Beware: Occy/ChristineNanaruki/ChristineThePikachu

[sheepilyy.livejournal.com]

WHO: https://inkbunny.net/Occy
http://christinethepikachu.deviantart.com/
https://www.furaffinity.net/user/ChristineThePikachu/
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/ChristineNanaruki
https://www.furaffinity.net/user/christinenanaruki2011 (Suspended)

WHERE: Inkbunny, My DeDraMo Journal: https://inkbunny.net/journalview.php?id=61682

WHAT: $5 (DeDraMo chibi)

WHEN: December 23rd, 2012

Proof: http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Sheepily/Occy/4.png
Also, See below


EXPLAIN:
I'm sorry if you all think this post is rather useless. I know the amount was small, and at this point I am not really worried about getting my money back. I just hope that this doesn't happen to anyone else at this point! I am sorry if this is unhelpful.

1. http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Sheepily/Occy/1.png
https://inkbunny.net/journalview.php?id=61682
Here is a link to the original journal I posted about these commissions. No information has been edited. She is underlined in blue there, and has the check mark next to her name that the commission is completed, but not paid.

2. http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Sheepily/Occy/2.png
http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Sheepily/Occy/3.png
Proof that the image was posted. It is not viewable to the public any longer, however it is still in my gallery hidden. Please note that the commission was completed on the 26th, however the slot was the 27th, thus it was posted on the 27th. The client received the image on the 26th.

3. http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Sheepily/Occy/4.png
Here is the note between her an I discussing her commission. I asked to confirm that she wanted the slot, since she had posted on my journal she wanted one, but with no information. She seemed to be interested still since she gave me a link and we exchanged some information. After that I completed her commission (I misnamed the file, however 3 minutes later I sent her the correctly named file).
I mailed her later that day (the next day for me) asking her if she had sent payment, which she did not, and still had not responded.
I mailed her again on January 7th in hopes I had just missed the payment. She did not respond.
Without hearing from her, I mailed her again on February 18th.* Again, with no response.

I had IM'ed her several times between and after this, and posted a shout on her page which was ignored. I'm sorry I have no screen caps.

4. http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Sheepily/Occy/5.png
*Between the time I sent her a note on January 7th and February 18th I contacted a moderator on Inkbunny about my image being in her gallery. I asked them to remove the image from her gallery, since she had not paid me yet. They kindly removed it. I was hoping this would bring some attention to my notes and she would respond to them. However, again, I still got no response from her.

5.http://www.majhost.com/gallery/Sheepily/Occy/6.png
My very last attempt was to contact someone who seemed to talk to her often (he is unrelated to the issue). I was hoping he would be able to direct me somewhere that she does check her messages. However in response, I was shocked to find, that she tends to this often. And if he would have "known" she was commissioning me, he would have warmed me about her practices. She does not have anyway in which she can send me money. Which is why I finally felt inclined to make this post. It has happened to an artist before me, and I wouldn't want it to happen to an artist after me.

Final: Basically this client refuses to contact me at all about my payment after I have given her the image. I would have been more than happy to work something out (as I sometimes take virtual money, art, ect as payment). However with no response from her, no matter what form of contact, I am at a loss. I have checked over my paypal payments, and all of my clients are checked off my list but her.
Artist Beware is really my last stop, and I've put it off for many months in hopes she will turn up and at least talk to me. I really feel bad about posting this, I really don't wish ANY of my transactions to come to this, however after 7 months of waiting, I am quite sad I have to make this post.

Comments

[intj-reflection.livejournal.com]

Please, please do not feel that the low cost you sold your work at negates any validity of your complaint. You created something for an individual who stole your time and effort without reimbursement. I often seen people post about how little a piece cost or that it was a trade in which no money was exchanged but that is no excuse for poor business practices or outright theft.

I'm very sorry that this happened to you. Unfortunately at this point there is little that can be done. Most people will suggest you get payment up front before any work begins, but I know it doesn't help for this issue. :-/

Your chibi images are very adorable.

Beware well warranted.

[funkicarus.livejournal.com]

yikes, thanks for the beware.
and hey, five bucks is five bucks. i don't like to be stiffed even a dollar, and a nonpaying client is still a nonpaying client!

[kasune.livejournal.com]

Wow, I can't believe the "commissioner" in this case had no payment options. It's like they knew they were going to stiff you. I'm very sorry this happened to you- just reading the final screencap makes me angry.

From now on, I suggest you take partial or full payment upfront, that way you don't get burned. Smaller commissions can be paid upfront, bigger ones can be done half-and-half or with payment plans.

Also, as the first commenter here said- a business transaction is valid no matter the price. Just because you were stiffed out of $5 instead of a larger amount does not make the beware any less valid; for all we know the person in question could continue their behavior and rip off artists in greater amounts/for higher-priced work.

Beware well warranted.

Edited for grammar/spelling.

[mistresswolf.livejournal.com]

" I suggest you take partial or full payment upfront, that way you don't get burned. Smaller commissions can be paid upfront, bigger ones can be done half-and-half or with payment plans."

This is how I do it. :) Either a customer pays it all before I start or they pay half before I start and the second half when I've done the lineart.

[epiceternity.livejournal.com]

Looks like they had no intention of paying from the get go so a warranted beware.

As an extra tip- if you prefer payment after the art is done, another thing you can do to protect yourself is watermark the artwork and only provide the full sized un-watermarked version once they've paid. It helps to put off art scroungers.

[ljmydayaway.livejournal.com]

Wow, that is really terrible. This is a big reason of why many artists do not take payment after the art is finished.

If you want to continue taking commissions this way, I really recommend putting huge, annoying watermarks on your images when you show them to your customers, and only letting them see a smaller size until they send you payment. This will encourage them to pay (though you may still end up coming across a couple of scammers :/ ).

[vivbutt.livejournal.com]

Ouch. Sorry this happened bud ://
Beware well warranted. Hopefully this'll get sorted out!

Euuuugh.. D:

[kathy-lu.livejournal.com]

I've seen this happen to so many people. Next time you do commissions like these, make sure they pay first before you give them the picture. This is more for your sake, because people will be quick to screw anyone over for something free.

:I I'm sorry this happened to you, though..