My first post (regrettably)

[mistystriker.livejournal.com]

I always hoped I didn't have to meet one of those commissioners that shows up on here.. I guess it's inevitable.

This is a general warning about a guy who goes by the name of "Pup", a dalmatian. All I know of his RL name is Dave. He emailed me a while ago asking for a commission, and once I completed a sketch, I sent it to him.

After a few months and no reply, I resent it. I wanted to get him off my commission list. He finally responded and asked me to change some things, which I did, and then completed the final picture.

I sent it to him yesterday and this was his reply:

Right now I think it would be best for me to just pay you for the sketch that you did. I honestly don't like how it turned out, but that is by no means any fault of your own and I would like to pay you for the work that you already did. How much would be acceptable for the sketch that you have completed on it. Just let me know and I will have that amount transferred into your account by the end of the weekend. Thank you for you time and patience

Dave

If he didn't like it, why didn't he say so? And if he doesn't like my style, why did he commission me in the first place?

This was by far one of my most complicated commissions to get right and I am -not- happy. This just sets my resolve to get payment in full before ever starting a commission. >.< This was a fully inked and coloured commission, and he only wants to pay me for the trouble of sketching it.


Just... beware of this guy. Make sure he likes your style first, and pays upfront.

That is all.

Comments

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

My husband, strider_orion, did a commission for him some time back with no problems that he can recall. Did you discuss with him the fact that he approved the sketch and thus should pay you for the full commission? Did you have any more contact after that last email from him?

[yaochi.livejournal.com]

There will always be difficult folks out there. But, I think over time, you will find that most comissioners are great, or at least tolerable to work with. To use a euphemism, "don't throw the baby out with the bathwater."

Besides, don't take it too personally. At least he seems to have the good honor to want to see that you are paid. Goodness, some folks try to get away with paying nothing after making such remarks.

As you have indicated your desire to get this one behind you. Do so. And move on to the next one.

Some artists do like to get 100 percent up front, others a deposit with varying conditions on it, and stating when the balance will be due.

Just remember, or try to, that each commissioner arrives, presumably with a clean slate. You may build long term relationships with some of them.

Just my two cents.

[mistystriker.livejournal.com]

*nods* I know, I just want to get something out of him for my trouble and move on, and hopefully he won't try to use the finished piece anywhere.

[auradeva.livejournal.com]

As kerstin_orion said, it does matter greatly if he approved the final sketch before you colored it. We can't tell who's at fault until you fill us in on that. I'm not sure if you just forgot to write in that part.

[dingybatty.livejournal.com]

Huh, weird.. I've done business with him a few times and he's always paid up front. o_o

[huskie666.livejournal.com]

buh. i hate it when people commission you and want you to do it in some STYULL that you dont normally do or someshit. like, if they wanted a picture that looks like it was done by spunkywuff/megan giles/some other artists who draws insanely different from me, whu not just commission the artist that best suits their wants? jeez..
at least they offered to pay ya -something- :/
~~Huskie

[chrystena.livejournal.com]

He got a finished commission, thats what he should pay for no matter if he liked it or not. He had the chance to make changes in the sketch stage

[crssafox.livejournal.com]

I disagree with you on this.

Misty, what you should have done, was wait until he approved your final sketch. You should have sent him the sketch with the changes instead of "finishing it up." I know that sometimes one can get eager to have a commission out of the way, but, you really should have gotten his approval before completing the picture.

One good way to get around the "pay up front or pay later" is to have a commissioner pay in full after he receives thumbnails or sketches. Or you could work out something like half needs to be paid in advance and the other half is due after you send a final, approved sketch.

The key word here, though, is approval. If he did not approve the final sketch, then I do not think he should have to pay you in full. You are lucky that he's offering to pay for the sketch, at least, because some furries can be whiny and refuse flat-out to pay anything at all.

It's a tough business, taking commissions, but you should probably (if you haven't already) write out a set of guidelines (or a checklist, if you will) that you can rely on to help you complete commissions more effectively, and also that you can send to commissioners so they can know what to expect when commissioning you.

I hope that helps a little..

[leswamp.livejournal.com]

I've always always always paid up front for art work but I've been really badly burned that way and am in fact going through some problems with an artist who was paid up front and seems to have zero intentions of ever completing the work or even returning my phone calls or emails.

At this point I don't think I'm going to do anymore paying up front. Maybe half upon comish and the rest upon completion, at least I'll get ripped off for less. :/

My advice for what it's worth is to be flexible when dealing with wary folks like me who got screwed. :/