This write-up is not about artist's cheating customers and how to avoid them. This is about two people each with the best of intentions who enter into a contract and how the buyer can STILL end up very unhappy with what they get. I am basing this on stories and 2nd/3rd hand accounts I have heard and my knowledge of the profession as a fursuit maker.

When we take cheats and scoundrels off the list and stick with just regular honest people, and assuming the tastes of the customer do not change as the art is being made, there are two main ways for the customer to end up with an expensive item they may have waited a year to get and, in the end, really do not like or want.

1) NOT ENOUGH RESEARCH

Going with the first person you see. Googling 'Buy a Fursuit' and then picking the first option is not really the best way to get a suit. There are lots and lots of artists out there and each one is different is skill and style and price and if you do not look then you will not find the one that is the best fit for you.

This also counts under 'just going with whoever your friend recommends' as that assumes that your friend and you have the exact same taste in art. They may not have the whole story and may feel bad later that they were the sole reason you picked one artist over another. Do not mix friends and business. Word-of-mouth is useful, but also do your own research.

So that is probably pretty obvious to most and those it is not obvious to will probably never research enough to find this article. So let move on the real point of this write-up.

2) YOUR REFERENCE ART DOES NOT MATCH WHAT IS IN YOUR HEAD

Although this one is obvious, it is also easily overlooked/misunderstood by both sides. I will explain.

There are two types of commissions - one where you give the artist 2 or 3 details (colour/specific feature/species) and they make you something out of your head. If all you want is something totally random and cool, this is a perfect way to get it. No problem!

There is also the commission where you draw/get drawn up EXACTLY what you want does to the last detail. Explain all markings and colours and fur lengths. Whatever is important to you.

Here is the important thing - There is NOTHING in the MIDDLE! You cannot say "here is my reference sheet. But feel free to be creative" because when we are handed a reference then we must follow it as it lies because we do not KNOW what parts we are allowed to be creative over. If we change something that was important then you'll be unhappy. If we follow it exactly then you may still be unhappy but at least we can point to the sheet and say "Look. you gave me this." Being creative with a person's fursona is a very ..delicate proposition at times, we we do not always know if you are the one customer in a million that will make a huge deal over a swoosh marking being turned into an ellipse. And if we mess up on that then we have absolutely nothing to fall back on because the visual reference sheet is always taken as the absolute truth by a jury.

Handing a sheet of written adjustments with this doesn't really help. Although makers often try their best, it can be really hard to keep everyone's commission straight. In the spur of the moment it can be really hard to keep written changes (especially as they often occur over several emails) straight unless they are very very clear and concise. Saying "I like these 2 suits you made" does not help as we cannot look into your mind about what you love about them.

I repeat, Artist's cannot look into your mind. And thus they will play it safe and do exactly what they see drawn on paper.

2b) LEARN WHAT FURS ARE AVAILABLE.

It is fine to assume that an artist will understand that the reference sheet has longer fur on the shoulders or calves or whatever and maybe very short fur somewhere else and super poofy fur on the tail. Because they've done it before.

But realize that a) many fur colours are NOT AVAILABLE in certain lengths. If you want 3 inch fur, you are very very limited in your choices. and b) some furs do not play well with others and this can further limit your choices. If your reference shows your super long fur and your medium fur are the exact same colour, the artist may be forced to pick the same fur for both as there is not always a match available in several lengths.

Drawing up a reference in mind of using these furs you like is fine, but make sure you either use a reference artist who KNOWS FURS or you will have to educate yourself. saying you want the blue fur over the shoulders to be really long is.. fine on paper but in practice is not happening. And don't assume we know the bright yellow fur is supposed to be 4 inch sparkle fur because it is yellow and we have used long fur there in the past.

It is hard to be absolute on this subject as every artist is different in what they prefer and what they use. But I HIGHLY suggest before handing any money over, ask them WHAT FURS they intend to use on your project. Generally, we can glance at the reference and know very quickly what will work where. KNOW WHAT THESE FURS ARE and decide if they are what you want. if they are not, then discuss other options.

2c) DISCUSS WHAT YOU WANT

And by discuss, I mean a 2-way discussion. Writing them a lengthy email is not good enough - they have to reply and indicate that they understand what you mean. And if they do not then you can explain it further until you know they will do exactly as you ask, because NOW they know what is IMPORTANT to you - in this case fur length vs exact colour matching. Or maybe you want markings that follow a certain expression and you, or your reference artist, just didn't know how to draw it. And thus in translating it to fur we won't get what was trying to be conveyed unless you make it clear.

There is value in going with an artist because you like their past work, but cherry-picking your 3 favorites and assuming your suit will be like that is not a good practice. We may have moved on in style and not actually do them like that or you may unknowing pick a style that is incompatible with what your reference sheet tells us.

Talk to us and make sure your needs are being heard. Discovering the suit has been made 'incorrectly' is too late. This all needs to be done before any fur is ever cut up.

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It is always unfortunate to hear people say "Oh they did a good job on my suit, but it is not really what I actually wanted from them." It is unfortunate that the customer lost a chance to own work that they really loved by a person they really loved, and also unfortunate that the artist lost out on a 100% satisfied customer through no fault of their own.

I have to emphasis that this is not a fault or blame scenario - it is about lack of communication as well as miscommunication. Both people entered into the project with the best of intentions and both people THOUGHT they DELIVERED on those intentions. But with disappointing end results.

As a buyer, the more RESEARCH you do before you buy and the more you can talk to an artist on their OWN level so that they 100% understand where you are coming from with your project ideas, the more likely it is that you will be 100% happy with what you receive from them.