Markus Thompson.

[erewhile.livejournal.com]

This isn't a huge deal, but it's my first time experiencing this kind of thing, so I guess this is just a small warning.

Sometimes I do art for Furcadia. I took a few commissions but fell on hard times (but made continual updates on my DA so my commissionees would be informed), but haven't produced a lot of art because... well. I don't have anywhere to do it. I need a desk, else it is physically impossible for me to draw. (My back hurts easily, and to be blunt I am too chubby to lean over on a low table, which is all we have.) I just moved into my friend's very cramped studio apartment, where there is barely room for my bed. Because of this, I said on my DA I was still alive but desk-less. That's only the beginning of the problems I have right now, but yes.

This fellow Markus Thompson commissioned me. I had a feeling I might have some issues with him to start with, but decided to go with it anyway. He was kind of pushy and tried to get me to do art before I was able to do it--like, I said I could start it in a few weeks and he tried to connive me into giving him sketches that night.

So, I moved. That was the big thing that put commissions on hold. I moved, which I should say was more like escaping from my tyrant and controlling mother, but that has little to do with this. I updated with that, let people know what was up.

A little while later, I get a DA comment, one of Markus' friends say he is apparently very worried about getting his art or not, and that I should contact him. Ironically, this comment was posted just a few days before I had told him I would be able to start the art. I was kind of miffed, but I just told her to please tell him I would get on to his art soon and that was that.

I didn't hear from him (or the friend) for a month.

And... well, this was posted September 11 about me, but I never actually knew about it until somebody sent me a note telling me this post existed today.

"So, I find this kat on furcadia; in The Golden Tether. I was lookin' for art for my website (to add to my character art), and I saw her artwork. She mentioned she was up for commissions, so I said 'aight'. I asked her how long it would take, she said she wouldn't get started on it til after she moved. Sure, she moved, got situated, and then, I heard not a word from her. So, what's the deal, eh?

[link removed]

Her website is up above, (deviant art). I had my best friend send her money for 4 bust pics of my char, and well, I havn't seen jack shit from her. So, I'm not sure what her problem(s) are. Looks like she would tell the people she owe's what is up. Afterall... I mean... you can DRAW anywhere. Find something to draw on, eh? Afterall, I only want sketches. There are several people that want art from her and have paid her, yet they're still having to wait for it. They may have waited longer then I have, or whatever, but, still. I think she's scammin people. I havn't seen crap from her like I said, and it's been a few months. I'm not that patient, especially when my best friend went in the hole (in the bank) for her, and I went in the hole with money and finances because I thought I would get my money's worth. I can't contact her and let her know whats up because I don't have contactable information. :/ everything I send bounces back to me, and it does my friend also. Her excuse is 'I don't have a desk'. Big deal. She can get a desk anywhere for cheap and finish up the pieces she promised for the money paid. I would ask for my money back but it's probably long gone -shrug-

I may have lost out on some money, but at least you guys will be aware of whats goin on so you won't commission her. :>"

Ouch. That... actually kind of insults me and hurts my feelings. He didn't even try to get a hold of me at all. Or ask for a refund. If he was so concerned about money, wouldn't he have gone to me first?

I replied with:

"Here I am, the said artist that is supposedly "scamming" you.

You didn't even email me to ask me for progress of the art. The only time you did check with me was one comment through a friend - you didn't even come to me yourself, that time. I'm gonna have to mention that around the time you had her poke me for progress, it was the same time I had actually told you I would anticipate being able to start on your stuff.

I thought the fact that I hadn't updated in a while and the updates I did post to the general public and the people I have commissioned would be enough to say that I am in a bad place right now. (And you've only been waiting, now, what... a month? I'm so totally running away with your money here.) Although I wish I could be drawing, I can't. I don't have a desk, for one. Because of some physical issues, I can't just draw on my lap or at a low table or anything, I really do need a desk. I just moved into a new apartment, and although I hate to pull the pity card, it's a really tough time in my life right now, physically and mentally. Not only am I in a bad place to draw physically, my inspiration is kind of hitting a low.

If you would have taken the time to ask what was up, I would have told you. I would have also appreciated it if you could have just asked for the money back. You didn't even attempt to do that.

For this, I'm not really interested in doing business with you anymore. Sorry. I'm probably going to send the money back to the friend you had pay for you, unless you want it somewhere else."

I also PM'd this to him... and returned the money. I don't want to draw for someone like that, honestly.

I don't know what else to do now. I'm kind of nervous, and don't really want my rep as an artist ruined because of this Markus Thompson guy. Guh.

Comments

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

Oyvey.

I'm having a problem with a commissioner I want to refund, but their email address is bouncing. I'm keeping everything documented in case it gets blown up like this.

[daughterofhavok.livejournal.com]

I think this is a case where both sides could have handled it a bit differently. He, in my opinion, was very much in the wrong. He never came to you HIMSELF and then (apparently) lied about having tried to contact you and having to wait months. Also, I don't understand why his friend is paying for this when it would put both of them "in the hole"? Bad planning on his/their part.

But not having a desk to draw on kind of seems like an excuse to me. I'm chubby myself, so I completely understand wanting to be comfortable while drawing. But if you don't have a desk, why not go somewhere else to work on it? Like a coffee shop, fast food place, the library, etc? They've got relatively high tables to work at. It's not my place to tell you where/when to draw, but just thought I'd throw in my two cents on that. :)

In the end I think you did the right thing; just send his money back and forget it. Sounds like he likes to start drama, imo.

[erewhile.livejournal.com]

Some of the art I have to draw is a lot more than a G rating, so I don't really want to be drawing that in public. ^^;

But thanks!

[megumi-kitten.livejournal.com]

I hunt over Staples or Office Max for "Lap Desks" you can even find them on clearance!...they're wonderful for keeping sketches private in your home, and you can curl up on the couch to do them! Wonderful things. :3
Good luck with everything!

[daughterofhavok.livejournal.com]

Ah, yes. That would be a problem. xD

[mmyesidosay.livejournal.com]

/OCDs so hard

All 3 of your icons are redheads..

[laneypanda.livejournal.com]

A side-note and light-hearted comment:

I'm a Furc player and frequent TGT once in awhile on my char, maybe I've seen ya. :3

[gearpony.livejournal.com]

The same could be said for the artist tho. Why didn't she contact him during that month of no contact?

[gearpony.livejournal.com]

I think you'd be okay sketching less than g stuff in public, especially at a coffee house. I spend a great deal of my evenings sketching at starbucks and I've never been bothered. People rarely glance my way, and I've drawn a lot of horse peen, among other naughty things. :)

[daughterofhavok.livejournal.com]

She posted on her dA page, which the guy obviously saw, saying that she wouldn't be able to work on commissions for a while. He knew there would be a wait and threw a fit.

[gearpony.livejournal.com]

True, but the guy's friend also left her a comment saying he was worried about his commission. I think at that point, even tho she told him she was going to start working on things soon, she probably still could have e-mailed him directly, (Maybe when she was actually able to start on the images.) instead of relaying back through his friend.

[hobokitten.livejournal.com]

Furcadia is odd.
Lots of the time, thats the only contact you get with that person, unless they took the time to post their contacts on a different area. And that means you both have to be on at the exact same time.
Which can be a pain in the ass as I've learned.
Plus, unless you have something like Dogproxy, its really easy to miss Whispers as they just get simple brackets around them, and thats all that distinguishes from the basic wall of text. And the Tether? Yea. That place is busy. If he had no proxy, and she contacted him while a Mass RP was going on, it could easily get lost.
Its a little of every one's fault in the end.
He should have given her better contact info so she could keep him posted.

[hobokitten.livejournal.com]

Oh dear goodness. I've seen this guy.
He wanted a commission from me to and I bugged a few artists about him before accepting.
I was basically told he's a really pushy naggy person who expects you to devote all your time to his work O.o
Ah TGT though |D My main residence of Furc. Hangout. Only place to get Decent RP anymore to

[gearpony.livejournal.com]

Ah, okay. I know next to nothing about Furcadia. I didn't see anywhere it said how she contacted him, so I was kind of figuring it was through DA or e-mails, but I guess it could be Furcadia too.. which I think if it's so buggy then people seriously need to exchange e-mails.

Its a little of every one's fault in the end.
He should have given her better contact info so she could keep him posted.

I couldn't agree more. I think the artist did the right thing by refunding his money, and doesn't deserve to be called a scammer. There just definitely needed to be more communication, on both ends.

[hobokitten.livejournal.com]

Yes.
Furc isn't 'Buggy' per say. It just wasn't well thought out. DogProxy was made as an addon by one of Furc's coders I believe, to rectify that problem.

I'm guessing it was through Furc. Especially since his friend bugged her on DA, rather than he himself bugging her. Which I don't get. DA accounts are free and way to easy to get.

[alcyione.livejournal.com]

I'll say this once again.

WHY do people commission art when it "puts them in the hole" financially??? WHYWHYWHYWHY??? *headdesk* Every time I see this complaint, I have to swallow a wail of anguish. You take care of your NEEDS first, and WANTS second.

Plus... I mean, does this guy want QUALITY? Pushing you to work when you're physically hurting is going to result in less than optimal quality (which isn't a jab at your work... I'm speaking from my own experience. When I'm not feeling well, I CANNOT draw as well as I can when I'm feeling good).

Oi. I'm sorry you're dealing with this. :/

[westly-roanoke.livejournal.com]

Thank you! ::laughs:: I was thinking something along very similar lines.

[badkittyamy.livejournal.com]

i have a commission i've been waiting a hideous amount of time for but i KNEW it would take that long. i hate when an artists WARNS that they take a long time and the person gets mad when it isn't done in a week. WTF?! i see this a lot with my friends who make fursuits and then people are mad when the fursuit isn't done in a month.

[badkittyamy.livejournal.com]

agree with this.

[anjel-kitty.livejournal.com]

I make a budget for furry art and approve it with my mate beforehand. Then when I see an artist I like I work out either a payment plan if it is a larger sum of money, or I get something with the money I budget for it. A lot of people fail to understand this process, but then I'm sure many of those people don't have to maintain budgets or pay their own bills.

[alcyione.livejournal.com]

This.

This is a smart way of doing it! And I agree that many of these people probably don't have to maintain budgets as well. Very good point!

[casteddreams.livejournal.com]

I agree!

[findmealone.livejournal.com]

It's doing me the world of good. Mmm, red.

[thrivis.livejournal.com]

THIS.

The whole "I'm in a hole now!" thing especially bugs me since it seems to be the new thing to guilt trip artists into work more/faster, or guilt out of paying the rest they owe. o_o

[lashiec.livejournal.com]

THIS.

You took the words right out of my mouth, haha. Well said.

[solid-squid.livejournal.com]

Internet cookies for having good fiscal policy! :D

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Well no offence intended but it seems like both sides are a little at fault here. Why were you taking commissions when you knew you didn't/don't have a desk or anywhere else to work on it?

You shouldn't take work on that you don't have a reasonable expectation of completing within a reasonable time period.

Things do go wrong for us all, people land up in hospital, life happens, nobody expects perfection but to know you can't complete a commission and to still take it is a very bad idea if you value your reputation.

Admittedly he sounds pushy and like he hasn't gone out of his way to keep in contact (then again, you haven't spent the effort to email your commissioners and let them know what's going on and you just assumed that a lack of updates would speak for you). I can understand why he's annoyed, I mean from his point of view it probably looks like you've dropped off the face of the planet. While the guilt trip about "omg me and my friend are in a hole" is just plain silly of him and smacks of bad planning his end which you are not responsible for, he complained for a reason.

So yeah, best thing you can do is to learn from this and engage damage control since the damage is probably already done. Get yourself a desk when you can and I suggest you don't take anymore commissions until you have what you need to complete it. I suggest you contact your other clients and tell them what's going on, if you can supply an idea of when you will be getting a desk and can work on their commissions, offer to refund anyone who doesn't want to wait.

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

I agree with this suggestion. I'm fat and my lap desk is very comfortable to sit in bed and draw on. I got mine at Wal-Mart; it's thicker than most of the ones I've seen elsewhere, which makes it a bit easier on my back. But if you can only find thin ones, you can always put a pillow underneath!

[erewhile.livejournal.com]

I didn't say I was taking commissions when I knew I wouldn't have a desk. I took them about a month and a half before I moved, which was an emergency and unplanned thing.

[byakko-tsuki.livejournal.com]

:/ It's sort of sad that people buy art with poor finances in the first place.

No piece of art should ever "put you in the hole"..

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

How many did you take? I mean it must have been quite some number since you didn't have them done in a month and half.

[erewhile.livejournal.com]

Six separate people, I ended up finishing three actual pieces of art, but Markus wanted about four different drawings himself. I would have expected all of these people to be waiting a few months for me to finish all of this anyway, I'm notoriously slow.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Wow, yeah, that's pretty slow. Three pieces in a month and a half. That's really quite slow in terms of most commissions, have you given some thought to working on that? Once you get a desk, you might want to give some thought to practicing speed painting.

[erewhile.livejournal.com]

Everybody has their own pace.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Yes but if you're going to take commissions and you're slow, you are going to find yourself fielding complaints from the people who don't think weeks for one piece is really understandable. Either way it's your decision, I was just suggesting that you might want to think about working on it.

[erewhile.livejournal.com]

As I said, this is the first time somebody has done this to me. I've taken a lot of commissions in the past. I respond to all emails and IMs about progress pretty promptly.

[matcha-tan.livejournal.com]

My honest opinion, 3 commisssions in a month in a half DOES NOT sound like you took your damn time to me. The only thing I would say about this situation was just you needed better communication, but this Markus guy it totally in the wrong. And I would never let someone like that commission me. =/

[nambroth.livejournal.com]

There's nothing wrong with being slow as long as you are honest/upfront with those handing out the money on when they can expect a piece to be done.

[hobokitten.livejournal.com]

Ooooh.
Perhaps. That didn't pop into my mind.
Thats really low if it was :/

[daughterofhavok.livejournal.com]

And yet people in this community have said a few months is nothing and someone should only complain after a year+. As long as the artist is upfront about it taking a while, there's nothing wrong with slow production for quality work.

Sorry, but I found your comments to be rather rude.

[erewhile.livejournal.com]

He had two of my emails (paypal and personal) and my DA page, actually. I'm not sure why he never poked me through those ways if he was so desperate for contact/money back.

[matcha-tan.livejournal.com]

Speed painting? This is a commission, not something you should have to crank out like a robot. 3 pieces in a month also seems like a fairly good work pace, depending on the work that's being done.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

I didn't say there was anything wrong with being slow, however given the propensity for drama some people have sometimes there's always going to be one person who freaks out at having to wait more than a week.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

A few weeks is nothing. Months on the other hand allow for things to get lost or otherwise go wrong.

So it's rude to suggest someone work on their speed because some people like to flip out if it takes longer than a week? Yeah, right, I'll get right on improving my "manners", I mean how shocking for me to suggest that someone could work on their speed so they avoid such issues in future.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Speed painting is an exercise to improve both speed and decisiveness. It has a lot of good advantages in terms of development for an artist.

[daughterofhavok.livejournal.com]

Nothing got lost and very little went wrong; certainly nothing to act like an ass over and accuse the artist of stealing money. She told the guy he would have to wait a while, he flipped out and started making accusations. Why don't you go SUGGEST working on his patience to him? Hm?

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

So if you went into a shop and they took your money for something and then gave you excuses for over a month you wouldn't be getting antsy and suspecting you'd been ripped off? Most people would be getting upset and suspecting they'd be ripped off. That's not impatience, that's worry and it's a perfectly normal reaction.

I was suggesting it because she may indeed run into the same thing in the future.

[zatanna-333.livejournal.com]

I am with you on the whole worry vs. impatience thing. It's like the customer should feel privileged to wait for a long time for something they paid for....?