Cons: Contacting Commissioners (Whew alliteration!)

[darkone238.livejournal.com]

This isn't really a beware or warning, but more me asking artists a favor. If you ask someone who commissions you for a phone number and then say you'll call that night, please make sure you actually call. Even if it's to say "I'm sorry, but I didn't finish it in time, something came up. I'll hopefully finish it tomorrow morning" or something like that. I've been left hanging on a commission from an artist at FC and I am in the process of trying to track down what's going on. Now I'm home from the con and out money and have no arts. I'm a sad panda.

I guess really just keep in mind that us folks who pay artists to make pretty arts (and not so pretty arts sometimes) can't read minds. It's important to keep us in the loop as to what's going on, especially if we pay up front (and when you have our contact information there's no excuse not to).

Comments

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Yeah... I can really agree with that last part. I'm both an artist and a commissioner, and sometimes I get people who just don't communicate or reply to emails asking what's up, and then get offended if I start to worry I'm never going to see my art. Come on now, I'm not psychic! I'll only know what you tell me, and if you tell me nothing...

Basically, I agree.

[alcyione.livejournal.com]

Who was it?

I was at FC and had several friends doing commissions there. If it's anybody I know, I will gladly contact them for you.

[darkone238.livejournal.com]

Savannah something-or-other? The name's caught in a brain fart right now (I have her card at home).

[kalika-tybera.livejournal.com]

Is it Savannah Horrocks per chance?
If it's her you can try throwing her a note over on her FA here:
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/savannahhorrocks

[casteddreams.livejournal.com]

If it's Savannah Horrocks, then you don't really have much to worry about. She's very good at getting stuff done! She probably just lost track of the info, or something came up. Just contact her via her FA. :)

[darkone238.livejournal.com]

Yeah everything is resolved =)

[candychic125.livejournal.com]

Just wondering, is it common practice to give out a phone number when you accept a commission?

[darkone238.livejournal.com]

I haven't seen too much phone number exchange, but in my case it was sunday of the con and she wasn't going to be done until after the dealer's den closed, so she took down my number (and a friend's number who also commissioned her) and said she'd call that night when the badge was done.

I'd say it should be done when working outside of normal dealer's den hours at a con, but other than that it *shouldn't* be necessary.

Over the internet, I'd say it's a good idea, but I haven't seen it happen much.

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

I've got a space for phone number on the commission forms I drew up. Makes catching up with a commissioner after hours much easier.

[alcyione.livejournal.com]

I don't, simply because I don't want furries calling me up at weird times. *grin*

Actually, I'd given a commissioner my phone number in the past, and it led to some problems. o.o So, never again, unless it's someone I'm fairly well acquainted with.

The artist should give a business card or something with an email/URL on it, in case something happens (hey, cons are chaos, usually)... BUT - I also think that the commissioner should take responsibility* and collect a means of contacting the artist (be it email or website addy)



*which, Darkone HAS a biz card, so he/she has been responsible in this case.

[candiedmouth.livejournal.com]

The responsibility for loss of contact is rarely entirely the fault of one party or the other - in the future, I would get the contact info of your chosen artist as well, so that you can contact them should something go awry. If an artist says they'll call you, yes, they should definitely call - but sometimes things come up, contact info is lost, etc. You should both have each other's info.

[darkone238.livejournal.com]

And I got her business card for email and whatnot. My point is that in any case, if someone says he will do something, he should probably do it, especially if money is involved.

As I said, this isn't a beware, but more of a "consider this" if you're in such a position.

[candiedmouth.livejournal.com]

Ah, gotcha. My comment was more to the general reader than to you in particular; also a 'consider this' ;)