Problematic Commissioner

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

Hi A_B! I never thought I'd post here but I'm having some troubles with a certain commissioner and I'd like some advice. For now I'd rather not name them.

Basically, they commissioned me last year and there were one or two warning signs, but I ignored this and completed their commission and thought that was done for.

I then noticed they'd reposted their commission to their account, which is something I'm fine with. My ToS states that the commissioner must credit me and only repost the lowres version of their commission (I provide a hires file with no watermark and a lowres file with a watermark for all my commissions). They ended up posting their commission to their gallery two separate times, the first with no credit and using the hires file, and the second with the lowres file but still no credit. I finally got them to follow my ToS after a lot of persistence, at one point they claimed they were too busy to credit me properly despite replying to my note immediately and screencapping their gallery to 'prove' they did in fact credit artists.

I thought this was the end but then discovered they'd reposted their commission to their Tumblr, again with no proper credit (I can't remember which version of the file they'd uploaded as it was a while ago). I ended up filing a DMCA as I did not want to deal with them again and Tumblr thankfully took the post down.

Again, I thought this would finally be over with but today discovered another Tumblr blog they'd created and had yet again reposted their commission, this time with no credit and using the hires file. I've filed another DMCA and am waiting for Tumblr's response as I write this. I should add that on both blogs they've reposted multiple other commissions and have credited them all.

What I'd like to know is if there's anything I can do to prevent this from happening again? They've proved they won't listen to me in the past so I'm not sure simply telling them not to repost again will work. On top of that they seem to have abandoned their FA and left it in the care of another FA user so I'm not sure I'd even be able to get through to them. It's getting tiring chasing them down across multiple websites as I'm aware they're on several other websites such as Weasyl and InkBunny, but don't seem to have reposted my art on those yet.

Thank you for any help you can provide!

Comments

[kalika-tybera.livejournal.com]

If they're not crediting after multiple uploads and obviously being asked to credit, then it makes me suspect they are possibly doing it intentionally either to "make a point" or get a rise out of you, I don't know. Other than filing DMCAs and continually requesting they credit and not post the Hi-Res, I'm really not sure what you can do. I'm sorry I can't be of much help, but I imagine how frustrating this must be!

Personally I would be interested in seeing a full beware. I'd like to add this person to my blacklist to avoid ever working with them.

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

Yeah I feel that was their motivation but I wasn't sure if speculation like that was allowed in posts haha. If enough people are interested I'll definitely start collecting screencaps for a full beware, as I know they're still commissioning artists despite abandoning their account.

[starcharmer.livejournal.com]

I'm definitely interested. This is really frustrating behavior to deal with and I'm sorry. :(

[gatekat.livejournal.com]

Agreeing with kalika_tybera on all counts, and adding I'd like to know what warning signs you ignored.

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if the signs really count or simply left a bad taste in my mouth, so others may disagree that these were warning signs, but this is what happened:

When they first expressed interest they claimed they were broke, but went ahead and commissioned me anyway. I sent an invoice for payment but instead received a rather condescending note telling me to include my username in my invoices as they'd just commissioned someone else for the exact same amount of money.

I found it suspicious due to the claims they made earlier, but told them I didn't include my name as it was possible for paypal to trace payments back to pages and I was simply protecting myself and told them the name/email the invoice was coming from instead so they could identify me.

After that I didn't get a response so I had to note them again reminding them to pay and again they didn't sound too pleased with me but did send the payment.

(I'll add they completely ignored my note with their completed commission, but were more than happy to post it to several places without credit)

Again others my disagree with these being warning signs and they're pretty innocent on their own, but on top of this trouble I feel it's somewhat relevant!

[gatekat.livejournal.com]

I definitely agree those are strong warning signs.
Maybe not for the behavior you're getting, but of a bad situation in the making.

Definitely post a full beware. What they are doing to you they'll do to others.

[mistresswolf.livejournal.com]

:C That would really bug me if someone didn't respond to my note/email that delivered the art. If it is a YCH, I just post it, but if someone commissions me normally, I send the finished art to them to look at first (in case I need to do any fixes) and I don't post until they respond.

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

I used to wait until people responded too but it's gotten to the point where it's 50/50 on whether someone replies haha, I'm not really sure why but it's gotten more common lately

[metallik-hasse.livejournal.com]

Those sound like good reasons to become apprehensive. If they behave that way, I'm going to echo posting a beware. I wouldn't want to deal with what seems like a very inconsiderate person either. :/

[hidden-kyuubi.livejournal.com]

Strong warning signs, I definitely agree on making a full out beware, too so we all know who to avoid.

[sacch.livejournal.com]

After the behavior you mentioned and having to file DMCAs, I'd definitely encourage you to post a beware on this user. The fact you had to file a DMCA at all seems more than enough for me- they had no intention of respecting you or your TOS from the get go. And the notes you mention and how they spoke to you is pretty bad, too- I'd like to know who to avoid.

Hope things work out!

[greenreaper.livejournal.com]

If they do post on Inkbunny, feel free to file a ticket and we'll take care of it. Both permission and credit is important!

[teekchan.livejournal.com]

I'd like to point out the the commission reposted the art out of spite without credit, as Sweep left out. The commissioner (who I dealt with too, the same issues as Sweep) has done this and said so outright that it was out of spite.

They know and understand they are breaking ToS's

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

If this is the case I kind of hope either you or Sweep make a full beware on this person. I'd love to avoid this behavior

[sacch.livejournal.com]

Jeez! Even more reason to post a beware.

[whoop-zi.livejournal.com]

yikes. echoing what everyone else is saying that a proper beware may be in order.

[pandadally.livejournal.com]

To prevent this from happening again in the future, I would recommend leaving some sort of watermark on both the hi-res and low-res versions, even if only a small, less conspicuous one.

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

That's a good idea! I might just sign my name somewhere small from now on

[fenris-lorsrai.livejournal.com]

You may also want to embedded your artist info in the metadata of the image file. How exactly you do so varies from program to program but most newer ones have some variation on this. It won't be VISIBLE on the image, but it does make tracking it much easier since you can use the metadata to find it.

also most people won't realize its tagged with metadata at all. so even if you're dealing with someone who's a complete dick and removes the watermark, they PROBABLY won't remember to remove the metadata. or may not know how. out of sight, out of find.... but you can still use it track down reposts.

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

Oh I've heard of this but had never considered it, I'll definitely look into it some more. Thank you for the tip!

[fusreya.livejournal.com]

Oh wow, I did not realise that one could do that! I will have to look into it myself for when I eventually get back into art. I use to signature all of my works, but that's easily edited out.

[thegentilcat.livejournal.com]

Depends on where you place the signature, really. I always place mine in a place where, though it won'tobscure anything in the image, it will make it obvious if someone has edited/cropped it out.

[mistresswolf.livejournal.com]

I used to do that all the time when I used Photoshop. Since I've moved into SAI, I haven't. Does SAI let you do it? If not, I think I might start opening the image in my old Photoshop and adding it in.

[adzuki.livejournal.com]

Yes, please make a full beware of this person. This behavior is definitely out of spite and will continue I feel.

[sweepshire.livejournal.com]

I've written up a full beware and it's in the queue now! Thank you everyone who's replied so far

[tealmoonxiv.livejournal.com]

Yuck, I'm glad you're making a full beware.