Artist's Beware - Dust-Bite on DA

[shaneharper.livejournal.com]

 WHO: This post is about Dust-Bite on DeviantART. 

WHERE: http://dust-bite.deviantart.com/

WHAT: It was a $16 digital commission picture. 

WHEN: I first asked for a commission on December 13th. She agreed and I sent the payment over that day. Since then, I'd sent maybe two more messages, one in January and one in March asking about progress and if a refund was needed. I also sent updated reference sheets incase she hadn't started work yet. The last time I contacted her was April 20th. She hasn't responded past the first day when she accepted my c

PROOF: Here is a screen cap from the first time we spoke about the commission. She agreed and I sent the money over. I don't have a paypal screen cap cause I didn't know I would need one and Paypal only keeps information for 3 months. This is a screen cap of the last time I messaged her, which was in April. I don't have the other two messages, but she hadn't responded to me in any message since the beginning. Not even about refunding. I've been REALLY patient, but I went to check out her commission "list" and I'm not even on it. 
**EDIT** I downloaded my paypal history (something I hadn't tried before) and found the payment and ID number. 

EXPLAIN: In the beginning, December, I had asked her for some digital art that priced up to $16. Neither of us considered it too challenging since it was one of her lesser commissions offered. She was quick to get back to me, and we agreed on the price and I sent the money over that night. I was super excited to have commissioned Dust-Bite because I'd always liked her art! I don't think she's a bad person but it's not acceptable to leave someone who has paid you, hanging. She hasn't been absent from DeviantArt either, because she's been posting a lot of art since December. And on DeviantArt, as some of you may know, you can see if another artist has read a note you sent them. She read my previous notes, but has yet to read the one I sent in April. I don't know if she's having money problems and can't afford a refund, but she can definitely finish my commissions since they weren't challenging and she's been more than able to post loads of art. 

**UPDATE** on June 8th, I was contacted and given my commission. I'm marking this down as lack of communication on my part versus a busy deviant. 

Comments

[whereisourcrown.livejournal.com]

"I don't have a paypal screen cap cause I didn't know I would need one and Paypal only keeps information for 3 months."

Uhh Paypal doesn't get rid of any transaction history. You should be able to view every payment sent/received since you opened your Paypal account under the History tab. If you can't find a record there, it means you didn't pay her.

[shaneharper.livejournal.com]

I go to my paypal and try to go all the way back to December in the history section and click to go back to December of 2010. I'm downloading the history now though, something I haven't done before. If I can find it, I'll edit to be more accurate.

[neive.livejournal.com]

Yikes, that's awful! D: Have you tried leaving comments on journals or page shouts?

If I remember correctly, I think there is a way to see back further than just 3 months in your Paypal history. Hopefully another member here will be able to clear that up in case I'm incorrect, or know how to do it if I am right.

That, and did you by chance just use Paypal to take the funds from your bank account, or was the money you sent over already in Paypal's money system? Since if you used your card, you could try and file a chargeback depending on the bank you have. I've heard some successful stories before from others who just explained they never got the product, since the burden of proof is usually on the person who they commissioned to prove if they did the work.

[shaneharper.livejournal.com]

I just edited the post with the paypal information. I didn't know to download it until now. Haha

And that's a good idea about the bank. I hadn't thought of that before. I don't know how well they'll believe me that I didn't get what I had paid for. I don't see DA artist commissions of $16 being high on a bank's priority list. X3

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

Actually you can look up paypal history going back to the start of the account. If you go into payments sent and change the time period set it will show. 3 months is only a default setting.

It is unfortunate this artist is ignoring you. That's not a good sign. I hope you get what you're owed.

[shaneharper.livejournal.com]

I had tried that before, but I hadn't tried downloading the document into a PDF, which worked. Thanks for the help though! =3

[undertow26.livejournal.com]

Wow, I commissioned her once before for an icon commission. She did it relatively quickly but I was kind of turned off by her aloof attitude and haven't commissioned her since.

That's awful that she's ignoring you, and the fact you're not on her commission list is not a good sign. You can always try linking her to this post, that can get some artists into gear. Like someone else suggested, you can try a chargeback if you paid with a credit card.

I really hope this gets resolved soon :(

[shaneharper.livejournal.com]

I already felt guilty enough posting this! I don't really like calling people out, but I'm severely frustrating with her ignoring me. I'd be more than fine waiting a little bit longer if she didn't have the money to pay me back with, but since she's ignoring me, I'm not happy. Ha.

And thank you! I'm glad your experience with her was pleasant. =3

[foxhack.livejournal.com]

To add to what others have already told you, look for the email receipt you got when you sent the money. There should be a transaction ID there. Send it to her and tell her to look it up - she should have it in her email somewhere. :)

[shaneharper.livejournal.com]

I'll be sending her the ID now, thanks for giving me the idea!

[kerstin-orion.livejournal.com]

I see on her shouts she recently responded and gave you an email address. Have you emailed her and/or heard back?

[shaneharper.livejournal.com]

I e-mailed her about 5 minutes after she gave me her e-mail. No response yet.

[heathermasanon.livejournal.com]

This is happening to me, too, actually. :/ I commissioned her on Subeta at the beginning of April for a $30 couple piece. She got the sketch to me within a day, I paid, and I haven't heard from her since. I've asked for updates only to be completely ignored, while she churns out other commissions and is posting almost daily on tumblr.

My friend and I commissioned her at the same time and she completed my friend's art within a day. I have no idea what's going on with mine, but I'm certainly not impressed about being ignored like this. I want to send her another message as I've only left one, but her note in her commission info about taking longer if pressured (does that even count as pressuring?) is making me wary.

[holydust.livejournal.com]

So this is another artist making it clear that you cannot expect your art in a timely manner if you dare ask how it's going?

Dios mio.

[shaneharper.livejournal.com]

At least you got to see a sketch...
But I hope she gets back to us soon. I have her e-mail if you would like to send her a message and don't have it.

[cruxia.livejournal.com]

I had a similar experience when I had commissioned her. I had waited 5+ months for an 50x50 icon commission. After sending her a note every couple weeks she finally completed it. Either way it was disappointing because I really wanted to support her but it had bugged me she was actively submitting art during those months and completely ignoring my commission. :/