Opinions on donations, charity commissions and advice on how to repel bad commissioners

[suzaku-ou.livejournal.com]

Hi, everyone! I apologize for bothering you again, but I have a few questions on my mind and would be very thankful if the kind members of this community took the time to answer them.

      

QUESTION ABOUT DONATIONS + COMMISSIONS FOR GOOD CAUSES
      
I wanted to know what people's opinions (artists' and commissioners' alike) were when it comes to artists asking for small donations...(Not in exchange for or in exchange for art)? Or even for commissions for either desperate or charitable causes? 

Although I'm an artist myself, I've also donated and commissioned some artists for those reasons, but I honestly don't know what other people's viewpoints are on these issues.



And um, if my fellow artists can give me a little of their experiences on how to avoid and repel bad commissioners, please share. (Especially when there are commissioners out there who like taking advantage of artists...)

As always, I look forward to improving my skills and services as an artist and would welcome any advice and opinions on these matters. Thank you.

Comments

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

I don't donate to artists. I will occasionally buy commissions where the funds are donated to a charity I trust. I've personally participated in donation drives for animal related charities in the past as well.

As far as how to "repel bad commissioners", an artist should have a very clear and thorough Terms of Service, and should be very diligent in following their own rules. I also require all cash up front for my work, and I only allow 3 fixes per commission, so my time isn't exploited.

Other than that, by keeping myself as professional as possible online I've avoided a lot of the issues I've seen other artists go through. I don't turn my customers into friends, though I do have some friends that happen to be my customers. They know that once we're having a working relationship, our communication is professional.

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

Regarding donations:
I feel pretty strongly on this issue. The frequency with which I see artists, especially in the furry community, begging for money disgusts and frustrates me. There is a high chance that I will unwatch and never commission them when I see it. Your personal problems aren't anyone else's business, and expecting strangers on the internet to care about it and take out their wallet comes off as extremely entitled especially in the current economic climate where just about everyone has it hard.

Exceptions to this are if I actually know the person - I will help out a friend if I can - and if it is a real emergency of a one-off variety like a serious illness or their house burned down or something.

Emergency commissions:
These I usually avoid like the plague because all too often the artist takes on more than they can handle in a reasonable amount of time and ends up struggling with the backlog. If they are not someone that I've done prior business with before and trust, it's out of the question.

Bad commissioners:
This question is a bit too vague to give any real advice on because there are SO many different problems that can arise and how to handle them is usually on a case to case basis.

Having a ToS and asking your customer to read it is a good preventative measure, as is not starting work before payment.

[sigilgoat.livejournal.com]

Ah yeah, when I see someone opening for EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS - RENT I am pretty wary. Rent and other utilities (phone bill, internet, groceries, etc) are things that should really be budgetted and taken care of with normal work. When someone continually posts EMERGENCY, it makes me really nervous too!

BUT if it's like someone broke their leg, got in a car accident, their pet got really sick, etc I have put money towards that.

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

Yes this is exactly what I mean. There is a huge difference between a big unexpected expense, and expecting donations/'emergency' commissions to pick up the slack in your overall income. When it's a recurring problem I have a lot less sympathy.

It might seem cold, but if someone is not a responsible adult who can live within their means (or cut down on their expenses until they can), they aren't someone that I feel I can trust enough to have a business transaction with.

[onesteptwo.livejournal.com]

Not to say that your view point isn't valid, but there are legit times when someone just CAN'T make ends meet. I lost my job in the start of July and didn't get another one for three, nearly four weeks even though I applied everywhere. I managed to get one in my field, but I'm doing commission based ONLY. Which means I am at work for up to 8 hours a day, but some days, doing absolutely nothing because I'm in a hair salon that JUST started doing nails, so it's not out there yet.

Aside from one other interview where I didn't get the job, this is the ONLY call back I had gotten in all that time. I'm borrowing money from my parents to make my rent this month.

Sometimes it just happens that you CAN be working and NOT making any money at all.

[neolucky.livejournal.com]

I don't think they are discrediting people in legitimate situations who are in dire need of aid. But most people who are in tough times, generally have other venues to get help from (state aid, welfare, food stamps). I think where they are skeptical is more specifically those on the internet who frequently complain and ask for cash. Not those who are honest hard workers who are down on their luck.

I totally understand the making ends meet, I lived from paycheck to paycheck for a few years myself, but I never thought of going online to pander for a quick buck.

[onesteptwo.livejournal.com]

I'll admit that I thought of it, but I know there's no point because I can't offer anything back. :P I would kill to be able to do even a few small commissions, but my work isn't that good.

To be fair, I'd almost rather be short on rent than get money from my parents. :/ Oh well.

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

I'm not saying that people NEVER have legitimate cashflow problems, my point is that they can't and shouldn't expect to get constant handouts for it.

These things should be dealt with by applying for programs like welfare or food stamps designed to help folk in that type of situation, not begging on the internet.

[onesteptwo.livejournal.com]

To be fair, they could have already gone through that. Or they could be in the process of it and they don't have time to wait.

[shukivengeance.livejournal.com]

No matter what hypothetical stipulations you care to add, my stance is that nobody is entitled to demand that strangers supplement their income (outside of tax funded programs like what I have already mentioned of course.)

[onesteptwo.livejournal.com]

Demanding is different than asking if someone could possibly help. I'm just saying that you don't always know the whole story so lumping everyone in together is unfair.

[taasla.livejournal.com]

I think the big beef is that people feel guilt-tripped into buying commissions from someone who is constantly reminding their clientele of how dire their needs are.

Someone going:

"Hey, I really need these commissions, because this is my only form of income, and driving into the city is too expensive, blah blah. My rent is due, and I need to buy groceries, etc. etc."

Elects more clients who may just feel bad for the artist and is only paying for this reason, and not necessarily for the merit of the art. Not to mention it's rather unprofessional of the artist to run their business this way.

I'm with Shuki that if it came to Artist A who runs their business far more professionally, and who may or may not have financial issues going on in the background, or Artist B who is constantly letting people know how much they need help so "pls buy", I am going with Artist A. Past experiences from being burned by artists akin to B just tells me that I very well may not see my money or art in the end.

[werewolfofwater.livejournal.com]

I think losing your job falls under the "unexpected emergency" scenerio. I can understand both your points though. There are certainly times when people need help, but I think when people are constantly asking for donations for everyday things and nothing unexpected or unusual happened to them, it just...can come across as a little fishy. You really can't rely on internet commissions to live off of unless you're really really dedicated, motivated, and skilled/popular.

[namelessimp.livejournal.com]

This a million times. I have sympathy for artists in bad spots, because I understand times are hard and emergencies like ER visits do happen. However, most the people I see who ask for art offer no compensation and they end up begging for things they could have avoided with a little planning. I see some people beg for money for rent every few months or give some sob story about how they are a starving artist.

Chances are, they didn't even look for other jobs in their tight spot. I have seen dozens of artists in bad financial situation who admit they didn't apply for other jobs anywhere. I see artists who could do smaller sales, and choose not to because chances are they get the money because they're popular and everyone kisses ass or wants to help.

It pisses me off to see, because it's unprofessional and entitled, like you said. You don't go to work and ask your customers for personal donations, it's not something you do. It's guilting others into feeling they need to support and help, which is wrong. If you want to be treated like a business, act like one. Don't cry for handouts

hopefully this is coherent

[taasla.livejournal.com]

I'm going to speak as someone who has been there early on in my time on FA. I did the whole "donate and get art", and it was a terrible, terrible thing. I got backlogged very quickly, and my motivation to work was low. I don't suggest people do this unless you know you can manage it.

I don't personally hold it against anyone if they have a one-time emergency. Goodness knows I've been there, and had to do it myself. I've got no issues with purchasing commissions from people who need the funds to continue working. (PC repairs, messed up tablet, etc.) The issue is when the emergencies become common and frequent.

If one cannot make enough funds with a reasonable amount of work to get rent and utility bills paid on time every month with the art delivered in time to take on more for the next month? Art is not for you, or you need to re-evaluate how you are running your business.

A lot of young artists don't realize how much work and effort it takes to make commissions into a viable form of income. Selling your items at dirt cheap prices and taking on a bunch at once is not going to help. It's only going to build you a massive backlog and start your reputation off on a bad foot.

I've been burned by a fair number of Emergency Commissions, and I will unwatch any artist who makes them seem like a constant thing. I don't purchase for "desperate" situations, because I don't want to feel pressured into commissioning someone. If I want to buy from someone, then it will be for the merit of their art. (Or as stated above, to help them continue working.)

And um, if my fellow artists can give me a little of their experiences on how to avoid and repel bad commissioners, please share. (Especially when there are commissioners out there who like taking advantage of artists...)

A solid terms of service and the realization that those who are out to take advantage can sometimes target artists who have low prices/ and or not a lot of experience.

Re: hopefully this is coherent

[starcharmer.livejournal.com]

I'm going to speak as someone who has been there early on in my time on FA. I did the whole "donate and get art", and it was a terrible, terrible thing. I got backlogged very quickly, and my motivation to work was low. I don't suggest people do this unless you know you can manage it.

I did it recently to fund vet expenses for a kitten my friend found on the side of the road. The way I managed it was to set a limit [I think $100, though the vet bills and cat food ended up costing me about $150] and didn't take donations past that point. I also made sure people would know the donation art would come in my own time and not to expect it immediately.

Selling your items at dirt cheap prices and taking on a bunch at once is not going to help. It's only going to build you a massive backlog and start your reputation off on a bad foot.

Learned that one the hard way a couple years ago. ;___; And I'm only just starting to get everything under reasonable control, so if any just-starting-taking-commissions artists are reading this, LEARN from my mistakes and the advice of others. :P

[mazz.livejournal.com]

I don't think so many artists should continuously need to do "emergency" commissions and tend to avoid giving them my money. I notice a large back-log with these artists and worry some of them may be biting off more than they can chew. I have also unwatched artists for habitual "emergency" commission posts.
It may sound harsh but if someone must ask for donations or emergency commissions to make ends meat their art is not making them a living and they should supplement with a part of job of some sort.

Art for charity I don't mind. I've joined auctions where my art would go to a good cause and even had done a few commissions in exchange for money being donated to a local bird of prey rehab center and another reputable charity I support.
--

As for keeping bad commissioners away make sure you write up a good and solid TOS. You cn't really just keep the baddies away but you can protect yourself in case they find you.
TAKE PAYMENT UP FRONT or at least before you move past the sketch stage. Most people who rip you off will do so to artists who do the art before payment in required.

[teekchan.livejournal.com]

As an artist I always try to never ask for donations. I had to one two occasions, one when I was hit with a 2k powerbill out of the blue (due to the building owner putting the public laundromat on our bill) and when I was hospitalized and had an ambulance bill to pay.

For emergency commissions, I always state my current work list, and limit the slots, or do a stream for 'done on the spot commissions', usually for $5 a pop. Sometimes I'll hold a preposed auction, or sale too.

Sometimes I don't make enough for rent, or food/bills, so I'll have a sale or something to sell so I can indeed make rent. it's not (although I have seen people blow their money on crap, and then beg for donations) bad budgeting like they said up there, it's just I didn't sell enough. I don't see why this warrants an unwatch, I think is someone had this opinion I wouldn't want to work with them to begin with. Someone blowing their money on stuff and then asking for help is stupid though.

Emergencies happen, and I've been helped out greatly when they do, and if I ever have spare money, I give, or commission, someone else who needs it.

You also have to keep in mind that because someone is getting or posting commissions doesn't mean they bought it then. I got 'attacked' for showing off a commission I had ordered 2 months before, just because it was completed when I was in a tight spot.

[dinogrrl.livejournal.com]

Pretty much what others have said.

I avoid 'donations for art'. Even IF it's going to a charitable cause; if I wanted to donate to that cause, I'd do it myself for the reason of being charitable, not to get art. I'm even leery of donating to one-time emergencies. I've just seen far too many artists get way over their heads and the art mysteriously never shows up. I think I know of maybe two artists I'd ever even consider donating to or emergency commissioning, because I've watched them long enough to know that the art DOES get done in a somewhat reasonable time frame.

As to avoiding bad commissioners, my best advice honestly is to check through this very community! We have lots of tags, the very first on the list being none other than 'advice for artists' (http://asheville.craigslist.org/hea/3192105031.html). Read up on what other people have done, how they've handled good AND bad situations, see what fits you best and go from there.

My big three things are: don't undervalue yourself, be firm on deadlines, and communicate. Especially communicate. Half the bewares I see on this community could probably have been avoided if communication had been better from all parties involved.

[intj-reflection.livejournal.com]

I try to approach donations-for-art/commission priority/other reward and emergency commissions on a case by case basis, but I have to admit that I'm jaded to both due to frequent abuse by certain members of the artistic community.

This is especially true when it comes to artists repeatedly trying to make standard bills. Once or twice doesn't phase me. Sometimes major unexpected charges come up and in order to pay them a person has to dig into their other resources. As someone who has been forced to cut back on extras or reroute payments due to unexpected vet transactions I can completely understand that emergencies come up.

When an artist is trying to make a living on their artwork and is having to post 'emergency' requests or specials every month in order to make ends meet, that is when it becomes an issue. That is the point where rethinking a primary source of income should come into play.

Even with the above, if the artist in question is meeting their owed work I'm more likely to give them a pass. When it comes to a combination of emergency fund pleas and lack of progress on existing work leading to backlog then I'll go so far as to block or unwatch. There are artists I adore who I would love to support out of the good of my heart that I might donate to just for the pleasure of seeing their work, but would never pay for an emergency commission from, just because I know I'll never see it. (Or, worse as far as I'm concerned, I'll see my commission but someone who had been waiting for months or years gets their own pushed back yet again. I'm one of those odd people who would rather go without art than disrespect another commissioner that way.)

~*~*~*~*~

Avoiding bad commissioners:

I'm not an artist, so I'll leave this to those who are for greater depth. Having a solid Terms of Service Contract, reviewing advice posts on A_B and never being afraid to go with your gut instinct about your clients should all help in the long run.

[neolucky.livejournal.com]

I am very on the fence with the topic of donations. Because I accept them through a legitimate health-based fundraiser. So my view on it is a bit different then whats being explained here. I do not give anything in return to my donations, I make that very clear. They are real, honest donations to help with my aftercare for an organ transplant. I make it very very very transparent what the funds go to.

Given that, I used to donate to the "help [insert cause here]!" once in a while. Sometimes I know they were legit reasons, sometimes I wasn't so sure. This is not donation for art, as that is not a real donation. If I give money, I give money with no expectation to anyone, or organization. Our viewpoint on the donation or it's causes do not matter. It is up to the donator with what they do with their money in the end. We can't stop people from donating to bad/good/otherwise causes.

Lastly, I do not donate anymore unless I physically know the person involved, what they need, why they need it, and how it'll be used. If the person needs assistance, they need to get off of the internet and apply for it in real life. Gathering money from a fandom is seedy to me.

----

Repelling bad commissioners?...You can't. You will run the risk of losing the good ones alongside the bad. It's case by case basis, and personal opinion on whose 'bad' and whose 'good'. You're going to always get a couple bad out of the many good there are. Just brace yourself and learn how to deal with the 'bad' ones in a polite, firm, professional way. Don't try to repel them, try to learn how to identify them before you do business with them.

[starcharmer.livejournal.com]

I sometimes donate judging on a case-by-case basis [how trustworthy I find the artist, what the money is going toward, what MY current financial situation is], but I never donate expecting anything in return and I make that clear in every case. A donation is a donation and if I find the cause worthy, I will help out. I've been in some bad situations over the past few years and I know how stressful that kind of thing can be. I just try to pay forward the kindness shown to me when I can.

BUT when it's chronic "emergencies" like others have said, I tend to avoid those people. There have been countless cases where donations have ended up going to drugs or commissions instead of what they were supposed to go toward and as a result, I'm pretty wary. Most of my donations end up going to reputable artists in a bad way or personal friends of mine.

[amarafox.livejournal.com]

The only only time I have done art for donations in an emergency is when I had absolutely no money (I was a student, had mortgage plus rent and other expenses, so I was running in the red for a few months - it was for pet supplies for my cat), and it was a one off thing. I also kept all the money in my paypal until the art was completed, which gave me a deadline to get off my butt and do it.

I agree with one of the other commenters who said that if you can't support yourself for your basic needs with your art, you should supplement your income with some kind of other job until you can establish yourself more (edit - assuming you can find one).

I have just seen too many horror stories of people crying poor, requesting donations and then spending it on frivilous things. I would kill to have a new TV, or a better scanner, or a cintiq tablet or a second monitor or a fursuit. I just use old fashioned saving after I have paid all my bills and basic needs.

*edit to add* if it's for something medical related and I know the person or the pet involved, I will donate when I have the cash to, and I don't usually expect art in return for those kinds of situations.

[growly.livejournal.com]

RE: Charity, I only donate if I know and trust the artist, and if I know it's for something important that's not brought upon by their own foolishness. So 99% of "money trouble" journals I ignore, because I've noticed these kinds of folks in trouble again and again and again because they keep making the same mistakes. But I've donated to victims of accidents and surprise life-threatening illnesses.

I sometimes leave tips on art, especially if I think the service rendered was really exceptional, or the artist undercharged for the quality.

When I commission someone, it's because I want their art, not because I pity them. If there's some big emergency going on that they have to take on extra work, history has shown that it will be a very long wait and the finished product may be rushed.


RE: How to repel bad customers, there is no real surefire way to do it, but if you get more commission inquiries than you have time to fill, you can pick and choose your commissions, do a little bit of googling on the person inquiring and see if you think they'd be good to work for.
Also, avoid labeling your work as "cheap", that really sends across the wrong message. That attracts a well, cheap viewerbase. Have pride and confidence in your work. It's okay to have low prices if that's what you want to do, but be sure your selling points are in the work itself, not the price.

[mistresswolf.livejournal.com]

I may put on a sale in hope to entice buyers, but I've never asked, and never will ask, for donations. It makes me feel weird. I have had a couple of people ask if it was ok to give me a donation... and I said that I will only take money if I can draw a picture for them. Otherwise I was not comfortable taking their money.

I am like that. Even with things like food. Most of the time, I can not afford to being a lunch to work and my boss will try to give me some of her lunch. It makes me uncomfortable to accept it, so I will say thanks but pretend I am not hungry even if I really really am.

[synviver.livejournal.com]

^ All of this.

I will happily do sales upon sales upon sales to try and drum up business for myself, even if that means grossly underselling my wares. Doesn't always work out, but to just post and ask for donations would make me feel horribly skeevy. Getting something for nothing just makes me feel like a mooch, and that's a really gross feeling to me.

[zackfig.livejournal.com]

I used to, but now I steer clear of anyone that has "Donate" or "Emergency" in their titles...

Been burned enough times already, so screw them with ************************

So, yeah.

[wolf-goat.livejournal.com]

Regarding donations, it should be taken on a case by case basis. If someone is raising funds for a genuine cause - be it an animal rescue, a friend or family member who has a serious illness or injury, a community project - then as long as the artist(s) has a good standing and is trustworthy, I don't see there's any issue at all in buying art from them for charity. If you're in any doubt whatsoever, ask to see links to the charity or a receipt to show the donation being made - the artist will more than likely be happy to reassure you.

Things are a little more difficult when it's a personal donation. As others have said, it's very offputting when you see artists who have a new EMERGENCY every week for which they're taking donations or commissions. Buying these EMERGENCY commissions can be problematic because artists who are prone to this often take far more commissions than they can comfortably complete, leading to huge backlogs, poor customer service or rushed work. Genuine serious emergencies do happen however, and if an artist does have something serious come up and is normally responsible in handling their workload, supporting them in that time can be much needed. It's up to you to look at it and establish what you feel the situation is.

[excessdenied0.livejournal.com]

I'd like to share my opinion from a few sides of these situations...

As a buyer of art and supporter of artists, I set aside a bit of money each month from the funds I pull in from my own commissions that comes in after all my own bills and expenses are taken care of. I do this so that if one of my favourite artists or any of my friends get into a spot of trouble and need some help, I can throw a bit of money their way. Sometimes I buy emergency commissions, and leave a nice big tip(or pay double), and sometimes I just throw them some money because I want to know that they can eat at least one good meal while they're taking care of their temporary drama. I don't however, do this for people that I don't know well, or haven't been watching for at least a couple months. I donate to personal emergencies like medical bills, vet bills, transportation issues, or busted work equipment. Freelance artists don't get benefits, so if someone gets hit by a truck, they really are in trouble. I sympathize with that, I sympathize with any animal lover, and I want the people I enjoy to continue making art.

As someone who had a very drama-free life for many years, I don't particularly like even watching people who are chronically having personal "emotional" emergencies of a non-medical nature, who chronically struggle with different addictions, or who just simply carry a lot of drama with them. I don't like drama.
However, having in the past year experienced my fair share of big stupid personal dramas, I can say something from that perspective as well. I still don't sympathize a whole lot with it, but more than that, NOBODY wants to be the person who always has drama going on. It wears on your friends, it wears on your business, and it wears on you. Whenever possible, it's best just to keep it away from your business/art life. I've never asked for donations or emergency commissions, but I can say that even just talking about it publicly, or having it be the reason for a delay in regular commissions is very tedious. So unless you are going to die, or you need the money because your tablet busted or computer fried, just... don't bring it up. :P It's not worth the stress and buttache just to vent your big stupid personal issues to a large audience. They only need to hear it if it is relevant to your business, and even then... it's best kept short and sweet.

On a side note, a good way to avoid emergency situations, as an artist, is to remember that your work doesn't come with health benefits or a retirement pension or anything like that, and SAVE ACCORDINGLY. My god, if you have 3 dollars that you aren't using, tuck it away. You will need it later, I promise.

Avoiding bad commissioners is so easy, it's ridiculous. Don't do any work you don't want to do. If they aren't willing to pay you properly for your time, work for the people who are. If they don't treat you properly, work for the folks who do. If you don't like their ideas, work for the people whose ideas you DO enjoy.
Your work will be better for it, and you'll attract the sorts of folks you want to work for. Make sure that you have "backup" income that makes money when you don't have pen to paper(t-shirts, stickers, prints, whatever), and you won't suffer too badly if a bit of a lull in commission work happens, or if you take on a job in the name of passion rather than dollars.
If you positively cannot find enough good work to pay your bills, and no one will buy from you except the people you don't want to work for, it's a sign that you need to find a different line of work. It's a harsh thing to discover, but it leads to happier career opportunities in the long run.

I hope that helps! I know I wrote an awful lot. x_x

[familliaraver.livejournal.com]

Repelling bad customers: More about having a clear and solid TOS and an ability to catch "red flags" early in a conversation and be willing to turn down or refund money when something doesn't feel right.

Emergency commissions: If I see that they have a public to-do list and they are posting art on a regular basis and consistently AND it seems legit I will totally grab a spot. Sometimes is a good way to get art and help out a friend.

If they have "emergencies" every 20 minutes and no public backlog list, haven't posted art in 3 weeks to a month with no legitimate reason (if they are injured and can't do art then why take commissions?) I'm more likely to -unfriend and/or block. I don't need to be guilt tripped with a dozen journals.

Charitable donations: If the charity is raising money for some animal hospital or fire department or family or something else and you want to contribute, just send the money directly to the people who need it. No need for a middle man, however raising awareness to people who are in need is pretty legit.

[spyral-out.livejournal.com]

If someone is offering art in exchange for money, I don't see why it is different than any other commission.

It's entirely unfair to assume anything of people asking for help, especially in this shitty economy, even more so if they're offering something in return.

[amocin.livejournal.com]

For donations I think it really depends on what they are asking you to donate for. I generally dont touch anything where an artist states they need to pay rent, pay a vet bill, or state any other personal expense. It just seems shady and I generally do not believe that they need the money for that reason. It always comes off as playing on others good nature.

As I do this, I accept donations for my comic to keep it running, which is common among comics. However I dont think it would end should I not get that many donators, it just helps give me more time to focus on that comic rather then personal commissions. For that I approve, but I am generally bias, and I hope nobody feels ill of me for doing so.

Rush commissions for the cause of raising money quickly for rent... well.. I stick away from those. I have entered into two, one of which I had not heard from the artist in over six months, and while they worked on other commissions that came after my "donation" they didnt touch the list of those who "donated" to their cause. Its best to stick away from them. These artists are looking for quick cash, and unless the artist has an already great track record, I wouldnt touch it.

To avoid bad commissioners, I guess the only thing I can suggest is making a good TOS and making them agree to it before starting. You will still get your bad egg here and there but it will turn a lot of them away. Accepting payment up front, or whatever you feel comfortable with, as well as how many revisions you will allow per picture.

[cyiakanami.livejournal.com]

I'm more of a case by case basis person. And always look around if applicable about the person in need. But I've signed up for donating art to charity things before for actual good causes. (i.e car accidents, charity drives for animals ect)

Since I'm one of the unfortunate people who have to live off my art, all my commissions do go to my bills. And anyone who commissions me knows this. But I'm not usually the one to beg for donations ever. I always make sure to make it a commission. And have maybe only lagged behind on a list once or twice a year. Usually during the summer. Thank you electric company. I do offer art classes now though and those are donation classes. I'll never pressure anyone to donate to watch the streams. But I put it out there in case anyone wants to.

As far as the topic of the constant I'm in an emergency situation person goes, I avoid those people like the black plague. As I know first hand, bad situations can stack on top of one another from time to time in the worst times possible, it doesn't happen all 365 days out of the year. And anyone who cries wolf on this is just out there for that extra lining in their pockets in my opinion.

On how to avoid bad commissioners, I'll agree with basically what everyone else has stated. Make a solid TOS, don't be afraid to refuse a commission if something goes south, and follow the laws that are in place to protect you.

[radiocatastrophe (from livejournal.com)]

I don't jump on many "Donations for Art" but when I do it seems to not go well :P

As others have said they every build a backlog, they completely flake on everything, or they treat them like any other commission without telling you... I also hate it when artists delete journals that have something to do with donations or anything you're paying for in general, kinda hard to remember what you paid for or even if they marked you down as someone who paid if they delete the journal for it all.