Just an FYI...in between the time I submitted this AB journal and the time this journal was actually posted, Frindle finished the second and final commission out of the blue. Still was dissatisfied with the way the commissions were handled so I want to mark it "Resolved," including a tag at the bottom if mods can do that.
WHO: FA user "Frindle"
WHERE: FurAffinity. http://www.furaffinity.net/user/frindle
WHAT: Two full-body shaded commissions, both worth $45.
WHEN: On May 12, 2013, Frindle posted a journal advertising LiveStream commissions. I bought two because I thought her style was unique and she was offering a "buy one, get the second half off" sale. I was under the impression these would be done THE SAME DAY that I purchased them, hence her use of the word "Streaming" in the journal title. What resulted was a 6+ month long delay full of excuses, attempts at pity, and lack of responses. If it weren't for my numerous attempts to prod her, these commissions would be nowhere near finished.
PROOF: Well...where do I begin? I wasn't able to get everything but that'd drive me nuts if I got any more than I already have here.
May 12: Her initial journal post for "EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS."
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal.png
May 12: The Paypal statement for the $45 commissions.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/payment.png
May 17-June 5: I sent her multiple notes since then asking when she'll work on the commissions. Here's numerous replies claiming "she'll work on my commission" soon.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note5-1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note4-1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note3-1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note2-1.png
June 5-June 29: Multiple journals during the month advertising additional commissions and whatnot. Clearly she has time for art except for mine.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal2.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal3.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal4.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal5.png
NOTE: It is worth mentioning that at random times between June and September, I would pop into Frindle's Livestreams, asking politely when she'll work on the commissions. Unfortunately, I don't have screencaps of those (did I really think I'd need them in 5 months???).
July 16: I note her, asking for a refund. Here's her reply, putting off a refund for later since she doesn't have the money.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note6.png
July 20: Push comes to shove and she needs give a lengthy explanation as to why she's unable to refund me. She claims she can still do my commissions though she never follows up on that.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note8.png
July 24: I reply back to the tune of "you can either refund me or do the art, go ahead and do something soon." She promises some sketches in the next few days, but doesn't deliver.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note9.png
Sometime in August: Unfortunately, I didn't get the timestamp on this picture so I'm guessing on the date. Frindle makes two journals feeling upset about all her outstanding commissions. I leave a comment trying to persuade her to work with me but not much comes from it.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal9.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/comment1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal11.png
Later in August: Again, no timestamp. Frindle makes another journal explaining her recent woes, along with my response to it.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal10.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/comment3.png
Aug 27: Previously, she made a journal asking for commissioners to resend her the info for their commissions. Here's what I sent her that day.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/noteisent.png
Sept 16: Another heads-up journal in which she asks commissioners to resend their info. I already sent mine in August so I was still waiting patiently for her to get to mine.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal7.png
Sept 16: She appears to get her act together and lists a bunch of commissions she'll attend to, mine included. Suffice to say I didn't get my commission that September.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal6.png
Oct 3: She is going away on a trip for a month. I assume I won't be able to contact her for a month so I sit patiently (yet again).
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal8.png
Nov 6: A response to a note I sent her the day before, asking her when the commissions will be done. She finally offers to work on the commissions.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note10.png
Nov 8: The first of the two commissions is completed. Turned out the way I like, it's a huge relief to me. During the stream, she only worked on one pic instead of two. I don't have proof of this but in (I think) the stream chat she promised to give me a free icon and another commission for 50% off, assuming I choose to commission her again.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/submission.png
Nov 20-Dec 1: Earlier, she gave me a hold of her Skype so we can discuss the second commission. She doesn't reply to my Skype messages on Nov 20 and 30. After replying, she addresses the comments I left in her journal and claims she is willing to work on my pictures in the next few days. Same run-of-the-mill stuff.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype2.png - continuation of above conversation
Nov 30: The previous Skype conversation began because I had to make an ass of myself in a public journal asking her why she wouldn't reply to my notes. Later, she eventually removed these comments and started working on the sketch.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/comment2.png
Dec 4: Got a WIP from her on Skype that I liked. Great, it's close to the design I wanted. It wouldn't go much further from here though.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/sketch.png
Dec 5-Jan 7: More messages over the next month of me asking when she'll work on my picture which are met by responses with little to no improvement to the commission, despite the fact I threatened her with Artists Beware posts multiple times.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype3.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype4.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype5.png
Jan 11: Frindle finished the second picture.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/submission2.png
EXPLAIN: Though the two commissions are done, this has been a nightmarish six months of waiting for these commissions. They should've been done MUCH, MUCH SOONER and despite being polite with her the whole process, I've been ignored, lied to, and taken advantage of. So that's it, thanks for your understanding. :\
WHO: FA user "Frindle"
WHERE: FurAffinity. http://www.furaffinity.net/user/frindle
WHAT: Two full-body shaded commissions, both worth $45.
WHEN: On May 12, 2013, Frindle posted a journal advertising LiveStream commissions. I bought two because I thought her style was unique and she was offering a "buy one, get the second half off" sale. I was under the impression these would be done THE SAME DAY that I purchased them, hence her use of the word "Streaming" in the journal title. What resulted was a 6+ month long delay full of excuses, attempts at pity, and lack of responses. If it weren't for my numerous attempts to prod her, these commissions would be nowhere near finished.
PROOF: Well...where do I begin? I wasn't able to get everything but that'd drive me nuts if I got any more than I already have here.
May 12: Her initial journal post for "EMERGENCY COMMISSIONS."
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal.png
May 12: The Paypal statement for the $45 commissions.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/payment.png
May 17-June 5: I sent her multiple notes since then asking when she'll work on the commissions. Here's numerous replies claiming "she'll work on my commission" soon.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note5-1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note4-1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note3-1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note2-1.png
June 5-June 29: Multiple journals during the month advertising additional commissions and whatnot. Clearly she has time for art except for mine.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal2.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal3.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal4.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal5.png
NOTE: It is worth mentioning that at random times between June and September, I would pop into Frindle's Livestreams, asking politely when she'll work on the commissions. Unfortunately, I don't have screencaps of those (did I really think I'd need them in 5 months???).
July 16: I note her, asking for a refund. Here's her reply, putting off a refund for later since she doesn't have the money.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note6.png
July 20: Push comes to shove and she needs give a lengthy explanation as to why she's unable to refund me. She claims she can still do my commissions though she never follows up on that.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note8.png
July 24: I reply back to the tune of "you can either refund me or do the art, go ahead and do something soon." She promises some sketches in the next few days, but doesn't deliver.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note9.png
Sometime in August: Unfortunately, I didn't get the timestamp on this picture so I'm guessing on the date. Frindle makes two journals feeling upset about all her outstanding commissions. I leave a comment trying to persuade her to work with me but not much comes from it.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal9.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/comment1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal11.png
Later in August: Again, no timestamp. Frindle makes another journal explaining her recent woes, along with my response to it.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal10.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/comment3.png
Aug 27: Previously, she made a journal asking for commissioners to resend her the info for their commissions. Here's what I sent her that day.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/noteisent.png
Sept 16: Another heads-up journal in which she asks commissioners to resend their info. I already sent mine in August so I was still waiting patiently for her to get to mine.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal7.png
Sept 16: She appears to get her act together and lists a bunch of commissions she'll attend to, mine included. Suffice to say I didn't get my commission that September.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal6.png
Oct 3: She is going away on a trip for a month. I assume I won't be able to contact her for a month so I sit patiently (yet again).
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/journal8.png
Nov 6: A response to a note I sent her the day before, asking her when the commissions will be done. She finally offers to work on the commissions.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/note10.png
Nov 8: The first of the two commissions is completed. Turned out the way I like, it's a huge relief to me. During the stream, she only worked on one pic instead of two. I don't have proof of this but in (I think) the stream chat she promised to give me a free icon and another commission for 50% off, assuming I choose to commission her again.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/submission.png
Nov 20-Dec 1: Earlier, she gave me a hold of her Skype so we can discuss the second commission. She doesn't reply to my Skype messages on Nov 20 and 30. After replying, she addresses the comments I left in her journal and claims she is willing to work on my pictures in the next few days. Same run-of-the-mill stuff.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype1.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype2.png - continuation of above conversation
Nov 30: The previous Skype conversation began because I had to make an ass of myself in a public journal asking her why she wouldn't reply to my notes. Later, she eventually removed these comments and started working on the sketch.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/comment2.png
Dec 4: Got a WIP from her on Skype that I liked. Great, it's close to the design I wanted. It wouldn't go much further from here though.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/sketch.png
Dec 5-Jan 7: More messages over the next month of me asking when she'll work on my picture which are met by responses with little to no improvement to the commission, despite the fact I threatened her with Artists Beware posts multiple times.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype3.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype4.png
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/skype5.png
Jan 11: Frindle finished the second picture.
http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h116/eric43/Business/submission2.png
EXPLAIN: Though the two commissions are done, this has been a nightmarish six months of waiting for these commissions. They should've been done MUCH, MUCH SOONER and despite being polite with her the whole process, I've been ignored, lied to, and taken advantage of. So that's it, thanks for your understanding. :\
Do NOT repost your old bewares. They are being archived.
https://artistsbeware.info/
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Comments
"Streaming" doesn't necessarily mean the art purchased will be done in that stream time, especially if there were other people on the list first, Unless they are like. WILL BE DONE IN STREAM. Which they should take payment then do the at, then take next payment and so on.
--
I hope yo get this sorted out, if they're so close to being done I don't see why they can't just be -finished- before taking on more work.
Edited at 2014-01-13 04:32 am (UTC)
Just to let you know in case you ever need to post another beware, it's against rules to remove/delete an entry. just figured I should say so since you add wanting to it keep it here as though you would delete it otherwise.
I agree that I could have handled this a lot better. Phantom commissioned me at a time in my life where more went on than anything else prior to that year had, and I bit off a lot more than I could chew. I went through moves, unexpected trips, all the like and was generally uninterested in art.
Me and Phantom have come to a peaceful conclusion and his commissions have been finished (the day that the journal was posted, actually.)
Always shine a nice light on the artist and commissioner.
I jumped the gun on the AB post, but let me explain why. In the last few months, especially during the Skype chats, I had to ask multiple times when progress was going to be made before I got a response of (usually) minimal value. Prepared for the worst, I had my AB post ready to submit by November and was simply tacking on proof as time went on.
After making the final AB threat in January (finish the picture by the 11th, some arbitrary date I picked, the pic is half-complete as it is), I got no reply immediately afterward. I assumed that Frindle was indirectly scoffing at me. So I turned the key and pushed the red button. To my surprise, she finished the pic the same day my AB was posted which put me in a mildly awkward situation.
I have no regrets that this AB was posted even if I got my pic anyway. I'm under the belief that the only reason both commissioners were done was through nagging, threats, and ultimatums. Had I never said a word, neither of my commissions may be done today.
Frindle, I'm sorry if I came across as an ass. Let me explain my side if I may. Two weeks after I bought the commissions from you, I lost my job and have been searching for positions in my field ever since (6 months and going). Money was becoming more and more scarce. I watched dozens of artists that I had given money to squander it and refuse to pay attention to my requests. I was furious with many of them and my patience had run thin.
I don't dislike you Frindle. I know times were tough for you too. There's a few more artists I could potentially weite AB's for. I already wrote one for an artist that practically scammed $25 from me and I doubt I'll ever get it back.
But the truth is commissions are a BUSINESS. If you pay someone to do work for you, it's under good faith that he/she'll get it done in a timely, quality manner. When that doesn't happen, that's a scam or a theft, things which was considered illegal in the real world. If you pay a business and they say, "we'll do X in a couple of days" but they don't multiple times, you take them to claims court. It's only fair that artists set themselves to SOME kind of standard and if they don't, me and others won't commission them.
I have nothing else to add (at least for now) and again, sorry that I come across as harsh. We can still be acquaintances but I don't think it's fair if this stuff happens to any other commissioners so that's why I bring up my story. Take care and good luck with your art and your job.
Edited at 2014-01-14 03:11 am (UTC)
Edit for typos.
Edited at 2014-01-14 05:55 am (UTC)