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Iron Artist Cancelled + State of FA
14 years ago
Last night I sent refunds out to everyone still waiting on a slot for my Iron Artist. Regretfully, it's just not working out. I had good intentions when I started, but the more and more I sat down to work on them, the more I was pulled away. I spread myself too thin, and I tried to take on too much at once. I couldn't focus on any one thing, and I fell behind. The more I fell behind the more guilt and more frustration I felt, and it only made things worse.
It ended up with me depressed, frustrated and stressed. The site and the pressures that come with it didn't help. Add in a relationship that needs attention and love, a car accident and more, and it just ended up getting all wibbly wobbly.
I'm not quitting drawing, but I will no longer take money for it. I'm not an artist who should be taking commissions. Ever. I'll be following up with people waiting on commissions from me next week (when I get my paycheck) to square things away with them.
I sent refunds out to the original accounts who paid me. All of them went out last night. If your Paypal has changed since this started please note me, and I'll make sure you're squared away.
It's not easy typing this, but I need to come to terms with the facts. I do too much, and the more I do, the less I can focus on any one thing. I'm sure more than a few people probably are due an "I told you so" and "I was right" and I'm going to concede that, yep, you were. But I'd rather refund everybody. It's the right thing to do.
So, this weekend, I decided that I needed to focus on something. And I chose to make my only focus FA. I'll still draw, but I want the site to be my priority. We've got over 550,000 registered users, and we gain hundreds of users a day. The site needs a person willing to focus all their attention on it, and that person has not been me. That has to change.
Some of you have noticed some changes on the site recently, all for the better. That's what I'm focusing on. I want the site to be better, work better. I can't do that if I'm not focused on the site.
Again, my apologies to those who waited on me. I failed in that aspect. But I realize now, more than ever, I need to focus my attention on the site.
It ended up with me depressed, frustrated and stressed. The site and the pressures that come with it didn't help. Add in a relationship that needs attention and love, a car accident and more, and it just ended up getting all wibbly wobbly.
I'm not quitting drawing, but I will no longer take money for it. I'm not an artist who should be taking commissions. Ever. I'll be following up with people waiting on commissions from me next week (when I get my paycheck) to square things away with them.
I sent refunds out to the original accounts who paid me. All of them went out last night. If your Paypal has changed since this started please note me, and I'll make sure you're squared away.
It's not easy typing this, but I need to come to terms with the facts. I do too much, and the more I do, the less I can focus on any one thing. I'm sure more than a few people probably are due an "I told you so" and "I was right" and I'm going to concede that, yep, you were. But I'd rather refund everybody. It's the right thing to do.
So, this weekend, I decided that I needed to focus on something. And I chose to make my only focus FA. I'll still draw, but I want the site to be my priority. We've got over 550,000 registered users, and we gain hundreds of users a day. The site needs a person willing to focus all their attention on it, and that person has not been me. That has to change.
Some of you have noticed some changes on the site recently, all for the better. That's what I'm focusing on. I want the site to be better, work better. I can't do that if I'm not focused on the site.
Again, my apologies to those who waited on me. I failed in that aspect. But I realize now, more than ever, I need to focus my attention on the site.
I don't think adding some species to this list is 'changes.'
Anyway, glad maybe the site will get some much-needed attention now.
One of the things that we have been focusing on is a complete revision of the trouble ticket system and site wide way of supporting users. We've been working on improving everything (e.g. proper "report" buttons). There's a lot that's been going on, and we want to focus on better support for the users. Which means better admin tools.
Not published yet.
Not trying to argue with you, but I can hardly say WE'RE supposed to note the changes if they don't exist to us yet.
But, I'd love a better TT system. Oh and an admin who wants to listen to BOTH sides of the story when I report something, or someone report my stuff.
:U
I'm less than impressed when people think I'm harassing Neer on a personal level when I want some answers is all.
*fails to realize it takes 2 to tango*
~*furries*~
I mean, there's been a few changes to the site, but they've been really minor things that, given that they were each fixed in a day, only shows that they could have been dealt with years ago. All this stuff and the IA refunds are good and all, but I'm not really going to be convinced that FA isn't heading the way of Furnation until real significant updates start updating.
brain nation 2011
THESE NIGGAS ARE STUPID
I liked the layout you proposed back early this year or late lat year :)
PS Thanks once more just for supplying us with this great place to meet and do what we do!! You need to know there's lots of us out here who are extremely grateful for it and all you do!
I think you should put the type 'Pokemon art' and 'Digimon' also into the Species section.
Because I know a lot of people who make pokemon art also make it a type of art. so example, I made a Fat fur picture of a ninetales, so I want to put it in the fat fur types and the species pokemon.
I'm here for the art, not for pretty but useless feeping creaturisms.
lol.
Next time I wont clarify.. Maybe I should just start spewing shit without even checking what the other party is implying?
Ugh
I try not to make smart ass comments [I used to sometimes a long time ago c..c] simply because it stirs up so much drama... Better to sit in the shadows and not say much :P
Color palette appearance for the site based on use preferences.
Like having all pages of FA appear to shades of red. Or blue might be your choice. Well I know green would be mine.
Alternative is same idea but applied only to profiles. Haha
YOU HAVE THIRTY SECONDS STARTING NAOW http://www.hecklerspray.com/wp-cont.....2/image002.jpg
But you know... Depends if you see this or even agree lol.
I just view everything. :P
A car accident?! Are you okay??!?
You do still need to take time for yourself and the things you really enjoy doing rather than just working on FA. You should definitely have a sense of responsibility to the site, yes, but also a sense of priority for it compared to other things in your life. And if your sense of responsibility and the amount of priority that you can give the site don't work well together, you'll need to find another solution.
But the site does unfortunately have to be the main focus. Once things get better and easier, then you'll eventually be able to continue your IA again.
im glad you're stepping up and making FA a huge priority. i've noticed some of the people i watch have lost faith in this site. BUT MY FAITH IS FOREVER STRONG!!!
#EternallyLoyal
Good luck to you.
Good Luck.
... I can't see anyone having a problem with that.
I applaud your honesty.
Since you are killing commissions forever, I take it this means I'll never have an opportunity to design art with you :(
[lol]
Thank you for the refund. IMO you are doing the right thing even though personally I would have just kept waiting myself BUT its not worth it if your are stressed out and stuff. Once again thanks, and good luck :)
Personally, I've found FA to be easy to use and a really great site for social interation, as well as a place to see all of the art I like. Oddly enough, it has had a huge positive impact on my life because all of the incredible furs I've met here, so I can tell you from where I sit you have done the world a tremendous service. For that, I thank you.
Well One things for sure, I hope you find a day to take a break from all the stuff going on.
I appreciate all your hard work and wish the best for ya! :3
My best wishes.
One of the first things you should consider working on is the Donations - for many of us International Money Orders are just unfeasible and cost almost as much as what you are trying to send. Either direct credit card, paypal/alertpay or some other sort of online payment broker really is a preferred option.
I know for a fact it is totally what has stopped me from donating and I've felt bad about it but the cost of the money order was actually more than what I would have normally sent in every month!
I'd like to say thanks again for putting all of this effort into the site for us.
Welcome to my fuckin life, dude. :\ Unfortunately, this is my job so I have no choice but to stick with it. XC In any case, I'm sorry you had to go through that. Burnout is never an easy thing to cope with. Nevertheless, I do look forward to seeing where you take FA. This place feels kinda like a home to me, as silly as that may sound.
I and many others appreciate the work you do for FA. :) Feel better.
~Bobbie
I can't really give advice on that, seeing as I'm not one focusing on one thing, but that's not the point.Hell, I'm already happy with not having to see the removed submission/journal notices anymore. XD
This has worked on another website very well. It has cut drama out completely. I cannot list the website here it is NSFW.
We've been discussing the block system and changes made to it.
already some pages implemented this.
Keep bein' awesome, 'Neer.
Basically, keep up the awesome, thumbs up for both your integrity and knowing your limits, and thanks for the hard work you put in for all of us.
Also I'm really excited about the updates that have happened/might happen in the future. They've been good things so far.
Stay frosty, man.
minutesyears ago we're going to have to fire you from your position as King of the Furries.Fixed that for you. =D
Look on the bright side, at least it's a better site than Y!Gallery.
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one on FA who hasn't moved to a new account name, or have separate accounts for my stuff.
My random guess would be 30% have been inactive for over a year, and 5% are accounts created by someone who has another account already.
I assume that will be a lot less than the number of registered users :P
I'm torn between giving a big thank you to you, for finally admitting it and not hiding anymore, and saying we'll believe it when we actually see it. These kinds of promises have been floating around for months upon months and what does the site have to show for it? A new species list, woo. Which is awesome but maybe actually fixing things that are broken (i.e. the commission tab? Or the new site update stuff?) would be a better course of action, especially after all this time. I really want to believe you, since journals like these are never easy to make, but I'm not going to hold my breath.
I don't think the commission tab is a priority right now. Many other things take precedence.
But yeah, thanks for sharing. C:
You may want to try to improve your conspiracy theories.
Problem?
And I am saying he put more effort and details into the images than most IA people put into them. He could have gotten them all done in a month or two if he was shoveling out shit to people, but he CARED about the art he was putting out and wanted it to be the best it could be for them.
I want to believe in you guys, I really do. But a lot of people have to see it now.
And thank you for refunding your commissioners instead of letting it fester.
You've done well...
Administration over that many accounts is probably entertaining and stressful. I know you're not the only admin, but you're presence in that light is usually much more visible, and you've probably got plenty of people who try to go directly to you with any issues.
Thank you for commiting your free time to a free use website where I socialize and have met many of my friends. I appreciate what you do and look forward to any changes to come to the future, don't spread yourself to thin, good luck with planning your wedding and most of all thanks.
At least you are refunding the still waiting people though. Some would just pocket it and be able to get away with it. >.>
also a question: in account setting the default template is all i can get and i can only get a default or dark layout. are there any more of those that are downloadable or is that all there is for now?
just don't get overwhelmed of all the stuff you been through.
Kind of hard to take all the whining dramawhores seriously when they could just leave.
Thanks for everything.
C:
Ps: Although, it is unlikely, if you do need help with anything beyond funding (which once I am settled into my new job, I intend to repay FA the help it has given me) don't hesitate to shout.
It caused a lot of problems, for a lot of people (As i'm sure you're WELL aware), so I guess it's a bit understandable some of us harder hit ones are hoping a little harder for these improvements to be made in the right places. Not trying to come off as a bitch or snarky, just my personal opinion, I guess.
I am in after (not in before) countless others on this site who never made a list who'd have rushed forward wanting to pay you to get something made by your hand, artistically speaking. You draw and color well, but it's a lot more personal and touching when it's without being paid or prompted (i.e. I just disqualified myself).
I trust the Dalek poster I sent via your wishlist arrived satisfactorily.
One question/suggestion- Artists have been mentioning this for a while, has the suggestion/request for folders and gallery organization being considered?
Thanks for all your hard work!
Keep doing what you do.
I am glad you've decided to make a site where everyone goes to look at furry art and also glad you've given us a center of commerce.. trust me 'neer you do more than you know.
Just my two cents. Thanks bud :)
1. youre a fantastic artist, despite ur current inner conflictions, and youre an admin im proud to have running the site my life and all 7000+ members of my clanees revolves around.
2. I respect you more than ever for refunding sed individuals. it IS the right thing to do. HOWEVER anybody that has any sort of anger towards you shouldnt be angry because youre an upfront and honest guy.
3. lastly, being devoted to this site solely, while being a great idea, makes me worry about your health. please dont overwork yourself bro.
also, i was wondering if anybody has ever brought up the idea for a FA IM chat feature like what facebook has? could be a great way to bring the community that much closer together.....
It's something we've been pondering.
unity brings understanding afterall. ^^
besides, what better a way to get those users who are rarely on a chance to chat with friends who are always on?
and your site activity would skyrocket through the roof! XD