Artist Beware: Zillford

[jazminbunni.livejournal.com]

WHO:
  Zillford, an artist located on Furaffinty and InkBunny as well. I am not certain if he is active anywhere else. http://www.furaffinity.net/user/zillford  / http://inkbunny.net/Zillford

WHERE:
  Located on FA at http://furaffinity.net/user/zillford , this is the primary site of business that I encounter him at.

WHAT:
  A commission for a Line Art, digital image piece. Priced at $60 to be paid ahead of time. Initially paid for in advance, the status of the art agreed upon for commission is unknown and I am currently awaiting a response from the artist, the current date that this was posted on at Artist Beware is February 28th, 2012, and the date that the commission was paid for was December 12th, 2011. What I would like to do is find a way to open up communication with Zillford and work things out to get this commission completed, and I put this all behind me, and possibly have the picture paid for to be coloured by him later. I don't wish to burn any bridges here.

WHEN:
  Commission was agreed upon, and then paid for on December 12th, 2011. Each Link in the above section logs the time when they were posted before each link. Final email I have sent to the artist was on February 20th, 2012.

A rough time line of the situation from initial conversation, to 1st payment (or agreement of trade) to signs of trouble.

PROOF: Initial Commission Email (December 12th, 1:28AM EST, 2011): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/InitialEmail_Commission_Request.png

And the response back (December 12th, 1:37AM EST, 2011): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/InitialEmail_Response.jpg


Payment Sent (December 12th, 1:57AM EST, December 2011): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Payment_Sent.png

Confirmation that payment was recieved (December 12th, 2:07AM EST, 2011): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Payment_Recieved.jpg

Initial Inquery (December 27th, 9:51PM EST, 2011): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/First_Inquery_Dec27_2011.jpg

- Going through my email inbox/outbox/junk/deleted folders show no reply to this first inquery. I will defend the fact there is a possibility the reply email was deleted. If it was I appologize, but I assume nothing bad or any worry by this point, I sent this email in excited curiosity.

Second Inquery (January 5th, 1:58PM, 2012): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Second_Inquery_January5th_2012.jpg
 
  Response to second inquery (January 5th 2:08PM EST, 2012): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Second_Inquery_Response_January5th_2012.jpg

    My reply to first response (January 5th, 2:18PM EST, 2012): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Second_Inquery_Third_Response_January5th_2012.jpg

      Response to my second note (January 5th, 2:23PM EST, 2012): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Second_Inquery_Fourth_Response_January5th_2012.jpg

-By this point I figured it wouldn't be a problem, sometimes things get disorganized or misplaced or what have you, and I assumed it was back on track.

Third Inquery (January 23rd, 1:49PM EST, 2012): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Third_Inquery_January23rd.jpg

Third Inquery Response (January 23rd, 1:52PM EST, 2012): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Third_Inquery_January23rd_Response.jpg

Last Inquery (February 20th, 2:39PM EST, 2012): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Latest_Inquery_Feb20th_2012.jpg

- With the last email I sent to Zill, I sent to both email accounts I could find, and have yet to recieve a response from him.

All activity on his account located on FA seems to have stopped as well, his latest submission was on January 24th, 2:15PM, 2012, his last favourite was on January 19th, 8:51 AM, 2012, and his last journal was posted on January 10th, 2012 01:16 PM. There also appears to be at least one other having similar concern based on comments they have posted on Zillford's wall. This may dissappear due to any new comments pushing them out of sight. I will screen cap it and can post if it is requested.


EXPLAIN:
  I commissioned Zillford back on the 12th of December, and agreed to pay in advance for a digital line art piece. I paid $60 up front to make sure I had a spot on his commission line. Near the end of December I curiously sent Zillford an email asking if any progress had been made or not. I could not find a reply back to it in any box of my email account so I cannot verify if there was a response to this particular email.
  I made a followup note to him on FA and Zillford explained that my commission details possibly were misplaced, but he had found them and was going to put me in front on the production line. I made a third note asking how things were going on January 23rd, and his response was that it was one of the day's must-do pictures. My last email sent to Zillford asking about the status of the commission was on February 20th, 70 days from the day after payment was verified until the last email was sent. It appears that Zillford is inactive on FA currently.

I would just like to have it completed and hopefully work out something to have it coloured later on. I am not mad at the artist, but I am concerned by the lack of communication.

**UPDATE [April 3rd, 2012]: ** Another member on FA had found out that the artist Zillford had made an account on DeviantArt, and was being active on that site, and for what it appears, has abandoned his FA page. URL to DeviantArt found here: http://zillford.deviantart.com/

Screenshot of Zillford's FA Wall, showing comment linking to new DA Page (April 3rd, 2012 1:04AM EST): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Zilford_Moved_To_DA.png

Screenshot of my comment on Zillford's new DA wall asking for a status request regarding the commission. (April 3rd, 2012, 1:04AM EST): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Zillford_DA_Censoring.png *Note: He has already been censoring some comments on his new page. I cannot say that that are from others regarding art or other issues, or just simply wall spammers. But do note the censoring. I will watch to see if my comment disappears or not.*

I have sent a second inquery email regarding the commission to both his business emails as well as noting him on FA. I will be sending a copy of this inquery email to his DA in a day if there has been no response. Once again, I remain hopeful that the situation can be salvaged. ^_^

** END UPDATE [April 3rd, 2012] **

** EXTRA UPDATE [April 3rd, 2012] ** No sooner had I posted my first update to this Beware journal and hit refresh on Zillford's DeviantArt page, my comment had been hidden by the page owner (Zillford).

Screenshot showing comment has been hidden from view. (April 3rd, 2012 1:16AM): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Comment_Immediately_Censored.png

So it seems he at least now knows I have asked about the commision, but has hidden the question from his page. What am I supposed to do now? :S

** END UPDATE [April 3rd, 2012] **

**3rd UPDATE [April 3rd, 2012]** As my original comment was removed, I had posted a second comment asking to please check his email. Screenshot linking to this (April 3rd, 2012 1:23 AM EST: http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Comment_Hidden_First_Reply.png

A few minutes later after refreshing on his DA page, I found my account to have been banned from posting comments. Screenshot of this (April 3rd, 2012, 1:45 AM, EST): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Banned_From_Zillfords_DA.png

I then recieved an email from him a few minutes later. Here is a screenshot of the email. Link to email screenshot (April 3rd, 2012, 1:57 AM EST): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/Reply_To_Latest_Update.png

And my reply back to his email response. (April 3rd, 2012, 1:58 AM EST): http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii166/jazminbunni/Artist%20Beware%20Links/My_Reply_Back_To_Response.png

If he was in an emotional downhill, I was not aware of it. Nothing had been posted to his FA, which is the main location that I look for updates. I simply was looking for an update..

** END OF UPPDATE 3rd **

Comments

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

Approved, but your LJ cut appears to be broken. If you could fix that it would be great. http://www.livejournal.com/support/faqbrowse.bml?faqid=75

[jazminbunni.livejournal.com]

I have attempted to correct my improper LJ cut by copy-pasting the code from the link you posted, but it still seems to not properly hide the rest of the post. I am not sure what I am doing wrong after copying in the code..^.^;

*Updated* Just totally realized I was attempting to use the HTML code to make an LJ cut when the journal was written on Rich text, My appologies for not noticing that, and I believe I have properly corrected the LJ cut now. :)

[megumi-kitten.livejournal.com]

I hope this gets worked out for you!

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

I get the vibe that you jumped the gun.
It's pretty clear that he's doing nothing right now, so I think it's less that you're being ignored or scammed and more that he has stuff going on on his end. What if a completely unexpected situation occurred and he lost his internet/computer or something? These things happen. On top of that it's only been a little over a month.
I strongly suggest this post gets a lost contact tag, not a beware.

[jazminbunni.livejournal.com]

Its been a little over a month since his last reply back, that is true, so I could sonsider something like that has happened. If that is the case and he had lost use of his internet or computer, could t not be reasonable he could use a phone if he has one that can get internet, or access at a friends to make an update regarding such a problem? I don't believe I said I was being scammed, contact with the artist had dropped off completely and I am concerned.

This was originally commissioned early december, as a line art to be paid for to get coloured later as well. The artist had said to be expecting a sketch shortly after that initial email, and I was told in that last time recieving contact from him that the image was one of the must-do's for that day but had not recieved said sketch to confirm any final details if anything was needed to discuss.

I do understand why this should be changed to a lost contact tag instead from the way it looks, and if that would be better for it, I would be fine with it being changed. Like I said earlier, I don't wat to burn any bridges, and I hope to have this completed with colour if contact is restored. :)

If the tag should be changed, do I have to do that or is it an action by a moderator here?

[timelapsedecay.livejournal.com]

If anything else, the public library has computers. I didn't mean to make it sound like I was dismissing his behavior, I apologize. My point was against the 'beware' tag and I made it sound like I was coming to his defense x_x
I believe a moderator has to change it. I've never made a post to A_B so I have yet to read the template for posting.

EDIT: Just including that I'm backing the thing about it only being a little over a month. That's not really a lot of time at all to wait without contact, but that's purely my opinion.

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

Sketchy communication and missed deadlines made this a valid beware, especially as it was not the first post on this person.

[jazminbunni.livejournal.com]

I thank you for your consideration for if it should have been switched or kept as a 'beware' tag.

I will be continuing to check out the user's FA main page and attempting another email contact shortly to see if the Artist can be reached. ^^

[featheredragon.livejournal.com]

I have been waiting months for him to reply and contact him as well. Ironically, shortly after the last time we talked (I think in January), I sent him a message saying I'd like to pay him shortly for some of his work. So, bad timing on his part. x3 I've attempted to contact him a few times since then with no success.

Anyways, this behavior is hardly new for Zillford. I have been dealing with him as an artist for over a year. From what I'm told, the reason he is so slow is that he has a lot to deal with in RL and that keeps him distracted. Now, whether that's true or not your guess is as good as mine. Talking to him in person, I get the impression he is a good person, so, I simply think he's just unreliable due to being overwhelmed with other more urgent stuff or not being good at managing his time or multitasking.

In fact, the only reason I'm being as patient with him right now is that he did give me a good impression at MF2011. Prior to that though, I do admit to being very frustrated with how slow he is. At some point though, if he doesn't reply I'm going to eventually reallocate the saved funds I have set aside for him. For now, I'm simply waiting.

He has done some work for me already but more needs to be completed and I eventually need to get my paws on what art he has already drawn for me.

Certainly though, I advise commissioners to only pay in increments. And this goes for most artists. Never pay them all up front! (Except maybe for an at-con commission.)

Good luck and keep us updated!

[jazminbunni.livejournal.com]

New updates have occured, all new content posted at the bottem of the journal in order of their occurance!