artists_beware | advice seeking post

What: Traditional art
Where/When: AC '11

I took a large commission (for me, anyway) at AC. After a move - during which my customer was traveling, and assured me that it was fine that I was sorting the house first - I began work on the commission without much ado. I turned in progress shots and they seemed very enthused about the progress. I was also! It looks pretty awesome. I think it'll be one of the better things I've drawn! We're both excited, cool! I've been making adjustments at the suggestion of the customer at each stage that they were made. Getting to the final refining stage has taken a while, as even after I had set to work my customer continued to have long periods of non communication, something I had been advised of, but also assured that communication would become more regular, which it has yet to much degree. I refine, and tighten, and finally come to a time where it can be scanned for final sketch approval. It's all completely ready for color except a very small section (delay between a question I asked the customer and the day when my bf took it to be scanned - I do not own a scanner, just for the record.). The communication had been semi-regular for a little while(a few emails worth), but then another quiet after I sent it. I did not think much, they seem as if they were quite busy, and while it itched at the artisty bit of me, the person bits and business sense in me knows folks got a life! So it's cool. Then! I get an email back saying they had deliberated 'for a while' and decided that they wanted some rather major changes, in addition to some adjustments I consider "regular". The regular adjustments I honestly don't care at all about, unless someone was super ridiculous I have no problem tweaking things - I had informed them that really excessive changes or later stage major changes may need to be charged a later fee, at the time of commission. Unfortunately, this was verbal. (I think I will have a form to sign next year - you can do that, right?). The "major" change comes in wanting to change the character's legs from plantigrade to digitigrade, which is a large task since there are 5 figures in total that would need this adjustment. In addition, two other items were dismissed - one that I had been given artistic liberty on, and one from a prompt - and I was suggested to draw just one, whole new item. This will disturb the symmetry and look of the current set up of images, which means I may need to adjust other things so it doesn't look all wonky.

I emailed them and said plainly that the minor adjustments were a-okay but that the larger ones would need to cost money. What I did not say (I think it would sound rude? But maybe it would be informative. I didn't say it, in any case.) is if this had been said at the very beginning when the first figures were roughed out, or even before the rest of them were added, I probably would have done it as part of 'regular' adjustments, but when it is ready to have color down and there are changes like bone/body structure I just can't let my time go so easily. I have yet to hear back, and I am anxious that this is another deliberation and I don't even know what I might hear.

It's been so pleasant so far, I enjoy the project, but I am concerned that perhaps this might be heading into some, erm, "weird" territory? I am not saying I am getting scammed, but well, it's making me anxious enough that I wanted to post and get feed back on my situation. If you have any questions, please ask them, I may have forgotten to include something or worded something oddly.