artists_beware | Far too long...

WHO: Navitas Tracer/Lab5/NachtSS/Shadow.tech.

WHERE: FurAffinity/Deviantart/Skype

WHAT: Originally this was a custom fursuit head only then, when details were changed, a gasmask that was not apart of the original discussion was added then later another transaction, separate from the original commission but still apart of the same account.

WHEN: Original commission was initialized around March/April of 2010. Changes and add ons occured around June 2010.

PROOF: Does anyone remember this post? http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/425108.html as well as screep caps below.

EXPLAIN: The link above has most of the story, screencaps included. Now to give you, the viewer, a bit of background so as to make sense of the whole ordeal. The original commission started off smoothly. I was in the beginning of my second year of making suits when Navitas came to me. Through the few weeks of discussion and past that we had built up the standard commissioner/maker friendship I try to establish so communication is easiest instead of a slightly awkward feel I had found in the past. May came around and I had finished the resin base for the mask and was about to fur. Jawset made and installed, ready to go. After he was furred we were discussing the character's history and decided to change him a bit. Nothing major. I was to not add the scars and repair the broken tooth (as the upper canine tip was suppose to be broken off I then added a tip). So after he was refurred and tooth fixed other details started to come into play.

Here's where things start to change. I learn more about the commissioner himself and find out he's unemployed and almost flaunts the fact so. My first red flag should have been when he stated "You know I probably can't pay for all of this right?" but I figured hey, he's a friend. I'll work on it until he pays it off... During this time he was looking for a pair of video goggles by MyVu. I had purchased a pair about a month prior and figured I would send him mine if he paid me for them. We agreed and I sent them. They arrived safe and he showed me his plans to dismantle them and place them onto glasses.... He then proceeded to take them apart with a screwdriver adn a steak knife (yes you read correctly), cutting vital wired adn utterly destroying them....

A gas mask came into play next. This detail was far from expected. While we chatted via Skype, he described the article and I drew it. 3 weeks went by before I came up with a design that fed his satisfaction. I was discovering just how picky of a customer he really was as it seemed nothing would FULLY make him happy. Another 2 weeks went by before he approved the sculpt. By now it's nearing the end of June when the relationship, which had started to become personal, starts taking it's hits. He'd become a close friend and a little more when he'd grown attached to me, often texting me and grumbling when I would be with my family. He would scowl when I would work on other commissions, demanding that I finish his before I address any others.

I finally had it around the end of July. I wanted to break off the "relationship" and needed my life back. I had finished his mask with only the initial $150 downpayment as my head cleared. He took the breakoff hard, harder than I expected, demanding to know why I did. I had realized my business, my friendships with others, and my life were suffering as the relashionship went farther.

. I made the posting above for advise as he was still refusing to pay me. He was no longer "more" but just a friend and customer but I had no idea what to do. I sent him pictures of proof that it was finished.I was hoping all this would lessen the blow (yes I was a door mat and naive....) He demanded a video (something of which I was unable to provide at the time but gave a full turnaround shot (also link posted above). He seemed satisfied at the moment but still did not pay. By now I was stating that he either pay me then or I was cancelling the commission. He still did not pay me but stated he had been at a debt agency. I had grown more than tired of cutting him slack and, following the adviceof many artists and a family friend who was in the business industry, I tried to cancel the commission. (also shown above) he was furious by then and was starting to explode in his conversations, even bringing insults to my main shout page for the local public. He then stated he had the money and demanded the mask. He sent a single dollar to make sure my paypal was still current, ignoring my statements that the commission was through. I checked back within the hour to find $500 in my paypal. I sighed and sent the mask.

Now it gets interesting... I get a note from a friend with a link of his fursuit review. His video included in with his review ( http://fursuitreviews.livejournal.com/32877.html ) and I'm seeing things that were not on the mask when I shipped it. The thing was a disaster!!! It looked like someone literally went to town on it and just went wild. I couldn't understand what was happening. He ragged on materials I used and demanded I either refund him in full or make a new mask, refusing my option of repairing/updating any of his dislikes. I tried to calm him down and figure out the situation but he kept going, digging in and just ragging on me. Out of bewilderment I talked to him on Yahoo chat, finally getting him calmed down and civil. I tried to think of a way to make everyone happy (an action I'm learning is near impossible in some cases) and tried to offer an upgrade on the suit. We agreed and he held onto the mask until I worked on the upgrades.

(Note:What he currently has in his possession is a custom fursuit head, a gas mask mold with filter mold) I continued to work on what I could before havign to set it aside as I was getting married and moving abotu 2000 miles away from my original home.

Here is the link as mentioned a few times above:

http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/467303.html#comments

A long story short this customer is highly difficult to please and is very prone to changing things during commissions, often after completing most of it or a spot that's difficult to redo(a.i. furring a mask, inking a picture, etc.). He's on disability and often spends money on things he's likely unable to pay in full for (large commissions over $200). Indecisive and not the easiest to communicate with. My reccomendation is to avoid taking on his commission.