📍 “Cute, colorful, and a little bit creepy.” That’s how Rachel, better known online as Tuna, sums up her art. Rachel has carved out a vibrant, highly personal brand built on illustration, comics, merchandise, and a thriving Patreon-based subscription service. Her insights are gold for any artist or content creator trying to figure out how to build a meaningful (and sustainable) creative career.
Here’s what we learned from her story.
A Decade of Drawing, Evolving, and Posting Relentlessly
Rachel’s art journey spans 14 years, with the last 10 fully dedicated to her creative business. Things kicked off in earnest around 2015 with a simple 30-day art challenge – the kind many artists try, but few continue past the initial buzz.
For Rachel, it stuck. She started posting her work daily, particularly on Instagram, putting in 30 minutes to 2 hours each day to create something worth sharing. She didn’t wait for inspiration to strike, she built routines over motivation, developing habits that made creativity automatic.
“Inspiration is fleeting. Motivation is temporary”. Habits are what make things sustainable.
Building a Personal Brand
From Twitch streaming to daily Instagram stories to in-person event booths, Rachel has never just been an artist, she’s always been the face of her brand. Early exposure to business and entrepreneurship podcasts introduced her to the idea of a “personal brand,” and she ran with it.
She leaned into her personality and used social platforms to connect on a human level, not just push products.
From Posts to Products
One of Rachel’s most successful ventures has been her Patreon-based subscription club, affectionately called the Lunchbox Club. What started as hand-cut sticker mail-outs evolved into a well-oiled monthly merchandise machine, with 150–200 subscribers and a different theme every month.
“The Lunchbox Club is my most consistent income stream”.
Each themed collection includes sticker sheets and other goodies, designed with a consistent limited color palette, a decision that not only streamlined production but also brought a surprising level of cohesiveness and style to her work.
Real People, Real Sales: Why In-Person Events Still Matter
While many artists chase e-commerce dreams, Rachel has doubled down on in-person markets and conventions. Post-COVID, she found that face-to-face interaction, where her art and her personality shine together, gave her a serious edge in an increasingly noisy online world.
Her business now runs on three pillars: Patreon subscriptions, made-to-order commissions, and in-person sales.
Growth That Sticks: Why Going Viral Isn’t the Goal
Rachel has no illusions about the world of social media. Platforms rise and fall. Algorithms change. Audiences drift. That’s why she believes in slow, steady growth over viral spikes.
“If people grow alongside you, they’re much more likely to want to see you succeed and be part of your community”.
Her advice to artists and new creators? Don’t spread yourself too thin. Choose one or two platforms, commit to a posting routine, and let your audience develop naturally over time. Show up consistently, and your audience will learn to trust you.
Lists, Boundaries, and Being Real
As a self-employed artist, Rachel’s schedule is anything but routine. But she’s got one tool that keeps her grounded: lists. Lots of them.
She’s also learned to set boundaries with sharing, giving herself permission to pull back from social media when needed, without guilt. Vulnerability is part of her brand, but she always aims to keep her content uplifting and authentic.
“Having vulnerability is good, but I never want anything that I do to be like a downer”.
Art That’s True to You (Even If It Doesn’t Trend)
Rachel’s never chased what’s trending if it doesn’t fit her creative vision. Instead, she makes what she loves, and trusts that the right people will find it. Her aesthetic blends cartoony styles with vibrant colors, anime influences, and themes that range from cozy to creepy.
And while almost all of her creative output becomes product in some way, she’s now starting to carve out space for personal art, purely for the joy of it.
Final Thoughts
Rachel’s journey is a testament to what happens when you combine artistic integrity, strategic thinking, and genuine connection. She didn’t go viral overnight. She didn’t follow every trend. She built a brand and a business that reflects who she is.
Her advice for creatives?
- Show up consistently
- Choose quality connection over quantity
- Build a community that grows with you
- And above all, keep creating what you love
Because that’s what sticks.
Follow Rachel (Tuna) Online:
- 🌐 artbytuna.com
- 📸 Instagram: @tunasnaps
- 🦋 Bluesky: @artbytuna.bsky.social
- 🎥 YouTube: @ArtbyTuna
