Warning: Larka/Heartlesswyvern (UPDATE)

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

ETA: Larka returned and has internet connection, apologized that the commission is taking too long, and promised me to pay me back and finish the commission free of charge, according to her comment to this entry. Thusly, everything's resolved

WHO: Larka/Heartlesswyvern

WHERE:
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/larka
http://heartlesswyvern.deviantart.com/

WHAT: a full colored, BioShock-themed digital commission with two characters and a complex bg

WHEN: February 2010 and current

PROOF:

Unfortunately, I don’t have screencaps of the Paypal receipt or the FA PMs (the PMs were deleted due to some FA hack incident), but as far as I remember, the pic cost $20. I do, however, have some screencaps of a few PMs sent to her on DA and can certainly explain what happened

February 28, 2010:
I paid her $20 for the pic

March 6, 2010:
I've watched her starting on the pic on Livestream, and all was fine (though she did take a break from it). I asked her to work more of it tomorrow and she agree

March 12, 2010:
Here’s the pic’s current state (as retrieved from one of her journals on DA) http://i39.tinypic.com/k6kvk.jpg

Since then, I’ve been contacting her on MSN, asking if she’s working on the commission and her response is “Yeah, I’m working on it.” Unfortunately, I still hadn’t got the finished version of the drawing since the updated one

March 13, 2011:
a year later, I’ve sent her a PM on DA regarding my commission since several months have passed




Unfortunately, it’s read and ignored. Weird

March 22, 2011:
Since 9 days past and the note is left unanswered, I’ve sent her another PM, but only this time, I politely asked her to either finish the pic altogether or refund if she didn’t had it finished (ignore the fact that I wrote $32 instead of $20 in the PM)



The response:


My reply:


So here am I am, keeping my fingers crossed for it to be finished for good... but I haven't heard from her since then. She hasn't been on FA or DA since April 30

I know she has a busy time moving to a new house and has no internet, but I really don't wanna be left screwed over



EXPLAIN: I’ve known her and adored her art for a long time, but I’m not too happy about her taking too long on the commission I paid $20 for and not finishing it (though she did finished two other commissions I paid for, which is good).

Usually, I don’t mind having mildly tardy/late commissions and I always remind artists the pics I paid for (heck, I waited, like, nearly two years very patiently for one artist to finish a commission and got an extra pic to make up for the long wait), but having to pay $20 for a commission and waiting for a year without the final product? I’m... quite bewildered

So Larka is quite tardy on the commission updates, implied that she’ll get around working on it (as I politely told her on IMs), and sometimes ignores PMs (regarding commission updates) after reading them (methinks she’s a little tough to contact via PMs). My deepest apologies for not having enough screencaps

On different note to Larka: I deeply apologize for making this AB complaint about you, but I still haven’t received the final version of the commission that you promised you’d get around to. Whether I actually got the final product or not, whether you refund $20 or not, I probably won’t be commissioning you again. Sorry :(

please note that that this was NOT an attack on Larka and her artistic reputation. I honestly didn't mean to do so, and yet she's angry at me for this and mentions that I've disrespected her. What she said about me was a lesson to me to not start drama like this anymore

Comments

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

Was there a deadline agreed on by both parties here? At that price, it may be that she expected it to have an extremely flexible deadline. I'm not commenting on the price or worth etc beyond stating that generally, full color pics of that scale and caliber, delivered at a reasonable time are much, MUCH more than that. That does not give her the right to screw you at all (of course), but it may explain the delay.

It's her fault entirely for setting the price that low, and if I were her I would have refunded long before it reached this point. I can sympathize with her position, it's an easy mistake to make, but that doesn't remove responsibility. I've worked with you myself so I know you are a good, patient person to work with, I'm sure it wasn't anything on your end. =3

On a side-note,having just moved house myself and having issues with internet connection at home (I'm posting from work on my lunch break) it can take a while to get your life back together after a big move. Not being online since April 30th doesn't seem crazy to me at all...it's the same boat I'd be in if it weren't for a lenient boss and a lack of internet filters at work. I'm at about 3 weeks of limited internet use and counting myself.

While the warning is deserved, I wouldn't write her off entirely for this, as it honestly is a common beginner's mistake to price that low and then "lose inspiration" (at the point you realize you're working for pennies per hour) and hopefully she is someone who does it once and grows out of it. Ideally, she refunds you when she gets back and learns from it. I hope it gets resolved.

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

I absolutely agree that she did undercharged a complex commission far too much and when she get back on, she'll realize it's not a good idea to undercharge something like that for $20 and she'll fully refund me

I do hope this issue gets resolved, too

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

also forgot to mention, I can't if there's a deadline agreement or something (but I don't think she and I had one)

[ocelotish]

Thank you for putting everything so much better than I could.

It seems like she's willing to work with you, so I wouldn't worry too much yet. Once it seems like the artist is around more I'd ask her when you might expect a refund or the finished picture. I think having a deadline on that will really put your mind at ease.

It seems like the artist is generally willing to work with you so I'm hopeful this will be resolved happily.

[wannabejafa.livejournal.com]

Actually, I'm surprised to see this here.

She has been a friend of mine and I commised her for $25 for a picture last year. It was for a Christmas gift and I was promised it would be made up in time for Christmas.
It was not actually done, and time rolled on. We agreed upon something else instead for myself and she said she would get right to work on it.
She disappeared completely a little while ago, and I've heard nothing more, so yeah... Sorta in the same boat as you, just not as longer wait.

Kinda a shame, because she was a good friend and I'd commissioned her before with no issues whatsoever, but things this time just went sour FAST.

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

I feel your pain, dude :( but maybe when she gets back online, things would be resolved enventually

[holydust.livejournal.com]

All artists experience art block, and some of us suffer it for a great deal longer than others; however, if you experience it for a longer period than others, you should be even more willing to be gracious and understanding to your clients.

I actually had someone pay me $30 for a commission around 5 years ago, and I lost my inspiration and disappeared off the face of the earth. I've completely lost my ability to find them and I have tried, but I would never act like it was their fault. I still feel horribly fucking guilty about it every time I remember it, because this was another artist I looked up to greatly. I'm still hoping I can find them...

I guess I'm digressing, but my point is, it's not THEIR fault, it's mine. I really hope this girl understands that it's not her client's fault that she's had a bit of trouble with her muse. She has no right to act so flippant about it. Hopefully she comes back and is able to get things done or at least talk with the OP about her troubles. :(

This is uncalled for.

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

Allow me to explain my situation; I have NEVER forgotten about this commission, I have lost sleep over its tardiness, in fact I feel guilty for making her wait so long, especially when she payed me 20 dollars outright.

In the last year I have moved 3 times. Hell I was classified homeless at one point, living in my grandfathers 20 by 20 bonus room with my brother and mother. Just when I got settled months ago in our last home, I had to help my mother pay the utilities just so we could keep the house we had just currently moved into. So every time I tried to get her a refund, I was broke due to utilities or rent. I do not have a job, I do not have a weekly income or a bi-weekly income, I get a disability check ONCE a month for 500 dollars. Which between food, rent, and power bills, does not last long, I assure you.

What I'm saying is that I had to keep a stable roof over my head for the past year instead of worrying about someones commissions, as terrible as that sounds, and that is really not what I want to be known for. Normally I can get a commission done in a week at most, provided an art block has not reared its ugly head. I have apologized multiple times on IM about this commission and it being so late. I have told her that I am indeed going to refund the 20 dollars I owe her.

I moved again into a new house at the beginning of May, and only today was able to get a internet service. And I finally got her PM via deviantart about it not even an hour ago. Honestly at first I was worried because I thought it was HER being featured on artists beware; But I was sorely mistaken. When I saw my username on the page I honestly felt faint, sick, and upset. In fact I still feel sick. This is the kind of thing that can ruin a person, and all that they stand for morally. I hate that people WILL see this and WILL think that I'm some sort of no good crook, that cheats people out of their hard earned money.

I had only just now gotten a new wacom tablet, My last one finally died after years of great service. When I was moving I found an USB that had some copies of art on it. Luckily it had a copy of the Photoshop file of her commission from the lineart/wip point, where the original was lost. I began working on it as soon as I got my new tablet. Between getting cable today, and buying the new tablet so I could finish her commission, I am broke so I cannot pay her back at the moment. But I will pay her back, and if time allows, finish the commission free of charge. No one should wait this long for a commission. Even if the commissioner attempted to smear the artists reputation.

In fact here is a wip of the current process done in the past few days alone; http://i53.tinypic.com/vylq1.jpg

I hope this is a decent enough explanation to clear my name; like I said earlier, I do not want people to think that I'm some sort of common con-artist.

Thank you for taking the time to read this. I apologize for any miss-spelling or punctuation and I'm sorry if you have misjudged my character.

-Larka

Re: This is uncalled for.

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

this makes sense why you didn't get on to refunding, working, etc., but the pic is coming nicely and the details are lovely and I can't wait for the commission free of charge and the refund

also I'm deeply sorry for posting about you here, I'll make sure I won't ruin your reputation like this again

also, welcome back, Larka!

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

Please let us know when you want this marked as resolved.

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

as soon as the drawing is done and I get refunded, I'll let you guys know ;)

Re: This is uncalled for.

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

It'd help if you deleted it.
At the very least let people see my explanation.

"I'll make sure I won't ruin your reputation like this again"

"Again", LOL I'd certainly hope not. :I

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

Deleting posts is not allowed in this community.

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

Oh, my apologies, I didn't know. Thanks for cuing me in though!

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

is it alright if I remove the beware text part (though not the whole post) so she doesn't get mad at me anymore? (besides it's resolved anyway)

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

Unless she's being angry at you somewhere outside of here... it seems she's okay now?

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

I think she's angry at me on some site, but on DA she seems to be calm when pming me with the finished commission

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

'Some site'?

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

I'll pm you about it

[kayla-la.livejournal.com]

Is she bullying you?

You honestly shouldn't let her guilt trip you about making an AB post when she wasn't communicating with you. That's not your fault. Your concerns were perfectly valid and she needs to man up and deal instead of sending her friends in here and leaving passive-aggressive comments about 'smearing her reputation'.

It is not your responsibility as the customer to root around for all sorts of alternative contact, it is her responsibility to keep you informed and she failed to do so. Her and her friend's attitude I have seen here combined with the idea that she may be talking bad about you on other sites, and that her immediate response here was to demand you delete the post has kind of made it a valid beware in my head, and I'll be remembering her name. But it won't be anything YOU did. If it had been left at her going 'My bad, I'll fix it!' it would be different.

Please don't let someone make you feel like crap after THEY handled things poorly and you merely reacted after being left in the dark. I'm pretty irritated that now you feel like you should never use AB again or that you did something wrong. You really didn't.

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

You'll have to excuse me if I come across as rude or aggressive, but allow me to elaborate;

"You honestly shouldn't let her guilt trip you about making an AB"
I like how you say guilt trip like you have an idea whats been going on since I accepted this commission.

"Your concerns were perfectly valid and she needs to man up and deal instead of sending her friends in here and leaving passive-aggressive comments about 'smearing her reputation'."

Could you point me in the direction of these comments? Because I only see mine I have left on this article. I assure you I am not sending anyone to leave "comments".

"it is her responsibility to keep you informed and she failed to do so."

Thanks for the reminder, But I am well aware that I failed to keep her 'informed' even if I have explained my situation to her multiple times. I left an explanation/apology of this in a previous comment, you may want to take a look back and read it a bit more carefully.

"that her immediate response here was to demand you delete the post has kind of made it a valid beware in my head, and I'll be remembering her name"

That's cute. I'm glad people will remember my name for a wrong that I had fixed.

"If it had been left at her going 'My bad, I'll fix it!' it would be different."

I thought that's what I did? Anyway, her commission is done, so I'm pretty sure that part is 'fixed'. All I need to do now is give her the refund I had promised, and this will be nothing more than a mere bump in the road.

-

I see you get the point, Yes, I am upset that she had to make an AB about this, but You may have forgotten that I am indeed human with human emotions. I am not a machine that would just shrug something like this off. I am aware she is upset as well, but I have done half of what I promised to do.

I will not lie, I have indeed talked about her on another website. But I don't remember on the internet saying you can't vent about a person you are frustrated with. I have not bullied her in anyway shape or form, if she sees it as so then she can go ahead and see it that way.

If there is something you don't like about me, say it to me, instead of talking indirectly about it. If you want to have a civilized one-on-one chat and allow me to explain -my side- of the story, feel free to PM me and I'll give you my Email where you may contact me.

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

ugh so many typos, sorry about that.

Re: This is uncalled for.

[latilombax.livejournal.com]

to be dearly honest, I always feel guilty making A_B posts about artists who I admire (due to overdue commissions, lost contacts, etc.) and I will vow to myself to -absolutely- NEVER do this to make them as "horrible people" EVER again

I'm deeply sorry for making this post about you, once again

[hamburger.livejournal.com]

While I understand being upset, I can assure you that it takes more than just a single post here to ruin a reputation. Especially considering that you came here to calmly share your side and resolve things with the buyer, I feel you'll be fine.

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

Oh thank you so much, Its reassuring hearing that. Its just with LJ's like this people can be like sharks in a feeding frenzy.

[stormslegacy.livejournal.com]

If it helps, aside from you, lati and the mods there's only a couple comments on this entry. Either no-one's read it or people didn't know what to say. Notice there's no "ZOMG THAT'S AWFUL" posts. That's because your situation is understandable, though still something to be warned about for now. I for one, took it to be a temporary thing, and I'm one of the 3 or 4 of the commentors on this entry. Compare this entry to others and you'll see you have very little to worry about. =3 Glad to hear it's on its way to being resolved.

Heck, I only looked again 'cos I was looking for something else and was curious about the boom of comments from 3 to 16.

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

I just don't want to go down in the "internet" History books as some crook lmfao.

I'm glad someone noticed and took a look, I was afraid people would read it and remember that -one- person that somehow manages to take a year to do one commission.

Thank you for your comment. <3

[wannabejafa.livejournal.com]

As the others say, a single post on the community doesn't worry people unless it's a massive problem. In this siutation, its sort of a first appearance and while it may get a little attention, its not enough to ruin a reputation as an artist.
Now, if say there was a large number of posts chiming in the same situation, that would be an alarm bell for people. Believe me a frenzy here is easily seen with several artists who've appeared here multiple times for bewares and A) Don't post or B) Don't attempt to resolve anything.

However, the main thing is, you became aware of it, and came in, calmly posting your side of the story and wanting to resolve the issue. If anything, that helps your reputation, cause it shows that yes, you might have had some troubles, but you acknowledge them and want to resolve it. Many of the bewares I've read here, go up, the artist never bothering to touch base and/or completely ignoring the issue.
To actually step up, admit fault and give a clear explanation why, it takes guts and if anything, it proves how dedicatied you are in my books as an artist.

So yeah. Even if the posts are saved, if someone happened to search you up later, they would see you have resolved it in the past and others would know that you are one of the better artists that if this sorta thing pops up, you can be talked with to resolve it. :)

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

Ah yeah, What sucks is getting told by my friends who frequent the blog constantly reminding me that, " Oh hey you're on AB now." or "I saw you on Artists beware, Why are you on there?" And having to explain my situation over and over and over again. Kinda like being featured in the "Just Busted" Section of the news paper.

Regardless you have made some fine points, and I thank you for them! Hopefully I can put this behind me, In due time I'm sure.

[holydust.livejournal.com]

Don't worry. A lot of us worry about making it here someday, but if you're worried about it, chances are it won't be a big deal. Long as you pop in and say "hey, here's what's up" and make things right, it's no more than a blip and no one will remember it in a week or two. :)

In fact, some artists have gained business from handling a post here with good graces.

Since she has not updated

[larkaherzlos.livejournal.com]

http://i56.tinypic.com/fa7ddl.jpg The commission is finished, and I will post a screenshot of the receipt of the refund when I get to that bridge. But once I post that I will not be returning to this post since I had fixed what I sought out to fix. Everything/anything else that happens is completely irrelevant.
Thank you.