Is this Beware-Worthy?

[n.livejournal.com]

Recently I've commissioned an artist who has a rather large following on social media, but their communication leaves a lot to be desired.
Their turn-around time was fairly slow, the communication was non-existent from the sending of references, and our paypal information being swapped. At the time of this commission, I was the only commissioner in their queue for 2 small images, its work they constantly open for in bulk batches. It's around two weeks later that I finally get my commissions (after the artist opens another commission journal for a large amount of images) after they attempted to set a deadline to get the only ones in the queue done.

I receive my commissions, and I'm only satisfied with half of the commissioned work. I'm conflicted because I admire this artist greatly, but felt a disconnect between myself and what I was given. I have never felt this way when I've commissioned hundreds of works in the past, and it bothered me quite a bit. So after asking for some general advice on how to politely ask for revisions, I send them a message in response to their inquiry if anything needed to be fixed. I'm apprehensive due to the lack of communication, and how infrequently they seem to update their 'primary' commission site.

It has been three days since my message was sent to the artist (as of this post), but they're active elsewhere and constantly doing personal works, and they've amassed a queue of over 10+ commissions since then.

And I know my message was read, because the artist took to one of their personal blogs to make a post about me, an extremely negative post in regards to me asking for revisions or permission to make them myself. I was taken aback by their attitude and treatment of me after all I did was ask if their was a possibility to make these changes happen. I haven't confronted the artist about this, nor have I sent a follow-up in regards to my revision request. I'm simply at a loss and really disappointed that someone I admired seems to be this sort of person.

Is this grounds to make a proper beware about the artist? I'm extremely hurt and I don't really want to bother with getting any sort of revisions done if this is how I'm going to be treated after trying my best to not make any waves about this situation.

The artist has no TOS that I know of, and I'm extremely unsure of how to even approach them now that I've seen this post made about me.

Could any of you offer some solid advice on how to proceed? I'd really appreciate it.

EDIT: changed up my wording a bit to give more meat to my post, i was relatively tired when i submitted it and a few things were a bit vague. I hope this is ok?

EDIT 2: I've sent a follow-up message to the artist regarding my original request for revisions, and I am anticipating a response.

Comments

[dragonleas.livejournal.com]

Wow the artist didn't even bother to reply to your pm and went right to making a blog to rant about you? That is seriously rude. Personally, I would make a beware on this person because that is just not professional, but before doing so I would try at least to attempt another pm asking about it. Especially if the artist didn't name you by name on the blog it might be another user. But yeah, it does warrant a beware since I know I wouldn't want to do business with an artist who runs and complains about something like a change that needs to be made or at least talked about.

[n.livejournal.com]

I made some edits to my post to clarify, but the post in question is DEFINITELY about me. I was their only commissioner in this time-frame and it picks at the way I sent my references in regards to my half of the commission.

The timing of the post and my response to their question about changes lines up perfectly, so there can be no one else they'd be talking about in such a negative way.

I'm just not sure if I should touch upon this post they've made, because as far as they know, I know nothing about this blog and that post, or if I should just follow up about my original message.

[dragonleas.livejournal.com]

Then yeah, if you are positive its about you, I would go with a beware then. Like sacch said, just get some screenshots for proof. Especially if they try to delete the blog post after the beware goes up. Its been known to happen.

[sacch.livejournal.com]

THIS, especially the deletion. I've seen this happen so many times so it's ideal to get caps.

(Also sorry if you got weird notifications from me, my mouse freaked out and clicked things it shouldn't have.)

[n.livejournal.com]

I've got screencaps out the yang, I just need to revise the wording on my post a bit to make it proper.

Would it be advisable to simply ask again about revisions, or just inform them once a beware is up? Either way, I expect a negative response from them.

What I need to relay to them before I get this post up is where I'm the most lost, to be perfectly honest.

[sacch.livejournal.com]

I'd try asking again about revisions especially if you were ignored, but be polite. See how their response is, and if it's negative, post a beware. It really depends on their attitude- it's up to them IMO whether or not they can do the edits, especially since they don't have a TOS. If there's mistakes they should do it, but that's my opinion.

[ranlur.livejournal.com]

I'd be interested in seeing those; you went from saying this artist takes large batches of commissions at once and that you only waited two weeks for your art, and that she was uploading batches of finished work in the meantime, to saying that you were the only commissioner in that time frame. That doesn't seem consistent to me.

That being said, it's rude of them to ignore your PM for sure, and unprofessional to rant about a commissioner in a public setting no matter who it's about (unless it's a consistent, general problem amongst many commissioners at once--I've been tempted to bitch about the fact that no one seems to ever give me the right address the first time and then I have to pay to send the same thing twice but I digress...).

I'd be interested in a full beware just to see the entirety of the situation, tbh.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

The beware regarding this post was already posted and resolved as well.

If you filter search for the OP's name, the beware will show up.

EDIT: Editing my phrasing as it sounded super harsh even to my ears.

[sacch.livejournal.com]

If they have no TOS, they have nothing to fall back on and that's a mistake on their part. They're going to regret that.

The fact that they read your PM and made a vague rude post about you is beware-worthy in itself. Not to mention the poor communication.

So yes, I'd say beware-worthy. An artist shouldn't treat their clients that way. Gather screencaps and evidence, though.

[n.livejournal.com]

I've had a beware post drafted just in case, but I'm a little scared of the backlash I'd likely get for posting it. I try my best to not step on an artist's toes so our transaction goes as painless as possible, but this situation is entirely new to me.

Especially because of their massive following ):

[sacch.livejournal.com]

Massive following or not, that behavior should be called out. If anything if you get backlash it just makes them look worse, not you.

[growly.livejournal.com]

Very often, it only takes one beware post to embolden others to speak up who also have been treated poorly. I would not be surprised if you were not the only one.

[frisket17.livejournal.com]

Massive following or not shouldn't hinder your ability to make a post. You're relaying your experiences with it --and as long as you've the evidence to back up things, there's nothing anyone can argue against.

Now, do also be aware that you may get idiots / white knights that may or may not be directly involved. Sometimes people love drama and will just stir it up to stir it up.

Rambling, so I digress -- Post it up but be thorough in your post. Make sure you lay timelines of what happened, if there were sketch phases you approved, what requests (screenshots of your and their posts/messages) were made, etc.
Just be thorough. :)

Good luck and sorry you had a meh commissioning experience.

[dasakiv.livejournal.com]

This is exactly how I feel when it comes to submitting AB posts, it too me over a year of friends talking to me before I finally posted it.

If the artist treated you that poorly already, I'm not sure a post would effect things poorly, in fact it might do the opposite, pushing them to correct the problem and get a 'resolved' tag on their post to prevent the bad publicity from harming them more than their own actions already have.

Either way, I felt a lot better once my own post had gone live, and the sooner you can post it, the more likely things can be solved.

[frisket17.livejournal.com]

Playing devil's advocate a bit here --- But it could be they (as someone else mentioned) they were insulted by the request to edit the commission piece (beyond cropping or resizing).
We don't know what else has gone on. IE: Why were revisions not requested in the sketch stages. Are they minor or major revisions? Was artist heckled about progress --- If the latter were true, the artist could have been flinging up their hands and just be glad to have gotten the work done.

Lot of questions are raised.

The bad manners I agree with are poor form -- but wondering what was said to them, type of revisions, timing, etc before willing to side with one person or another.

Also vague post... Were they 'Oh So And So did X'. (in terms of the negative tumblr/tweeter/whatever post).. Or was it a general rant like 'In general it bothers me when people ask to edit my work or ask for revisions after a piece is complete'.
We'd really need the post to sort of draw a conclusion, imo.


Like I said. Lot of what ifs I'd be curious to see answered before I'm willing to side on this.

[n.livejournal.com]

The commission in question is an icon, I keep referring to it as a small image to not give away who it may be before the beware goes up. Their commissions are mainly comprised of these icons.
The style of their commissions for these would make edits fairly easy, at least I would think they would be, I've done my fair share of edits on my own and commissioned ones with permission.

There was no attempt at communication from their end aside from a flimsy journal update that opened up to a mass of commissions before mine were even done. I was not provided with any WIPs, I do not believe these warranted WIPs if I take their style into account? But there was no show of progress at all until the work was done and it was unloaded on me.

I did not pester them nor rush them to get the work done, as I was the only person in their queue, I figured I wouldn't need to wait very long for my commission. Other friends of mine that have had work done with them waited about a month, but this was quite a while ago and they were part of larger commission batches.

The wait time really wasn't an issue, I could have waited for quite a bit, but it was the lack of any sort of update from them that wasn't asking for my references or my paypal.

And as for the post, it was more of the latter, but it was directly making jabs at the references I sent and what I wanted done, and then my requests for possible revisions after I was sent the commissions. There was no mention about me making edits. There is no denying that the post they made is about myself in question.

[frisket17.livejournal.com]

What type of revisions were you asking for?
If it was color tweaks, those are easy enough as long as they've the PDF file.

I'm sorry you are feeling disconnected with the image. What makes you feel disconnected? Do you feel the artist rushed/ didnt' put effort in?

A lot of this will be answered I guess when/if you do a beware post. I'm going to state that you should do a beware if you feel you were treated unjustly.

Manners and how you treat your client base is just as important as the art itself in the commission business, imo.

Best of luck :D
And good morning!

[doggiy.livejournal.com]

I have this... feeling, that I know the person you're talking about. Is there any way you could PM me who it is, or would you prefer not to?

Mod Post

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Actually, we ask that you do NOT to this please. Advice posts are meant to be and stay anon. Asking the OP to message you the identity is overstepping as this usually starts a chain of "can you PM me toos" that we'd like to avoid.

Thank you.

Re: Mod Post

[doggiy.livejournal.com]

Ah, alright! Sorry, it just sounded like someone I knew so I was curious. Hey, OP, let me know if you make a beware or anything? :)

Re: Mod Post

[n.livejournal.com]

I will be making a beware regardless of the outcome of my situation with this artist.

I will not be releasing who the individual in question is until I make the last revisions to my post.

[dinogrrl.livejournal.com]

I'm assuming this was a commission without any sketches for you to approve, please correct me if I'm wrong. And without any screencaps or anything like that, here's my thoughts:

On the one hand, griping in a personal blog isn't beware-worthy in and of itself.

On the other, if it was a public post, or a private/friends-only one you had access too, that is extremely unprofessional. If they don't want to do the revisions, they should just tell you straight up. It's not that hard to send someone a personal note saying "No, sorry."

I would not want to work with someone if I knew they might do something like this to me over a question that, imho, is not really out of line, especially if it was the only time I'd asked them. As for how to proceed, I'd probably just drop the issue. If they're that irritated by your request that they'd go public with it, I'm not sure that they would do any revisions to your satisfaction. As to whether or not to make a beware, that's up to you.

As a side note, reading your post, you mention that you asked for permission to fix the work yourself. Honestly, I would be insulted if a commissioner asked me that. Kinda a 'if I'm not doing satisfactory work, why'd you hire me instead of just doing it yourself?' sort of thing. I have no problem with someone cropping or resizing a commission to make icons, or something like that, but to actually alter my work? No.

EDIT: for redundant redundancy

[frisket17.livejournal.com]

I was wondering this too.
The time for revisions is not when the piece is complete, but in the sketch/WIP phases (unless it was like a coloring tweak or the like).

Any clarification on this element?

*and by no means am I disregarding the rudeness or lack of communications, but the above question is pretty big considering we deal with a lot of cases where clients expect artists to assume they know what needs to be changed without approval or direction. We've had a bunch of those on AB lately here and there.

So long story short:
What were the revisions / was there a sketch approval phase?

[wolf-goat.livejournal.com]

I don't know, it depends on the edits. If the commissioner was another artist and mentioned fixing something minor e.g. fixing an eye colour I would assume they mentioned doing it themselves to "save bothering" me or giving me more work. I wouldn't be offended in that case, though I'd still do it myself because it's the proper thing to do.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Was the post about you a locked/friend's only post (I'm not sure how tumblr works in that regard)? IE, something the general public wouldn't see, but I guess one of their friends leaked it to you? Or was this a public post on a blog they just didn't think you knew about, but that anyone could have found?

[n.livejournal.com]

No, its a public blog as far as I know. It's not linked to on their main blogs, but it clearly states that it is their own blog for other types of 'personal' posting and things of the like. Several friends of mine that are massive fans of their work are aware of it, including a rl friend of mine who easily found the post when I spoke to them about the matter.

I personally was not aware of this blog myself until one of my friends brought it to my attention. I mainly follow this artist via their art sites and not tumblr.

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

It's just an important distinction for me. If I want to rant about someone privately I should be able to do that without it being held against me later.

But that apparently isn't the case here. So it would definitely add to a beware.

[teekchan.livejournal.com]

Did you tell the artist you liked the image and then after sent a note asking for revisions?

Because I feel this is not okay. If you did the general 'Thanks I love it!" response after getting the image and later go back and go "hey,.,, X is wrong, and I don't like Y, could you edit it?" I think you're out of luck.

Also some artists are highly offended by people asking to edit their work. This may have offended the artists and why they chose to rant.

[frisket17.livejournal.com]

This.

[roxyfur.livejournal.com]

This for sure.

There's not a lot of information provided, but I could very easily see it like this. It's not unusual for an artist to get offended when the client suddenly changes their mind after saying that they like the piece.

[n.livejournal.com]

I told them that the first commission was fine. It really was what I had asked for in a gift for someone else. But I made it clear, and as politely as possible that the second commission, meant for myself didn't really depict my subject as I had hoped.

I asked what their policy was on making some small revisions, because they are without a TOS on every single site they post for commissions, and offered revisions made by myself as a last resort if it was ok with them. It was just asking questions on how to proceed so we would both end the transaction satisfied. I figured asking to make some edits on an icon myself wasn't entirely out of line?

[frisket17.livejournal.com]

Ignore this comment. I belatedly see that you responded to the one above to me directly explaining things.

I derped and it is morning :D Ignore this comment