#samantha mash
So much of this year has involved loss on personal and vast worldwide scales. For me it involved loss of trust, loss of support systems, loss of safety, loss of jobs, loss of hope, loss of health, and at times prepping for possible loss of life. I have been scraping together what I can to regain of those things that feel lost, as I don’t believe all are always gone forever. I keep telling myself “this month will be better” only to have it sort of crumble in my hands, but I can’t give up. We all have small spark inside that can keep us going. Even if I have very dark days where it seems to burn low it always comes back. I hope it keeps you going too.
We all are suffering, but we all can improve one another’s lives if we choose to care. I apologize if I sound a little sappy here, but please make the choice to stop today and reach out to someone and offer them something they need. Whether it is financial (if you can), help picking something up for them, just a card, an offer for a coffee, or just your presence and a listening ear.
Give some of your spark to someone who feels their’s burning low so we can all get out of this time together.
If you like this piece I will have mini prints available within two weeks. You can get large prints at my Inprnt, or pledge at the Sovereign tier at my Patreon (which is $4 cheaper than buying it on my Etsy) and get this as this month’s mini print reward if you pledge before May 1st! Both are linked in my link tree in my profile. Thank you all as always for all the support you’ve offered me over the past few months whether it was financial, emotional, or just some quick kind words. It has helped me keep going during a time where I have sometimes felt extremely broken and alone.
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Ox and Oranges for the Year of the Ox.
Bovine are one of my favorite things to draw, I can’t really say why, but they are made out of some of the best shapes and are very fun to stylize.
You can buy large prints of this at www.inprnt.com/gallery/samanthamash.
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New mini prints are here! You may have already seen the Pomegranates and Persimmons in my shop, but if not here is a reminder that they are there. Epiphany is now also up for sale and ready to help bring you some hope for peace and prosperity in the new year. All mini prints are 13 USD, with 2 USD shipping within the US and only 3 USD shipping to anywhere else in the world. Yep, you read that right, 3 USD to ship any paper goods from my shop to anywhere in the world. Only pins are excluded from this worldwide flat shipping fee (they need customs forms and to ship anything with a customs form is more expensive). I’m always happy to see a returning customer or a brand new face picking something up for their home.
Want an even better deal? Well these Epiphany mini prints will also be the Sovereign tier reward for those at my Patreon this month. Pledge at that tier for 10 USD monthly (or pledge for the whole year with a discount of 15% off for that full year subscription) and you will get this print this month and more mini prints going forward for as long as you pledge at that tier. That 10 USD pledge covers shipping too, even if you live outside the US. You can find my Patreon at learn more.
So feel free to check out these new three, or anything else in my shop or pledge at my Patreon at the Sovereign tier before Feb 1st to get Epiphany in your mailbox soon! You can find either by typing in the URLs above in this post or going to my Linktree on my Insta homepage and going from there.You can buy large prints of these at www.inprnt.com/gallery/samanthamashtoo.
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New art? Soon. In the meantime I am having a 25% off sale at my shop from now until Friday! No code needed, discount taken at checkout. Find the sale here
Now you know sales are rare from me, but I just am overloaded with stock right now in a space that cannot hold it. Help me clear out the limited edition items and make way for new ones! I also just had my quarterly tax payments go through and am ready to head into the summer soon and try to build up my savings again after having my first years of full time freelance stall that out. I think I am finally heading on the path to make that happen!
So check out what I have over there and get one of the best deals at my shop that you’ll see in 2022
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After a bit of a wait (my first order came squished) I do now have Persephone and Spring mini prints! I like the way they turned out, and if you know anything about printing you know how hard it is to print reds/pinks and make them feel true to the digital original. Find them here
If you want to save some money and support me on a more regular basis, this mini print will be given away to all Cerise Swan tier members of my Patreon this month (so if you’re already a patron there, do not buy this mini print it is coming your way soon!). Pledge before May 31st and get it sent to you anywhere in the world for just 10 USD along with all the other benefits that come with that tier. Patreon helps me keep going with my art and allows patrons who pledge there to see more behind the scenes work, tutorials, and art advice! Learn more here
And last, but not least, find large prints of this piece at my Inprnt
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Spring is renewal, a chance to regrow and become what you need to be
This is a nod to the ancient Greek goddess Persephone returning to the surface world. I have wanted to work on a series that shows the four seasons and with that I decided to combine in another effort of drawing some Ancient Greek goddesses
Everything here is my personal associations with Spring. Spring brings in the new rains that turn everything green. Water is the most life giving substance on earth and so I have always seen it so closely tied in my own mind with this season. Storks represent fertility and joy, and as the land starts anew in Spring that felt fitting. Of course the symbol of Persephone herself is the pomegranate and while the pomegranate may be more of a fruit we associate with the winter it also represents fertility too—as well as life and death. At the end of the day, Spring cannot exist with its abundance of new life without the symbolic and very real death that Winter brings, so it feels like a fitting symbol to add
I tried out some new brushes for this one as well as different shading in parts! I’m sure only I notice, but it was fun to experiment
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Hey zoom in! It is a new month, and will it be a new step in your hobby or career? At my Patreon if you’re at the Pearl Swan tier or higher you get access to my Art Blog which may be able to help you take that next step
TheArt Blog has been a monthly multi-step piece of advice voted on by patrons on a variety of topics about art, illustration, and the business of working within the creative field. There are now 52 whole entries! And with the extra access to my bi-monthly Q+A’s (one is happening this month) you can pick my brain in depth on any topic you like
In addition to other rewards at the Pearl Swan tier like one vinyl Pearl Swan tier exclusive sticker and mini print, access to my private Patreon feed which houses art and behind the scenes content that no one else gets to see, voting access on colorways, and the Daily Life blog it is a fun place to be!
There is no obligation for you to stay, you can choose to pledge by month or by year (and get a nice discount if you choose that option). My Patreon helps me continue my work and allows me to be the freelancer I am. All pledges of whatever amount, I can’t emphasis enough that a 1 USD pledge means so much and if even 1% of the people who followed me pledged that it would keep me afloat for a while, are truly appreciated from the bottom of my heart
So why don’t you check it out and see if it is something you’d enjoy!
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Some folks ask how do I make a living being an artist?
It is a hybrid of things. I do editorial work, media work, run a Patreon, participate in gallery shows, and my number one money maker is making my own merchandise and selling it! Yep I make most of my money from selling my own original art (you can see some examples below)
It is rough! As a person who relies only on my own income to make ends meet it requires what feels like never ending days of running my own shop as well as social media, emails, and of course actually drawing
If you ever want merchandise designs made for your own business, please email me. I’m always open to new freelance work if your project meshes well with what I do, because as you can see I have to take on as many revenue sources as I can and if you want to buy these stickers you can here
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A reflection on Spring and what that felt like being raised in Northern California is the inspiration for this one. My childhood was filled with flowers, mourning doves, and fruit around this time of year
The whole series is now for sale as limited edition stickers and a few mini mini prints at my Etsy. Stock will be limited as always, with possibly on restock if these sell out quick, I won’t be restocking the mini mini prints though. That being said my two favorites Peonies and Tulips are for sale as slightly larger prints at my Inprnt
People who signed up for my mailing list got news of these stickers being for sale a day before the general public. If you want to know when limited edition pieces and merchandise launch this is the best way to make sure you can get exactly what you want before they run out because these do tend to run out fast!
And last, if you are a Patron at my Patreon at the Cerise Swan tier you will get one of these hands sent to you as a mini mini print reward. Just sign up before the end of the month, I ship worldwide with no extra fees other than your pledge!
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Many Etsy users will be going on strike from the 11th-18th and this includes myself. Why are we striking? Because after years of record sales on the site Etsy has added on fee after fee, to the point that many of us are struggling to make a profit. It is greedy, it is wrong, and it is killing small businesses
Tonight I will put my Etsy shop on vacation for the strike until the 18th. Today is the last day to grab up any merch at their current prices. When I reopen everything will go up 7% to meet inflation, so today is a great day to get something you like
www.etsy.com/shop/samanthamash
Etsy is easily the biggest part of my current income, so losing out on sales for a week is a bit rough. Many creators make their living there, so I would highly recommend supporting your favorites there today and soon after the strike is over. Don’t cross that virtual picket line though, try to buy nothing on there from the 11th-18th! If you are a seller there consider shutting your store down for the week, I am not hopeful for change—but I will always try to fight the good fight. Shares are appreciated, as are any financial support
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I sometimes draw vases I wish were real, but I don’t often do much with them. Decided to actually finish this one though in honor of the Spring finally arriving here
I also added a little Moellenkampi beetle cause I just think beetles are neat
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Which one, which one?
If you have a preference Etsy is the way to go! I have stickers and mini prints available of these two
However if you like a deal and are not as picky, Patreon might be your new friend. For 10 USD a month I send a mini print to anywhere in the world without shipping fees. That saves you quite a bit of money while also support me and my art along the way. This month I send one of these two to you at random, so pledge before the 31st to get this reward!
The stickers are in a whole new larger size to accommodate the length of the imagery. 3.5 inches instead of just the regular 3! And as always if you want a large print those are at my Inprnt. Thanks everyone!
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The dark panther walking into the light, and the golden leopard stalking through the dense jungle. Which colorway do you like more?
The leopard comes in five subspecies that live across the continents of Africa and Asia. The one I drew here specifically is an African Leopard, which are easily recognizable due to their distinctive open rosette pattern (though occasionally misidentified as a jaguar, their Americas living cousin, you can identify those through their rosettes having a dot in the middle and just being bulkier in general). African Leopards are considered a vulnerable species with their primary threats including by habitat loss, human conflict as their natural prey numbers dwindle causing them to seek out livestock to eat, as well as trophy hunting and poaching
The melanistic variant of the leopard is often called a panther or a black panther, though any big cat with a darker coat can be called that (like a jaguar). In Leopards the melanistic coat variant is as common as 11% of the total population. This darker coloration is caused by a recessive gene that both parents must carry, and it brings an advantage to those who live in low light forests and jungles
Want a mini print? You have to wait (I will announce when they come in here), but big prints are available now at my Inprnt! If you are a member of my Patreon at the Cerise Swan tier you will be getting one of these two Leopard color ways as your reward this month. Sign up before March 31st to get this reward too sent anywhere in the world for free, and save 4.50 USD nationally and 6 USD internationally from the Etsy price. Learn more at my Patreon!
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I’m going to be real with you all. You missed your chance to be in on when these will be going up for sale unless you had already signed up for my newsletter by Feb 24th before 2 PM PST. These will be going up for sale soon, but only those who had signed up know when (check your spam if you missed it and don’t know where the email might be)
Don’t fret though, all future mini originals releases will be only be known to those who sign up for my newsletter and you can sign up today so as not to miss out in the future at samanthamash.com/contact
The newsletter is rarely sent out, and it is only ever about merch and other sales. Your email is never shared with any other parties, it is 100% free, and you can unsubscribe whenever you want. You get first grabs at things like these, but also limited release merch like future hand sticker series. It is our way of getting around the limits social media puts on posts and makes sure that you get info about my work sent directly to you to look at your leisure
Never miss a limited release again!
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Support Living Artists and Support Living Creatives for sale as mini prints, stickers, and button pins at my Etsy! Additionally, large prints are for sale at my Inprnt and you can get one of these two randomly picked and sent anywhere in the world if you are a Cerise Swan tier member at my Patreon. When you become a patron at that tier you get a lot of rewards, but the monthly mini print saves you 4USD nationally and 6 USD internationally compared to buying the mini print at my Etsy. That is a pretty good deal!
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It is Valentine’s Day and I wanted to share my love of living artists and creatives
A while ago I made a piece about Supporting Living Artists. However, I wanted to make a new piece about that and start expanding the support. Creatives surround us and while they are sometimes visual artists they can also be writers, actors, musicians, game developers, and more. Think of the past few years and how often you have likely turned to a piece of media to get you through these hard times. Many creatives came together to make a song that kept you going, to craft a video game that changed your life, to write a book that moved you, to draw a piece of art that brightened your day, or something else entirely!
Artists and creatives may work professionally, but they may also be creating as a hobby or a personal pursuit. Just as you may have turned to a piece of media to keep going, you may have made something of your own to survive either financially or emotionally (or let’s be honest, both)! This is why supporting living folks within the arts and creative communities is so important, it is something that keeps so many of us going on both the creation and the consumption end and is vital to our humanity
Support can be financial, but it is as easy as liking something someone posts, sharing it, or offering a kind word. Something as simple as that can change someone’s life and should not be underestimated
If you’d like to have this either of these as a mini prints, large prints, stickers, and button pins round out the new series for now so you can again express your support for those who work in arts related and creative professions, hobbies, and pursuits they are at my EtsyandInprnt. You can also pledge at my Patreon and one of these two (I pick at random) as February’s mini print reward!
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This illustration is available as both a sticker, a mini print, and a larger print. If you want to grab this as a mini print for less, it is the one I am giving away to those at the Cerise Swan tier at my Patreon this month. Pledge before the 31st and you’ll get one (and more fun mini prints in the future) for only 10 USD a month with no shipping costs worldwide!✨
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This last swan (for now) the 10 USD tier mascot, the Cerise Swan. Which swan have you liked best?
What can I say? I am so appreciative for everyone who has pledged to my Patreon over the last few years. I am so happy to have all the new folks join this year and I am thrilled by the new members who have joined over the past few days. Whether anyone has stayed for a month, or many years I am equally thankful to have had you around
ThisPatreon is what allowed me to quit my teaching job. This Patreon is what kept me going when freelance jobs dried up due to the virus. This Patreon is why I am able to live a much safer life than I was previous. More than the financial side though, the community there has been so encouraging and kind. I hope that in some ways my Patreon has been helpful to those who have joined, and I am excited to see what else I can do to pass along the knowledge and skills I have collected
But let’s talk for a second about this 10 USD tier! What do you get as a reward at the Cerise Swan tier? Your physical reward is one vinyl Cerise tier sticker and one Cerise tier mini print sent anywhere in the world AND one new mini print of a piece of my art sent to you every month you are a patron (and yes shipping is included worldwide). Of course you get access to Blush Swan, Amber Swan, and Pearl Swan tier rewards as well (minus the specific tier stickers)
This is the highest tier (for now) and it is the second most pledged to tier just based on patron numbers. I always let my patrons know when I have sent out their rewards and I work hard to make sure every month’s mini print is special whether it is just a full audience release or a Patreon exclusive mini print. If you’re interested check out my Patreon page and learn more about this tier and others! You are free to stay or leave whenever, though I will point out you get 15% off a full year if you pledge upfront for that time!
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The most commonly pledged for tier at my Patreon is my 5 USD tier! Their new mascot is the Pearl Swan
What do you get as a reward at the Pearl Swan tier? Your physical reward is one vinyl Pearl tier sticker and one Pearl tier mini print sent anywhere in the world (and yes shipping is included worldwide). Your digital rewards tutorials that will only be exclusively posted there. As well as the Art Blog, a monthly art advice blog on living as an artist (how to price your work/how to market yourself/how to contact art directors/etc) based on one monthly question voted on by you! Of course you get access to Blush Swan and Amber Swan tier rewards as well (minus the specific tier stickers)
This is the more advanced access tier as you get tutorial access and near 50 Art Blog posts about how to make it as a creative with topics already covered from “How to Gain Followers” to “Surviving Burnout” and more. Some are very specific, some cover very broad subjects and all are voted on by Patrons at the Amber and Cerise Swan tiers. Huge shout out to all my current Pearl Swan tier members as they are the most numerous, and with 5 USD a month given even for a month I find myself with a huge weight off of my shoulders. As mentioned rent is increasing in the new year, if you want to pledge even for a month it would be super helpful (you are free to stay or leave whenever, though I will point out you get 15% off a full year if you pledge upfront for that time)!
Learn more about this tier and the others at my Patreon
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Say hello to the Amber Swan, the new mascot for 2 USD tier folks at my Patreon
As mentioned yesterday my Patreon is getting a visual revamp, and I’ll slowly be rolling out each new tier mascots for the next few days
What do you get as a reward at the Amber Swan tier? Your physical reward is one vinyl Amber tier sticker sent anywhere in the world (and yes shipping is included worldwide). Your digital rewards are access to my private Patreon feed where I post in progress work, sketches, and exclusive illustrations that I post in full no where else. Of course you also get access to Blush Swan tier rewards as well (minus the specific tier stickers)
This is the basic access tier, you get behind the scenes access and I’m always available to answer any questions you have on my process within those posts too. Like I said yesterday, every pledge amount it powerful. 2 USD from even a tenth of the people who follow me for a month would set me up for a while! Patreon took me from living in an unsafe environment to a much safer new complex. Without it, I’m not sure where I’d be. With rent increasing in the new year, if you want to pledge even for a month it would be endlessly helpful (you are free to stay or leave whenever, though I will point out you get 15% off a full year if you pledge upfront for that time)!
Learn more about this tier and the others at my Patreon
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