A New Chapter Begins | ToonSchool Moves to Patreon.

Greetings ToonSchoolers - and those who support them enthusiastically.

A Happy Creative New Year to one and all! I trust that 2026 is treating you kindly and that everyone is already Drawing up the proverbial storm.

*** ◘ On the Agenda. 01. ToonSchool’s New Structure. 02. How Patreon Works. 03. Patreon Memberships: What’s Included. 04. ToonSchool on the Tubes. 05. ToonSchool Alumni – Where Are They Now? 06. FREE Creative Council.

*** 01. ToonSchool’s New Structure. In order to maintain a more sustainable structure, ToonSchool is moving fully into an On-demand Learning Model. Weekly Live Sessions will no longer take place in the way or form that they used to, but will exist through Patreon Memberships and YouTube Content.

*** 02. How Patreon Works. Here is how Patreon works:

• Step 1: Sign Up. Create a Free Account on Patreon. This can be done on your Computer or by Downloading the App to your Phone.

• Step 2: Find ToonSchool. Next, Search for ‘ToonSchool’ on Patreon, or just follow the Link: https://www.patreon.com/cw/toonschoolsa

• Step 3: Pick a Tier. Once on the ToonSchool Page, find the Membership Options which will provide you with three Tiers. Each Tier comes with different Rewards — like access to the Library, exclusive Content, and the Monthly Live Session.

• Step 4: Join & Stay Part of the ToonSchool Community. Select the Tier that suits your Creative Journey, hit ‘Join,’ and Boom! Bob is your Uncle, Patricia is your Aunt, and Jimmy is that weird little Cousin that no-one ever talks about.

Patreon allows you to Upgrade, Downgrade, or Cancel at any time. For full Details on Patreon Billing and Cancellations, check out the following Links. https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/360002355991-How-membership-billing-works https://support.patreon.com/hc/en-us/articles/4407273239693-What-happens-when-I-cancel

*** 03. Patreon Memberships: What’s Included.

A: Tier 1 | ToonSchool Library. • $5 [± R90-00] per Month. Gain access to -what will soon be- a growing Library of Themed Drawing Projects.

These Videos will take the same format as the Projects presented during the Online Sessions: A PowerPoint Presentation with Background Info, Reference Material, Tutorials, famous Toonsil-Towners, the Gallery of Artists, and a Drawing Prompt Related to the Subject. But, instead of just presenting the Prompt, I will also choose one of the Options myself and do a Step-by-step Demonstration, with related How-to-Draws, to show Problem-solving in Action.

As always, Projects are aimed at Artists of all Skill Levels and Designed to challenge Skill, Humour, and Imagination.

B: Tier 2 | The Art of Anthropomorphism. • $11 [± R200-00] per Month. Together with the Content of Tier 1, Patrons gain access to one of ToonSchool’s favourite Subjects: Anthropomorphism - the Imaginative Art of Bringing Inanimate Objects to Life and Making Animals Act like Humans. Everyone who has attended ToonSchool in the past is familiar with this Topic.

This Tier includes a Collection of Lessons and Exercises, Practical How-to-Draw Demonstrations, insights into Design Choices, and a breakdown of the different Levels of approaching Anthropomorphism. 

C: Tier 3 | The Creative Council. • $25 [± R460-00] per Month. Tier 3 Patrons get access to all the Content of Tier 1 & 2, but with added access to the “Creative Council” - a Live Online Gathering -on the last Thursday of each Month- where we come together to share Work executed during the Month, discuss Creative Conundrums, and Explore new Ideas.

This Live Session via Zoom is not a Drawing Session, but takes the form of a Constructive Critique, Guidance, and Collaborative Conversation. We will focus on Artwork Created from the Toonschool Library, and also Personal Projects, and Works in Progress.

The Creative Council offers a Space for meaningful Interaction with a Community of Artists, including myself, who care deeply about the Development of their Craft.

*** And that is what the new Patreon Model is all about. As you can see, it works out to be less than what one used to Pay for ToonSchool Sessions, while giving you access to more Content over time — alongside, of course, all the Free Learning Content available on ToonSchool’s YouTube Channel.

If you’d like to continue the Journey with ToonSchool -which I sincerely hope you do, I would love to have you and your Talent there.

*** 04. ToonSchool on the Tubes. ToonSchool’s YouTube Channel has become the Home of all the Cartoon Theory Content developed over the past few Years. It already hosts the Introduction Videos for several ongoing and upcoming Series:

• Well-Placed Lines | Using Cartoon Lines That Matter. A Series exploring the Fundamentals of Cartooning and Visual Storytelling through intentional Line Placement.

• Say What? The Comic Art of Depicting Sound. A deep dive into the many Creative ways Sound is represented in Comics and Cartoons.

• The Cartoon History Timeline. Those who attended the post-Covid Online Sessions will know that Cartoon History is a personal Passion of mine - and if I had it my way, I’d happily dedicate the entire Channel to it. This Series explores the Evolution of Cartooning across the Centuries, viewed through the Lens of Art and Visual Culture.

• The Creative Cauldron. A Space for a Smorgasbord of Content, including Drawing Fundaments, Colour Theory, and one-off Themes that don’t neatly fit anywhere else.

I am genuinely excited about where the Channel is heading, and there’s a lot more is still to come.

The link below will take you to the ToonSchool YouTube Channel. And yes — to Quote every YouTuber ever — please Like and Subscribe to show your Support.

https://www.youtube.com/@toonschoolsa

***

05. ToonSchool Alumni – Where Are They Now?

Finally, we come to the ToonSchool Alumni -those who have attended ToonSchool over the past 12 years, both in Real-life Classes and Online, and have grown up and moved on.

I’m aware of some of your Creative Journeys. Some have gone on to study Animation, Graphic Design and Fine Art; others have continued with different Art Classes, exploring new Mediums. Some of your work I still see on Instagram - ever evolving, ever growing, ever Creating.

The most important question I have for everyone is this: Are you still Drawing or Creating in some form? I’d love to get an update. If you’re reading this — or you’re a parent, friend, or family member — please let them know I’m asking about their creativity, and pass along anything you know.

Please tell them I’m sending a warm, “May the Creative Force be with you!”

*** 06. FREE Creative Council. To set the tone for a Creative 2026, we’ll be kicking things off with a FREE Creative Council on Thursday, 5 February 2026, at 18:00 SAST.

This won’t be a Drawing Session, but rather an open, relaxed Conversation about the Creative Journey ahead — the Projects we’re excited about, the Directions we’re exploring, and how we’d like to approach the year Creatively.

Bring along the Work you Created over the Holidays for a good old ToonSchool Show & Tell!

To Book a Spot, contact Vernon on +27 76 078 3272 (WhatsApp).

*** I am Thrilled to step into this New Chapter of ToonSchool, where Creativity thrives through Patreon and YouTube. Whether you’re Exploring the Library, Experimenting with Anthropomorphism, or Diving into Cartoon History, ToonSchool will always be here to support your Creative Endeavours, wherever you are and however you create.

May this Year be Filled with Creative Exploration, Curiosity, and Joy — the kind that makes every Pencil Stroke, Every Sketch, and Every Idea feel like a Celebration.

May the Creative Force be with You! V.