✶ IMPORTANT INFO FOR UK/EU CUSTOMERS ✶

✶ WHEN WILL MY ORDER SHIP?

2-5 DAYS FROM YOUR ORDER DATE IS MY USUAL TURNAROUND! JAMES IS CURRENTLY PACKING ORDERS A FEW TIMES A WEEK. UPON MY SHOP UPDATE SHIPPING TIMES MAY BE LONGER, THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT AND PATIENCE!

✶ EXPECTED DELIVERY...

PLEASE ALLOW 2-3 WEEKS FOR US ORDERS
PLEASE ALLOW 4-8 WEEKS FOR INTERNATIONAL ORDERS

I HAVE BEEN SEEING INTERNATIONAL PACKAGES TAKE UP TO 2-3 MONTHS AT THIS POINT. PLEASE BE PATIENT, THEY USUALLY SHOW UP! THERE HAVE BEEN MAJOR DELAYS WITH THE USPS DUE TO THE PANDEMIC AND HOLIDAYS. THANK YOU FOR YOUR PATIENCE! PLEASE CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL WITH YOUR ORDER # OR FULL NAME IF IT DOESN’T ARRIVE TO YOU IN THOSE TIME FRAMES!

✶ MY STICKER ORDER HASN’T ARRIVED YET…

IF YOU ARE WITHIN THE US GIVE STICKERS 2-3 WEEKS TO ARRIVE. IF YOU ARE INTERNATIONAL PLEASE ALLOW UP 5-8 WEEKS (SOMETIMES LONGER) FOR STICKERS TO ARRIVE. THE POSTAGE I USE IS INEXPENSIVE BUT SOMETIMES TAKES A WHILE! PLEASE DO CONTACT ME VIA EMAIL IF YOUR STICKERS DON’T SHOW UP AFTER THE ALLOTTED TIME. PLEASE INCLUDE YOUR ORDER NUMBER OR FULL NAME IN YOUR EMAIL!

✶ THERE ARE CUSTOMS FEES ON MY PACKAGE

✰ PLEASE BE AWARE OF YOUR COUNTRY’S CUSTOM CHARGES ✰

HERE IS THE INFO PAGE I HAVE ON THE VAT TAX

For example, THE UK WILL CHARGE VAT (A CERTAIN PERCENTAGE OF YOUR ORDER COST DEPENDING ON WHERE YOU ARE) ON SOME ORDERS. I AM NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR THESE CHARGES. IF YOU DO NOT WANT TO PAY IT WILL BE MAILED BACK TO ME AND I CAN REFUND YOU.

✶ WHY IS SHIPPING SO EXPENSIVE TO MY COUNTRY?

UNFORTUNATELY SHIPPING ANYTHING MORE THAN A LETTER INTERNATIONALLY FROM THE US IS PRETTY EXPENSIVE. I HAVE IT AS LOW AS I CAN HAVE IT. IF YOU WANT TO GET SOMETHING INTERNATIONALLY BUT DON’T WANT TO PAY THE HIGH SHIPPING PRICE, GRAB SOME STICKERS! I CAN SHIP THEM MUCH MORE AFFORDABLY!

AUSTRALIA SHIPPING RATES TO AUSTRALIA AND SOME OTHER COUNTRIES HAVE INCREASED SINCE THE PANDEMIC. PLEASE CHOOSE THE AUSTRALIA FIRST-CLASS MAIL OPTION IF YOU ARE BUYING MORE THAN JUST STICKERS. THANK YOU!

✶ WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN STICKER MAIL AND FIRST CLASS MAIL?

I OFFER STICKER MAIL AT A MUCH CHEAPER RATE THAN FIRST-CLASS MAIL. THIS SHIPPING METHOD IS LIKE SENDING A LETTER. I USE AN ENVELOPE AND A STAMP TO MAIL STICKERS AT A AFFORDABLE RATE. THIS MAIL ISN'T AS RELIABLE AS FIRST-CLASS AND IS NOT TRACKABLE. IF YOU ORDER ANYTHING MORE THAN A STICKER AND YOU SELECT STICKER MAIL UPON CHECKOUT YOU WILL STILL BE PAYING AND RECEIVE FIRST-CLASS MAIL :-)

✶ MY PACKAGE CAME DAMAGED OR I BELIEVE IT IS MISSING ☹︎

PLEASE LET ME KNOW VIA EMAIL! YOU CAN SEND ME AN EMAIL ON MY CONTACT PAGE. INCLUDE YOUR NAME WITH ORDER OR YOU ORDER #. I WILL EMAIL YOU BACK ASAP! DAMAGED ITEMS CAN USUALLY BE REPLACED, IF YOUR ORDER IS MISSING IT MIGHT HAVE COME BACK TO ME IN MY PO BOX! WE CAN FIGURE IT OUT ☺︎

✶ SOMETHING IS MISSING/EXTRA IN MY PACKAGE

IF YOU ARE MISSING SOMETHING/RECEIVED THE WRONG ITEM PLEASE EMAIL ME AND I WILL REPLACE YOUR ITEM. I TYPICALLY NEVER ASK FOR THINGS TO BE SHIPPED BACK TO ME SO PLEASE KEEP THE MIX UP AS A LITTLE GIFT FOR MY OOPSIES :-)

✶ YOU DON'T SHIP TO MY COUNTRY

I AM CURRENTLY NOT SHIPPING TO THE UK. I AM currently waiting for squarespace to make an easier integration to collect the VAT tax. IF I DON'T SHIP TO YOUR COUNTRY LET ME KNOW VIA EMAIL AND I CAN ADD YOU TO MY SHIPPING ZONE! :-)

✶ I WANT MORE INFO ON YOUR ECO-FRIENDLY PRACTICES

Check out my eco-friendly info page. I have some helpful links if you are running your own business. I do my best to keep things as earth conscious as I am capable! :-)

✶ DO YOU HAVE A PO BOX I CAN SEND SOMETHING TO?

YES! IT IS ALWAYS OPEN :-)

LEIGH ELLEXSON

3874 PAXTON AVE #9400

CINCINNATI, OH 45209

USA

✶ HOW DO YOU MAKE GIFS?

CHECK @THEFORESTMORI 'S VIDEO ON YOUTUBE! IT'S VERY VEERY CLOSE TO MY PROCESS. I USE PROCREATE AND UPLOAD THEM THROUGH GIPHY!

✶ CAN I GET YOUR ARTWORK TATTOOED?

IT DEPENDS ON THE ART! SOME OF MY WORK ISN'T WELL SUITED FOR TATTOOING SINCE I DON'T ALWAYS USE A LOT OF LINEWORK. I ACCEPT TIPS VIA VENMO OR PAYPAL. SHOOT ME AN EMAIL IF YOU HAVE A SPECIFIC PIECE IN MIND!

✶ WHAT KIND OF WATERBOTTLE DO YOU USE?

I USE A HYDROFLASK. I MADE IT CUSTOM ON THEIR WEBSITE!

✶ WHAT SKETCHBOOK DO YOU USE?

FOR WET MEDIA/MIXED MEDIA I USE A STRATHMORE MIXED MEDIA SKETCHBOOK

FOR DRAWING I LOVE MY NINA COSFORD SKETCHBOOK

✶ WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITE SUPPLIES?

THESE ARE MY EVERYDAY GO TO SUPPLIES, I SOMETIMES BRANCH OUT BUT THESE ARE MY FAVS.

-WINSOR AND NEWTON WATERCOLORS + GOUACHE

-CERAMIC PALETTES FROM SUGAR HOUSE CERAMICS

-PRISMACOLOR PREMIER COLORED PENCILS

-2B PENCIL, NOT PICKY ON THE BRAND

-PILOT BRAVO PEN

-POSCA MARKERS

✶ WHAT DO YOU USE FOR DIGITAL ART?

I USE PROCREATE ON MY IPAD PRO WITH AN APPLE PENCIL. MY FAVORITE STOCK BRUSHES ARE THE 6B PENCIL and mercury brush.

The Retro Max Pack is AMAZING!!! IF YOU SEE MY DIGITAL ART LOOKING ALMOST TRADITIONAL, I AM USING THIS SET. My two most used brushes are MaxU Liner Strong and MaxU gouache flow :-)

✶ WHAT CAMERA and editing software DO YOU USE FOR YOUR VIDEOS?

I filme with a SONY A6400. I USE THE KIT LENS IT COMES AND A 35MM LENS. Just recently got a mic to use with it, Godox vd-mic. Very small and inexpensive but makes a difference! I EDIT MY VIDEOS USING ADOBE PREMIERE PRO. I USED TO USE FINAL CUT PRO AND IMOVIE.

✶ What paper do you use for loose drawings?

STRATHMORE MIXED MEDIA PAPER, STRATHMORE COLD PRESS WATERCOLOR PAPER, WINSOR AND NEWTON COLD PRESS WATERCOLOR PAPER, MY NEW FAVORITE

✶ WHERE DO YOU SOURCE YOUR ECO-FRIENDLY PACKAGING FROM?

CHECK OUT MY ECO-FRIENDLY PAGE HERE ON MY WEBSITE OR MY VIDEOS ABOUT MY PACKAGING! I LINK ALL OF MY SOURCES ON MY ECO FRIENDLY PAGE. HOW I PACKAGE ORDERS THIS ONE IS OLDER BUT GIVES MORE DETAIL ON MY PROCESS. PLASTIC FREE PACKAGING THIS IS HOW I PACKAGE ORDERS NOW SHARING SOME BETTER RESOURCES!

✶ HOW DID YOU DEVELOP YOUR STYLE?

I SEE STYLE AS A FLUID THING. I DON’T WANT TO TAP INTO JUST ONE WAY OF MAKING ART, I WANT TO ALWAYS A LITTLE CURIOUS AND OPEN TO TRYING NEW THINGS. THAT IS WHAT KEEPS MY STYLE FLEXIBLE. THOUGH I DO THINK MY WORK IS RECOGNIZABLE, STYLE IS NOT SOMETHING I EVER THINK ABOUT. WHAT I THINK HELPED ME HAVE A CONSISTENT LOOK/FEEL TO MY WORK IS HONING MY SKILLS OVER THE YEARS. NOTHING WAS FORCED, I EXPERIMENTED A TON, TRIED NEW THING (STILL AM), AND AM ALWAYS COLLECTING INSPIRATION. I FOUND, AND STILL FIND, MYSELF FOCUSING ON TRANSITIONING BETWEEN ART PHASES THAN I DO CREATING A CONCRETE STYLE.

✶ DID YOU GO TO SCHOOL FOR ART?

I TRANSFERRED ART SCHOOLS ONCE AND DROPPED OUT TWICE. NICE! SCHOOL WASN'T FOR ME. THERE ARE TONS OF BENEFITS OF GOING TO ART SCHOOL SUCH AS, NETWORKING, BEING ABLE TO LEARN AND TRY EXPENSIVE EQUIPMENT + SUPPLIES, A CONCENTRATED COMMUNITY OF ARTISTS, ART OUTREACH PROGRAMS, AMONG MANY OTHER THINGS. I WASN'T TAKING ADVANTAGE OF WHAT IT HAD TO OFFER SO I DECIDED TO SPEND MY MONEY ELSEWHERE AND CONTINUING PRACTICING SOLO.

✶ DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR BEGINNER ARTISTS?

MY BEST ADVICE FOR BEGINNING ARTISTS IS TO NOT OVERTHINK IT. ONCE I LET GO OF WANTING TO MAKE THINGS LOOK A CERTAIN WAY OR TO LOOK "RIGHT," I WAS ABLE TO RELIEVE A LOT OF STRESS I HAD ASSOCIATED WITH MAKING ART. JUMP IN BEFORE YOU HAVE TIME TO DOUBT YOURSELF!

✶ HOW DID YOU START YOUR BUSINESS AND HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN DOING ART FULL-TIME?

I STARTED MY BUSINESS IN 2015 DOING COMMISSIONS ON ETSY. I OFFERED PET, HOME, WEDDING BOUQUET, AND COUPLES PORTRAITS. WHILE I WAS RUNNING A TON OF COMMISSIONS I WAS ALSO BUILDING AND AUDIENCE ON MY INSTAGRAM PAGE WHERE I SHARED SOME PERSONAL WORK. I GRADUALLY ADDED SOME PRINTS AND NON-COMMISSION PRODUCTS TO MY ETSY WHERE THEY EVENTUALLY WERE ABLE TO SUPPORT ME AND I WAS ABLE TO CLOSE MY COMMISSIONS! YAY! MY JOB HAS CHANGED A LOT SINCE I STARTED! I NEVER WOULD HAVE IMAGINED I WOULD BE DOING THIS AS MY JOB WHEN I FIRST STARTED :-)

✶ THINKING ABOUT STARTING A PATREON? WHERE TO START?

I HAVE A VIDEO DEDICATED TO THIS QUESTION. I ANSWER MOST ANY QUESTION PERTAINING TO STARTING A PATREON AS ARTIST. ALONG WITH A BUNCH OF TIPS AND MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE RUNNING MINE!