NEW RULES FOR CONTESTS STARTING IN MAY

[Will Terry]

Just wanted to poke my head in and let you guys know that we do listen and we are committed to making SVS the best place online to learn the art of making children's books. I can see that some of you are disappointed in the new changes while others are excited about them.

As an artist first and a businessman at a distant second I wanted to let you all know that it has been a huge shock to Jake, Lee and I how much money it takes to make SVS a legit company making constant improvements. We have a list of 20 ideas we'd like to implement to our site but can't afford to do right now because we just don't have the money.

These changes will greatly affect the way you guys learn, the speed at which you learn, the community where you make connections with each other, and the way you find client work. Our vision for what SVS can and should be is something that doesn't currently exist but will if we make the right moves we will be able to pull it off.

We struggle over the decisions to implement these changes and realize that we will disappoint some of you with our decisions and it weighs heavily on our minds. BUT - we are a team and we think that as we roll out these changes and more scheduled later this year it will make many of you very happy.

[JerrySketchyArt]

@Chip-Valecek If I were judging you would have won this month. That cover was amazing! I was honestly thinking maybe you weren't eligible because you start the threads and do the slide shows. It's as if art is subjective or something.

[MichaelaH]

@Will-Terry Thank You guys for the work you are doing for us. You are doing a lot for us and I understand it, you are artists, but also company and there are lot of thing you have to pay...so I find your idea awesome, to make the subscription more tempting with the new additional stuff.
PS. Please work on some real invoices (our and your adresses, ..invoice nr...) for the membership and interactive classes, we in Europe (Germany) really need it for the tax office, if we want to deduct it as our expanses for business.

[Heather Boyd]

@Lee-White I can wait to cancel in early June would that help. Is there a difference between pausing and cancelling my subscription?

I will be travelling in July and August so I just as well not have to pay for those months.

[Will Terry]

@MichaelaH Thank you - I'll put it on our meeting agenda!

[Chip Valecek]

@JerrySketchyArt I don't think so, I would assume I am eligible . I just help with the forums cause the SVS folks are so busy with running SVS. Either way I look forward to the prompts and enjoy creating something for it. Win or lose in the contest I still win by helping others and getting help along the way.

[Lee White]

@Heather-Boyd I'll have to check on that and get back to ya!

[Lee White]

@Heather-Boyd Pausing your account isn't something that you can do from within our subscription site, but we have a workaround for you. Email me at lee@svslearn.com when you get ready to leave and I can help you out.

[JerrySketchyArt]

@Chip-Valecek I assume they would have told you. Your's really caught my attention this month, but that's also one of my favorite books. Thought you nailed it.

Very cool that you help them out. Thanks for doing it. Those slide shows are great. Always see a few that I missed in the threads.

[Heather Boyd]

@Lee-White

Thanks that’s really nice of you. I will contact you closer in May, makes sense to me, I really appreciate all this care.

[Nyrryl Cadiz]

@Will-Terry No worries Will! SVS has done so much for us. It’s about time we subscribe as well.

[Elizabeth Rose]

@Will-Terry Hahaha, totally understand. I plan to subscribe someday when I have cell service and wifi at my house (only have access at my work). I really need to re-park my house soon.

[Charlie Eve Ryan]

@Will-Terry @Lee-White I think it is a smart move to pull in more subscribers via the contest and I would love for you guys to do a podcast on some of the things you learned about building an online art school, mistakes, successes, things you'd do differently from the start etc.

[shinjifujioka]

Been contemplating subscribing again. This pushes me that much closer to pulling the trigger—enjoyed the video critiques as an educational tool.

Not to mention, the forum still seems to be incredibly active and supportive. One of my favorite aspects of the SVS community!

[lmrush]

OMG I love video critiques, I learn so much from them-that is awesome!

[avfarrar]

@hannahmccaffery Yeah. Me too

[Washu]

This sounds awesome! It will be kind of like bringing Third Thursdays back. I really missed that, so I'm looking forward to this change.

[Heather Boyd]

Question -What are the new tags? Red: SVS OG and Purple: PRO?

[MichaelaH]

@Heather-Boyd https://forum.svslearn.com/topic/7401/show-off-your-badge

[Heather Boyd]

@MichaelaH That's what happens when I leave for one day - something new .