Do not commission Starfinder!

[alaitallon.livejournal.com]

Chart me up as yet another person who has been shafted by Starfinder. I recognize now that I should have heeded all the warnings I'd heard before, but since I had seen her getting a few commissions actually done, I had hoped she had decided to shape up.

Nope.

For those interested, here is the exchange exactly as it happened (the e-mail address in here are publicly posted, hence why I did not edit them out). I believe I remained polite and reasonable throughout the whole thing:


To: *starfinder
Date: Aug 15, 2006, 12:51:43 AM

Hi there!
I just wanted to send you a note and ask if you were still open for the badge commissions mentioned in your latest upload. If not, I definitely understand and I'm sorry I missed out. :) If you're still open for them, though, please write back and let me know so I can send you the money and some references! I love your art and I'm happy to see you offering it at such a good price! Thank you for your time and I hope to hear back soon! Take care!

-- Kristin Davis/Tallon

---------
From: *starfinder
Date: Aug 30, 2006, 4:59:18 PM

Hey there! Yep I'm still open for badge commissions (due to some medical issues I'm short on cash, and now I need to cough up money for some legal matters too, so I'm gonna keep the badge list open until Sept. 15th)

Badges are $30 if you wish to print it yourself, or $35 if you wish to have me print it professionally using dye-sublimation technology (results in a glossy, waterproof, smudge resistant badge) and mail it to you with a badge holder. :)

---------
To: *starfinder
Date: Sep 2, 2006, 10:11:14 AM

Hi there!
Thank you for your reply. :) I had worried that my note had gotten lost! *laughs* I think I would like to go for a $35 badge, since my printers aren't that great when it comes to colors! Just let me know where to PayPal it to and I'll send it right over! As for which character to do, I would like you to please draw my fursona named Kristin. She is a member of my original feline species called the Rhodris. Here are several reference pictures of her:
[link]
[link]
By Lone Nomad: [link]
By Kyoht: [link]
By Daisy7: [link]
Let me know if you have any questions about the markings or need more references! :)

Thank you again and I look forward to seeing your work! Just let me know where to send it!

-- Kristin Davis/Tallon

And here is a reference sheet for the species:
[link]

---------
From: *starfinder
Date: Sep 2, 2006, 4:36:42 PM

Heya, awesome character! I should have a badge done for you by tonight (my time). My paypal is starfinder@starfinder.biz. Make sure to include your address so I can know where to ship it out! :)

---------
To: *starfinder
Date: Sep 13, 2006, 1:00:32 AM

Hi there!
Just wanted to message and make sure you got the money I sent. :) I believe I sent it on September 3 from my raptor86@alltel.net Paypal account. It was really close after receiving your reply. Just wanted to double check, since I know sometimes money gets eaten by PayPal and I hadn't really gotten a confirmation yet. Thanks and take care! :)

-- Kristin/Tallon

---------
From: *starfinder
Date: Sep 19, 2006, 2:03:42 PM

Yep, payment came through and your badge will be done VERY soon :) This week, infact.

---------

To: *starfinder
Date: Oct 15, 2006, 3:12:32 PM

Hi Starfinder,
You sent this [referring to the above reply] to me September 19. It is now October 15, nearly a month later. I'm just a bit confused, since you claimed my conbadge would be done several weeks ago, yet you still had time to upload a personal piece. :\ If you're busy and haven't started, I understand, and will just ask for my $35 back so your workload won't be so high and you can service your other paying customers instead. I would just like to know if you have actually started on it, since you claimed it would be done several weeks ago, and then it never showed up. If you don't know when it will be done, that's understandable, just please tell me that instead of claiming it will be done by a certain time when it really won't. Thanks and take care! I just really wasn't sure what was up and wanted to see if you could tell me. :)

-- Kristin/alaitallon

P.S. I apologize if this sends more than once! My internet's just acting a little screwy lately.

---------

No response. By this point, it's too late to file a claim to Paypal to get my money back. Then, about a week or two ago, I notice this entry in her public DeviantArt journal.


Sketch Trade for DeviantaART subscription
Journal Entry: Thu Dec 21, 2006, 3:47 PM
Well it turns out my DeviantART subscription has went kaput today finally and my anti-virus/anti-spyware software is having a shit-fit over DA's ads, giving me all sorts of spyware warnings (which does NOT surprise me, ads have all sorts of stuff in them that isn't kosher that is used as part of thier shady, underhanded marketting tactics and ways of storing info like hits/views, etc).

Anyway, I miss the old, sleek, subscribed version of DA (and I hate ads with a passion) so I am offering up a sketch/line art flat flat colored commission to the first person to get me a new 12 month subscription. Flat colored line art sketches are like my 'Itchy Nipples' one only they will be much more detailed than that one, and of your own personal character! :)


EDIT: Xipoid got it! :)

---------

Being a bit perturbed that she's offering yet MORE art in exchange for money/goods, I still manage to make a polite comment on the entry which has since been deleted by her. I know this because when I checked to see if she'd made any responce the other day, it was no longer there. I decided to give her the benefit of the doubt and convinced myself that maybe I'd just written out the comment and never hit the submit button, so I wrote this comment (which has also since been deleted, confirming my suspicions, but I was smart enough to screencap): http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v497/alaitallon/sfinder1.jpg



Long story short, it looks like I'm not getting my commission OR my money back, and she appears to be deleting any polite comments asking her about it. So don't end up like me; actually LISTEN to the warnings about her. I'm not asking for sympathy, since I kinda had it coming since I'd heard some iffy things already, I just wanted to post here to warn others that she will take your money and run with it. You might as well flush that money down the toilet. :( Fortunately, it was only $35 I lost, but I know people who have posted in this community before who lost hundreds to her. DO NOT COMMISSION HER.


EDIT:

Today, she sent me this:


From: *starfinder
Date: Jan 7, 2007, 10:46:56 PM

Since I really do NOT need drama now, especially before FC (which in it of itself is stressful as hell) I'll just give you a refund, however you will still have to wait abit as I have money from DA print sales to be paid out by Jan. 31st, and I'll just paypal the refund to you out of those funds, okay?

I really do NOT need all this drama crap on Artists_Beware. -_-

I'd send a refund now, but I only $1 something in paypal. Want it? Fine I can give you that too. I just want the drama to END!!


At this point, I'd really lost my patience. I replied:


To: *starfinder
Date: Jan 7, 2007, 11:00:42 PM

Maybe if you would actually try to be professional, you wouldn't get so much "drama." I'm not the first person you've done this to and probably not the last. You keep making false promises to people and I'm really sick of seeing you practically stealing from people.

If you don't want drama, then don't do things that deserve it. Period. There are people still waiting on artwork from over two years ago that you STILL haven't refunded or produced the agreed amount of art for. I tried politely communicating with you privately, I tried politely asking for my money back, and all you did was ignore my notes and delete my comments. It seems the only way to get your attention is to bring it to the public, because then you can't just keep ignoring it anymore and pretending your paying customers will go away and forget about you.

So frankly, I don't care at this point that you don't "need" drama. The more people who know about your horrible business practices, the better. I don't want more people throwing their money away for someone who keeps making empty promises and then bitches when people call her out on it.

Comments

[oreana-galena.livejournal.com]

I loved her art--I would have never believed her to be a bad commissioner till now. =/ It's a bad side to me--pretending to know people through their art.

I am sorry you lost your money, and I hope people can learn from this warning. Thanks for the heads up on her.

[makichi.livejournal.com]

Yeah, I personally take a looooong time to finish commissions, but I try to be as honest as I can with my commissioners and if they need thier money back, I'll offer. I really don't think Starfinder has an excuse to do that to people. I'm sure most people will be very friendly about your untimely art practices so long as you keep being honest with them.

I hope you get SOMETHING out of this mess. :(

[skulldog.livejournal.com]

The comment deleting is low. Pretending a commission doesn't exist doesn't make it go away. Seriously, good luck getting money back. At this point if you did get art, I have a feeling it'll hastly done and not worth the $35, just to get you off her back. :\

[silveryote.livejournal.com]

That's how she was with a friend of mine who commissioned her for 3 sketches. The first was just..awesome, but the second looked like utter crap.

[anjel-kitty.livejournal.com]

geeze there is enough of y'all out there to have a class action lawsuit against this girl
But yeah never commision her. Not even with prints unless you can pick it up immediatly at a con and carry it away with you.
Its a shame she is so shady, cause her art is sooooo amazing.

[featherlady-jt.livejournal.com]

She is no longer a minor, having turned 18 a couple of months ago so I should think that she can now be held culpable for any bad business practice she does now. She most certainly can be sued now. Eventually all this stuff will come back to bite her on the ass, it's just a matter of pissing off the wrong person.

[gothwings.livejournal.com]

Does she not realise that treating customers badly gains a bad reputation? Not only for her, I might add, but for artists on the whole that offer commissioned work.

My advice is *never* pay for artwork until you've at least seen a sketch of the piece you requested. I only accept payment on completion, this helps motivate me to finish a piece should I not like it - this does happen, it's a peril of the creative arts - and to a standard that is as at least as high as the customer expects.

I'm probably just repeating what's been said before, but it is absolutely paramount that artist and customer be professional in business. In this case, I'm ashamed that Starfinder would treat an enthusiastic and polite customer so badly because in a round-a-bout sort of way it reflects badly on me as an artist.

[theblackdragon.livejournal.com]

Does she not realise that treating customers badly gains a bad reputation?

no offense to the OP, but with people continuing to give her money despite the repeated warnings about her, i'm sure she doesn't give a rat's ass what her reputation is or what kind of name she makes for other artists. she knows she can wave amazing art (because sadly, her art is very good) in front of people and then milk them for cash by whining about things she needs/wants or money troubles, and people will stumble over themselves to be milked because someone who does such beautiful work can't possibly be as bad as everyone says, right?

[mazz.livejournal.com]

My advice is *never* pay for artwork until you've at least seen a sketch of the piece you requested. I only accept payment on completion, this helps motivate me to finish a piece should I not like it - this does happen, it's a peril of the creative arts - and to a standard that is as at least as high as the customer expects.

Most artists won't even start a peice until payment is in full.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

Honestly, I think there should a middle ground for artists and commissioners. Sort of like an artist bank, they take the money up front from the commissioner and hold it, the money is released to the artist when the commission is proved completed or if an unacceptable amount of time passes and the commission has not been completed the commissioner can apply to have the full amount sent back. (of course for fur suits the materials cost would go straight to the artist).

[thaily.livejournal.com]

I like how it went from "I'll do it tonight!" to "I'll do it next week!" and then you still don't have anything a month later >_>

Sorry you got screwed over.

[saitenyo.livejournal.com]

It really irks me to see her mentioned her again and again, because I know she always says she's going to fix her reputation and then never does. I am so sick of her taking advantage of people and her excuses are bs.

Like the never-ending "can't get to the post office" one. I know where she lives and goes to high school. Same city as me. Her school is 10 minutes from my house. I drive by it almost every time I go out when I'm at home. It is not impossible to get to the post office in our city. It's incredibly easy.

I hope people heed your warning here. And I wish something could be done to compensate the dozens of artists she's ripped off.

[lastres0rt.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised you don't just tap her shoulder to get her to stop.

[heatherbeast.livejournal.com]

I think the first response from her that said

and now I need to cough up money for some legal matters too

should have been enough of a red flag to get the hell outta Dodge. THAT said, though, I'm terribly sorry that you giving her the benefit of a doubt wound up costing you.

[wereguitar.livejournal.com]

And requesting your money back is about as hopeless as ever seeing her do your commission. When I told her that I wanted my money back, she said her family was filing for bankruptcy, and that she had nothing in her PayPal. I even mentioned I would wait until she did, but then she chose never to contact me again about it.

Im blown away that people are still throwing their money in her direction.

[tsunami-ryuu.livejournal.com]

For filing for bankruptcy, she certainly has a lot of nice, new camera equipment.

Just sayin'.

[ravellwolf.livejournal.com]

My girlfriend Korrok was ripped off to the tune of $40 for a print of Heart of Glass - over a year ago. She's done the deleting comments on DA and her journal on that one too.

STAY WELL CLEAR. Don't have sympathy for her, don't listen to her claims she's getting better, because she's not. She will always be a thief.

[thaily.livejournal.com]

Also...

Dear mods,
If there's multiple posts about a single artist/customer like Starfinder or Canis Claxis, would it be a good idea to have a sticky post with links to said posts? Just for the most notorious of undesirables.
You can always remove the links if a person in question really shapes up.

[wereguitar.livejournal.com]

Ditto, I went to look at the Memories provided to warn us about artists who have had multiple 'beware' posts about them. They need to be updated badly.

[martes.livejournal.com]

Will she be at FC? Maybe people can go bug her in person there.

At this point there should probably be a whole board devoted to just posts about her, since she's far and away gotten the most complaints on this group.

[wereguitar.livejournal.com]

From what I gather she's been spending most of her time making up paintings for FC.

Didnt she have a petition against her attending AC?

[neongryphon.livejournal.com]

Someone recommended Starfinder to me once. Can’t recall who though, but I had wits enough to remember the warnings I’d seen in this community. Terrible pity about the commission issues because I enjoy watching her artwork.

[dirtiran.livejournal.com]

Just letting you all know that Star is now trying to fix all this up, She has noted all persons that needed to be noted, and she has also bought Korrok a jumbo sized print off DA and it should arrive shortly, as she is unable to print herself at this time.
She tells me she will update more after FC, keep an eye on her journal :)

[viherminttu.livejournal.com]

hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

[viherminttu.livejournal.com]

as i mentioned to you, tallon, my housemate is waiting something like 2 years on a sketch from her. i seriously doubt she will ever see it or her money back.

ive never spoken to starfinder, but she reminds me a lot of another artist i know who always begs money from the furry community and uses it to buy new 'shinies'.

i find it hard to believe that she will ever change the way shes operating. she has to owe people collectively hundreds of dollars by now.

(frozen) Trying to set things right

[sfinder.livejournal.com]

Okay, as much as I dislike posting in this community because in the past I have experienced a mob mentality, I feel that I should atleast get this out here rather than not communicating at all.

I'm currently working to resolve everything with everyone. Alaitallon, I will send you a refund via paypal the moment DeviantArt pays me for my print sales. According to thier site, I should be paid either by Jan 31st or on Jan 31st. I wish I could expidite this so I could get your refund out to you sooner but DA simply does not make payouts any sooner than that for sales made during the 4th quarter of the year.

Korrok, since I've taken so long with the print I went one step up and instead of a 13x19, I personally purchased a 20x30 glossy print for you via DeviantArt to be shipped directly to you (luckily DA makes my profits available as 'DeviantDollars' right away so I could do this tonight, ASAP). I do not know how long DA takes to ship prints, but hopefully it will arrive soon. Please let me know when/if it arrives okay, if not I'll have to e-mail DA and see (I have never bought a print from them, nor have I bought a print for someone else from them)

And to everyone else, I am working on it. FurCon is coming up within less than a week and a half so things are a bit slow, which I understand IS frustrating for you guys. Those of you waiting on smaller commissions (icons, mood themes, sketches) I WILL try to get as many done BEFORE the con as I possibly can. If anything, PLEASE PLEASE e-mail me directly at contact@nvisionphotoandart.com (my other, personal e-mail is very spam ridden so there is a chance I can miss messages sent to that one) and let me know exactly what you ordered incase I may have forgotten (I am only human, it is hard to keep track of everything). Anything that I can't finish before the con, I will make top priority to finish after FC.

I know that people here like to think that I don't care, but I do and I AM trying to make things right here. If you are willing to work with me on this, I will try to right it and have as many commissions out to everyone who is waiting as soon as I can. Do not hesitate to e-mail me, or even IM me at StarFinderwolf33 to let me know what you ordered. I will then work my hardest to get it out to you as timely as I can, or if not, offer a refund.

So as long as you are willing to work with me and be civil (I understand that you have waited a long time and are upset, but please try to not mob/harrass me as I want to get through these remaining commissions as quickly and pleasently as possible) I will work with you and finish your art ASAP.

Those waiting on LJ mood themes, I should be able to complete most of those prior to FC due to thier small nature. I have everyone waiting for those on file already, references and all, but if you want to send a reminder, by all means go ahead! I do forget things sometimes.

All I ask is that you be civil. I have been polite in my post here, and I would appreciate it if you in turn are polite as well. Thank you in advance, and I apologize for this huge mess. I really am willing to try my hardest to fix it.

(frozen) LOL

[ipleadinsanity.livejournal.com]

Empty promises. I especially like the "If you are willing to work with me on this" part. WORK WITH YOU? HA!! You don't know how to work at all it seems! Civil indeed!

I'm sorry if anyone gives you YET ANOTHER chance because it's their loss. How many times are you going to take advantage of these good peoples' mercy? You make way too many promises for your own good... and everyone realizes it but you. It's only a matter of time before you sing the same song again. No excuse no excuse noooooo excuse.

[vogeldrache.livejournal.com]

Oh boy, the latest Starfinder screw up. u__u It's sickening to see what ego does to a person (although from the comments it sounds like she was never proper to begin with).

Stealing money, deleting comments, begrudgingly completing commissions... I don't care if she's talented - she's just a parasite if that's how she conducts her business. Sounds like all she can dish out is lies, hurhur. =/

I hope people going to FC read this and spread the word. I would hate to hear of yet another rip off from Starfinder.

[sfinder.livejournal.com]

Well since sofar NO ONE has e-mailed me at the e-mail provided (contact@nvisionphotoandart.com) and let me know what I owe them (sketches, icons, etc) I am just going down the list of what I have on file. Since my LJ is friends only and VERY private (and I tend to post finished commissions there) I will also cross post here so you can see that yes, I AM WORKING ON IT! Here is the first set from a backlog of mood themes, this one is for BloodWolf.


    
    
    
    

As I keep finishing things I will post them here so you can clearly see that things are getting done.

Now, I really would appreciate it if those of you NOT involved in this (Ie: I don't directly owe you something) would stop playing martyr and cause drama. You are not helping, you say you want things to change but you are being as counter-productive as can be. Just let me sort it out with the people involved and stay out of it. Unless I owe you something directly, knock it off with the snarky comments. I am being polite here and working as you can see, so please stop trying to fuel the fire for your own amusement. Go find something better to do please and get off my case so I can work with the people I NEED to work with as efficiently as possible. Thank you.

[lilenth.livejournal.com]

None of the people here are being snarky, many of us are friends of people you still owe art or money to. Many of us deplore the way you have behaved and hope you do improve but we'll also reserve judgement on whether or not this improvement streak will last.

This is hardly drama, many of us are discussing practices that we believe in and commenting on what systems we would like to ensure people don't get into the situation you keep getting into.

One commission completed is a start but honestly sitting there having a go at us and complaining about how we're being counter productive by having legitimate public discussion which in some cases isn't even about you is you wasting time you could be using to get caught up on your workload.

Also you need some patience, not everyone who has commissioned you watches this community and it has been less than a day since you posted. You want the "drama" to end? Knuckle down, get your commissions done, get refunds back to people. Don't whine and expect everyone else to shut up because you have earned yourself a bad reputation and don't want to be troubled with it, because I doubt you will hear the end of this until you have proved to both yourself and others how much potential you really have.

[kaputotter.livejournal.com]

Starfinder is a very talented girl. It's just too bad she's far, far, far too young to be this deep into her business. She has not yet developed the mental capacity to handle herself responsibly. I really hope that she can learn from her mistakes a little more reliably before she decides to enter the mainstream in any sense. It's very sad, seeing skill like that wasted on a self-righteous, defensive, forgetful personality.

Then again, if all artists were famous because they're talented AND nice, we wouldn't nearly have as rich of an art history as we all do. Many of the most famous names were real assholes.

I hope she decides to stick mostly to fine art, and painting what she wishes, and selling those paintings; it's very clear that she does not like to be told what to do.

[yirusalem.livejournal.com]

I believe that's enough...harassing Star about this, even if she did all this, isn't going to make it any less painful. I came to know Star myself, but this seems off to me because I have talked to her quite a lot. I understand many are upset with her, and some may even want to file legal suits. Even if the personality she's shown me is a facade, I bet there is a little truth to what she says. It might not be a lot...but I've also heard Artist Beware is also a source of slander when others have problems with those they don't like. So, I approach this one in a very distant manner.

Star, if you're reading this, and you are actually doing what they say--maybe you should back off from what is distracting you, given that I've been keeping up to date about your life on journal. You are well known, are you not? You also have had your art featured in galleries, and you have a professional website, and most of all, I'm sure you just want enjoy the work you do. But, if this is all true...given the amount of people who are sending in complaints, maybe you should work a little harder to take a look at yourself...a very hard one...and correct the problem. Some might say not to believe you, and not to even associate with you, but I believe people can change. It might be something very tall and imidating to you now, and if you don't put a harder effort into your problems it will only grow taller, more stressful--what if Jimon got word of this? I know he loves you, but what if?

And no, I'm not here to defend or attack the accused or the accusers...I'm not even caught up in this incident, but I had considered commissioning Star sometime in the future. Though...I'd rather see if she can (despite all the claims that she has said many times she will fix herself) do exactly what she has repeatedly said. It shouldn't be too hard, should it? I can't consider a commission with you if you are doing this unless you change. You have a great talent, and if you are doing this, you're wasting it.

Part of me wants believe you, Star, but the other part is also torn between you and all these people. That is why I'm not outright pointing at you and not outright attacking them for accusing you.

To the others...I ask you not to flame me or try to convince of a side. Its hard enough saying what I said above and I hope you understand that Star is someone I have seen as a friend. But...I want to say that if she is and doesn't fix the problem, if she is doing it, then I'll go back into the shadows from whence I came.

[yirusalem.livejournal.com]

Just a side note....given Star's relation to me, I am going to try joining AB. If anyone else I consider a friend is doing this, then I want to know. And if I find anyone then I want to tell.