Beware: Calolily

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

11-24-2011

I've been putting this off for a long time, far too long. But then, I've heard some horror stories of people that posted about popular artists and it kind of put me off until today..

WHO: Calolily

WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/calolily/ Disabled since the start of April.

WHAT: $125 two-piece traditional set of a new character, pin-up + reference sheet.

WHEN: November-26-2011 to current.

PROOF: Image 1: http://i.imgur.com/yTGtt8J.jpg proof of payment.
Image 2: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/6933652/ the completed first piece, the same quality of work was expected of the second.
Image 3: http://i.imgur.com/Kiy5EWx.png the note I sent the 8th.
Image 4a/4b: http://i.imgur.com/8khYpgv.jpg the sheet posted to her scraps that night, original version. http://www.furaffinity.net/view/11569226/ the edited version of the sheet to add his horns after I noted her back.
Image 5: http://i.imgur.com/Kswr37R.png the conversation that followed the image.
Image 6: http://i.imgur.com/4nhGIZR.png the January note.
Image 7: http://i.imgur.com/oqR5SHD.png the short conversation on the 4th of February.
Image 8: http://i.imgur.com/0OqwX31.png my note later than month.
Image 9: http://i.imgur.com/eD7dkcn.png my final note that she never even read.
Image 10: http://i.imgur.com/SKtRQr5.png the emails today that convinced me to finally post this.

EXPLAIN: November-26-2011, the initial contact took place via video stream with skype voice chat, we worked out the details and payment was sent, she completed the first half that night in the stream. (images 1-2)

Time passed and I waited with waning patience for the second half, while watching her taking and posting many more commissions, and even opening a rather large collab auction on furbuy, before I finally contacted her again for it.

September-8/9-2013, I sent the first note, she neglected to reply to the note at all, instead posting a hastily done and off-model digital sheet to her scraps, with nothing in the way of description. I noted her again to express my displeasure with the image and things got slightly unpleasant but were ultimately resolved with her set to do the sheet in traditional as originally agreed upon and have it finished by the end of the week.... She also found the time to edit the sheet during the conversation, though I saved the original. (Images 3-5)

January-22-2014, I sent another note inquiring as to the status, read but not replied to. (Image 6)

February-4-2014, I sent yet another note, she told me that the piece was completed but that she wouldn't be posting it on FA, she didn't offer me a digital copy in another method, and I neglected to ask for proof that it was done which I now realize I should have done. (Image 7)

February-20-2014, after not hearing anything about it having been shipped, and not recieving anything in the mail for just over two weeks, I sent her another note. It was read, but not replied to. (Image 8)

April-4-2014, I sent yet another note asking about it, and this time mentioning that I might have to post on this journal, she didn't even read it. Two days later, her page was disabled and she had vanished off the internet. (image 9)

August-24-2014, today. I decided to try one final try, and dug out her email to contact her directly. I didn't expect much, but to my surprise she responded.. In a less than polite manner. While I replied to her email despite her threat that it would be treated as harassment, I do not hold my breath for any sort of reply. (image 10)

Edit, 8-26-14: It would appear that between writing this the 24th and it being approved today, she took the time to completely wipe her entire FA account in addition to disabling it, leaving one of my images a dead link.

Comments

[kattotang.livejournal.com]

Ick, this isn't a nice situation. If she does traditional art that has to be shipped out, she should be insuring and tracking it. Tracking is free first-class and priority USPS parcels, and insurance isn't expensive (and even if it was, a fee could be charged accordingly). And wow, she had the gall to say it'll be viewed as harassment, when it's she who owes you work that you paid for... :\ Not a nice situation at all.

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

Hence my asking her for some sort of proof of shipping, which she's unlikely to give since it's been two days and still no reply. =/

[kattotang.livejournal.com]

Yeeeaaah. And like Kayla-La said, she should've scanned it as well...

Definitely a beware well warranted. :\

[ramthedragon.livejournal.com]

I would like to add that using other mailing services tracking can be very expensive, esentially doubling the shipping fees. But yeah, claiming harassment over work that was not delivered? That's quite bad.

[kattotang.livejournal.com]

Using other mailing services is more expensive in general, so I'm not sure why anyone running a small business would use the other services at all really. But I know for a fact that USPS includes tracking at the bare minimum for pretty much all of their services, even their least expensive ones, and insurance starts out at like $1 - $2 for the first $100 insured, so it's really not very pricey for that. Even if it was a little pricey, they should be taking that into account and charge accordingly for traditional work. Even if they use other services, they could charge accordingly. There's no excuse to not at least provide tracking information (unless the shipping is international, tracking is a given with every service I can think of).

[ranlur.livejournal.com]

Curious why you shot down her offer for a refund on the uncompleted half even after she admitted (essentially) that she had no motivation to complete it?

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

Because at the time, she was posting a commission picture at least once a week, and was holding a collaboration auction on furbuy.

She had the time and motivation for artwork, and I had been waiting nearly two years at that point.

[ranlur.livejournal.com]

Just because an artist has time or motivation for other artwork doesn't necessarily mean they're feeling the same drive to complete *your* piece, for whatever reason. No, she shouldn't have taken so long in the first place, and I understand that, but all of her red flags point towards "I really don't want to do this piece anymore".

Unless I'm mistaken, they have the right to say 'no' and simply refund regardless of the reason, at any given time. That decision doesn't need justification.

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

Except that A: She didn't specify that it was my piece she didn't want to do, she stated it was art in general. And B: She didn't press the issue of a refund after I declined, instead stating that it would be completed as originally agreed upon.

(frozen)

[tylociraptor.livejournal.com]

To be honest, she probably just didn't want to insult you. Speaking as an artist, I wouldn't want to tell a customer that I specifically do not want to or have no motivation to do THEIR piece. It isn't as though she is obligated to tell you that anyway, but since she did offer a refund, that should have been a sign to you that she probably was having trouble with yours specifically. You should have taken the refund.

As for not insisting, I would assume that is more out of not wanting to appear rude, as well.

Honestly, yeah, she messed up, but she did give you a chance to get a refund for the incomplete portion of the commission.

(frozen)

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

Even if this was the case though, it doesn't explain or excuse the continued lack of communication that followed, with her replying to my notes only one more time in the following 6 months before disabling her page without a word to anyone.

And honestly? Yeah, I should have taken the refund in hindsight, but the money was less to me than the picture, as she was the primary artist for the species, I wouldn't have been able to find someone else to do the same level of work for that character.

(frozen)

[niimou.livejournal.com]

Imo if an artist really doesn't want to finish a piece then they need to suck it up and hold their ground when a commissioner says they'd really rather have the art.

But she didn't, she agreed to finish it. She could have offered again/insisted on the refund at any time. But again she didn't, she just ignored the problem. Or maybe she sent it but neglected to provide tracking. Either way, this is looking like her bad, not the OP's.

(frozen)

[tylociraptor.livejournal.com]

Didn't say it was the OP's bad, just that he should have taken the refund when he had the chance.

(frozen)

[niimou.livejournal.com]

Which sounds to me like blaming. Not to mention the idea that an artist only has to offer a refund once and if the commissioner doesn't take it then too bad? Whatever the artist does after that is okay then?

She agreed to finish and she didn't deliver. If she didn't want to deliver then she should have insisted on a refund.

(frozen)

[tylociraptor.livejournal.com]

Yeah, you're reading things I didn't say, or even imply.

(frozen)

[magicporpoise.livejournal.com]

I actually agree with you in a way, I understand where youre coming from. I would have taken the refund, myself, if it were offered. As an artist, if someone shot down my refund, I would have pressed it more, though, once it is offered, it kind of goes without saying that the artist does not want anything to do with the commission. I dont blame OP for this though, not everyone can see the same subtle hints, which is fine. I feel the situation would have been solved if the artist didnt make that digital piece int he first place, though. next time, you'll know that the refund is something you never want to say 'no' to, because you may end up in a huge mess.(Again, though, its not your fault, I never saw it as your fault. You have every right to say you didnt think it'd take a harsh turn, because it shouldnt have, the artist is to blame) The artist is also acting COMPLETELY unprofessional, beware well warranted.

Also, a side note to Niimou, I feel that you read into Tylociraptor's comment wrong, I dont see where they were blaming OP. They were just explaining what may have went on in the artist's head at the time, and explaining that some artists seem to have a hard time admitting they dont want to work on something, thats not blaming at all.

(frozen)

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

Yeah, between this and an unrelated issue that almost became a second posting, I'm taking things a bit more seriously in this area.

Even went as far as buying my own receipt pad for convention commissions where the artist doesn't use one themselves, so I can always have a good record.

I also apologize for the delay in replying, been distracted with work and con-prep.

(frozen)

[magicporpoise.livejournal.com]

I think its best to be safe than sorry. I am definitely sorry you had to go through that though, in the end, the artist's actions were completely uncalled for. I still cringe when i read about how they said you were 'harassing' them.

(frozen)

[magicporpoise.livejournal.com]

My comment above also is a response to you, I just couldnt alert both you and Tilociraptor at the same time.

(frozen)

[niimou.livejournal.com]

Yeah, even with three people telling it isn't so, I still read tilociraptor's initial comment as blaming. It's an example of how text can always be read multiple ways I guess. It's whatev though, I gave my perspective and that's what matters to me.

(frozen)

[magicporpoise.livejournal.com]

Even if they clarified that you misunderstood them, you still will claim that it means something else? I find that a bit unfair, they even said their-self that you misunderstood it. Just because something can be read differently, doesn't make every different way right. Believe what you want, but it doesn't make you right, no matter how much you want to be. You have the majority telling you that you misunderstood, including the source. Since this is so irrelevant I wont reply anymore.

(frozen)

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

A week later, I think this argument has gone on more than long enough. I'm freezing this thread.

(frozen)

[prince-strifu.livejournal.com]

^ This.
I mean, yes maybe he should have persisted, or maybe the commissioner should have been honest, that's all completely irrelevant now since the artist won't even contact them.

I'm going to have to agree that she probably didn't want to insult the OP, but lying and ignoring him? That's a lot worse than just saying, "hey I'm not motivated here's your money".

Tylociraptor is not "blaming" the customer.

[terraformer (from livejournal.com)]

I'm afraid to make much of a comment as I'm not sure how much help it would be, but I must speak out against the artist as well.

Calolily and I were major business partners together for quite a long time.
I do not have any notes or logs to go off of as much business matters occurred over skype calls.
Anything that COULD possibly help me in this matter could be deemed as "emotionally compromised" and I don't believe it will help here.

All I have is proof of payments*,(made between 2011-12) but since the artist took it upon herself to nuke her entire gallery (even going into my species page to remove work), I can't show what has not been complete or even partially complete. Or even differentiate fanart from commission fairly.
I wasn't offered refunds. My trust has been tested and abused.

The artist has indeed done what the OP described. Done others work before her sudden disappearance and complete cut of communication.
There was several large scale projects I commissioned that have simply been abandoned.
I feel like we are being punished for some irrelevant issue outside of the business circle.
Whatever the artist reasons may be for disappearing, it is none of our concern. Though on the business side, she has walked away with our money and our work.

My own situation can't be fixed, but a beware needs warranted from the OP's experience.

**These will be provided on request, this isn't my thread.

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

It's a shame that it should happen to even one person, let alone multiple people..

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

I don't get why she wouldn't at least scan the traditional sheet before sending so she has proof that she even made it.

[prince-strifu.livejournal.com]

Because she didn't do it, most likely.
I would imagine that she just got really annoyed and lied to sorta cover her tracks hoping her commissioner would hop off her back.

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

That's about what I've come to conclude as well, alas going by Jordan, I'm not the only person she's affected.

I also apologize for the delay in replying, been distracted with work and con-prep.

[prince-strifu.livejournal.com]

That's a real shame and it's obviously way too late to even get your money back. I'm sorry you had to go through this kind of situation. This beware will probably help a ton of people in the future though!

[hidden-kyuubi.livejournal.com]

She's been AWOL from everything tied to her name, even abandoning/ignoring artists she did collaborations with.