February's poll result ! "Orphanage" theme won by one vote :o !

Yahoo! I was tempted to go with Thieves when I first considered the poll, but the orphans needed attention! All of the subjects are tempting to be honest and will hopefully someday make the cut. I would prefer a mix of races and some mixing of ages if possible. Of course not every race represented has to have every age. Not that you don't have enough work to do as it is - maybe one or two "mixed" races where reasonable?

Kevin Walker

Woohoo! Different races would be swell! I can't wait to see your ideas on my tabletop! The kids will go nuts for the kids. XD

Jimmy Trinket

I'm glad they sell in your shop. I guess I have different clientele. From experience I can tell you they don't sell for me. And I'll admit when I'm wrong. I was upset about another patreon that started doing nonstop cutesy anthropomorphic fighters/monks/etc. But they finally started selling. Not great but enough. Things like this just sit on the digital shelf. And while I agree with the sentiment on inclusivity, one thing you're forgetting is these are orphans not adventurers! I would LOVE a month of different race/gender/class adventurers. The young aspiring adventurer tiefling from May sells just fine. But if I give my kid a mini of a kid in ragged clothes holding an empty bowl I don't see her wanting to use that for her PC.

Chris Wade

Ahh classes not sure for now, as it's an orphanage ! It could be a new theme though, adventurers kids!

I would like an imaginary friend, that might not be so imaginary. Something properly creepy.

Adam Randall

I will personally be printing these kids because most of my combat encounters recently have been in cities, mainly in markets, or back alleys, or chases through townhouses. I think a lot of people's RPG combats are built in a vacuum; combat starts and suddenly it's like a Final Fantasy cutaway where it's just the party and the opponents. I tend to try and keep my encounters more organic and "real".. and to do that, I want merchants behind their stalls risking a crossbow bolt to hurl an apple at a bandit in support of the party, or a crowd failing to scatter in time and get in the way of melee, or... as it happens, a handful of urchins huddled in a deadend alley. Perhaps one of the fleeing bandits grabs one as a hostage, or maybe they're huddled back there counting coin purses, including one of the party members. Bar wenches don't sell because they're unnecessary in 99% of encounters.. but just one tavern brawl and suddenly you'll be glad for them running around the taproom. Additionally, this era of RPG gaming has become extremely inclusive, to the point where many parents who grew up with D&D are introducing it to their own children. And those children need characters to identify with. If you don't think children minis sell, then you're clearly not aware of the Wardlings setting or the huge line of Wizkid miniatures provided for it. I recommend checking them out before shirking children minis as unsellable. Oh.. and fwiw, I work in a FLGS and can confirm they sell just fine.

I'd like more humans if possible, can't wait to see what you'll create !

When I was complaining to my wife about the orphanage she mentioned that some people might want it for reasons other than rpg's, which makes sense. My problem is while I'm an artist, I'm a capitalist first. I sell strictly online and what sells is what people search for. My store sells a plethora of different styles from different artists. I have artsy items that tend to focus more on the strong topless female types, some on giant monsters, and some on the smaller miniatures. My issue is I see so much potential for sales here: a monestary of different races/genders for monk class Fighters, barbarian tribes with warriors and huts, icy expedition teams etc. I would love to see some of these in VV art style but instead lately they've been something that I would never print and which won't sell to my clientele. The capitalist in me weeps. Lol. I support over a dozen different Patreons. If I wasn't making money in return, I would support zero. Not because they're not worth supporting, but because for me it's a monetary investment. I choose my Patreons for 2 reasons: I love their art, and I think it will sell. Which is why the new stuff makes me sad. But I love the older stuff and it still sells so a dead month here and there isn't the end of the world. One day I may even print some of these for myself. I have a dozen resin printers (including 2 large format) running around the clock, but the last thing I printed for myself was 3 months ago. And I promptly sold it. Lol.

Chris Wade

I voted for the orphanage, several times now, because I don't have one. I don't play RPG games. I've actually avoided them for the past 50 years. But, I'm a collector, miniaturist, dollhouse builder, model maker, trains, etc, etc. I've been in collectibles for as long as I can remember. My experience is somewhat different from yours, since I operate a rock and bead shop, and have these things floating around (it's sort of a hobby shop too). I sell parts and pieces that go with wiccan alters more than anything. But my buddy who works out of the same store front sells mountain men, game animals, african art, etc. The best way I can explain it, is by example. When my shop was in squirrel hill, I had regular orders and they usually came in on a thursday. I would sit there opening the boxes, checking the packing lists, and pre-pricing. My long term customers who knew this, would stop in and try to get the 'out of the box" buys before I had to do too much work to price, hang, etc. Anyway, one particular thursday a customer comes in and I show her what I thought were awesome beads But they were large and chunky. She said "Don't show me the big beads, no one wants big beads, they all wan the small little ones..." Ok, I obliged her. A while later, another customer comes in and now I had the smaller beads on top, so I started showing them to her..."Oh, don't show me this tiny stuff! Everyone wants big and bold!" I just smiled. I was selling everything, but not to every customer. Demographics are important. And while I know in the past the male gladiators and such probably sold better, times are changing, and more female characters are being employed, and not just in the "wench" roles. But you still need scatter terrain, and pub characters to feed and entertain the weary travellers as they pause to collect their strength before travelling on. But oddly, I've found breasts sell. Both male and females are starting to yield to the power of breasts. lol. Not the highly sexualized figures of male fantasy, but the STRONG power of a topless/bare woman standing strong. Just like a male. Anyway. My point is you know what sells for you. But "patreon" is not just about resale. It's about loyalty to a brand. That means filling in the parts and pieces that are missing whether they "sell" to the general public or not. Most people are missing all sorts of NPC and scatter terrains, concentrating only on the marching armies. In the past that might have been because miniatures were expensive (Overly so). (the prices of HO scale stuff was absolutely criminal.... as was N scale). 3d printing has dropped the prices, the ability for people to create their own armies, etc. As hard as it will be for the creators to compete in the coming months and years, it will be even harder for the resellers to do so. Sure, there are always the ones that just play, and don't want anything to do with printing. And those who will buy/collect pieces at conventions and such. But there is a WIDE demand for things. I make suggestions on other patrons, and people jump on it because they are so used to thinking inside the same box, that a fresh idea suddenly blasts open the creative doors. Patreons are more for the loyal following to get what they want from creators they support, with monthly payments -- loyalty -- than as a shotgun sales mechanism. The patreons who have addressed the needs of their supporters are doing very well, even in this troubling times. The ones that have not figured it out are complaining of dropping sales/members, etc. So while you don't see a need for an orphanage for your "sales" path, a lot of players seem to feel that there is a need for this sort of NPC scatter terrain for the back story. After all, how many terrorist cells have hidden inside schools and hospitals, and orphanages ;)

PUGDOG Enterprises, Inc.

Again, I love Vae Victis' work. I think they're insanely talented. I'm just constantly surprised. When I saw the newest poll, I of course was hoping for Orcs or Goblins (those will sell), or maybe Tavern Brawl or Thieves Guild (I think those will sell). Western may or may not sell (probably not, but worth a risk). My last pick and the one I kept wondering "why is this still on here?" was Orphanage. When I saw it was winning, I seriously debated opening a few extra accounts to cast votes against it! lol. I didn't want to cheat, though. The people have spoken. I may not understand what 82 people will do with this nonsense, but the votes have been cast. So be it. At least the bases will be awesome (as usual!)

Chris Wade

Glad you can use em. Like I said, not trying to be offensive just disappointed that we've had 2 months in a row that are filler. 90% of people who use minis just print pcs and monsters. Our game for instance, we don't even use minis unless they're in combat. Everything else is Theatre of the mind. I wouldn't be as disappointed but I'm also a merchant and this stuff does NOT sell. I sell a lot of gladiators, rangers, etc. I've sold a total of 5 serving wenches in 8 months. Not even sure I'll list up January or February because I can already tell you no one will buy them, and I don't want to waste time and money listing things that won't sell.

Chris Wade

It’ll be on my bed as soon as released. This is the flavor stuff I need. We have an orc barbarian in our party who everyone else thinks is a mindless killer. But when we get to town the orc spends a lot of gold feeding the homeless/orphans etc. I have thousands of bandits, monsters and dragons... there are little in the way of NPCs, even less so in orphans 😁

ResinandFilament

So many people are excited for this... Question: will any of you actually print these? Such a wasted month in my opinion. No offense to Vae Victis because it's how everyone voted but I can't understand for the life of me who wants these. Maybe it's just me, but it seems like the kind of thing people vote for just to see the pictures but never actually print.

Chris Wade

All different races and don't forget the older bully...

Jason DeGonia

Huzah!

Gabriel Graves

Finally orphans!!! :) :) :)

Ryder Frankle

Could we get a young tiefling girl with a dress? I would love to print an paint one for our party to remember their young ward that died on a terrible accident.

Seconded

Definitely a mix of races please :) and a nasty crone of a mistress

DustlessOrphan

Yesterdays orphans, tomorrows adventurers!

Kristin Chernoff

I'd prefer all humans.

Zachary Copley

I am interested in how would this theme look. I did not vote for it because an orphanage seems.. I dunno.. sad.. but if its lots of kids playing well.. that might be fun...

Liliana Carballal

hope the kids are of all races and some classes, we need more kid adventurer models!

Sebastiaan Babyn

Ahhhh...That's not a bad idea indeed!

Can you make an orphanage “Mother”? I’m thinking of something a bit creepy like The Promised Neverland anime.

Cool, I had also changed from Thieves to Orphans a while back. They needed all the help they could get. I'm personally more in favour of mainly humans or core races - I don't D&D that much, or mainly with core stuff (no Tabaxi or Firbolg). I don't know how time consuming alternate ears would be? For example even without changing her facial features, Pretzel Girl could pass as human with "normal" ears. I'd also love to see maybe a few side refs (say to the Bully video game - shorn kid with slingshot? - or to Oliver Twist - kid holding an empty plate + pickpockets, maybe a Fagin older caretaker character - or even Eleven from Stranger Things - short haired kid with a nosebleed). En tout cas, merci du boulot incroyable que vous faites, je me réjouis de voir la suite!

Geburah

Different races for sure. I like the suggested scenery pieces as well.

David Ross

Hahahah good point!! I think some can easily be done as human + variant, depending the race if it's close to humans shapes!

Absolutely needs to be mixed! Especially with all the bards running around, you can't tell me all the kids would be human XD

Coffin Puppet

Bulk beds, toys, furnitures ...and trees?

Shawn Connor (DM4Hire.com)

Yay! I think some little kids from different races would be awesome.

YES YEEEEEEESSSS!!! Finally we get some kiddies!!! That one vote was me, by the way.

Sean McInnes