General Beware

[temrin.livejournal.com]

I'm not going to name the person but this was a big red flag for me and thought I'd bring this up just in case it happens to someone else.

This person asked me if i would do a commission for them, but they wanted to use a private character in which they requested i give them the PSD upon completion and delete the file from my own computer. (Essentially giving them rights to my image and pretending i never made it. >. >)

I told the person flat out that this was a big red flag. They stated they understood and that they were just protective of their private character. (Not wanting to get stolen i guess.) I offered other options i have in my TOS in regards to commissions i'm not allowed to post and they said possibly they would do that but for now use a regular character. A little more suspicious here as well. I'm not entirely sure i wish to continue buisness with this person but they aren't ordering from me right now as I'm not open for commissions so we'll see in the future.

Just wanted to warn others who may come across this scenario in the future and possibly get some opinions on how someone would handle this situation in case OTHERS aren't sure how to so no one gets pulled into a likely trap.

If enough people want screencaps (i will be taking out the persons name) i will post them up but otherwise its just a scenario.

Comments

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

Without a name, I can't really mark this as a beware. For now I'll just mark it as an 'advice' post.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

alright, understandable :3
I don't really know enough about the person to say that its for ill intentions or someone who doesn't know the implications of what they requested. Thats why i kept the name out~

[kiriska.livejournal.com]

Hm. That's pretty odd. I find it a little insulting that someone would ask an artist to essentially pretend they never made the piece. I understand that some commissions are to essentially stay behind closed doors forever, but most artists like to keep a personal record of their work to look back at and reflect on for a variety of reasons.

However, I do know that in some other medias, this sort of thing isn't unheard of. For example, a friend of mine was once commissioned to paint a mural for a room in a someone's house. ...It was a very erotic and explicit piece and the room was obviously to be a sex room of one sort or another and the commissioner explicitly requested that no photos be taken of the finished piece as they were paranoid of outsiders learning of their fetishes or whathave. And so my friend does not have a record of the finished piece. (But she didn't care because she was paid VERY well.)

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Understandable. Being paid very well, is compensation for the loss of the piece and no record of. I print my images for showing in portfolios of my work as well as for regular prints. If a client is requesting to not let me post it or print it, then i ask for compensation of sorts for the monetary loss i may encounter. (I take this seriously since art is my only income XD )
So if i was paid handsomely then i'd me more willing to part with the works. :3

[kiriska.livejournal.com]

Yup! I think as long as things are agreed to properly, and if they want the rights, that's agreed to properly as well, then it's all good. Communication is the biggest thing here, and as long as the potential commissioner is willing to be clear with what they want, then I don't see a problem. :)

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Agreed :3

[hellebore.livejournal.com]

I've done a few pieces like this and I personally don't see what a big deal is on it. Ask them if they're wanting the rights to the image. If they say no, make sure they sign off on something saying that.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Well, yes, i know this. Since they backed out when i offered up the legal documents for such a transaction, etc, it seems to me that thats not what they wanted.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

I posted this because i do know of some people who don't care to legalize such things, dont know how, or don't know about such troubles it could cause. So i posted in hopes to perhaps prepare some for a scenario such as this :3

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

Private commissions are one thing, but requesting that you delete your own copies? That is a bit much. I personally wouldn't do it. Its a red flag like you said and its implying a lack of trust for the artist and trying to exert an unreasonable amount of control imo.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, agreed. If they wished to purchase the rights from me, sure why not. But without legal documents, it will not be done, at least not in my books.

I posted this because i do know of some people who don't care to legalize such things, or don't know about such troubles it could cause. So i posted in hopes to perhaps prepare some for a scenario such as this :3

[genkigami.livejournal.com]

Not posting the image? For some people, that's reasonable. Maybe they have a kink they're embarrassed about or want to keep private, whatevs, that's not a big deal.

Deleting the original PSD? No, nuh-uh, don't do it. Massive red flag, to me that sounds like a guy trying to rip off your art and make it so you can't prove your case.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

I used to not post images without charge but now art is my only income and i'm loosing income when i dont get to post my images. I understand people not wanting others to know about their personal lives. thats totaly ok :3

but yeah, i really hope that no ones accepted his term :/

[uozlulu.livejournal.com]

It's the delete the files from your own archive that sends up the warning flags. I think you made the right call. I could see scenarios that you might want to send them a .psd, but keep the original .psd but never delete it. Sounds super shady. Thanks for the heads up someone's going around making such a suspicious request.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Not a problem :3

[anjel-kitty.livejournal.com]

Wow... This person should just learn to drawn their damn self if they want to have this totally super secret furry identity

[monster-turtles.livejournal.com]

Does this person happen to be a demonic wolf? Has a character that rhymes with Sillith?

If so, I have dealt with him before.

Edit: I want to clarify that by "dealt" I mean we never did business even though he asked me for a commission. We were once friends.

[sovy.livejournal.com]

When you email the PSD out just BCC it to yourself so it is saved in your email archive and delete the PSD off of your computer. You'd fulfill the letter of the agreement. To be honest I think if an artist accepted that agreement almost all would say "Delete the PSD off of my computer? Sure, I'll get right on that," and never do it.

It is kind of scummy but if you don't share the picture no one will find out. Totally up to your conscious on that one, especially since you mentioned you could use the work.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Well, I've kept my buisness completely honest so far, i'd rather not tarnish it but yes i do understand that lol. Its not to hard to find a loop hole when no legal documents have been signed with specific actions that must be taken. :P

[thaily.livejournal.com]

Makes me really wonder if it was their private character they wanted (presumably smutty?) work of. Several times I've heard of people commissioning porn with other people's characters without asking the owner of said character.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, i completely agree. That was another thing that i was thinking about. Yes, i'm pretty sure he wanted some kind of adult work.

[minimalismo.livejournal.com]

Interesting scenario, thanks for posting! I would definitely stay away from someone like that. Sometimes commissioners think they can control the artist because they are paying them, but the artist has rights too.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Glad its been helpful :3

Yeah, for some reason many people feel they can take advantage. :/

[neolucky.livejournal.com]

I've had this happen before - not to delete the psd, but for the customer to want it so they could edit it anytime they wished and so on. They turned out to be really horrible customers, and I washed my hands of them ages ago.

The deletion from the computer bothers me the most, unless they paid a substantial amount of rights , but even then I dont think id do it. I archive everything I do for customers simply because I like to keep things organized by date!

Good call on this, red flags for sure.

[temrin.livejournal.com]

Yeah, i personally like to keep record of my progression and be able to look back on passed projects.

Thanks :3