General Advice Post: Declining a Commission and/or a Trade

[oceandezignz.livejournal.com]

Be it their reputation, their attitude or just the overall theme of what they want you to draw for them - we as artists and people have the right to say 'no' to offers placed upon our plates.

The question is, how does one say 'no' in such a way that it is purely professional and has that weight of finality to it that doesn't allow for weasel room. Lets figure out the best way to create a standard of etiquette for declining inquiries we don't want to handle!

I'm opening the floor to the community on this. Please feel free to advise or suggest ways to professionally bow out of offers for commissions or trades.

If you recall someone making a post or a comment regarding this in the past, and felt it was a big help to you; please link to it for everyone's reference!

Comments

[neolucky.livejournal.com]

I was JUST handling this last night. A specific client who's been featured here once before approached me via a public aim, asking for something completely out of line and something I'd never draw, (He requested his characters sexually with mine, and in a lewd way).

I simply said "No, sorry. I don't take commissions of this kind, nor do I have the time to. Please refer to my journal ____ for further info, thanks!"

Unfortunately he kept on, and I blocked him after a while of whining and begging. But I figure my reply was good enough!