Tentative Beware: S-Cry-Ed

[teahound.livejournal.com]

WHO: S-cry-ed

WHERE: http://www.furaffinity.net/user/s-cry-ed They are also on Furcadia, but I don't know their username there - I only know they have a Furc account because many of their icon commissions stated they were Furcadia commissions. So evidently in addition to the large list they amassed on FA, they also had many Furcadia customers.

WHAT: Two digital icons. $3 a piece. The artist was doing a one-night special that got quite a few hits; it wound up taking longer because of this. Fair enough!

WHEN: I commissioned them November 17, 2010, for two icons. They had a list of people in their journal, but worked out of order, which is understandable. Inspiration doesn't always work in order! I replied to the journal again December 7, 2010 inquiring about the icons, and was told they had a sketch done for one, and that the second would hopefully be sketched that evening. Caps below the cut will show our interactions.

Here's the initial commission journal.


Below is the commission agreement, along with my confirming I'd sent payment, and my first 'hey, what's up with these?' comment. You can see the journal (screencap) in its entirety here.


Time went by, and I got this PM in response to the comment I'd left on the journal.

My reply:


About another week or so went by, and I checked in again with a shout, since they'd uploaded quite a few more commissions (all from Furcadia if I'm not mistaken), and I was puzzled since I'd supposedly been pushed to the head of the queue.


And then my last shout, left on Feb. 28th.


I didn't get any reply, and still haven't. However, I also know they haven't been on FA much, because their last upload was January 23th; their last journal was January 25th, and their last favorite was January 26th.

EXPLAIN: Well, the screencaps pretty much explain everything. I noticed their Tumblr account has been kept fairly updated, mostly with personal stuff, so I shot them an Ask there as to the status of my icons. I don't want a refund, but if I don't get a reply in the next week I'll probably try to contact them again asking for one. =C I'm just pretty let down, overall.

Edit: They replied on Tumblr!
"7th March 2011-Question
teahound asked: Hey, this is Teahound from FA. I'm sorry to bother you here; I just noticed your FA wasn't updated and this was. xD I was just checking on my icons! :3

I finished one a bit ago, and the second will be finished next, sorry for the delay :)
here’s a link to the finished one: http://www.furaffinity.net/view/5126573/"

Apparently they posted one of the icons; I didn't see it because I'd wanted the character looking seductive and they drew her reading... They say what's sexier than 'The Life of Pi' which is the book she's reading there, I'm just sort of let down in that regard because it's not what I requested. At this point I just told them I really liked it and was looking forward to the second one. The character depicted does enjoy reading, so it's not a total loss. :T

(For clarification - I do like the icon I got, quite a lot! However it's not what I wanted. I'm not attempting to sound mean or anything by not mentioning that it's not what I wanted to them. They mentioned me asking for a seductive icon in the description, so they were aware of what I wanted all along. I don't want to pursue that anymore, and am waiting on the second icon.)

Comments

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

I approved this, but I'll wait to add the 'beware' until at least a couple weeks have passed after you send out your refund request with no response. Keep us updated.

[teahound.livejournal.com]

I actually just edited with an update. :3 They replied on Tumblr and linked to one icon that was completed January 20th. I was never linked to it and must have missed it in their gallery because it's not what I requested. However I don't feel like pursuing that after all this. x_x Just going to be happy with what I have. I'll update again if/when I get the second icon.

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

OK, please let me know if that happens so I can mark it resolved.

[growly.livejournal.com]

It's a little annoying they did one of the icons but didn't bother to contact you at all, just assumed you were gonna see it in your new submissions box. People have done that to me, they're lucky I have sharp eyes, because I watch a LOT of people!

Also kind of weird they blatantly ignored your theme. o_O;

[teahound.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that kinda bugged me. =/ I specifically picked them because I thought they'd be able to make her look sexy (which is hard since her hair covers her eyes, and she has the shaggy beard look). So not getting that was a disappointment. But I don't really want to deal with any more hassle lol.

And I watch a lot of people too. @_@ The only reason I keep track at all is because I keep a list of who I commission, with links to their pages. My favorite part of finishing a commission is showing them and seeing their reaction, so it baffles me when other artists don't do that!

[isilbastet.livejournal.com]

This artist is also http://www.furaffinity.net/user/bentoes who I have been waiting for icons from for nearly 10 months.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Write up your own beware regarding the artist, for approval as well as comment here. Helps out the members a lot more (some may just be here for the articles and not the comments).

Here's the template: http://community.livejournal.com/artists_beware/432731.html

[isilbastet.livejournal.com]

Will do! I sent the artist a note, waiting for a reply before I write up my post.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

FWIW, while it does sound like this artist has some major issues, I usually like to see someone make it clear they are tired of waiting and yet still have no resolution before posting a beware... also complaining about the icon here but saying you love it on the post?

I get that you're trying to be polite to the artist but it comes off as a little two-faced.

[teahound.livejournal.com]

I do like it. I'm just disappointed it's not what I asked for. They mention what I asked for in the description; I don't feel like pursuing it anymore beyond that. It's not lying to say I quite like it - I just wish I'd gotten what I asked for. I understand your point though! I wasn't thinking that it could come off like that.

I didn't have a resolution when I posted - honestly I was pleasantly surprised to even get a response, period.

[spiffystuff.livejournal.com]

I understand it wasn't quite what you were expecting - just personally if I was disappointed enough to tell it to the general public, I'd also tell it to the artist, albeit privately.

As far as the resolution goes, I just mean all your notes I can see are along the lines of "just checking in, no rush!" not "okay this really needs to get taken care of"

This certainly is info I would want to know if I were thinking of commissioning this artist, but it was kind of odd that your notes to them make it look like you have no problem, and manifestly you do?

[baronyiffington.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that is odd to me too.

OP said that they love it on the submission, but complain about it not being what they want here?

Don't get me wrong, I agree 100% that the artist was totally wrong in what they drew, but you shouldn't praise it and say it's fine then complain about it.

[ocelotish]

I'll second this. I'd be upset they made something other than what I asked for, but you need to bring it up to them or not at all (even if it's just "I like how this turned out, but I'm a bit disappointed that it wasn't what I was looking for). I know that everyone here would be upset to hear in a beware post that the customer was unhappy with what they got and didn't tell them. It doesn't give them a chance to make right.

That being said, it has been a while since you signed up.

[ichigoneko33.livejournal.com]

I have to admit, I've had it happen before and it's really not a good feeling. I would have preferred they'd said something. But, it's also worse with me since I show the sketch, inks, and colores, so if they say nothing, it's pretty dumb to say something later.

Talking more personal/in general then about the OP here.

[raggedtyger.livejournal.com]

I've also been waiting patiently since the beginning of December for an icon from them.

I wouldn't feel worried usually but they seem to be avoiding FA, which bothers me a bit. I don't mind waiting for commissions but don't like feeling like I've been totally forgotten.

At any rate, I sent them a message on their Tumblr as well, we'll see where it goes!

[chazthechemist.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I bought 2 from them, too and haven't heard anything more about them :/ I figured they were just busy, but the stuff they've posted recently is from Furc and whatever... I think a bunch of people just got ripped off, which is a shame. Another of my friends bought (at least) one, and said it also didn't depict what she had asked for.

[papayafruit.livejournal.com]

I also grabbed three of those 3$ icons from them back in Nov. I have yet to see anything or any word from the artist about it.

[raggedtyger.livejournal.com]

I got mine today http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_lhrra2lCY71qesprco1_500.png

It also wasn't quite what I asked for, but I'm happy with it regardless. it would seem that asking after them on Tumblr is the best route for anyone who's still waiting on icons

[kappyjeanne.livejournal.com]

Wow, unless you asked for that book to be in the icon than I'm really not impressed. Not only is it irrelevant to the theme you requested, but the book itself takes up over half the image. The character is barely recognizable :\

[kimmorz.livejournal.com]

I've been waiting for 2 icons from them since back then. I only bothered ordering them because they were cheap, and it was supposed to be "next day" completion. Then it was within the week completion. Yeah, okay, understandable. But she hasn't said a word about them which is rather irritating for a lot of people apparently.