WHO: Islandforge on Deviantart.com
WHERE: http://islandforge.deviantart.com/
WHAT: He ordered a commission from me for a lineart of him and his wife...Said he liked the finished product- and more than a month later hasn't paid OR responded despite being online and posting work.
WHEN: I finished and posted his commission July 21st.
PROOF: I went clearing out my inbox and naively got rid of his notes too. All I really have is the commission- and a photo he sent me for reference. The commission is here http://mousenibbles.deviantart.com/gallery/36945032#/d54i0mw. I wouldn't go through the trouble to draw something that wasn't a personal work if someone hadn't asked me to.
EXPLAIN: Islandforge commissioned me to do some lineart- not expensive at all- of him and his wife. The agreed price was 15USD, which would be delivered on delivery of commission. I sent him the image and he was happy with it- but since then he's ceased all communication, ignoring my polite notes requesting payment/reminding him.
MOOD: Unsatisfied.
- Current Mood:annoyed
Do NOT repost your old bewares. They are being archived.
https://artistsbeware.info/
Profile
artists_beware- Commissioner & Artist, Warning & Kudos Community
- Artists Beware
Comments
It makes things a lot easier on yourself so you know they pay you in full and when they pay you.
I'm sure you're aware of those free-art scammer "ooh I don't like how the picture came out, I'm not paying" *saves image* sort of people.
It's like that but when the artist watermarks it to avoid theft. The scammer traces it and throws it in their gallery, claiming it as their own. Back in the day you'd just report them and the image would get removed. But on DA that's near impossible these days.
Its not so much a problem for bigger, more expensive artists such as yourself, but the littlies who only charge $10 for a picture. Never happened to me, but I've seen it, though not for a while. But then I haven't been active on DA for years, so that may be why :P
As everyone else has said - always get money up front!
I think it's happened to almost everyone; even though I've always taken money up front, with one of my first commissions I completed it and then they asked for another and I completed that thinking they'd be good for the money and they never paid (though, granted, I also never showed them the commission so at least they didn't get it for nothing, but I still spent that time on it)
Write up a proper ToS and always ask for at least half of the payment in advance. Say, for sums under $50 the entire payment is in advance. Everything ranging from $60 and up could potentially (but doesn't have to) be half in advance and half upon completion.
When you finish the image, but still haven't seen your pay, you don't upload the image, nor send over the full-size unwatermarked file. You can show them a low-res, heavily watermarked file to ensure them that the work is finished, but until you see your payment, that's all they should get.
Lastly: I think it's a good thing you posted this here and I certainly hope this will get resolved, but if not, at least other artists are aware of this guy's practices. I'm sorry it happened to you, though..
Edited at 2012-08-11 11:37 am (UTC)
For that, I personally suggest payment plans. When I offer a payment plan, I get half upfront, do half of the work, then get the rest of the payment and continue with the work. That way you're still paid, while not feeling as nervous since it's only half.