April 16, 2024 by Hab Oh

HABGOBLINS! It’s been a minute BUT I had to take some time to readjust some things in both my professional and personal life. Don’t worry, things are moving forward in the best possible way right now.

LIVE STREAMING RETURNS

I’ve really missed getting on Twitch and YouTube to hang with y’all. Like I said in the last blog update, I just needed some time to think on how streaming would serve me and the Habtoons Brand. So, I’m happy to announce that HAB OH LIVE returns on April 30th!

Livestreams will take place Tuesdays through Friday @ 12PM EST. Art x Gaming is coming to Twitch a new concept where I’ll be drawing art in the first half of the stream related to whatever game I decide to play in the second half. A more casual experience that will allow me to work on art outside of the Unit 333 Project. There will occasionally be Request Streams where you can ask me to draw whatever you want (within reason) using Twitch’s Bits system. On YouTube’s end, Drawing Sessions will continue but will be reduced to one stream per week. This will still serve as project streams, working on specific illustrations for the Unit 333 Project or any future work I’d like to share the creation process of.

Livestreams can extend past 3 hours. Depending on my mood or audience vibes, I will stream for extended hours. This would be a benefit to the late afternoon and evening crowds. Weekends will still be off limits unless otherwise specified.

Livestreams will broadcast via Twitch, YouTube, and TikTok respectively. TikTok will be used to multistream when I’m on either Twitch or YouTube but YouTube and Twitch will never be live at the same time.

YOUTUBE VIDEO SCHEDULE

Here is the current YouTube Schedule for April to May 2024. You can expect a new video up once per week, every Friday @ 11AM EST. YouTube Shorts will be uploaded every Tuesday @ 9AM EST. Depending on any hot topics, news, or inspiration that hits me, you can also expect an additional video to pop up anytime during the work week @ 11AM EST.

I’ll be leaning more into the video essayist side of YouTube going forward. This will still include gaming and art but with polished scripts and editing. I’m most likely will refrain from doing anymore “Let’s Play” style videos going forward. You can expect the topics I cover to always center some form of art and any political/social themes surrounding it. ALSO: These aren’t the official titles of the upcoming videos, just placeholder names while I think of something catchier.

HABTOONS PHASE 5

I announced Phase 5 a while back and we’re not entering deeper into this new paradigm set before us. If you’ve been keeping up with me on social media, you know I’ve been moving things around to better suit my needs and desires. I no longer use (or have) Facebook or Twitter. The only social media apps I use now are: TikTok, Instagram, Threads, and Discord (if you count it as social media); with TikTok being my main platform.

This newfound “freedom” has given me room to explore new concepts and ideas not just for my art but how I want to present it online; and how I specifically want to approach these apps without burning myself out. There’s a schedule there too. Everything has a schedule now. That’s the secret sauce.

As far as the artwork and projects themselves: Unit 333 is making good progress and if you’re on Patreon (which you should be), you’ve been treated to an array of new illustrations, behind-the-scenes stories, and even a new series under the Unit 333 umbrella. I’m working diligently to make sure I bring you all quality work with this project and, as I’ve mentioned before, have plans to extend that creative process to different artistic mediums.

I find that if you are if you stick solely with one way to create your entire life, you’re not truly an artist. I want to dip my toes into everything I possibly can that makes sense to me. Be it music, film, or more traditional forms of visual arts, I want to expand. There’s already been a few performance/film-like uploads on TikTok to test the waters but now that I’ve adjusted the things I needed to, I can go deeper.

I know this all sounds vague, but I promise further details will be expressed soon. I just wanted to get you all situated for what’s to come. Phase 5 is upon us, we’re in it, and we’re staying here for a while. My purpose as an artist is clearer now and we’re going to have an outstanding time.

PATREON

With all these changes, I had to update the Patreon Page as well. Patreon will serve as a hub for the creative musings and processes of any and all Habtoons Projects. I am so incredibly grateful for everyone who has joined recently, those who have been longtime members, and those to come.

Here are the new and improved membership tiers.

With over 700 posts of exclusive art, downloadables, and content there has never been a better time to be a Habtoons Patreon Member. There’s so much in store for us and I’m excited for this journey together as a community. If you haven’t signed up already, NEW members can sign up for the BAHBI Tier, which is just $1/month. This tier grants you Founder Status (Founding Habgoblin), among other great benefits. This is available for the first 500 new members, so get it in where you fit in. Sign-up today!

THE SHOP, LIVESTREAMING, AND US! // IMPORTANT UPDATES / March 16, 2024 by Hab Oh

Happy Saturday, Habgoblins! Y’all been feeling the weather? Spring is upon us, it seems and I’m ready to bust my shorts out, haha! This blog will cover some info on the future of livestreaming for Habtoons and The Shop.

A BREAK FROM STREAMING

You probably noticed I have not gone live this week and if you’re not following me on my socials, you may have been confused. I’m not quitting streaming on either YouTube, Twitch, or TikTok. What I am doing is taking a short break. I need it.

Around the middle of the pandemic, I picked up livestreaming which I never thought would be possible. It wasn’t even something I had ever considered doing and eventually, I fell in LOVE with it. Livestreaming had been a great way to keep myself occupied during lockdown and meet new people. It also turned out to be a great way to make an income, 2020-2021 was a great time for my Twitch channel! Unfortunately, due to some missteps, drama, and my lack of foresight in building a strong community, all of that dwindled. It is what it is.

Since then, I’ve tried just about everything to reignite the magic the permeated through my burgeoning livestream career. Nothing’s really sticking, and it’s been affecting my mental health. I’ve “rage quit” a few streams where nobody showed up for the first 45-60 minutes. I’d get so hype with topics to discuss, new art, or ideas I’d want to share only to sit there talking to myself the entire time. I tried daily streams, morning streams, night streams, pop-up streams, you name it, I’ve done it and to no avail, the channel wasn’t seeing growth. You can imagine how frustrating that can be.

I also got sick of “just playing games”, I’m not a gaming channel and I resented the way I approached Twitch without incorporating more of my artistic career at the forefront. Just sitting there playing games has become boring to me and I’d much rather just talk or work on art projects. With gaming, you either have to be a total expert at the game (like I am with Mass Effect) or jump on whatever how new trending game has everyone going wild, which is MAD expensive to do. All of this was driving me crazy.

So, I’m taking an extended break to reevaluate how I want livestreaming to serve the Habtoons/Hab Oh brand, how I’d want to build a new community around it, and how I continue to broadcast without draining my soul. I know that last part sounds dramatic but who would I be if I wasn’t extra? Haha!

I don’t know when I’ll be back in full capacity BUT you will be the first to know when we’re back on and poppin. In the meantime, you can always check out my YouTube Channel where I’ve transitioned into creating short video essays, art timelapses, and animation.

THE HABTOONS SHOP, SOFT RELAUNCH

Just like with livestreaming, the shop has seen a decline too. To be frank, I wasn’t feeling the apparel as much as I originally thought I would. And, as a whole, I was starting to feel that the merch itself had no personality or direction. I spent some time with everyone’s favorite mod, Cocoqueenie, over the week discussing what needs to change. Shoutouts to Coco, for real, our conversations gave me great insight in what I need to do next.

I want to create designs and merch that really speak to YOU. Not just slapping an illustration on a crewneck and calling it a day. While some folks don’t mind that, I just don’t like the idea of being another run of the mill brand in that way. As of right now, all merch on the shop is DOWN until I come up with fun designs I wouldn’t mind wearing on my own body, let alone the rest of y’all.

The Habtoons Shop isn’t entirely offline though as I’m offering new and returning Art Prints, Phone Wallpapers, and E-Books. Prints will now have a standardized size and price. For our Patreon Members, there is a Flash Sale Code available to you now, with the sale ending on Monday.

PATREON IS BETTER THAN EVER

I’ve been spamming the mess out of my Patrons this week with new art, phone wallpapers, and other goodies. I know their emails been going crazy and I am not sorry, haha! There’s plenty more on the way and I am incredibly grateful for your continued support of the Habtoons Brand, keep an eye out this coming week for a very special announcement.

You can be part of this wonderfully expanding list of folks by signing up for the Habtoons Patreon for just $1. The new and improved $1 Membership Tiers offers amazing benefits for those who would love to support but may not have the funds for higher tiers. Here are six (6) reasons I’m sure will convince you:

1. The first 500 people to sign-up for the $1/Month Tier ($12/year) are locked-in for a Lifetime, gain Founding Member/VIP Status on my website (The Hall of Habgoblins), and the added benefit of a rewards from higher tiers. Quite a steal!

2. You get EXTRA art & content, we’re talking EXCLUSIVES.

3. Ain’t NOBODY on the internet creating to the quality, depth and detail I am. My art style, stories, and opinions are unique!

4. Equipment Maintenance, Software, Art Materials/Supplies, and Printing Costs are EXPENSIVE.

5. I’m a one-man team. All the art, livestreams, videos, editing, research/development, filming, animating is all done by ME (among other things).

6. The preservation of Black Culture & Stories without the quality being diluted by outside forces that would seek to alter or censor the narratives we need and deserve.

So, what are you waiting for? Join Us Today! Click Here To Become a Habtoons Patreon!

CATCH UP ON MY YOUTUBE VIDEOS

MARCHIN' INTO...MARCH // UNIT 333 & MORE / February 28, 2024 by Hab Oh

YURR! What’s good, Habgoblins. Looks like we’ve reached the end of February, time is FLYING! Last week, my livestream chat and I had a conversation about this year’s Black History Month. I don’t know about y’all, but it felt kind of…lackluster this time around. Maybe it’s the LEAP YEAR effect or something.

A NEW ANIMATION IS OUT

It’s something short I threw together inspired by a TikTok sound I heard over a month ago. There’s also a high-resolution illustration version you can view here on the Unit 333: Reveries Virtual Art Gallery too. All part of the Unit 333: Reveries Project. You can learn more here. I plan to have more shorts like this uploaded through the rest of the year, leading to much longer animation.

*Bruh, You Don’t Know Me/But, I Am You…, Close-Up, Unit 333: Reveries (2024)*

NEW STREAM & CONTENT SCHEDULING

Here’s a shortlist of changes you can expect with going forward into March.

[ YOUTUBE ]
- 1 Video Per Week on Wednesdays @ 2PM EST.
- If any EXTRA videos are uploaded, they will drop on Fridays @ 11AM EST.
- 2 Live Drawing Streams per week on Tuesdays & Thursdays @ 11AM EST
- 1-2 Shorts Per Week on either Saturday @ 11AM EST or Sundays @ 2PM EST

I will be pivoting away from Let’s Play/Walkthrough Video Game Content. For those who were interested in the Mass Effect or Starfield Playthroughs, I apologize. However, due to low numbers and engagement, it doesn’t make much sense for me to continue. Instead, if I do any Video Game Content, it will be similar to my recent Pacific Drive Video OR in the form of Video Essay about a particular game and its art.

I want to create videos that are connected to my own philosophies and interests, topics and art that I’d want to share with you. Whether it’s a Livestream, DA ART BLOC, Hab Oh Speaks, or some good ole Timelapse Videos, I want to ensure that the body of work I produce on my YouTube Channel sets itself apart from “the usual”. Make sure you’re checking out the Community Tab too, this is where I can effectively gauge your interests in new ideas, concepts, or silly questions just for fun.

We’re now at 833 Subscribers and I didn’t think I’d even get past 100. This community will grow and will become more active, I’m sure of it. We’ve got YouTube Partnership in our sights!

[ TWITCH ]
- 1 Live Drawing Stream on Wednesdays @ 8PM EST
- 1 Gaming Stream on Fridays @ 8PM EST

Twitch is an odd platform and it’s changed so much since the Lockdown, so I’m trying to figure out ways to utilize it best. Especially as this is the only monetized streaming platform I have right now out of the two (YouTube is close to becoming monetized). I’ve grown tired of the whole “sit down and play games” vibe, so Wednesdays will always be focused on artmaking. Sketchin Sessions, unlike Drawing Sessions, will be a bit more casual where I’ll just be doodling or be joined by others onstream to draw. Bits can be used to request certain things, as long as they are appropriate. Keep the NSFW requests on Patreon, haha. Fridays will feature a video game, as of this update we’re playing through Skyrim but after Skyrim, I think I may just hop from game-to-game or do multiplayer nights as well. We’ll see.

And, of course, the schedule for both YouTube and Twitch is always subject to change due to personal circumstances, etc.

ART UPLOADS AND PATREON

Initially, I had this idea to upload a new illustration EVERY week, but I realized how impractical that was. It doesn’t give y’all the time to absorb and sit with a piece nor gives me an opportunity to have downtime. That being said, uploads of new work will happen once every 2 weeks, potentially once a month. As I’m plugging away at the early stages of the Unit 333: Reveries project.

Unit 333: Reveries pieces will always go up on Patreon first with bonus materials, in addition to exclusive Patron-Only work (i.e - comics and downloadables). I’ve been extremely active over there over the past month, even dipping back into my Erotic Art Journey, which will have some crossover with Unit 333.

The Founding 500 Special, Patreon Membership Tier “Gentle Goblin”

Remember that deal I mentioned in the previous newsletter update? I’ve altered it a bit and I’m looking for the first FIVE-HUNDRED HABGOBLINS to sign up for just $1/month. Will you step up to the plate and join the current 15 members who have chosen to lay down 4 quarters to support the continued development of all Habtoons projects? Here are six (6) reasons I’m sure will convince you:

1. The first 500 people to sign-up for the $1/Month Tier are locked-in for a Lifetime, gain Founding Member/VIP Status on my website (The Hall of Habgoblins), and the added benefit of a rewards from higher tiers. Quite a steal!

2. You get EXTRA art & content, we’re talking EXCLUSIVES.

3. Ain’t NOBODY on the internet creating to the quality, depth and detail I am. My art style, stories, and opinions are unique!

4. Equipment Maintenance, Software, Art Materials/Supplies, and Printing Costs are EXPENSIVE.

5. I’m a one-man team. All the art, livestreams, videos, editing, research/development, filming, animating is all done by ME (among other things).

6. The preservation of Black Culture & Stories without the quality being diluted by outside forces that would seek to alter or censor the narratives we need and deserve.

So, what are you waiting for? Join Us Today! Click Here To Become a Habtoons Patreon!

CATCH UP ON RECENT YOUTUBE VIDEOS

NEW ART, REVERIES AND YOU // THE UNIT 333 PROJECT / February 14, 2024 by Hab Oh

YURR, Happy Valentine’s Day, Habgoblins! Whether you’re with someone or alone, I hope you’re having a phenomenal day. I just dropped an incredibly important video on YouTube today, you should watch it! And, without further ado, let’s discuss more about my passion project Unit 333: Reveries.

As you know, development of Unit 333: Reveries is well underway! I want to thank everyone who attended the opening reception of my exhibition, and those who pulled up for the duration of the show. That exhibition was the start of this grand narrative we’re going to experience throughout the year. Unit 333 is going to be the next big horror epic spanning across multiple artistic mediums: comics, animation, exhibitions, performance art, and beyond.

Unit 333: Reveries is a cosmic horror narrative about an Aspiring Artist from Brooklyn that wakes up in a familiar yet unsettling place, stripped of his possessions and fragments of his memory. What appears to be just a psychiatric ward is anything but as the space around him begins to twist and warp; feeding off his depression. The only means of escape is confronting the trauma head-on, battling the extra-dimensional manifestations of his insecurities. This is the continuation of a series I began in 2018 about a mental health breakdown they led me into living within a psychiatric facility, the atrocities I witnessed, and my road to recovery.

To say Unit 333: Reveries is close to my heart is an understatement. This is what I believe some would consider my "magnum opus". It is my mission to continue this narrative, to advocate for holistic conversations about mental health in the Black Community, while introducing you to new forms of art. The next phase of this saga will be told in the form of a graphic novel and webcomic.

*The Ladies Out Front, Close-Up, Unit 333: Reveries (2024)*

A brand-new illustration for the Unit 333: Reveries Project has dropped! Titled “The Ladies Out Front”, you can view this work in full detail here: The Unit 333 Virtual Art Gallery.

You can support the development of this project (and others) by joining our budding community of Habgoblins over on the Habtoons Patreon! On Patreon, you’ll be treated to an ever-expanding multitude of exclusive materials. Here are six (6) reasons why you should join today:

1. The first 50 people to sign-up for the $1/Month Tier are locked-in for a Lifetime, gain Founding Member/VIP Status on my website (The Hall of Habgoblins), and the added benefit of a rewards from higher tiers. As of this writing, there are 37 Slots left!

2. You get EXTRA art & content, we’re talking EXCLUSIVES.

3. Ain’t NOBODY on the internet creating to the quality, depth and detail I am. My art style, stories, and opinions are unique!

4. Equipment Maintenance, Software, Art Materials/Supplies, and Printing Costs are EXPENSIVE.

5. I’m a one-man team. All the art, livestreams, videos, editing, research/development, filming, animating is all done by ME (among other things).

6. The preservation of Black Culture & Stories without the quality being diluted by outside forces that would seek to alter or censor the narratives we need and deserve.

So, what are you waiting for? Join Us Today! Click Here To Become a Habtoons Patreon!