Evasive artist

[paskhowl thylacine]

WHO: Akemi/Flarveon/Poppy Pandacoon

WHERE: http://www.facebook.com/PoppyPandacoon
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/flarveon/
http://www.furaffinity.net/user/poppypandacoon

WHAT: $15 digital bust badge commission

WHEN: I answered Poppy's Facebook post advertising badge commissions to be done that night, on February 1st, 2012, and sent payment. The final product was delivered on May 26, 2012.

PROOF: 
1. http://imm.io/sZUf (payment, with date)
2. http://imm.io/sZUu (stream conversation part 1)
3. http://imm.io/sZUz (stream conversation part 2)
4. http://imm.io/sZUA (finished product, with date)

EXPLAIN: She advertised doing bust badges that evening, so I sent her the payment (see link 1). She didn't do it that night, or the following night like she said. I'm very patient with commissions, so I wasn't too fussed. Within a week, she had a sudden interest in animation and worked on "jumping icons", including giving out free ones to people who requested it at that time on Facebook. Still not a big issue.

A month later she still knew I was on her to-do list, by tagging me in a Facebook post, and said she'd clear up her list. Still nothing.

I tried to contact her through email (on April 17) and several other occasions via Facebook private message and on her Facebook wall, but she still never replied to me. Communication was extremely difficult. Poppy frequently posts about what she is doing, but something always seems to be broken whenever anyone wants to contact her. (see link 3) At one point, she had adjacent posts on Facebook: one saying "the best way to contact me is email", and the one next to it saying "My email is broken, I'm not receiving them."

Roughly three months from the commission date, I hopped onto her stream and asked her to start my badge, which had turned into a "full body feral upgrade", which I'm not sure was really an upgrade. I think she only said yes because she thought I was a new commissioner and wanted the money coming in. (see link 2) She stopped at the sketch stage because she had to go to sleep, but refused to work on it any further until I attended another of her streams, which wasn't practical for me.

Over a week passed and I asked for a refund on her Facebook wall, which wasn't replied to.

Ultimately, she only finished my badge because a friend of mine reminded her in one of her streams to do it.

I could accept a lot of the delays if she bothered to actually respond to her commissioners. The outright worst part for me was her constant complaining on Facebook about a fursuit commission of hers being delayed, and how the maker was accepting new commissions before her one - meanwhile, she was doing the same thing to a throng of her own commissioners without remorse.

Comments

[flarveon.livejournal.com]

Sorry, I have had a very busy life recently. Working almost double my shifts at work. I mentioned I have a bad memory for it too.

I was more than happy to provide a refund if you wanted one, but third person communication at times during this made it extremely hard.

I double checked my commission email and have nothing from your email address either, and I am unsure why that has happened personally.

[kalakshepherd.livejournal.com]

It was meant to be done that night or the next day, how can you use your memory as an excuse?

February 1st, 2012-May 26, 2012 is a fair hike of time. He shouldn't have to email you about it, it is your responsibility to finish commissions. It's simple business etiquette. "I have a busy life" is no excuse when you take on commissions.

If your memory and organization is that bad then I suggest you stop taking commissions.

Oh and I'd advise against ignoring your commissioners be it on your facebook wall, FA wall, emails, notes whatever. It's blatantly obvious you ignore people so stop claiming otherwise. I have evidence of you doing so. You're digging a hole Akemi. I thought you had changed.

BTW I am saying this because I'd like to see you change, I'd like you to get a good reputation as a commission artist and not have to constantly dodge people. Stop lying, apologize and accept responsibility.

[taasla.livejournal.com]

She told you directly that she wanted a refund, but you still ignored her.

I am finding this "busy life" excuse hard to swallow when I see you posting in other communities like FD.

[paskhowl thylacine (from livejournal.com)]

I didn't even want the third person communication. By that point, I was more interested in a refund than a finished piece. He took it upon himself to do so, because you never answered anything that I sent you directly.

[germanchoclates.livejournal.com]

So wait, she could double check Facebook timeline, her tagged pictures, her e-mail with a paypal confirmation of payment, her personal paypal assuming that's where the payment went, but couldn't remember your commission at all until reminded by somebody else after telling her that attending a stream wasn't going to work for you?

I don't even know what to say about that other than, "How do you 'forget'?"

And if e-mail is being so unreliable, maybe it's time to switch e-mail providers along with figuring out a model to show what art needs to be done and for whom. Between Google Documents and Apache Open Office for spreadsheets there is hardly any reason to forget anybody.

[neurotic-rat.livejournal.com]

I find it very ironic, that the artist-in-question would post a reply here, and not in another beware that a different commissioner posted:

http://artists-beware.livejournal.com/598776.html#comments

And I believe that person also has yet to get a response either?

[pyeklet.livejournal.com]

Yeah, don't think I haven't noticed. -_-;

[neurotic-rat.livejournal.com]

I figured as much. *sigh*

[obsidianwolfess.livejournal.com]

@Flarveon - Echoing what Kalak said. It's YOUR responsibility to stay in contact with your commissioners. They shouldn't be the ones noting you after a month goes by on an alleged 1-day commission. The moment you missed your deadline, you should have contacted them and either refunded them if you weren't inspired to draw their character (I'm guessing that's the case here?), or set a new deadline.

Looking at your e-mail and saying "Nope, I got nothing from this person" should also be a sign that maybe it's -your- turn to make the first contact. Did you try to contact this person at all, aside from one or two facebook status messages?

Also, having a "busy life" doesn't excuse skipping over people in your queue and taking on new commissions. Sorry, but it doesn't.