these backgrounds are doing, so major props to Claire Duffy on that front!) There's still plenty of work to be done on it before I post it, don't get me wrong. But now I have a more clear idea of what my goal is and what to aim for. I'm still planning on posting it in 3 separate parts, so people can have fun speculating about it in between uploads. It'll feel like little episodes, and I'm excited about that. It's also easier for me to complete if I break it up that way! The Epiphany: I wont go into the whole epiphany, but the gist is I don't want my passion for it to turn into a burden. A lot has changed in my artist journey in the 6 or 7 years since I started it: my relationship with the industry, with the way I make art, and the way I share my art. And if I continue working on it the way I envisioned it when I started it, I'll be placing this big, dumb weight on my shoulders for no reason.
Setting It Free: I know it's a little disappointing that the film wont be fully polished and finished-looking, So once I get to a point where I feel like my vision will be communicated well enough, I'm just gonna' post it. (I mean, it worked for the first film!) I think I need to allow myself to let go of W2H2 in order to let Welcome to Hell continue. I'm still passionate about Welcome to Hell, I still love these characters and I want to share this story. And while I'm not sure what that continuation is going to look like, I do know that making this particular film is going to turn that passion into a burden. And I think the way to fix that is by setting it free.
What Really Matters: When I really think about the art that I want to make, it's stories and characters that people connect with. I've never really cared if it was perfect. I've never really cared if it was polished. I've only ever cared that people are able to connect with it. And the only way that'll happen is if I put it out there.
The Good News: The good news is that y'all will be able to see W2H2 sooner rather than later, haha! I think you guys will really enjoy W2H2, and I'm so excited to share it with you and see where it goes. Who knows what could happen? Only one way to find out.
Anyway, thanks for sticking with me through all of this, you guys have always been nothing but kind and supportive to me, I hope you're enjoying the art I've been sharing, and I really hope you'll enjoy what's to come!
Mkay, so if I did a 420k Q&A video, do you guys have any questions for me? It seems like my last post got a few responses already, so I figured I'd make a proper one.
I started on a 300k Q&A video last year but let it fall to the wayside 'cause I didn't like the way it was coming out. So if you asked a question back then, don't worry, I'd be including those questions as well! But also if you're new, or if you have another question, feel free to ask!
And, just to get ahead of it -- yes, I'm still working on W2H2. It's going to be posted once I've hit my breaking point, haha. So it'll still have a lot of the "rough" animation (like what I post on my Patreon, but with BGs!), and not all of it will be cleaned/colored. But I've got a "close enough" goalpost that I'd like to hit before I upload. So, yeah, it's coming whenever I'm done with it.
In the meantime, if you have any other questions, let 'em rip in the comments!
Hey guys! SO it's been about a year since I last posted. I'm still working on W2H2, and I'm currently working on editing that 300K Q&A video!
I know it's kind of eerie that my radio silence here lined up perfectly with the advent of COVID, and I was starting to notice comments where y'all were concerned about me, so I just want to assure you guys that I am, in fact, not dead. To be perfectly honest I just haven't been in the mood for youtubing with all of this going on. I was ALSO gonna' try to stream more often in 2020, and I think I streamed...exactly twice...? Since last March?
I moved into a house with my girlfriend and a bunch of my animation friends right before quarantine started, so we've ALL been working from home, and streaming or recording video in a house full of other people with real jobs felt kind of rude, especially since my workspace is in a communal area where I'm not the only one working. (And my bedroom is where my GF's workspace is at the moment!) There's really a whole cocktail of reasons I didn't step up and become the Youtuber I softly vowed I'd become in 2020, and I don't think anyone will hold that against me given the circumstances. The 300K Q&A video I'm working on was actually filmed in my car! Haha.
Another update you guys should know about: I'm working on transferring this channel to a ~Brand Account~. Back when I created this channel for my school-work in 2010, I couldn't have possibly known that Youtube was going to be a regular part of my life, online presence, or INCOME in 2020. And the school-owned .edu account associated with this channel is going to be deactivated in May. Transferring this channel SHOULD be a pretty smooth operation, but I'm also not 100% sure what's going to happen. The fact that it's a school-owned account means it has different permissions, so I'm working with the school administration to get it sorted out. I'm hoping there will be minimal damage in the process, and nothing major, like accidentally losing all of my subscribers, views, or god forbid the whole fuckin' account. If you check back here one day and it looks like something has gone awry, at least you'll know what happened.
Anyway, I wanted to give you guys an update and let you know there's another vid on the way, and W2H2 is still in progress. Hope everyone's staying safe! Thanks for hanging in there with me. See you soon!
Hey guys! There's something I want to talk about, and I JUST remembered Youtube has a "create a post" feature.
So I got this comment the other day and I can't stop thinking about it. This person very politely put me on blast, asking why I haven't done more with Welcome to Hell since it's release, and opining that the more time passes, the higher the bar of expectations is set, and the harder it will be to keep people's interest, in earnest.
And I thought it deserved a proper response, because really no one knows what I've been up to for the last 5 years. If you follow me on other social media, you know I'm much more interactive, but I get the feeling that my followers on Youtube are pretty in-the-dark about me.
Now, that's admittedly been intentional; I want to keep my personal life private, for the most part. I don't feel like I owe anyone an explanation, but at the same time, if W2H is what I'm pursuing, and W2H lives on Youtube, and most of my followers are on Youtube... then I do feel like it's in my best interest to give you guys a little bit of context for what I've been up to since 2013.
SO I'd like to make a video about it, where I elaborate a bit more on your questions about me and Welcome to Hell, WHILE I'M WORKING ON W2H2, so I can fill you all in without detracting from actually working on it. Plus, you guys will get a little peek at the process!
IN LIGHTER NEWS: I'm coming up on 300k subscribers, guys!!! I'm considering doing a Q & A, so if you've got a question for me that you've always wondered, feel free to comment it down below! It can be anything!
.... [SMASH CUT to my Q & A video, which is just me answering variations of "where is W2H2" for an hour and 45 minutes]
Anyway, talk to you soon! Thanks guys. -Erica
PS: I should be using this post feature more often to communicate with you guys! I realize it's kind of ridiculous for my first NON-VIDEO post to be like "hey guys, I wanna' talk about something.... IN A VIDEO I'M PLANNING ON MAKING!" But here we are.
Erica Wester
Erica Wester
people still comment on my pins video that they're sad they missed 'em... WELL YOU DIDN'T! They're still available! Check 'em out!
ericawester.bigcartel.com/
1 month ago | [YT] | 3,297
View 39 replies
Erica Wester
Welcome to Hell Enamel Pins are BACK from the dead!!!
You can get yours now, in my new Big Cartel shop!
ericawester.bigcartel.com/
Or if for some reason you're not sold, check out my review:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bE4JW...
Available until I run out and have to order more!
8 months ago | [YT] | 4,514
View 118 replies
Erica Wester
UPDATE! On posting W2H2.
[[the following post is copied from Patreon, dated Nov 9, 2022 at 4:36 PM. Apologies for not sharing it here sooner, but I felt I needed to prioritize patrons first, and then I got swept up in the holidays, traveling, and moving shortly thereafter. Anyway, here you go]]
Hey guys! So I don't think I've made a proper post about this yet, but I had an epiphany recently that I just need to post W2H2 once I feel like I've gotten to that "good enough" point.
What the film will be:
That means it won't be fully cleaned, colored, and composited -- some of it is just gonna be roughs, like the GIFs I've been posting here, but with completed backgrounds! (You'd be surprised how much legwork these backgrounds are doing, so major props to Claire Duffy on that front!) There's still plenty of work to be done on it before I post it, don't get me wrong. But now I have a more clear idea of what my goal is and what to aim for. I'm still planning on posting it in 3 separate parts, so people can have fun speculating about it in between uploads. It'll feel like little episodes, and I'm excited about that. It's also easier for me to complete if I break it up that way!
The Epiphany:
I wont go into the whole epiphany, but the gist is I don't want my passion for it to turn into a burden. A lot has changed in my artist journey in the 6 or 7 years since I started it: my relationship with the industry, with the way I make art, and the way I share my art. And if I continue working on it the way I envisioned it when I started it, I'll be placing this big, dumb weight on my shoulders for no reason.
Setting It Free:
I know it's a little disappointing that the film wont be fully polished and finished-looking, So once I get to a point where I feel like my vision will be communicated well enough, I'm just gonna' post it. (I mean, it worked for the first film!) I think I need to allow myself to let go of W2H2 in order to let Welcome to Hell continue. I'm still passionate about Welcome to Hell, I still love these characters and I want to share this story. And while I'm not sure what that continuation is going to look like, I do know that making this particular film is going to turn that passion into a burden. And I think the way to fix that is by setting it free.
What Really Matters:
When I really think about the art that I want to make, it's stories and characters that people connect with. I've never really cared if it was perfect. I've never really cared if it was polished. I've only ever cared that people are able to connect with it. And the only way that'll happen is if I put it out there.
The Good News:
The good news is that y'all will be able to see W2H2 sooner rather than later, haha! I think you guys will really enjoy W2H2, and I'm so excited to share it with you and see where it goes. Who knows what could happen? Only one way to find out.
Anyway, thanks for sticking with me through all of this, you guys have always been nothing but kind and supportive to me, I hope you're enjoying the art I've been sharing, and I really hope you'll enjoy what's to come!
2 years ago | [YT] | 2,023
View 70 replies
Erica Wester
Mkay, so if I did a 420k Q&A video, do you guys have any questions for me? It seems like my last post got a few responses already, so I figured I'd make a proper one.
I started on a 300k Q&A video last year but let it fall to the wayside 'cause I didn't like the way it was coming out. So if you asked a question back then, don't worry, I'd be including those questions as well! But also if you're new, or if you have another question, feel free to ask!
And, just to get ahead of it -- yes, I'm still working on W2H2. It's going to be posted once I've hit my breaking point, haha. So it'll still have a lot of the "rough" animation (like what I post on my Patreon, but with BGs!), and not all of it will be cleaned/colored. But I've got a "close enough" goalpost that I'd like to hit before I upload. So, yeah, it's coming whenever I'm done with it.
In the meantime, if you have any other questions, let 'em rip in the comments!
2 years ago | [YT] | 606
View 56 replies
Erica Wester
YOOOOOOO.... 420 Q&A live-blaze, anyone? ((Sorry this is the first thing I've posted in like a year, I'm still alive.))
2 years ago | [YT] | 1,014
View 61 replies
Erica Wester
Hey guys! SO it's been about a year since I last posted. I'm still working on W2H2, and I'm currently working on editing that 300K Q&A video!
I know it's kind of eerie that my radio silence here lined up perfectly with the advent of COVID, and I was starting to notice comments where y'all were concerned about me, so I just want to assure you guys that I am, in fact, not dead. To be perfectly honest I just haven't been in the mood for youtubing with all of this going on. I was ALSO gonna' try to stream more often in 2020, and I think I streamed...exactly twice...? Since last March?
I moved into a house with my girlfriend and a bunch of my animation friends right before quarantine started, so we've ALL been working from home, and streaming or recording video in a house full of other people with real jobs felt kind of rude, especially since my workspace is in a communal area where I'm not the only one working. (And my bedroom is where my GF's workspace is at the moment!) There's really a whole cocktail of reasons I didn't step up and become the Youtuber I softly vowed I'd become in 2020, and I don't think anyone will hold that against me given the circumstances. The 300K Q&A video I'm working on was actually filmed in my car! Haha.
Another update you guys should know about: I'm working on transferring this channel to a ~Brand Account~. Back when I created this channel for my school-work in 2010, I couldn't have possibly known that Youtube was going to be a regular part of my life, online presence, or INCOME in 2020. And the school-owned .edu account associated with this channel is going to be deactivated in May. Transferring this channel SHOULD be a pretty smooth operation, but I'm also not 100% sure what's going to happen. The fact that it's a school-owned account means it has different permissions, so I'm working with the school administration to get it sorted out. I'm hoping there will be minimal damage in the process, and nothing major, like accidentally losing all of my subscribers, views, or god forbid the whole fuckin' account. If you check back here one day and it looks like something has gone awry, at least you'll know what happened.
Anyway, I wanted to give you guys an update and let you know there's another vid on the way, and W2H2 is still in progress. Hope everyone's staying safe! Thanks for hanging in there with me. See you soon!
4 years ago | [YT] | 1,791
View 49 replies
Erica Wester
Hey guys! There's something I want to talk about, and I JUST remembered Youtube has a "create a post" feature.
So I got this comment the other day and I can't stop thinking about it. This person very politely put me on blast, asking why I haven't done more with Welcome to Hell since it's release, and opining that the more time passes, the higher the bar of expectations is set, and the harder it will be to keep people's interest, in earnest.
And I thought it deserved a proper response, because really no one knows what I've been up to for the last 5 years. If you follow me on other social media, you know I'm much more interactive, but I get the feeling that my followers on Youtube are pretty in-the-dark about me.
Now, that's admittedly been intentional; I want to keep my personal life private, for the most part. I don't feel like I owe anyone an explanation, but at the same time, if W2H is what I'm pursuing, and W2H lives on Youtube, and most of my followers are on Youtube... then I do feel like it's in my best interest to give you guys a little bit of context for what I've been up to since 2013.
SO I'd like to make a video about it, where I elaborate a bit more on your questions about me and Welcome to Hell, WHILE I'M WORKING ON W2H2, so I can fill you all in without detracting from actually working on it. Plus, you guys will get a little peek at the process!
IN LIGHTER NEWS: I'm coming up on 300k subscribers, guys!!! I'm considering doing a Q & A, so if you've got a question for me that you've always wondered, feel free to comment it down below! It can be anything!
....
[SMASH CUT to my Q & A video, which is just me answering variations of "where is W2H2" for an hour and 45 minutes]
Anyway, talk to you soon!
Thanks guys.
-Erica
PS:
I should be using this post feature more often to communicate with you guys! I realize it's kind of ridiculous for my first NON-VIDEO post to be like "hey guys, I wanna' talk about something.... IN A VIDEO I'M PLANNING ON MAKING!" But here we are.
5 years ago | [YT] | 1,227
View 46 replies