1. Try to pick an artist who is pretty reputable with doing a trade with. This also includes someone who will put a good efforts with into it.
2. Make sure the person you're doing it with actually owns the character. You'll be surprised be how many people actually confuse the owner of your favorite character.
3. Make sure the person you're drawing for finds the image tasteful or within their's boundaries. Ask them if you're unsure.
4. Allow the person a decent length of time to complete their end, however don't be afraid to ask them when their end will be completed - especially if over a month goes by without seeing anything.
5. Ask the person to show a work in progress BEFORE you complete your image - just trust me on this one.
6. Get as much reference material on the character that you can. Neither of you can read each others minds after all.

Follow these simple steps and you can have a (mostly) headache free time doing art trades. ;)

I wish I could favorite this answer! X3

thank you for the tips :)

As far as my understanding of it goes, it's just a mutual art exchange. If you like someone's art and they like yours you both do a pic at the request of the other person. I liken it to a commission only, yknow, you're paying each other with pics.

Also potatoes, wut?

potatoes=players how have no idea what they do, even basics are uknown to them

Yay. I learned something today!