Miranda Zimmerman, better known as Faunwood to her 550,000 followers, has clearly been at the forefront of online community creation since its heyday, having been a part of a Neopets (the nostalgia) forum back in the early 2000s. Beyond her love for virtual spaces though, is clearly her love for art - because what else was she doing in the internet’s youth besides for sharing her own artwork and being surrounded by fellow artists?
Since her Instagram debut in 2016, Miranda has not only been able to create a substantial following, she’s turned her passion into a career as a full-time creator - of course, Makeship Plushies have helped along the way. Miranda has designed two extremely successful Plushies with Makeship based on her whimsical and nature-inspired art, as well as a re-release of her OG Salamandra Longboi.
In our Creator Catch-Up interview with Miranda, the artist tells us about how she transitioned from Devianart to Tumblr to Instagram and beyond, finding her creative niche, as well as some fun technical questions like if she finds hashtags are useful and her favorite social platform.
Hi Faunwood! So let’s start with the basics: tell us how you first started your account. What year was it? What was the motivation or inspiration behind starting your account?
Hi hi! Thanks so much for letting me answer your questions! Being a fulltime artist looks so different for everyone, and the landscape is constantly changing. I hope I’m able to help some folks find their footing in this weird fast world.
I’ve always been kind of obsessed with online communities that go hand-in-hand with art and creative work. The first one I can remember being a part of was Neopets, back in the early 2000s. I loved designing my characters, drawing other peoples’ designs, and just being surrounded by artistic people. From there, I remember posting frequently on Deviantart in highschool (circa 2008-ish) (yes, I did have a fursona), and then migrating to Tumblr around 2012. I just wanted to be where people were discussing and sharing their art online! Around 2016, I started posting my work on Instagram and that is where I found the audience that I have today. My motivation never really changed and I didn’t really have any real goals– I was in school for undergraduate biology and thought I’d be working in a lab for the rest of my life!
“Around 2016, I started posting my work on Instagram and that is where I found the audience that I have today.”
That’s so cool. Neopets takes me back! How were you able to grow your account? Was it a slow progression or overnight success sort of thing?
I think one thing I was really drawn to on Instagram in 2016-2017 was how many artists were turning their work into things like pins and shirts. Manufacturing your own products seemed like something only the “big companies” could do, so it felt like a whole new landscape to me. I just loved making art for the sake of art, but it’s also super exciting to think that someone may like your work enough to buy it and wear it! I was in school (and working at a pet store!) at the time, and didn’t really have the money to fund a whole order of 100 pins. I pretty much relied on my Instagram reach (~2-3k followers at the time?) to help me fund my very first pin via a preorder on Etsy. It was a lot of trial and error, but once I was able to sell through that batch of pins, I was able to afford the next one on my own. And then I could afford two batches at a time, and so on!
“I pretty much relied on my Instagram reach (~2-3k followers at the time?) to help me fund my very first pin via a preorder on Etsy. It was a lot of trial and error, but once I was able to sell through that batch of pins, I was able to afford the next one on my own.”
That is inspiring! Did it take awhile to find your ‘niche’? Or did you start your account with a ‘niche’ already in place?
This is a tough one-- I think my niche has always been “me” and I’m not sure I could escape it if I tried. Or so I like to think!
Now for the nitty gritty social media questions. How do you feel about hashtags? Do you still use them? Were they important to you in the beginning?
I try not to think too hard about them. I still include them on my posts, but whether or not they help seems to be a gamble. It’s good to know how the different platforms use hashtags. They may be more important on Twitter than on IG, for example!
Do you have a day job or are you a full-time creator? If you’re full-time, at one point were you able to make that transition?
I am fortunate enough to be a full-time creator now! I graduated with my BS in Biology in 2016, and then got accepted into a Science Illustration program (which I graduated from in 2017). I was living in Monterey, CA at the time and I could definitely not afford to stay there after graduation. I took a big risk and moved with my partner to (the more-affordable-at-the-time) beautiful Eugene, OR without any real plan other than selling art. I believe I’ve been very lucky in life– my parents helped me a bit through college, and my partner had a job lined up in Oregon. I would be remiss to not mention the effect that having those safety nets has on making those kinds of life-changing decisions.
That said, I was able to be financially independent as soon as we moved thanks to the lower cost of living and the fact that I had been working on my art for some time prior to the move!
Do you focus on one specific platform, or do you share across multiple platforms? Any pros or cons to speak of?
I think it’s a good idea to pick two or three. Any more than that, and I think you run the risk of burning yourself out.
For example, Instagram has been my primary platform since around 2016. However, I also have a Patreon which is great for people who are big fans of your work and want to make sure they never miss anything! I’ve recently started posting on Twitter (I know, I know) just due to the fact that Instagram seems to be focusing more on shops and less on the artist community. Each platform has its own “vibe” (for lack of a better word)– you shouldn’t force yourself to do anything that is ruining your relationship with your art! If posting on Twitter is crushing your soul, there are plenty of other options to choose from.
Also, I highly recommend setting up a mailing list! If any of the social media algorithms take a tumble (looking at you, Instagram), you have a list of people who have specifically signed up to not miss anything you do. That’s priceless.
“I highly recommend setting up a mailing list! If any of the social media algorithms take a tumble (looking at you, Instagram), you have a list of people who have specifically signed up to not miss anything you do. That’s priceless.”
The mailing list is such a good tip, thank you for sharing. We’d love it if you could share one final piece of advice for a creator that’s just starting out!
People might be tired of hearing this, but you have to put in the work. I would work 10-hour shifts at the pet store, studying for finals, but still be doodling in the margins of my math notes. There were a lot of times where I was REALLY REALLY not in the mood to make art, but if you can just sit down and start, you can get into a very therapeutic flow state (kinda like trying to start a “working-out” habit, I think). There will always be aspects to it that are “work”. Answering emails, studying fundamentals (something I should probably be doing more often), unexciting commission work, etc. But as you build your portfolio, you can focus on the things that bring you the most joy– when you love what you’re making, I truly believe that that shines through in your finished work.
