Question: how long is too long?

[ramielstein.livejournal.com]

I'm very reluctant to post a beware on this artist, but I'm getting to a point where I'm afraid I'll have no choice.

Back in September I messaged an artist I admired about a colored sketch page, paid the $20 up front, and waited. I acknowledged the fact that she mentioned she was slow on her FA page, but I'd had a previous good experience while she was running a sale -- fast turnaround time for a very cute themed sketch of my character. However, this hasn't been the case this time.

I've been noting her on an intermittent basis to request updates, and she keeps telling me she ought to have updates for me "soon" -- yet has never followed up. Sales get posted, and those always seem to take priority. There are two things that keep eating at me, though.

Her last note was basically to tell me that she had a hangover and she'd get back to me the next day; that was on New Year's Day. Additionally, she posted a journal where she mentioned that her resolution was to have all commissions in her backlog done by the 18th of January...well, it's the 21st and I still haven't had a single update nor a WIP in the four months that I've been waiting.

I really, really hate to write a beware as she's been nothing but kind in her interactions with me and I'd had a very positive experience with her in the past, but I've never dealt with a situation like this before. I'm a very patient person and I don't mind waiting, but I'd appreciate an open line of communication in case something has come up!

My question now is if there's anything I can do besides just noting? At this point I'm more than sure the Paypal window has passed, and I'd rather just have the art.

UPDATE 02/01: Thank y'all so much for your advice! I gave her another poke, but this time I made sure to ask directly if she had any WIPs or an idea of where I was at in her queue.

I'm supposed to be getting a WIP by Tuesday and the finished product by Saturday, so fingers crossed. Thank you guys again, I'll continue to update this entry!

Comments

[dinogrrl.livejournal.com]

I would note her and give an actual deadline by which you want a progress PICTURE/final product/whatever. If she can't deliver by that time, perhaps it would be best if you got a refund and then commissioned her again when she's better able to complete her work obligations.

[ctk-hullo.livejournal.com]

I believe the paypal dispute window is 6 months so you might still have luck there. So I'd suggest similar to above, give the artist a deadline by which you want the image finished and if she can't do it by then, get a refund/claim a dispute with paypal. I say asked for finished because there's a chance she could send you a WIP and then continue to put off working on it afterwards.

[straviios.livejournal.com]

Go with your gut feeling and ask for a refund instead? I think you'll never see that money again unless you wait for a LONG time.

[bearprince.livejournal.com]

Sometimes artists simply slack off. It's good that she's at least responding to your notes, which shows she isn't ignoring you, but if an artist isn't doing the work, a firm deadline may just be the kick they need to do their work. If you haven't been giving them any sort of urgency, then clearly they aren't putting your commission on a very strict timeframe.

I think it's a little hasty to assume they'll NEVER do your commission, or would intentionally not finish it, especially since they haven't been hostile or ignoring you at all, so I think a simple note of "I'd like w refund if it isn't completed by x date" would be a good compromise. Whether or not you'll
need to submit a beware would then depend on how they respond to that.

[enn shaw (from livejournal.com)]

Agreeing with the others. Either ask for a refund or make up a deadline. She sounds really flaky to say the least.

[rayesesshyfan.livejournal.com]

Definitely ask for a refund. A colored sketch page and no updates since then? That's really bad. It doesn't seem to me that she will meet the deadline especially since she never gave you any updates despite telling you she would.

So yeah, refund.

[darkunisha.livejournal.com]

Echoing others - I would give a firm deadline, or request a refund. I wouldn't ask for a deadline that is the next day, but at the same time I wouldn't set it from three months from now or so as that will give her a chance to slack off, and might as well push you out of the timeline for Paypal.

If you would rather as for a refund, then I feel you are in right for a full amount considering that no "work" was shown to you. Now if work had been shown, I would agree that you would of gotten a partial refund (or in this case, your total minus the work done (lets say its worth $5 for the sketch so $15).

In the end if she goes against either one, or misses the set deadline then I would follow through with paypal and file a claim.