Artist Beware: Mutant-Serpentina/Arody

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

WHO: Mutant-serpentina/Arody (On FA)
http://www.furaffinity.net/gallery/mutant-serpentina/
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/arody/
http://mutantserp.tumblr.com/

WHERE:
This Happened exclusively on FA except for one (unanswered) email I sent to her.

WHAT:
Digital color piece. 20$.
screen shot of original conversation. Confusing to eye but otherwise all present. http://oi46.tinypic.com/25slt1j.jpg


WHEN: Original transaction occurred on August 19th. Paid in full.

PROOF:
http://oi45.tinypic.com/etd2tl.jpg
Copy of Paypal receipt to Serpentina-folf@hotmail.com. This email is listed publicly on her page. I also tried to contact her through this email.

EXPLAIN:
The commission started out great. She posted a journal that she was in need of some funds. So I responded telling her I could help her out. I ordered a flat color piece for 20$, The link is in the "WHAT" category of this submission. She was very responsive that day and the WIP was actually received the day of purchase (August 19th) Unfortunately, she didn't quite capture what I had in mind, and I offered to repay her for the new sketch and continue, but she was very professional and quickly drew me up a new one. (http://oi46.tinypic.com/1zxs57q.jpg That conversation is here) The New sketch. (HERE ***NSFW** http://i230.photobucket.com/albums/ee90/krimzon_wolf/macropaws.jpg) was more or less what I was looking for, On August 20th she told me she would fix one tiny thing I wanted altered and then "finish it off" that's the last time she responded to me on the account "Mutant-Serpentina" I noted her About a month later for some updates. Unanswered (the next part of documented unanswered notes here http://oi48.tinypic.com/aw9l0.jpg) Over a month after that. No Answer. At this point I was ready to put it off as a loss. I also tried emailing her and responding to her tumblr. Both Went unanswered. I really don't understand tumblr so I might have done it wrong? Around the end of November I noticed a piece of art on the homepage, the account name "Arody" which is the same as her first name on Paypal. Her Hotmail for commissions is also located on this page. I noted her with the question "did you move accounts" she responded with (http://oi45.tinypic.com/2quu6gx.jpg) In Which I responded with a firm note explaining how unfair to her commissioners it is that she switch accounts without informing any of them. which went unread. I find this in EXTREMELY bad taste and a pure lack of any responsibility on her behalf, continuing to post personal images without responding to anything on her main account. I have not heard back from her since November 30th and have noted her 3 times since then, All of which unanswered. Also upon examining her page. I noticed others have been posting on her wall asking about the status of their orders. Recently every note on her page has been sponged, including all the notes exclaiming her "absence" one in particular by what I assume to be a friend of hers said something along the lines of "Some people just don't understand that you don't have access to internet serp" In which was BEFORE she had continued to post on another account. In Reply to such, even IF she didn't have access to internet. I'm paying her for a service, there are many free ways to access the internet to reply with a note exclaiming her lack of such.. She also doesn't need internet to finish a piece of artwork. Also as a side note on on this journal, someone has asked for a paypal refund and has to this day gone unchecked http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3694248/. As of this moment I have NOT asked for a refund. Because I would still like the artwork finished.

I find Mutant-serpentina/Arody's actions to be completely inexcusable and completely irresponsible  for an artist. There's no excuse for not reading or answering notes and not replying to emails from a paid commissioner.

Note to Artist:  I would prefer to have the commission completed as to the fact I much enjoyed the sketch, but a complete refund will suffice. Feel free to note me on my FA account "Jhusky" or email me at Jhusky267@gmail.com. I expect to hear from you VERY soon.

-Jhusky

Comments

[radiocatastrophe (from livejournal.com)]

If you got a sketch don't expect a full refund, normally when some art is done people here tell you that. So you'll get partial, leaving the remainder to pay for the sketch (however much the artist in question prices their sketches at).

I'll have to edit this once I get through that block of text, kinda hard to read.

Well that sucks that they up and left, and is also doing this to others, paying customers and artists who are doing trades with them. I dunno if this'll work but you could probably open a ticket or something with Paypal, or simply do a charge back on your card, that might wake them up.

Always I have no words for their latest tumblr post, about their dA submission. >_> *Shudders*
Sorrt for so many edits, just, this artist: http://mutant-serp.deviantart.com/

[neolucky.livejournal.com]

Is the DA you posted there at the bottom the same artist as the one listed here? I may have glossed over it in the OP's post, but I was curious if that was the same person or not.

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

As much as I think a refund would be the responsible thing to do, I really don't want one. I really want her to finish the art! Hey! I really like it. Just because she has terrible customer service doesn't mean she's a bad artist or a bad person. I just want her to wake up and see what's she's doing.

Also I'm sure you're talking about /that/ submission. As much as I view it as kinda gross. I don't think it's that big of a deal. As much as the medium used is... interesting.. you can't say it's not a creative idea.

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

also I believe paypal ticket deadlines are 3 months?

[poizenkat.livejournal.com]

I've seen their art and planned to commission them since I liked their style. Thanks for posting this hah and good luck getting your art or a refund!

[dragontripmon.livejournal.com]

This is not the first time something like this happened considering there was an incindent like this on her hournal before but it was resolved by someone else.

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3309556/#cid:25402355
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3309920/
http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/3316172/

Though at least you posted here did not end up like this from the links.

[poizenkat.livejournal.com]

ouch all of those people jumping on top of that poor guy for wanting their money back. That's crazy 8/ $60 is A LOT OF MONEY...hell, $20 is a lot to me. It can make a huge difference.

[likeshine.livejournal.com]

gosh, that was hard to read. dude just wanted his money back ;_;

[wuvvumsoc.livejournal.com]

Wow. I can understand that maybe it seems ill-timed since it came around a suicide but Serp did NOT need all those white-knights jumping down the customer's throat. That is just so ridiculous.

[mrst4nkr.livejournal.com]

Wow. The commissioner was so nice about that and didn't, in any way, deserve those people commenting back like that. :/ It's not cold hearted at all.

[deejthistle.livejournal.com]

Wow :C

The guy's comments were probably some of the nicest/most professional I've seen. Even if you cut the artist slack due to real life troubles, the dogpiling from her fanbase is a helluva turn off.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

Dang, sorry you got burned, the artist does seem to be pretty irresponsible - possibly even scamming - from what you presented here.
Unfortunately I think it's unlikely there's an easy way to get your money back or the work unless the artist suddenly decides to buck up. Looks like it's too late to file a PP dispute, though you could still try to send PP a note so they have a "mark" about their account. If you payed with a credit card you might also be able to get your money back with a chargeback. If you paid through your bank account you could ask the banks their policies though from what I've seen they usually aren't too helpful.

I will say that, while some may disagree, I think if the /artist/ cancels and/or breaks TOS then the commissioner should get a /full refund/ as most commissioners can't do much with a half-completed work that they probably don't have the rights to modify. -- obvious exceptions being if it's a multipart commission and some of the pieces are fully finished, etc.

[neiramarina.livejournal.com]

I just want to say, having worked as a freelance illustrator for several years, that I agree with spiffystuff. OP would have preferred their art completed. When an artist behaves in this manner, the least they can do is provide the commissioner with a profuse apology for their lack of professionalism as well as a full refund.

To OP I would recommend maybe removing the "I expect to hear from you VERY soon" at the end. Much as the artist is at fault here, this comes off as maybe... Just a little agressive/threatening? To me, anyway. If they feel even slightly attacked (warranted or not) they will likely be even less willing to work with you. Not siding with them, just my two cents.

[waffelle.livejournal.com]

This artist identifies as a male, I believe.

[deejthistle.livejournal.com]

At the top of their new page, they say it's all right to use either male or female pronouns.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Spam begone program initiated~

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

Bad spammer no cookie.

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

update: for anyone who's going to read this

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4272138/

and in case she deletes it.

http://oi46.tinypic.com/cj711.jpg

yep this journal happened.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

If you really knew me you'd know that I'm not that sane.
my mentally doesnt allow me to care too much or else i wouldnt have screwed over/disapointed so many people irl.
I can't really thow away my reputation since it will stay aslong as i exist on the internet and iv done some pretty nasty stuff in the past and people still stick around, I don't know why, I guess people like train wrecks.

No one has to really know you to give you money for a service. I'm not buddy-buddy with the Five Guys cooks. I give them my money, politely order and get my goods. HOW HARD IS THAT.

This artist sounds lazy, and obviously wants to "scare" everyone off whom they owe. This is a real good way to... NOT do it.

At this point, I'd cap the WHOLE thing if possible for comments and admittance of avoiding obligations, Take this (http://img407.imageshack.us/img407/3669/arodysjournal2013.png) and send it to Paypal/bank/CC company with a notice that Artist is outright and publicly denying you and other customers their goods.

I will be leaving Bazeel a note regarding this.

[aerospiritual.livejournal.com]

I don't know if you've seen this or not:

http://www.furaffinity.net/journal/4272138/

"yep.
Some of ya'll are annoying as fuck, I'm not gonna answer to people who constantly bug me and note me for comissions or art, just because I dont really care if i get your fap material done on time or not, I'm not trying to be mean about it but it really getting to the point were people bawww all over my shouts because i havent drawn thier steroid induced digimons fucking the whole city.
if you keep bugging me i will block you like i already have several people.

Im not responding to anyones notes, From today on i dont owe anything to anyone just because. I prefer to worry about myself instead of you because honestly ya'll are just faceless people who I don't even think exist, let alone have empathy towards.

As for people who just watched me this doesnt really regard you since i dont even know who you are, so i don't know if i should hate you or not"

Just. Wow.

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

yeah i actually posted it above. Insane

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

Since he hasn't said it yet, Bazeel is looking into the matter on FA as well

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

That's awesome! You guys are awesome

[bazeelphooka.livejournal.com]

Hello! This user has been suspended until they deliver on their commissions, or issue refunds. Please let me know if this gets resolved, as they have refused to resolve it here on AB. Thanks!

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

As much as I appreciate what's done. I also thank you for the effort FA has put in on our (and my!) behalf. I feel as though this might cause more issue than being solved? Since we can no longer contact her through her FA it's going to be very easy for her to escape on the owed artwork.

Basically from here I fear that It will be much easier for her to just completely slip away and we'll never hear from her again.

I just wanted to get your opinion on this. will she still be able to contact us through FA? Or how has she been instructed to contact us for our commissions.

Recent Development.

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

As as with the recent suspension apparently she's decided to get her act together. One of her good friends is organizing all her owed art and is going to help her get through it.

I'm obviously very skeptical (for good reason) but I'm a nice person so I'm going to give her another (not well deserved) chance.

I called paypal today and they told me to call my bank and have the bank itself contact paypal. What the Paypal representative told me is that if I get my bank to call them, paypal will dispute it with my bank to put the money back on my paypal balance.

I told her friend toxique-waste (on FA) that if she does not have it done with in a VERY generous time frame. I will be doing this.

The art itself is sketched and only needs to be flat colored, so if the deadline is anymore than two weeks I'm going to charge it back to her. I think this is a fair deadline. Thoughts?

Re: Recent Development.

[taasla.livejournal.com]

That sounds more than fair, honestly.

[jhusky.livejournal.com]

So I hate to bring this up again. But I've been getting a lot of notes on FA recently after people have seen this post.

I'll tell you the same I've told them all. I've recently filed a PayPal dispute with Mutant-serpentinas/Arody's account. I was well as the PayPal representative I talked to explained, The best way to have any chance at getting your money back is to **call** PayPal and open a dispute. Even if it's after the 45 limit they will still open it, if enough people do so, We have a chance at at the least banning her from doing this to anyone else.

but if you have any questions feel free to note me on FA. I'd be glad to help you! http://www.furaffinity.net/user/jhusky/

-J

[starlight_equine24 (from livejournal.com)]

Arody has a new tumblr under the name Kancerkat. Her blog is titled Crack House. http://kancerkat.tumblr.com/

[dragontripmon.livejournal.com]

Anyway OP her tumblr been updated with commission work including from what I see is yours. http://mutantserp.tumblr.com/post/48623351768/commission-for-jhusky

Though I see she is also working on others.

[woofstep (from livejournal.com)]

Don't know if you ever got the commission done, but I know Arody a bit, and thing is lately for the past year she's been disappearing altogether because she's been in a few situations where she's often low on money and can't continue paying money for communication, or even going through a lot of emotional issues in her life. Often for even a month she'll be inactive online before she gets enough money or before she gets herself back together.

Yes, having to wait such a long time for a commission is unacceptable, but when the person you commission is known to disappear often and only later gets something finished, you should have some sense to know that you're gonna have to wait a rather long time then.

Just thought I'd let people know

[starlight_equine24 (from livejournal.com)]

Arody has a new tumblr under the name Kancerkat. Her blog is titled Crack House. http://kancerkat.tumblr.com/

She blocked my email and tumblr. :(

[emilio_nexus_ray (from livejournal.com)]

I ask my friend to use his email to ask her about commission and she replied back my friend's while mine is not. I paid her 25$ on December 2014. She said that she wants money first so that she can buy a gift to her mother...So I did pay money to her. Never knew she would block me. What should I do? I don't want to lose 25$ for free. :(

PS Also,when I ask for refund, she said that I have no money and that's probably the reason that my email and tumblr got blocked...

Re: She blocked my email and tumblr. :(

[emilio_nexus_ray (from livejournal.com)]

She has two new accounts.
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/brain-sickness/
kancer-chan.tumblr.com
Beware of her.