artists_beware | Artist/Builder Beware!!!

EXPLAIN: Ok, so what had happened here was I commissioned Poprock back in December for some crow wings. I was having a different builder make a head for me, so I thought it’d be a good idea to make a collaboration of multiple builders for a partial suit. Poprock was saying, at the time, that she was really desperate for commissions, so I thought I could help her out by hiring her. I was talking with her on Second Life about the commission I had in mind, and even modeling it after a different builders design. When I asked for a price quote, she said that it would cost me $125, which I thought was a reasonable price. Afterwards, I asked Poprock how long it would take to make them, and she said that it would only take a couple of months to do. So, from there I sent her a duct tape dummy of my arm, and an envelope containing the down payment for my wings. ($50) In about 2 weeks she began working on the wings and had a livestream video of her working on the wings. In a couple of days she sent me a picture of the progress of the wings. They looked pretty rough so I hoped that they’d look better over time, and in all honesty I was just happy that I was getting the commission made. Periodically, I would check in to see if any progress was made on the wings. At first I was asking once a week because I was really excited having this commission done. Poprock told me, whenever I asked, that no progress had been made on them since the livestream video. I started asking less often because I wanted to give her some space and not put any pressure on her.

A month passes and I ask about the progress of my wings. She again says that no progress has been made. When the next month passes, she asks on Facebook for some money so that she could buy something. Out of generosity, I gave her that money and we both agreed that it would be put towards paying off my wings. ($35) I was hoping that by paying her a little more to what I owed, that it would motivate her to work on my wings. To my disappointment, another month passes and zero progress has been made. Yet again, she asks for money for another thing (which I don’t know what it was) so I gladly obliged and paid her the remainder of the money on my wings. ($40) Of course I was hoping that some progress was made on my wings by now...she tells me that barely anything had been done. I was remaining patient as possible with her because I knew that if I said the wrong thing, she’d probably get mad at me and take even longer on making them. It’s around April 2011 this time, and I ask her if she could give me a deadline on when the wings might be finished. At first she tells me that she’ll have them done by the end of the month. As April came to a close, I asked if she was almost done, and Poprock told me that only one wing was done, but I would have to wait a bit longer. Also, to state, there were multiple times when she was guilt tripping me by explaining why the wings were taking so long, and she even offered me a full refund in May because she was feeling really upset about some stuff. Being a nice guy, I told her that I was willing to wait for the wings instead. (I fell for her guilt trip)

Eventually, she told me that the new deadline would be at Anthrocon 2011. Even as the days drew closer to Anthrocon, I still asked if any progress had been made on the wings. She dodged the question by saying they’d be done by Anthrocon. So, Anthrocon arrives and I eagerly wait to finally pick up my wings at Poprock’s booth. When I get there, she tells me that they aren’t done. She goes on to say that she has a bunch of commissions in progress, that she was booked until Christmas, and that she’d fit my wing commission “in there, somewhere”. In other words, it wasn’t a priority to her. Let it be noted that she constantly was asking for more commissions as each month went by, while my wings remained untouched. Nearly a month after Anthrocon goes by and I asked if she had done anything with my wings. Wonder of wonders, nothing had been done at all. So, what did I do? I spent 2 hours online talking to her trying to motivate her to work on my wings and other people’s commissions. She agreed to that, and I was glad that some progress was about to be made. One more month goes by, and I ask...she tells me nothing’s been done.

In this 8 month timespan, only one wing was finished and the other one hadn’t even been started on. At this point, my patience ran thin and I had to ask for a refund. She was highly confused by this and didn’t understand why. I explained to her that I was tired of waiting for them. Poprock flips out on me and begins asking all of these questions of why I didn’t say anything. I told her that I was trying to be a nice guy, but in all honesty, I was being too lenient with her. So she tells me that she’s only going to give me 30% back of what I paid once she sells the wings to someone else. First off, how many crows are out there who have the exact same arm size as me, and want the wings? Secondly, only 30%?! I paid her to do a service and she didn’t provide the service at all!

Eventually, I found out that she’s been manipulating other furs as well. Apparently, all of the commissions she was asking people to take from her, were just excuses so she could take the money from them and run off with it. There have been multiple reports from people who commissioned her, where they’ve been waiting up to two years for a commission. Not only that, some people didn’t even get a refund or any kind of update from her. She would often get pissed at them when they asked for an update and she would even go as far as to block them from all form of contact. 14 other people have reported cases similar to mine. In addition to that, some people who actually got the commissions from her were highly disappointed. One of the suits she made at a con even fell apart. The stitching was bad and it couldn’t even hold itself up for a second.

Sorry that this is so long, but all of this had to be explained in explicit detail so I could warn others of this horrible experience I had with this builder. I really worked hard to try and be her friend, but she was just using me the entire time. On one final note, I found out from a friend that Poprock was taking about me behind my back at Otakon and she told him that I hadn’t paid for my wings in full and that I was being extremely rude to her and pressuring her for the wings. Both of these statements are completely false! So that’s my experience here. Please, PLEASE, beware of her!

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Thank you for telling your side of the story. The best thing for you to do is to provide as much proof as you can get your hands on, even the people who where harassing you and talking behind your back. Also, I think it would be best if you took pictures of the crow wings and post them here as well. I know this isn't a critique community, but I and probably others would really like to see if there's any credibility to the claims of poor quality.

I'm doing my best to do that actually. I only have so much of an income. That's also partially why I have been trying to get some more work both in my retail job and taking a few quick-to-do commissions.

Yeah, pretty much. I'm not factoring in whatever all the side drama is, because I don't know/don't care... I just know if I was this late with something that was causing me this much trouble, I would fully refund immediately, even if it wasn't fully "fair" to me.
IDK I guess I'm getting cranky in my old age XP

I will do so, but earliest is Sunday night/Monday

You let him know ASAP it would be months before he could expect a finished product, or he could get 30% of his money back now.

Well, valid beware then.

I honestly have no idea what to believe anymore. Until the OP comes back and explains further or the artist provides proof for her side of the story, I'm not taking either side.

I won't get into that with you, however I can't give a refund right now because honestly, I am BROKE.

That is really disappointing to hear, but sadly it's not the first time I've heard about her being unreliable. :(

Sounds good.

Sounds like a good plan, the sooner you can put this behind you and move on with your life, the better. I wish you luck!

Guess he's just screwed then.

No, not at all. I have been trying to take some easy and quick to do commissions and also trying for more hours at my retail job so I CAN send the refund.

Either that, or finish them, sell them, and give him the deposit back.

Absolutely agree.

This post is huge, would love it if you added a cut to it, as it's eating up my friends page.

And I'm really sorry this happened to you, especially when you were only trying to help the artist out. I really hope u can salvage your money's worth :(

If they are about 85% complete then taking a photo of them right now to show as such would be very helpful.

Really unsure about this, as the OP hasn't returned and the artist is trying to make their side clear. What a mess.

I also don't like the very first thing said via the OP "Before you go defending this person..." Why are you expecting us to blindly defend someone without any reason to? You sound as though you're being defensive or something and makes me suspicious of your post.

Proof of the 14 people complaining about their received work from her, please.

Until then, I can't help but feel like some things are being a touch exaggerated.

GAH what a mess!

We have no proof on either side! The OP's screen shots feel like half of a conversation with the real stuff left out...the artist's side seems just as one sided.

Regardless of what the OP planned to use the money for that has nothing to do with the original purpose for the refund. If he/she told you she was unhappy and was going to another artist with the refund would you have given it to them? If I gave a "month or two" deadline I would expect it within that time frame. If not, I'd find someone else who could follow deadlines.

If I received threats of physical violence I would have screen capped that faster then my next breath! I CANNOT believe that the artist wouldn't have capped that or at least left the window open to cap later. This just feels like pity harvesting. Just say, "I was stressed so I got behind".

This whole post is ridiculous and I feel insulted by both parties involved. Don't post another sentence. Don't respond to another post till this group can get some real proof! Because from where I'm sitting, this is a double beware...I wouldn't work with either of you.

This is an extremely intelligent and fair body of impartial reviewers. We're all trying to see both sides in the most neutral light. The heresay, accusations and claims of no fault on either side is so childish I can hardly stand it.

I don't believe ANYTHING either party has said at this point.

why are you selling or tossing the product at all? that was the point i was trying to make -- you used the OP's money to buy the materials, you're still charging him for the work that went into them (by choosing to withhold that portion of his money). he's paid his money and he deserves something for it.

If you just want to cut off the commission altogether, send him his incomplete wings and the percentage of the fee he paid that you feel is equivalent to the work not done on the wings and be done with it. that would be fair to the both of you, IMO.

that's not really what i meant -- he paid full price for a product that is currently incomplete, and the person being commissioned feels that since 30% of the work is left, 30% is all the monetary refund he is entitled to. that's fine, i get that, but only if she's sending him the incomplete product as well so that he can either finish it himself or have it finished by another party.

what I'm trying to say is that if she's not going to give him any product at all, she needs to refund him in full minus whatever nonrefundable deposit they agreed to, which would amount to at least 60% of the total cost if i'm reading through this thread correctly (then again, that's provided he actually agreed to it in the first place, yadda-yadda... this A_B post is all a giant clusterf*ck of drama at this point haha). D:

Pretty much, I think I misunderstood you but I think we're on the same page now.

She has said somewhere in this stew that she is away from home at a LAN party until Sunday or Monday.

it's all good, lol... this whole post is a mess anyway, so at least we're in good company :3

I noticed that too. Couple that with the "I've been told by all these other people..." thing at the bottom... I'm currently withholding judgement on this until everyone comes back to the table.

Mods when is this going to be placed under a LJ cut? This is eating up my entire friends page please a little help here?

As for the orignal poster, you were a nice guy it happends but sometimes you have to be clear with a deadline and mean it. Sometimes putting a gentle foot down with a firm deadline is needed. I hate to say this but I seriously don't like doing business with close friends personally I seem to allow my friends to slack more then I would someone else.

Sometimes friendship can be taken advantage of and this is a good example. To the person in question. If the product is in some stage of completion for your own sake I would upload proof of product images so that you at least have a solid footing for us to believe.

To be honest with everything presented here and overflowing on my page it seems kind of like both sides are at fault.

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