David Brick

[jadewolf87.livejournal.com]

WHO: David Brick or David K.Wong,
dkwbrick@yahoo.com   http://dkwongart.com/

WHERE: ACen, or other conventions.

WHAT: Commished at ACen 2010 at his booth.
Large 2 character color digitally with background (barnyard)picture for $100 To be mailed to our address after the convention.

WHEN:  Anime Central Convention. (ACen )May of 2010.

PROOF:
Email


Credit Card Statement




EXPLAIN: My boyfriend and I commisioned David at ACen 2010, a Large 2 character color digitally with background (barnyard)picture for $100. He said it wouldn’t be finished until after the convention and that he would mail it to us. We gave him our character referance sheets, my bussiness card, with name, phone number and e-mail. Which I then wrote my home adress on it. We paid by credit card.(see screenshot)
Couple of months passed by and we had not heard anything. So we decided to give him a call. i talked to him briefly he stated he was still working on it and would contact us when finished.
Another month passed by and we got worried. This time I E-mailed him but got no response (see screenshot)
Couple of weeks pass and I give him another call, I get him on the phone and he statesthat he’d be in Chicago next week and to give him a call so that we could pick it up. Gave him a call when he said he’s be in town but got no answer so we left a Voicemail. All the week I called him everyday but still no answer.
To this day almost a year later and another ACen coming up, we have not recived our artwork, or $100.00 back or any response as to what is going on from the artist, David.



Jade Wolf & Chaz

Comments

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

Hello! I approved this, but could you please place the images under a cut! Thanks!

[jadewolf87.livejournal.com]

I will try and figure that out. I'm sorry

[fuzzwolfie.livejournal.com]

Ok, so when you commissioned him, did he every give a time line for completion?

Have you ever seen any WIPs/sketches/proof that any work has been done?

Also, have you ever set a time line or said have something like: I would like "x" done by -insert date- or I would like a refund."?

I'm sorry you've had this experience. D: The only thing I can really say is that maybe calling him every single day while he was supposedly in Chicago was a poor choice. It's not excusing the artist's actions, but everyday is a bit extreme. It may have deterred the artist further from contact, coming off a bit strong perhaps. I'm not defending him here at all though. :< I do hope this gets figured out!

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

When someone has $100 of your money with nothing to show for it after several months there's no such thing as 'coming on too strong' imo. Keeping in contact with a client is something the artist should be doing and they shouldn't HAVE to be pestered for updates in the first place.

[jadewolf87.livejournal.com]

I have never seen ANY W.I.P or sketches.
When commissioning him he seemed to really like the idea we had and we talked for a great while about it and even made passer-by's smiles and laugh with our ideas.
The impression that he made on us is that he would be working on it during the con and within the next month we would have it finished and mailed by post to our home address.

Also i did not call him everyday. Only during the one week that he said he'd be in Chicago and told me to call him so we could scheduled to pickup my art. (Which made me think that my art was finished, now i am not certain he ever started or planned on doing it at all)
And i don't believe i cam off strong at all. He was the one who had asked me to call him that week. I've been very understand all this year but after about a year i believe that the time is up.
Either produce or refund

[snobahr.livejournal.com]

You might want to pop him another email - your post says that you called him (a significant amount), but there was only one or two emails sent by you? Send one more, with a link to your post here.

[jadewolf87.livejournal.com]

I have just done that.

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

Is there any way you can try and get a refund via your credit card or bank? This may be something worth looking into if he continues to ignore you. In the meantime you should contact him asking for a refund or the art to be produced by X date, and perhaps link to this entry about him as well. Usually artists will take notice of something that affects their reputation.

[torinir2.livejournal.com]

Credit Card companies have 180 days to initiate a chargeback for a disputed transaction. This is well outside the timeframe for a dispute with the CC company, sadly.

[meradragon.livejournal.com]

I don't know about the time frame allotted for credit card disputed transactions, but people really can't just run away with your money, so look into whether or not there are any legal things you can take (not that you need to, but bringing them up with the guy may make him speed up).

Attempt to work out a schedule for him. Say "I realize you're busy, but i need sketch by ___ date, and then a WIP by ___ date, and I expect the finished by ____"
Give him a fair amount of time, and perhaps he'll actually attempt to meet your deadline.

Inform him that you're putting his name across various communities for being unreliable, and that you'd love to put everything as resolved, but that it'll be impossible without some show of work from him.

Just be REALLY firm, and act professional and don't feel bad pestering him. As an artist, I know I sometimes get busy, but if anyone gives me a deadline, I'll work my ass off to finish it.
Make up a reason WHY you need it by such and such a date if you have to.

[marus-puppy.livejournal.com]

I agree with this sentiment entirely! Sometimes not having a deadline makes it seem like "oh, I can just push this to the side for now until I get some other work done, the person is understanding and not expecting it soon." So definitely set a deadline and be firm about him getting it done.

[cubstatik.livejournal.com]

It's about time someone brought this name up.

He pulled the same thing with me awhile back. It took quite some time for him to finally pay me back. I will never do business with this guy again because he was very unprofessional and tried to make me feel like I was the one in the wrong. That just doesn't fly with me, especially when I'm trying to be patient and work with you on a understanding agreement.

He claimed he was local to me as well and talked me into letting him work on the piece after the con. I had no idea this translated in his world "let me take your money, say nothing until you finally pull it out of me, and fill your head with more empty promises that just buys me more time to delay"

Good luck getting your money back, I honestly thought that money for me was as good as gone. Just tell him you no longer wish to do business with him because you weren't aware this is how he works. A refund is in order and any reputable artist should respect that. Take it for a lesson too, don't commission him again.

[zhivagod.livejournal.com]

I will actually be seeing him in about 3 days since I believe he is signed up for a dealer's hall table at a convention I am going to (He was there last year so I'm fairly certain he will be there again this year).

Would you like me to approach him about this?

Personally, the guy has always rubbed me the wrong way ever since I first laid eyes on him.

[zhivagod.livejournal.com]

Actually, in double checking the artist/dealer listings, it seems he might not be... Which is super weird, if you ask me. He might be winding down since I have seen him at LITERALLY every single convention I have been to since 2006. Last I checked his personal website he listed 45+ conventions per year that he said he attended but his 2011 schedule seems to only have just shy of 30 cons.

He's probably starting to burn out or something, if you ask me. I dislike the guy immensely but I do remember being VERY shocked at how much work he does and how many cons he goes to to sell.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Personally looking at his gallery? There's something off about it.

His best fanwork is achingly familiar and looks to be either copied or traced partially or entirely from existing images of the characters in question or perhaps cribbed from an illustration of a similar character and then different parts are pasted on, the minute something isn't familiar I notice that it takes a steep nosedive in terms of ability.

I'm not disputing that he can draw, but I am saying that for me the guy's gallery is throwing up some classic signals that indicate that he's had a little help from unwitting sources.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

David Wong's actually a published pro. He's supposedly been in the industry since the age of 17 (I went to a panel of his in 2010). I am not going to comment any more beyond that.

[jadewolf87.livejournal.com]

Would be nice if people would stop telling me WHAT I SHOULD HAVE DONE.

I have learned my lesson on dealing with artists and will move forward from this experience but I didn't post this asking for advice per-say I posted more as a warning to other people who commission him.

But as long as your giving advice:
How do I go about getting my money back or the finished artwork out of him?
Any thoughts?

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Artists_beware is an advice community as well as one for warning people about bad artists/commissioners. If you post here, you are going to get advice as well as commiseration.

I'd suggest small claims court at this point since the bank won't help. I believe the order of dealing with it is to send a letter via recorded delivery (keeping a copy for yourself and proof of posting) stating you expect your goods to be delivered by X date (this should be a reasonable time limit say two weeks to a month) or a full refund if not you'll be taking him to small claims court, if X date passes without either, you take the copy of the letter, proof of posting, proof of purchase, and any other evidence you have and file a small claims case against him, it costs a little money but if you win he has to pay your fees back to you as well.

Having a small claims case filed (and won) against him is a credit ding, furthermore if he doesn't comply with the decision, he may end up with worse consequences, judges don't like it when people ignore them.

[karine.livejournal.com]

When I was part of the Gathering of the Gargoyles convention, we had him in our Dealers' Room one year. Never again. We've received many complaints about his art and about his failure to complete and deliver for the after-the-con commissions.

Lesson learned and all that, and I'm sorry this happened to you, but seeing as this guy has a track record of bad completion and bad art, it would be nice if there was a tracking system for conventions to refer to when it comes to signing up sellers. Right now, as it stands, Artists Beware is a wonderful community, I'm glad it exists, but it's not really searchable, unless I missed something somewhere? Say, how many times David Wong is red-flagged and reports on his bad behaviour linked to? It just pisses me off that this guy is still doing conventions and ripping people off by taking on work that he has no intention of completing.

Again, I'm really sorry you got swindled by that lazy ass, and I hope you get a full refund.

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Every journal entry within Artist Beware is tagged. If you go to the front community page of A_B, you will see on the left hand side a large list of links. Those are the tags. If you need to see a full page of them, there is also a link for that, which also shows you how many times said person has been brought up.

[taps1223.livejournal.com]

Has he resolved this with you yet?

I'm also battling it out with David Wong at the moment, too. H owes me a commission from Chicago Comic Con 2010. My story is similar to yours, actually. If he gave a deadline, I let him work until the deadline. Then I'd get an excuse and he'd give me another deadline. Now, I'm on excuse number two for not sending out my refund requested almost two months ago for a commission due in December that he had six months to work on.

Advice for contacting him.. If he doesn't reply to direct e-mails, contact him through his websites 'contact me' page. I've had to resort to sending e-mails through that now because he won't answer my e-mails directly.

He comes off as a great guy, but for those who are thinking of commissioning him, I'd be weary unless you commission him day one of a con and pick up your print that same weekend!

[taps1223.livejournal.com]

Keep on him and you'll get your money back. I eventually did. It just took lots of e-mails.

[kikai-saigono.livejournal.com]

Has this been resolved yet? Unfortunately I did not see this post before Acen 2011,and I was selling in the AA this year too, or else I would have gone and talked to him for you. :(

[kikai-saigono.livejournal.com]

Oh DAMN, he was at C2E2 as well! Ah well, he'll be at WizardWorld Chicago this year.

Ugh

[dave mcgee (from livejournal.com)]

Wish I had seen this thread before I commissioned a piece at EmeraldCity ComiCon this past March....

Still working to get my piece, but I have misplaced his phone number. Can anyone send it to me?

Re: Ugh

[taps1223.livejournal.com]

I don't have his number anymore, but you can contact him on his website: http://dkwongart.com/. He always got back to me when I bugged him on his site.

I totally feel your pain

[britanny wendt (from livejournal.com)]

I commissioned him for some art in 2010. Its been two years. Went to GenCon in 09 and liked his art. Then at 2011 I went to his booth to get my art. After being promised the entire year that I will get it mailed to me. Nothing, and once again when I called/messaged him...another round of excuses. Now I am trying to get my refund and he won't answer my calls or messages. Its always one excuse after another. It in august it will mark the third year since I paid for some art from him.

I hope this got fixed, if not...

[lotus_wolf]

I commissions David back in jan 2014 at FurtherConfussion in San Jose. Since I got a color commission on the last day of con, he said he'd have to mail it to me. So I signed a contract and payed 85 dollars for a full color commission of my fursona....to this day I still have no commission nor a refund, resently tho david hired a assistant to handle refunds and issuing reminders to david for past due commissions for over due commission. If you have a copy of a signed contract you are untitled to a refund if the commission is not completed withing the year it was commissioned. I'm giving my commission 2 more weeks to be delivered, if not, I'm getting a refund. If you want a refund contact Sara Olson @ sarakatcholson@gmail.com, she will get you a refund if you ask for one.

Well, crap

[sairacox.livejournal.com]

I commissioned this artist at Kansas City Comicon in April 2014. He said he would have the commision done by June.

Then Summer.
Then September.
Then October.
Then November or December.

Now he hasn't responded to any of my texts.

I wish I had seen this. Lesson learned.

[sara katch (from livejournal.com)]

Hello folks, my name is Sara Katch, I understand your issues, as does David Wong, who is a friend of mine, as well as my employer. I come in peace! To resolve everything and streamline his business, which is why he hired me in the first place.

If you are owed projects from David / require a refund / need to contact him directly or have any other questions. Please contact me at Sarakatcholson@gmail.com and give me all the information I need to help you.

I am here to organize the chaos o v o /

Thank you for your patience.

Disappointed

[rachel elizabeth (from livejournal.com)]

I commissioned a piece from this artist at alamo city comic con in October 2013! I have seen no results, no response to my messages, no pictures of progress, nothing! I paid him in full too. At this point, I feel like I was scammed. It's disappointing because I have never been so excited about a custom piece before as this was my first time actually buying one. It's been a horrible first experience to say the least. I will be contacting the commenter above and see if I get anywhere otherwise I will be asking for a full refund and God only knows if I'll even get that back.

[kaliedosock.livejournal.com]

I got a joint commission from him back in 2008. The person I paid with had a falling out, but he claimed that he would still do the art for me. He's never responded to my emails, and more than once claimed at Gencon (every year I've seen him) that he'll get to it... and yet even now there's no response to any emails.

I wish I knew this. I got a piece of art from him, an actual commission, my second year at Gencon in 2007, and thought I could do it again. Alas, never going to see this happen.

Refund

[nekoakatsuki.livejournal.com]

Has anyone here actually reached David and have been refunded? I sent another email to both addresses and I still have not been refunded.

RE: Refund

[lotus .wolf (from livejournal.com)]

Have you contacted Sara his assistant? She is super nice and has helped a few of my friends. artofdavidwong@gmail.com make sure you address the email to sara.

I commisioned mr wong back in 2014 at Further Confusion. Everytime I messaged him, he'd never give me a update, and always had some lame excuss. Since Sara started helping out with pass due orders, I get updates all the time. Last update I got was a few days agi. Sara said David would be at San Diego Comic Con and should we had deliver the piece to me if I could meet her at a open public location. So I just have my piece by Comic Con

[kevin solo (from livejournal.com)]

Well add me to this list of people who haven't gotten artwork. I had a good interaction with David since he first came to Denver Comic Con, we joked back and forth and he seemed the friendliest out of all the artists. So a year ago I thought I'd get a commission from him since I had bought a piece or two from him every year since. I paid my $60, came back when he said it would be done and it wasn't. Then I get the spiel that others have gotten, he'll get it done and sent to me within a month. But, no dice. Sometimes communication between him and his assistant is good, albeit it seems like it's always an excuse on why the art isn't done. I went through months of contact sometimes I wouldn't even hear anything. So I get a call about 3 months before Denver Comic Con and it's David, he tells me to text him a month before the convention. So I send him a friendly text reminding him of who I am, and what my piece is. The only response I get was, "cool". So fast forward a month and I'm at Denver Comic Con, I go over to his stand and ask for the piece. He laughs, says he forgot and that I should've reminded him. Well I did, multiple times. So still no art, more excuses, I get blamed for it because according to him I never reminded him. Honestly ruined my Friday at the con. I, at this point just want my money back. It's been over a year now.

It's dumb when your favorite artist becomes your last favorite. I've told DCC about this, and I've also told the guys at ComicVine. It's ridiculous, if you have such a back log of art that needs to get done, don't take anymore commissions.

David K. Wong "Stan Lee's L.A. Comic Con"

[wfw51]

David K. Wong "Stan Lee's L.A. Comic Con"
He's still at it. I commissioned a work of art from him many years ago and he did it, though nine months late. So I thought I could trust him. In person, he can be very cheerful and friendly. In 2013, at Stan Lee's L.A. Comic Con, I saw him in person and paid him for another work. He agreed to a deadline about four months away.
I was patient and friendly for a couple of years -- years! -- and eventually I got more blunt and demanded either a refund or the work of art. Like other people posting here, I got neither.
He obviously can't do this to everyone, but these posts show a long-term pattern. I looked into a small claims suit, but the fact is, that would cost me more time and money than I've lost already. Based on his behavior, I believe that's part of his pattern. I decided to settle for telling people about him.